The Supporting Cast of Christmas (2)
Steve W. Reeves
steve@wshurch.net
stevereevesoutline.blogspot.com
ITRODUCTION:N
A. There is an endangered species today called, “The Christmas Card.”
1. When I was a child our family received dozens of Christmas cards in the mail.
They came from family, friends, church members, businesses, our acquaintances,
like some of my father’s Army buddies from World War II, and others. My mother
would tape them to a doorframe to display them. For many years Tami and I would
also receive a lot of Christmas cards but in recent years their number has
decreased considerably.
2. The first “official” Christmas card was reportedly sent in 1843 by a British
gentleman named Sir Henry Cole. In the United States Christmas cards were
circulating prior to the Civil War. In 1875 they began to be mass produced.
3.Today’s decline in Christmas cards can be attributed to busy lives, the surge in
social media and rising postage costs.
B. For many of us the images of Christ’s birth come from Christmas card scenes. An
infant lying in a manger with his mother kneeled beside him while Joseph stands
beside her. The shepherds are there along with cattle and sheep. There is a bright
star in the sky above them and standing nearby are three men dressed in ornate
robes with large turbans on their heads. In their hands are gifts of gold, frankincense
and myrrh. We often call them the “three wise men.”
1. A lot of tradition and folklore has been attached to this scene and the wise men.
2. A popular Christmas carol portrays them, “We three kings of orient are bearing
gifts we travel afar.”
3. Somewhere through the ages they have been given names, “Gaspar,” Balthazar,”
and “Melchior.”
4. In reality, the Bible says nothing about their names or their number. In fact,
according to Scripture, they were not even present at the manger scene. Their
arrival came later after the young family had found shelter in a home.
C. In considering the supporting cast of Christmas, let’s turn our attention to the identity,
inquiry and intention of these men who came from the east.
I. IDENTITY
A. Luke is the only Gospel writer to mention the shepherds. Matthew is the only
Gospel writer to mention the magi. Matthew is interested in presenting the royal
background of Jesus. In Matthew 2:1-2 we read, “Now after Jesus
was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from
the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 ‘Where is He who has been born King of
the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’”
B. Immediately we are faced with a question of identity. Who were these inquisitive
individuals called “Magi?”
1. Sometimes they are called “wise men,” and occasionally they are referred to as
“star gazers.” All of these terms give us clues about their identity. In addition, we
know that they were from the east, a reference to the mighty Persian empire
which occupied territory that included modern day Iraq and Iran. One country
fellow from the south contended they were “firemen” because they came from
a-far.”
2. Within the Persian Empire was a tribe known as the Magi. Some scholars
believe this tribe can be traced all of the way back to Ur of the Chaldees during
the time of Abraham. They were interested in the movements of the stars and
the interpretation of dreams.
3. Prior to being called Persia, this region had been known as Babylon. Do you
remember when Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon had a mysterious dream
that troubled him? In Daniel 2:1, Nebuchadnezzar called in “soothsayer priests,
the conjurers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans,” in order to interpret his dream.
None of them were able to do so. However, there was a young Jewish captive
named Daniel who did interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The Magi’s heritage
can be traced back to these individuals who were called to interpret the dream.
4. Daniel interpreted an inscription miraculously written upon the wall of
Nebuchadnezzar’s successor Belshazzar. Because of this he was made chief
over all of the wise men (vs. 29). With this appointment the Magi were
introduced to Judaism and would have become somewhat familiar with its
prophecies including the expectation for a great king who would be known as
Messiah.
5. Although we do not know the day, month or exact year of Jesus’ birth, it was not
an isolated event. According to Galatians 4:4, “But when the fullness of the time
came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.”
a. The Magi had become very powerful in the Persian empire. Some have
suggested that they were the ones who appointed the king. Persia was one of
two super powers in the ancient world (the other was Rome). These men
would have been extremely interested an individual who would be King of
Kings and Lord of Lords.
II. INQUIRY
A. The Magi obviously did not know everything about the birth of the Messiah. What
they did know filled them with anticipation.
1. These men looked to the movement of the stars and planets. Although they had
some Jewish thought intermingled with their history, do not be confused by
thinking they were beyond pagan practices.
2. Astrology (not astronomy) is a pagan practice. When you see a TV commercial
advertising astrological predictions or psychic readings, hold on to your purse.
They are pagan practices promoted for personal profit.
B. These star gazers did see something that grabbed their attention.
1. Like the shepherds in Luke 2 they saw a star. What was this star?
2. One week from tomorrow there will be an astronomical event that has not
occurred since 1623. On December 21, the winter solstice, the planets of Jupiter
and Saturn will come into alignment with one another to produce, what some
refer to as, the “solstice star.” Others call it the “Christmas star.” Some
speculate this is what the shepherds and Magi saw.
3. Others believe what they saw was the “Shekinah,” glory of God. The presence of
God that made itself known in a pillar of fire or cloud that led Israel through the
wilderness.
4. Was it one of these or something else? We do not know. However, the God
who miraculously caused a virgin to conceive and bear a child could have used
any means He desired to lead these men to Jesus.
C. When the Magi saw this star they did the same thing the shepherds did. They set
out to see what was happening. For the Magi it was a much longer journey. From
Persia to Judea was about 800 miles. Supposing they traveled twenty miles a day,
it would have taken them forty days to arrive in Jerusalem.
1. What impresses me is that they were willing to invest in their inquiry. They
wanted to know bad enough that they invested in the supplies and the
necessities such a journey would require to say nothing of the expensive gifts
they brought.
2. Many people today are not willing to invest in a knowledge of God.
a. Very few atheists deny faith because they have intelligently considered the
evidence. They do not want to acknowledge a higher power than themselves.
b. Even among believers, many of us have never given real thought to why we
believe. Many of us could not begin to explain the reason for the hope that is
within us Peter wrote, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always
being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account
for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:1
D. With great investment, great effort, great risk and great cost, the Magi went to
Jerusalem to ask where they would find the One who was born, “King of the
Jews.”
III. INTENTION
A. What was their intention?
1. Were they trying to gain political leverage? That was no doubt what King Herod
thought.
2. Were they trying to impress a powerful potentate? If so, they came to the wrong
place for there was no royal furnishings attached to the birth of Jesus.
3. The answer was astonishingly simple. “We have seen His star in the east and
have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2).
B. All of this begs the question, “Why have we come to worship?”
1. Do we come because it makes us feel good? A lot of people in today’s world
think that’s why you attend church. In the words of one televangelist, we aren’t
doing it for God, we’re doing it for ourselves.
2. Do we come to impress others?
3. Do we come only because of tradition, habit or because someone made us
come?
4. The Magi simply said, “We have come to worship Him.” Notice in verse 11, “And
after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and
they fell down and worshiped Him.”
5. How different would “church” look if each of came with no ulterior motive other
than to worship?
CONCLUSION:
A. There is a burning question about the Magi. What happened to them after they
returned home?
1. Did they seek to know what happened to Jesus as He grew from a baby into
manhood?
2. Did they hear of His baptism and of His ministry? Did they hear about His
teaching? Did they inquire into his death on the cross as a condemned, crucified
Roman criminal?
B. There is nothing threatening to us about a baby lying in a manger, but a man
crucified on a cruel cross threatens us to the core. We are not commanded to
remember the birth of Jesus as splendorous as it was. We are commanded to
remember His death, burial and resurrection.
C. Sometimes Billboard theology can be pretty sharp. I like the one I see often around
this time of year, “Wise men still seek Him?” Would that describe you?
A. There is an endangered species today called, “The Christmas Card.”
1. When I was a child our family received dozens of Christmas cards in the mail.
They came from family, friends, church members, businesses, our acquaintances,
like some of my father’s Army buddies from World War II, and others. My mother
would tape them to a doorframe to display them. For many years Tami and I would
also receive a lot of Christmas cards but in recent years their number has
decreased considerably.
2. The first “official” Christmas card was reportedly sent in 1843 by a British
gentleman named Sir Henry Cole. In the United States Christmas cards were
circulating prior to the Civil War. In 1875 they began to be mass produced.
3.Today’s decline in Christmas cards can be attributed to busy lives, the surge in
social media and rising postage costs.
B. For many of us the images of Christ’s birth come from Christmas card scenes. An
infant lying in a manger with his mother kneeled beside him while Joseph stands
beside her. The shepherds are there along with cattle and sheep. There is a bright
star in the sky above them and standing nearby are three men dressed in ornate
robes with large turbans on their heads. In their hands are gifts of gold, frankincense
and myrrh. We often call them the “three wise men.”
1. A lot of tradition and folklore has been attached to this scene and the wise men.
2. A popular Christmas carol portrays them, “We three kings of orient are bearing
gifts we travel afar.”
3. Somewhere through the ages they have been given names, “Gaspar,” Balthazar,”
and “Melchior.”
4. In reality, the Bible says nothing about their names or their number. In fact,
according to Scripture, they were not even present at the manger scene. Their
arrival came later after the young family had found shelter in a home.
C. In considering the supporting cast of Christmas, let’s turn our attention to the identity,
inquiry and intention of these men who came from the east.
I. IDENTITY
A. Luke is the only Gospel writer to mention the shepherds. Matthew is the only
Gospel writer to mention the magi. Matthew is interested in presenting the royal
background of Jesus. In Matthew 2:1-2 we read, “Now after Jesus
was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from
the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 ‘Where is He who has been born King of
the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’”
B. Immediately we are faced with a question of identity. Who were these inquisitive
individuals called “Magi?”
1. Sometimes they are called “wise men,” and occasionally they are referred to as
“star gazers.” All of these terms give us clues about their identity. In addition, we
know that they were from the east, a reference to the mighty Persian empire
which occupied territory that included modern day Iraq and Iran. One country
fellow from the south contended they were “firemen” because they came from
a-far.”
2. Within the Persian Empire was a tribe known as the Magi. Some scholars
believe this tribe can be traced all of the way back to Ur of the Chaldees during
the time of Abraham. They were interested in the movements of the stars and
the interpretation of dreams.
3. Prior to being called Persia, this region had been known as Babylon. Do you
remember when Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon had a mysterious dream
that troubled him? In Daniel 2:1, Nebuchadnezzar called in “soothsayer priests,
the conjurers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans,” in order to interpret his dream.
None of them were able to do so. However, there was a young Jewish captive
named Daniel who did interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The Magi’s heritage
can be traced back to these individuals who were called to interpret the dream.
4. Daniel interpreted an inscription miraculously written upon the wall of
Nebuchadnezzar’s successor Belshazzar. Because of this he was made chief
over all of the wise men (vs. 29). With this appointment the Magi were
introduced to Judaism and would have become somewhat familiar with its
prophecies including the expectation for a great king who would be known as
Messiah.
5. Although we do not know the day, month or exact year of Jesus’ birth, it was not
an isolated event. According to Galatians 4:4, “But when the fullness of the time
came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law.”
a. The Magi had become very powerful in the Persian empire. Some have
suggested that they were the ones who appointed the king. Persia was one of
two super powers in the ancient world (the other was Rome). These men
would have been extremely interested an individual who would be King of
Kings and Lord of Lords.
II. INQUIRY
A. The Magi obviously did not know everything about the birth of the Messiah. What
they did know filled them with anticipation.
1. These men looked to the movement of the stars and planets. Although they had
some Jewish thought intermingled with their history, do not be confused by
thinking they were beyond pagan practices.
2. Astrology (not astronomy) is a pagan practice. When you see a TV commercial
advertising astrological predictions or psychic readings, hold on to your purse.
They are pagan practices promoted for personal profit.
B. These star gazers did see something that grabbed their attention.
1. Like the shepherds in Luke 2 they saw a star. What was this star?
2. One week from tomorrow there will be an astronomical event that has not
occurred since 1623. On December 21, the winter solstice, the planets of Jupiter
and Saturn will come into alignment with one another to produce, what some
refer to as, the “solstice star.” Others call it the “Christmas star.” Some
speculate this is what the shepherds and Magi saw.
3. Others believe what they saw was the “Shekinah,” glory of God. The presence of
God that made itself known in a pillar of fire or cloud that led Israel through the
wilderness.
4. Was it one of these or something else? We do not know. However, the God
who miraculously caused a virgin to conceive and bear a child could have used
any means He desired to lead these men to Jesus.
C. When the Magi saw this star they did the same thing the shepherds did. They set
out to see what was happening. For the Magi it was a much longer journey. From
Persia to Judea was about 800 miles. Supposing they traveled twenty miles a day,
it would have taken them forty days to arrive in Jerusalem.
1. What impresses me is that they were willing to invest in their inquiry. They
wanted to know bad enough that they invested in the supplies and the
necessities such a journey would require to say nothing of the expensive gifts
they brought.
2. Many people today are not willing to invest in a knowledge of God.
a. Very few atheists deny faith because they have intelligently considered the
evidence. They do not want to acknowledge a higher power than themselves.
b. Even among believers, many of us have never given real thought to why we
believe. Many of us could not begin to explain the reason for the hope that is
within us Peter wrote, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always
being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account
for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:1
D. With great investment, great effort, great risk and great cost, the Magi went to
Jerusalem to ask where they would find the One who was born, “King of the
Jews.”
III. INTENTION
A. What was their intention?
1. Were they trying to gain political leverage? That was no doubt what King Herod
thought.
2. Were they trying to impress a powerful potentate? If so, they came to the wrong
place for there was no royal furnishings attached to the birth of Jesus.
3. The answer was astonishingly simple. “We have seen His star in the east and
have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2).
B. All of this begs the question, “Why have we come to worship?”
1. Do we come because it makes us feel good? A lot of people in today’s world
think that’s why you attend church. In the words of one televangelist, we aren’t
doing it for God, we’re doing it for ourselves.
2. Do we come to impress others?
3. Do we come only because of tradition, habit or because someone made us
come?
4. The Magi simply said, “We have come to worship Him.” Notice in verse 11, “And
after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and
they fell down and worshiped Him.”
5. How different would “church” look if each of came with no ulterior motive other
than to worship?
CONCLUSION:
A. There is a burning question about the Magi. What happened to them after they
returned home?
1. Did they seek to know what happened to Jesus as He grew from a baby into
manhood?
2. Did they hear of His baptism and of His ministry? Did they hear about His
teaching? Did they inquire into his death on the cross as a condemned, crucified
Roman criminal?
B. There is nothing threatening to us about a baby lying in a manger, but a man
crucified on a cruel cross threatens us to the core. We are not commanded to
remember the birth of Jesus as splendorous as it was. We are commanded to
remember His death, burial and resurrection.
C. Sometimes Billboard theology can be pretty sharp. I like the one I see often around
this time of year, “Wise men still seek Him?” Would that describe you?
