Matthew 2:9-11 (NIV) 9 The star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
Psalm 36:7 (NIV) How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
We can Learn from these Wise Men: #1. Wise Men Seek
Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
#2. Wise Men Worship Matthew 2:2 (NIV) “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."
#3. Wise men give
GIFTS OF THE WISE 👑🎁 1. Gold
2. Frankincense Hebrews 10:11-13 (NLT) 11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
3. Myrrh
The gifts we bring are similar: #1. We bring him Gold A life that values Him.
#2. We Bring Frankincense A life focused on Him.
#3. We bring him Myrrh: Romans 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
Isaiah 9:6& 7 (NIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The increase of his government and peace there will be no end….
Matthew 2:1-8 (NLT) 1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time, some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” 3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” 9 After this interview, the wise men went their way.
Matthew 2:12-16 (NLT) 12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. 13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” 16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.
God raises up kings to overpower tyrant kings to advance his reign on the earth!
Romans 5:17 (NIV) For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
1. Our Position is royalty Galatians 4:4–5 (NIV) 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
John 1:12 (NIV) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
2. Victory is in our possession A. Over sin Romans 8:2 (NLT) 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sinthat leads to death.
B. Over shame
“Refuse to self-identify with anything other than Christ. “
C. Over poverty/victim mindsets
D. Through hardship Romans 8:37 (NLT) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
3. Our posture is that of a servant
“Because You are a child of God, you can afford misfortune, mishaps, and mistreatment.”
“Our identity is royalty; Serving is our assignment.”
Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT) 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Philippians 2:5-7 (NLT) 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
Isaiah 9:6& 7 (NIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The increase of his government and peace there will be no end….
Luke 2:1-20 (NIV) 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world...3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were shepherdsliving out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenlya great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Why Shepherds? 1. Shepherds tend to lambs 2. Prophetic statement: He is the Shepherd! John 10:11 (NIV) I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A. Shepherds care B. Shepherds lead “Shepherding is not just looking after but leading forward.”
Luke 2:16 (NIV)“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has “Let’sed, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off….
Bethlehem
“The House of Bread “ John 6:51 (NIV84) I am the living bread that came” down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”
Luke 2:17-18 (NIV) 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (NIV) 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are, therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
We are shepherds of this Gospel we have encountered!”
As Ambassadors
1. We have encountered this King
2. We live a certain way 1 Peter 2:11–12 (NIV) 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
3. We carry a specific message Romans 10:13-14 (NLT) 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be “saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unl” ss they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? “Part of walking the walk is talking the talk.” “Jesus is the best gift we can give others.”
Luke 1:26-38 (NIV) 26 God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”
“The kingdom is established in our surrender.”
The Way in a Manger.
Isaiah 9:6–7 (NIV) 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end... Jesus was given to Govern It’s on his shoulders
The Preeminence of Christ Colossians 1:15-22 (NLT) 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Jesus rules over all dimensions of our timeline: Revelation 1:8 (NIV) “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
1. Our Past He rules over all that was. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (NIV) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Hebrews 8:12 (NIV) For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
“Jesus dealt with our past so that we could have a future.”
2. Our Present He rules over all that is.
A. By being with us:
Matthew 1:23 (NIV) “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”--which means, “God with us.”
2. By leading us:
Isaiah 9:6 (NIV) And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
3. Our Future He rules over all that will be.
Isaiah 9:7(NIV) The increase of his government and peace there will be no end….
Hebrews 10:23 (NIV) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
“In Him, we can live in freedom from our past, be present in the present, and be hopeful for the future!”
