Wise Persons Still Worship Him

Have you received a Christmas greeting or seen a bumper sticker that says, "Wise Men Still Seek Him"? It's a popular, catchy saying these days. It refers to the visit of the wise men, or Magi, who traveled from a faraway country to find Jesus, the royal child born in Judea.

But perhaps the bumper sticker should read, "Wise persons still worship Him." We'll see why in this study. First, look at the Bible verses below, taken from the Gospel of Matthew.

What Does God Say?

Matthew 2:1-2 (ESV)
"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'"

Matthew 2:9-12 (ESV)
"After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way."

From the information in the Bible passages above, answer these questions:

• Where did the wise men come from?
• Does the Bible say how many wise men there were?
• What sign prompted them to undertake the long journey to Judea?
• What did they call the child?
• What did the wise men say was their main purpose for the journey?
• What did they do first when they saw the child?
• What hint do you see that shows these were rich and powerful men?
• Why did the wise men take a different route home?

My Thoughts

The Magi traveled for a long time from a far country to find the child Jesus. They looked for Him, not out of curiosity, but because they longed to worship Him and rejoice in His presence. They wanted to celebrate the birth of the King of kings. They came prepared with magnificent gifts because they had learned from ancient prophecies that this child was One like no other and that He was worthy of all their worship.

The old Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, "What is the chief end of man?" The answer is, "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever."

The wise men from the East desired to glorify the Lord Jesus. Is Christmas, for you, a time of worship, praise and glorifying God? Take a few moments to look up the following Bible verses. Consider how the persons mentioned rejoiced at Jesus' coming.

• Luke 1:39-45--Elizabeth and the unborn John the Baptist
• Luke 1:46-49-- Mary the mother of Jesus
• Luke 1:68-75-- Zechariah the father of John the Baptist
• Luke 2:13-14-- God's angelic host of heaven
• Luke 2:20--The shepherds of Bethlehem
• Luke 2:25-32--Simeon, an old man of Jerusalem
• Luke 2:36-38--Anna the prophetess
• Matthew 2:10-11--The wise men of the East

Then, rejoice, praise and worship with them!

Yes, some wise men still seek Him but, more importantly, the truly wise still worship Him.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight" (Proverbs 9:10 ESV).

My Part

Make this Christmas a time of worship and praise. Begin the day by reading the whole account of Jesus' first coming recorded in Matthew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 1:26-2:39.

What Does God Say?

My Thoughts

My Part