Title: We Still Seek Him Today

Date: 2008-01-06

Reference: Matthew 2: 1-12

"We have just celebrated the greatest, most meaningful birth in human history, that of Jesus Christ. I’m still amazed God announced the birth of Emmanuel to a handful of ragged shepherds on a hillside and to a few eccentric wise men from the East. Why to them? Perhaps it was because they were quiet enough to listen, eager enough to know, and available to follow the star.

During the Advent and Christmas Season we had the creche on the platform of our church. The figures reminded us of how both the rich and powerful, represented by the Wise Men, and the poor and lowly represented by the shepherds are all present at Christ’s birth. Rich and poor together bow before the one who offers new life.

When Jesus was born, some Wise Men from the East came to Jerusalem and said: “Where is the child born to be King of the Jews? We saw His star in the East and have come to worship Him?” Today, all these years later, Wise Men and Women are still quiet, eager, and available. Wise Men and Women still seek Him.

This day is Epiphany Sunday, which commemorates the visit of the Magi to Jesus. The Bible doesn’t tell us much about these men. The word Magi refers to scholars who study the stars. Tradition says these Magi were from Persia, or modern day Iran. They studied the stars for clues as to God’s will and leading. They believed one’s destiny was influenced or settled by the star under which one was born.

The Bible says a brilliant star appeared announcing the birth of King.

This star led the Magi to Jerusalem where God’s prophets told the Magi the King was to be born in Bethlehem. The Magi followed the beautiful Star of Bethlehem and they found Jesus. They worshiped Jesus and presented Him with precious gifts.

The old song asks, “What gift could I bring to the King?” What gift could one possibly give to Jesus? How could we possibly select a gift for the one who not only has everything, but made everything and owns everything? What gift? Some are already reaching for their pocketbooks thinking this is another back door stewardship message. God does need us to be faithful and generous in our giving. Today, let me say, I believe the simplest gift is always the best.

The Wise Men brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These were symbolic gifts; valuable gifts; generous gifts. The Magi also gave to Christ their hope, their time and their adoration. These are the gifts we can and should bring to Christ this New Year.

Tradition says Jesus’ family gave the valuable gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh away to the poor of Nazareth. The gifts we bring each week, our tithes and offerings are shared in the hope that we will make the world a better place for those who need our help the most. We honor Jesus when we are faithful in our sharing.

The Wise Men gave so much more. They gave Jesus their hope. When everyone else saw a night sky the Magi saw the star which stirred a feeling of hope in their hearts. They followed the star seeking Jesus. When life is dark, we should hope in Jesus concentrating on the stars and not the darkness. We have a choice to be hopeful or not. Sometimes God actually uses the darkness to reveal the stars.

The Bible says “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has never been able to put the light out.” (John 1:5) Christmas was all about the birth of hope in our tired, sad, sick sin world.

Whenever we find ourselves overwhelmed by life, when we are sad, distressed, bereaved, lonely.in those times we must learn to look for the light only Christ can give. Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. The person who follows me will never live in the darkness but will have the light that gives life.” Our hope has always been in God. Hope assures us we aren’t just thrown across the earth like dice tossed across a table. We are sovereignly, purposely, and lovingly place here for a purpose. I cannot imagine going through life and especially the hard times in life without Christ. Hope assures us God is for us.

If you are going through a dark period give God time. The trip of the Magi took time, maybe as long as two years. The Long trip was part of the gift. Time is a precious commodity. An African boy listened carefully as a mission school teacher explained why Christians gave gifts on Christmas Day. “Gifts” she explained, “are expressions of our joy over the birth of Jesus and our friendship with each other.” On Christmas Day the boy presented his teacher with a beautiful sea shell which came from a beach several miles away. The teacher was deeply touched and told the boy he shouldn’t have gone to the trouble, he shouldn’t have walked so far. The boy smiled and replied.”The long walk was part of the gift.”

So it was for the Magi and for us. One of the most precious gifts we will offer the Lord this New Year is our gift of time and Service.

We are told in Scripture that we are allotted 70 or 80 years. In a normal life span the average person spends 23 years sleeping, 20 years working for a living. Ten years of recreation, seven years eating, six years traveling, four years being ill and two years dressing ourselves. I would think in that time we could squeeze out a little time for God. The time and ministry we offer God is an eternal investment.

The Star led the Wise Men to the house where Jesus was. When they arrived they gave him another gift, their worship. These were wealthy, influential, and educated men. When they came into the room where Jesus was they fell down and worshiped Him. They stooped low to present their gifts to Jesus. That should be our attitude as well. As we worship we come before God just as we are. We open our hearts and minds and allow God to do His work. They worshiped in the light of the star, in the light of Scripture and in the presence of the Savior.

I hope you are planning to read through the Bible this year. God has promised a blessing and protection upon God’s people who honor God’s word. The time you take each day to read through the Bible is a gift to Jesus. What you read could matter for an eternity. Placing one of our study Bibles into the hands of another who may read it is another eternal investment. Scripture led the Wise Men to Jesus. Scripture will lead us to Jesus as well.

Your presence here in worship this morning is a gift to the Christ Child. Jesus has promised to be with any group of two or three who have gathered in his name. Who have come to remember. Remembering is exactly what we do in the Lord’s Supper. The gift Jesus has for you is a personal relationship.

It took a real effort on the part of the Magi to find Christ. Today we still seek Christ, and it still takes some effort at times. We are told one place to see the face of Christ is in the face of the person who is helpless, hungry, homeless, and sick. The person who needs our help,. The Bible is clear: Whenever we help one of these who are the least and the lost we help Jesus himself.

The Wise Men brought the very best they had to Jesus. They wouldn’t have been remembered and honored all these years later had they done less. We are sometimes content to bring our leftover to Jesus. Leftover time, energy, and pocket change is what we offer to Jesus. I would hope we could learn from the Wise men about true giving. A wise man said: “We make a living by what we get out of life.but we make a life by what we give.” Believe me, in the end, no one is ever honored for what he/she received in life, one is honored for what he or she gave.

In the Church, the Body of Christ, we each have gifts. We have been gifted not so much for our own sake but for the sake of others. We bring our gifts to Christ so we can be a blessing in the lives of others and make an eternal investment.

The Wise Men brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They also brought gifts of hope, time, and worship. Following the star they were led to the place where Jesus was. Today we follow and we bring our gifts as well.

On this first Sunday in another New Year we gather to present our gifts to the Savior. We bring the very best we have to give. We bring our hope, our time, our service, our worship, our devotion, and our tithes. We come this day to seek Jesus because we know Wise men and women still seek Him. ""