After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time of King Herod, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Wise Men, Matthew 2:1-2
What God did, He did not do in secret. When God sent His Son to become flesh and fulfill His promise He sent ripples throughout the world. The wise men who came to worship Jesus were Astrologers, they were actively practicing a forbidden and false religion that placed people under the control of stars and other heavenly bodies. It was an act of grace that God spoke to them by a means that they could understand. They saw his star and came to worship Christ.
This is the very essence of the incarnation, the very reason God became flesh and dwelt among us. God, in his grace and mercy came to our level, spoke our language, experienced our lives so that we could understand his offer of Salvation.
Our hope for you today is that you, like the wise men, will seek to worship Christ.
Bonus Content:
The background music for today’s podcast is the popular Christmas hymn “We Three Kings of Orient Are” written by John Henry Hopkins.
We three kings of Orient are;
bearing gifts we traverse afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain,
following yonder star.
Refrain:
O star of wonder, star of light,
star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain,
gold I bring to crown him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
over us all to reign.
Frankincense to offer have I;
incense owns a Deity nigh;
prayer and praising, voices raising,
worshiping God on high.
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
Glorious now behold him arise;
King and God and sacrifice:
Alleluia, Alleluia,
sounds through the earth and skies.
With much love,
The Downings
