The Christmas season is upon us, and in the midst of the lights, gifts, and festivities, are you looking for Christmas? I mean the real Christ of Christmas.
In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2:1–12, we find an incredible account of men who traveled great distances, driven by a singular purpose: to find and worship the newborn King. Continuing his thrust to establish Jesus’s right to Israel’s true and final kingship, in chapter 2, Matthew gives three additional pieces of evidence of Jesus of Nazareth’s legitimate, unique, and absolute royal right to the throne of David.
In chapter one we saw the evidences of Jesus’s royal genealogy and of His virgin birth. Jesus was acknowledged at his birth as the rightful heir of David’s throne.
👑 The Testimony of the Magi
In Chapter two we see the testimony of the wise men who searched for the Messiah so they could worship Him and give Him gifts.
These Magi were the intellects of their day. They were skilled in the Arts, in Medicine, in the Sciences, and in Philosophy. They were probably Persian or Chaldean, which is present-day Iraq and Iran. As an unusual and extraordinarily bright Star appeared, it was assumed that a King had been born. The Magi knew that and sought the King.
C. S. Lewis defined hope as “a continual looking forward to the eternal world.” This describes the Magi. They were hoping to find the King of the Jews; they discovered Jesus, the Son of God. We must look for the Christ of Christmas with eyes wide open.
Will you see Jesus this Christmas? The Magi show us how we can find Him.
1. We Must Look Willingly (vv. 1–2)
These wise men, called ‘Magi,’ were astronomers and astrologers. As they studied the stars they saw something that pointed them to the Messiah. How did these wise men know to seek Jesus?
They likely knew the prophecy from the Old Testament:
“…A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel…” (Num 24:17 NKJV)
All the way back in the book of Numbers, Moses mentioned that there would be a star that points to the Messiah. The Magi, whose study of the stars was a healthy and productive curiosity, were led by this prophecy to the incarnate God. They acted immediately on what they knew.
Contrast this with the chief priests and scribes in Jerusalem, who knew exactly where the Messiah was to be born according to Scripture, but did nothing.
The journey ahead for the Magi was difficult, but the reward was unbelievable. To find Christmas, we must willingly look with renewed hope.
2. We Must Search Carefully (vv. 3–8)
The Magi’s journey was not a casual stroll; it was a deliberate, dedicated search. King Herod, in his fear and malice, commanded them:
“Go and search diligently for the young child…” (Mat 2:8 KJV)
The people longed for a Messiah who would bring justice into the land. When the angels announced His birth to the shepherds, they proclaimed a message for the whole world:
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” (Lk 2:10 KJV)
Jesus is not the King of the Jews only, but also of the Arabs, the Asians, the Africans, and the Americans. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.
Only by a careful search for Christ will we find life’s answers. This is what the Magi did. God led them because they sought to worship Jesus. This Christmas, where will your search lead you?