This week's Bible Study - December 30, 2007
Bowing before the Savior
 Background Scripture:
Matthew 2:1-12
Quote of the Week:
“Wonder is the basis of worship”
Thomas Carlyle
There are many people in our society today who attribute a great deal more fame to others than is deserved. Celebrities draw a crowd and apparently many people follow their lives with some sort of passion. I could mention just a few first names and most everyone who reads this lesson would have heard of them, based upon internet searches, news stories and tabloid magazines. Fame has gone to their heads, and apparently to the heads of the general public.
Music stars draw large crowds. Concerts can be the rage - some caused by cultural phenomena and created by TV shows. In the past few months, Hannah Montana concerts have been sold out around the country, largely based upon the same named Disney TV show. At times, other groups have sold out everywhere they went, only to be forgotten and playing very small venues a few years later.
Athletes have some sort of aura about them. I suppose the fact that a person can shoot or throw a ball or run fast or lift a lot of weight makes them worthy of worship? Well, certainly not, but kids and many adults act as if they are in the presence of true greatness around these people. Whether it is their size or their skills that an athlete may seem to possess at some point in their lives, many people are guilty of hero worship.
It's interesting that in any of these cases involving fame or celebrity status, or any others that you may be able to think of, it drops over time. The movie star or musician or athlete or entrepreneur or politician may be highly thought of at some point in their lives, but a generation comes and goes, and the name is obscured on crossword puzzles. They may be the most influential people of the year, but a couple of years go by and people struggle to remember their names.
As Christians, we are able to worship one who has stood the test of time. From such a lowly birth to non descript parents, the Christ child has impacted all of humanity more than any other person. At his birth, shepherds came from the fields to worship him. In the following weeks and months, kings feared him and other kings worshipped him. It is appropriate that all levels of society can bow their knees before the Savior.
In many of the nativity scenes that you may see at Christmas time, there are several pieces, with all the characters, including animals and the wise men. There are probably a lot of errors in most nativity scenes, but as long as they help us to focus on the Christ child, they are probably okay. However, the presence of the wise men at the birth of the Christ is far from accurate. There are lots of traditions regarding the wise men - the numbers of men, their names and professions. We do know that that they were Gentiles, not associated with the tribe of Israel, but they must have known of the prophecies.
These wise men (Magi) came from far away to see the child both king of the Jews. It was after the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, and it was during the reign of King Herod. The wise men put a considerable amount of time and effort into finding this child to worship him. Would we do the same? Rather than putting a lot of effort into seeking God, many of us tend to base our tenacity upon our circumstances or other things that revolve around us - we are too busy, it may be inconvenient, it doesn't match our style, etc. I would contend that the wise men could have made many of the same arguments, and even though they didn't know all the biblical truths, they responded to what they did know. It is important to find a place to worship that you feel you can be comfortable, but remember that it truly isn't about us - it's about Christ.
The Magi had seen the star in the east and had come to worship him. The Magi had studied the stars enough to know that something strange had occurred. When there are strange lights in the sky, people wonder what they are. Even today, you may hear stories of UFOs or other flying objects - or maybe strange, hovering lights in the sky. On one dark night in Kentucky, I was driving in the countryside with my boys and we noticed a strange, flashing light in the sky. It was very intense and it just seemed to stay in the same location. Cars had pulled off the side of the road to take a look - sad to say that our car was among those them. As I said, it was very dark and you really couldn't see anything holding the light up. Nothing really happened - it just flashed a rather intense light - so we continued on. A few weeks later, during the daytime, we noticed that it was a new cell tower that had recently been erected. No mystery during the day, although this strange new light concerned many people at night.
The wise men went to King Herod to find out where this child king was born and how they could find him. They assumed this was to be the king of the Jews, so they likely assumed that they could find him by going to the current king. King Herod was disturbed (greatly), as well as his kingdom - when the king isn't happy, the kingdom isn't happy. This is especially true with an unstable king. King Herod was known to be somewhat of a loose cannon - as he suspected all sorts of rivals to his throne. He killed those he suspected of wanting his throne. He was a half-Jew, so hearing of the king of the Jews put his kingdom in some sort of jeopardy. Herod was a ferocious king and he was willing to go to any length to be the ruler of his own life. He would never bow to another. There are many people that are like Herod in this way today - they want so much to call their own shots - they don't want to bow their knees to any other person.
So, Herod got all of this smart guys (chief priests and teachers of the law) together and asked them where the Christ was to be born. Interestingly enough, they had the answer. They knew enough to know the correct answer, but it didn't click. The Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. None of them said 'wait a second! This child was born in Bethlehem - other wise men are seeking to worship him…. This is the Christ!' They just gave the answer and it had no impact on them. Many church members are like this today - they can answer the questions of Christianity, but it is much the same as solving an algebra problem - they get the answer - no impact on their lives.
Beware of learning the answers, but having a heart that is not impacted by what you know. We may become proficient at Biblical trivia, but that doesn't help. Sometimes, we often miss the things that are closest to us. There is that danger of facts and knowledge, with no application. When you read the Bible, the question to be answered is not the historical context and who did what, but rather how it applies to your life. There is always application as we study God's word.
Notice in these first few verses, we see three different types of responses to the birth of Christ. The wise men wanted to find and worship the child. Herod wanted to find and destroy the child. The smart guys knew the answers, but they were apathetic - unwilling to apply what they knew.
Herod knew what the Magi were looking for and he found out from those who had studied the law where the baby was to be born. He called the Magi secretly to find out exactly when the star had appeared, so that he could help them pinpoint the birth of the baby. He sent them off to Bethlehem to make a careful search for the child. They were to find him and report back, so that Herod could go worship as well.
What could Herod have done differently? Being the king, he could have sent a group of soldiers to Bethlehem to find this child. However, he didn't want the nation to be in an uproar about this birth. Sending soldiers would have sparked questions. Herod wanted the wise men to believe that they were all on the same team. He feigned his blessing and support, but he had other plans.
Note that the wise men continued to face obstacles in seeking the child. They had to seek out the star; they had to travel to Jerusalem; they had to deal with Herod. It wasn't easy for them. Sometimes, worship is easy for us. But, during other times, it can become much more difficult. We can become indifferent, distracted or focused on self centered thinking. In some parts of the world, there is no obstacle that is too big that will keep believers from worshipping. Sometimes, in our churches, church members become so content that no excuse is too small to avoid. We can very easily take what we know to be true for granted. What happens in our relationships with others - families and friends - if we take those for granted and become self centered?
The wise men heard what the king had said and they went on their way. As they went, they saw the star to guide them to the place where the child was. The star had not always been present - or else they would have just followed it. However, as they continued to seek, the star reappeared to get them to the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were elated, as they knew that they were headed in the right direction. How do you feel when you've been seeking God, and then you find him? There is a certain sense of peace and joy that overwhelms. There is a joy when you find Christ - if you are a believer, you can likely remember that joy that you had. There is a joy that comes through worship. Have we forgotten that joy?
The wise men had gotten direction from a couple of places along their journey. Through Herod, they got wise Biblical scholarly advice to help guide them. And, they saw the star. Notice that they didn't question how the star worked - they just followed. Where do you go for direction in life? There are lots of potential sources that want to 'help' you. Even in Christian bookstores, you can find a lot of good books to help you out. But, if you want true guidance, you need to go back to the Bible. Other books can help you understand passages, but the truth is from the Bible - not the other books.
They came to the house and they found the child with his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshipped him. This act of humility in bowing down showed an outer posture of worship and an inner attitude of being willing to humble themselves before the king. They gave their treasures to the child, as well as presenting him with the gifts of gold and of incense and myrrh. They brought what was precious to them and laid that at the feet of Christ. Similarly, God is asking us to give of ourselves when we worship Christ. How practical were the gifts they brought? Maybe Mary would have rather seen a bunch of packages of disposable diapers, or baby toys or something. However, these gifts were not so much about what was given, but the individual giving the gift. We are all different people with different gifts and abilities. Are you using your gift to worship the king?
They were warned in a dream to return back to their country by another route, so that Herod wouldn't know what had happened, so they followed that advice. They showed remarkable obedience, in being willing to follow God's plan. There were risks associated in following what God had shown them. The wrath of Herod would likely come upon them, if they were caught. There is always risk in truly following God's word today.
Closing
The wise men showed a great resolve in seeking Christ. As the year draws to a close, people talk about resolutions. For many, it will involve something with weight or exercise. These are good things, but the best resolution would be to grow closer to Christ in the coming year. It doesn't happen by accident. You have to seek him.
Take the time to seek God. Are you involved in a church? Find a way to use what God has given you in service. Don't let the involvement become the obstacle to growing closer to Christ, as the involvement is not the end goal. The end goal is about a relationship with Christ.
Concentrate on seeking God. Don't just go through the motions. Don't just show up at church each week. Worship styles are interesting these days. You may not be in a place that worships as you desire. However, God can still speak through the words that are sung or spoken. Be sensitive to the slightest tug - focus on what you can get and not on what is wrong.
As we are committed to seeking God, we will find him. Don't give up - continue to seek. Remember that true worship involves joy, humility, giving of yourself and obedience.
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