George Washington’s father died when he was just eleven, and for a time the young Washington had his heart set on joining the British navy. However, his mother had some serious reservations about that path and eventually strongly urged him to reconsider. He listened to his mother, and rather than becoming the captain of a ship, he became Commander in Chief of the entire military forces of the United States of America.
Much of the course of our lives is determined by the input we get when making decisions AND whether we heed wise counsel when we receive it. (Source: George Washington’s Leadership Lessons, James Rees)
The wise believer will heed to the counsel of scripture and will sacrifice all for Jesus, the Savior of the world! The wise men sacrificed time, comfort, and safety (2:1)
THE JOURNEY OF MANY MILES (2:1 – from the east…1,000’s of miles)
7 quick points of context that frame this historical narrative:
o Prophecy foretells of the Messiah in Daniel 9:24-27.
o They were believed to come from Persia (about 1,050 miles)
o They followed the star to Jerusalem.
o The star is not present in Jerusalem, and they need to ask Herod.
o They didn’t arrive at the manger.
o Jesus is about 2 yrs. old when meeting the wise men.
o Herod ordered all 2 yr. old boys to be executed.
THE JOURNEY REQUIRED MUCH MONEY
David Livingstone was a pioneer missionary to Africa, who walked over 29,000 miles. His wife died early in their ministry and he faced stiff opposition from his Scottish brethren. He prayed, “Send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever any ties but the tie that binds me to Your service and to Your heart.” (Source: The Grand Weaver, Ravi Zacharias)
What is the tie that keeps you from service for the Lord?
THE JUDGEMENT OF THEIR CHOICES (2:2)
They chose to follow the star (2:9-10)
The distance of the journey, the financial investment, and the physical labor required would be substantial – but they chose to follow the star even amid these great sacrifices!
I once read the story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application that asked, “Are you a leader?” Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, “No,” and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: “Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower.”
There are times for all of us to lead in various roles and ways in our lives, but sometimes we become so focused on other things that we fail to remember that LEADERSHIP includes responsibility – and the first responsibility of a leader is to BE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS.
The first command that Jesus gave to His disciples was to follow Him, and the same is true for us. There is no way to be a successful, victorious Christian without first walking in the footsteps of Jesus. Source: The Complete Guide to Marriage Mentoring, Les and Leslie Parrott
6 steps we take following the bright light of God’s Word:
o Trust the Lord with all your heart (Prov. 3:5-6)
o Acknowledge Him in ALL your ways (Prov. 3:5-6)
o Be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath (Jas. 1:19)
o Resolve conflicts/anger before the sun sets (Eph. 4:26)
o Delight in God’s Word and meditate on it (Ps. 1:2)
o Glorify God in everything you do (I Cor. 10:31)
They chose to worship Him
Despite their culture and their religion, they chose to worship Jesus!
Despite your background, past choices, childhood home life, current struggles, and unjust actions against you – you & I are called to worship Him today as well!
THE JOURNEY BROUGHT JEALOUSY & ENVY (2:1, 3-8)
Herod was troubling (his chief priests & scribes – v. 4-5)
Herod was troubled (his throne – v. 3, 7-8)
Herod was trouble (later ordered the murder of 2 year old boys)
It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?" "The half of my wealth," was his reply. "And if I release your children?" "Everything I possess." "And if I release your wife?" "Your Majesty, I will give myself." Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!" With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, "I didn't notice. I could only keep my eyes on you- -the one who was willing to give himself for me."
In 1858, Frances Havergal penned these words that the church has sung for over 160 years:
“I gave My life for thee,
My precious blood I shed,
That thou mightst ransomed be,
And quickened from the dead;
I gave, I gave My life for thee,
What hast thou done for Me?
My Father's house of light,
My glory-circled throne
I left for earthly night,
For wanderings sad and lone;
I left, I left it all for thee,
Hast thou left for Me?
I suffered much for thee,
More than thy tongue can tell,
Of bitterest agony,
To rescue thee from hell;
I've borne, I've borne it all for thee,
What hast thou borne for Me?
And I have brought to thee,
Down from My home above,
Salvation full and free,
My pardon and My love;
I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee,
What hast thou brought to Me?”
Our Savior is the one true good God! He is full of mercy, love, compassion, grace, patience, long-suffering, holiness – and these are all showered on us as His church! However, we do not have religion with Jesus…we have relationship with Him. In this relationship we not only receive much more than we could ever hold, but we are also called to give (sacrificially) to Him without restraint. Is your relationship with Jesus focused sharply on following Him (like the Magi followed the star) or do you want Him to follow you and request little in return? For example, do you want Jesus to redefine the Bible so that your anger, jealousy, envy, resentment, and lack of forgiveness are somehow fulfilling the command “to love your enemies and do good to those who despitefully use you?” Do you want Jesus to approve of your vengeful spirit, of your laziness, and of your lack of submitting to His authority? The believer’s resistance to following Jesus is the clarity of his rebellion.
Why did the wise men go to such extremes to make such a journey? The birth of the Savior, the prophesied Messiah’s birth, motivated this extreme journey. Have you wandered away from Jesus’ initial command to follow Him? Come back to Jesus and find genuine purpose, genuine joy, and genuine fulfillment. Come to Jesus and live!