Christmas Encouragement By Greg Laurie Day 15 Matthew 2:1-2 CEB 1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. 2 They asked, Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him. True Seekers The story of Christ’s birth is one of the Bible’s most famous and loved stories, probably one that most people who are not even familiar with Scripture have heard at one time or another. And certainly a story we hear repeated every Christmas is the account of the wise men being led by the star to the place where the King was to be born. Matthew’s Gospel tells us these wise men came from the East (see Matthew 2:1). Skilled in astronomy and astrology, these men were highly revered and respected in their culture and were especially noted for their ability to interpret dreams. Because of their knowledge of science, mathematics, history, and the occult, their religious and political influence grew until they became the most prominent and powerful group of advisors in the Medo-Persian and Babylonian empires. More than just soothsayers and magicians, they were dignitaries. And though they weren’t kings, they were men of tremendous importance. But even with all their knowledge, these wise men still had not found the answers they had been looking for in life. You might say they were seekers. We know they were true seekers, because God revealed himself to them in a special way when the star led them to the place where they could find Jesus: “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” (Matthew 2:10). Then they offered Him their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. God tells us in Jeremiah 29:13, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” If you are also a true seeker, if you want to know the true God, then He will reveal himself to you too. Summary sentence: Are you a true and sincere seeker of truth?
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 12:11:01 +0000