“Now when
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold,
there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,”
Matthew 2:1.
Wise men have been seeking the Son of God since before His birth, and wise men
still seek Him today 2,000 years after His death. Why is that?
Christmas is
upon us once again, and every year the idea behind remembering and celebrating
our Savior’s birth becomes a little more obscure in this secular world. But for
those of us who wisely choose to follow Him, this is a very special time of
year. I’m not talking about
Christmas trees and mistletoe or Santa Claus and reindeer; what’s so special
about this time of year is that our thoughts and remembrances are focused on the
truth. Our God who created the universe entered His creation as a newborn baby –
the baby Jesus – and grew into manhood all so He could die a horrible death so
we, His creation, would be spared an eternity in Hell. The realization of
that truth dispels any lingering doubts as to why “Wise Men Still Seek Him.”
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince
of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6.
For the moment let’s ignore all the debate about when Jesus
was born – let’s rejoice in knowing that He did come. The 25th of
December has become a tradition for Christians to gather together and focus on
their Messiah – not just His birth, but also who He
is and what He did. As we sing the
wonderful traditional and contemporary songs which are so full of the spirit of
Christmas, joy fills our heart, peace fills our mind, and love fills our soul.
Because it is
such a special time of year, many estranged families are reunited and
differences of the past seem to melt away while they remember the baby Jesus who
grew to become Savior of the world. Loving one another is what the Lord Jesus is
all about. Love is brought forth at just the thought of baby Jesus in a manger.
From everlasting to everlasting Jesus brought us
His joy, peace, and love.
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His
faithful love endures forever.”
Psalm 136:1.
“And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God,
and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward
men.”
Luke 2:13-14.
That tiny baby boy who brought forth such joyous praising from the host of
Heaven’s angels at His birth is God incarnate. That little baby born in a
manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes, held tenderly and lovingly in His mother’s
arms, was to be “…great joy, which shall be
to all people” Luke 2:10b. That little baby boy, surrounded by
shepherds who had come in from the fields to view and be a part of the miracle
that night, was the full representation of God Almighty.
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:9. Is there any doubt as to why
wise men still seek Him?
The Magi who traveled from the east to meet and bring gifts
to this Jewish toddler were wise men indeed. These men were not followers of the
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, yet they knew the scriptures better than the
Pharisees. They were worshipers of false gods yet they were able to read the
signs in the Heavens. They had
foresight enough to adhere to what they had learned from the Hebrew Scriptures
and what they’d gleaned from the stars; they knew their destination was Judea,
and they knew they were seeking royalty. Why did these worshipers
of false gods come to exalt and worship the one true God? They were fully
convinced through all of their God given knowledge who it was they were seeking
– the King of the Jews.
We’re not told very much about the baby Jesus growing into a
toddler, then a teenager, then a young man in His early years of manhood. Not
until we find Jesus beginning His earthly ministry are we given a glimpse of who
the baby boy born in that manger in Bethlehem had truly become. Then of course
as the scriptures unfold for us it becomes obvious who this little baby boy was.
Jesus began His mortal life in very humble beginnings, yet preordained before
the foundation of the world to be the Savior of mankind. The little baby boy
born in the manger met His destiny without doubts, and He taught His disciples
that they should not have any second thoughts if they were going to follow Him.
Jesus told them what their future held. They too would endure pain and
persecution; the world would hate them. Yet, as we see today, wise men still
seek Him – persecution or no.
Some thirty-three years after the birth of Jesus in
Bethlehem’s manger, He was nailed to and died on a cross of wood, yet as Chuck
Missler likes to remind us “He made the hill on which it stood.” I’ve often
wondered if I’d lived during the years Jesus “walked the shores of Galilee and
climbed the hills of Judea” (another Missler quote) if I would have been a
disciple of His scattering and running for my life, or one of those in the crowd
exuberantly screaming “Crucify Him” while His mother watched her eldest son as
He suffered the pain and agony of a torture meant solely for criminals.
The somber manger scene is indeed a beautiful remembrance of
our Savior’s birth, and the Christmas season brings numerous messages of love
and compassion. It is a wonderful time of year. But the reason for
Christmas is to remember that God, displaying His grace and mercy toward His
creation in an act of unselfish love, became the propitiation for the sin of the
world. This little baby grew into a man and without hesitation, He set out to do
His Father’s will. He taught the masses the way of the Kingdom of God, He walked
on water and quelled the fears of His disciples as He calmed the seas and
dispelled every attempt by Satan to destroy Him.
“Then the
eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing…”
Isaiah 35:5, 6b.
He healed the sick, made the blind see, the lame walked again, He raised the
dead, and all these people rejoiced and praised this Son of God. But there’s so
much more “And there are also many other
things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I
suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be
written. Amen.” John 21:25. Amen!
“Behold, a
virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his
name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Matthew 1:23. Did Joseph
and Mary really understand that this little baby, who May carried and gave birth
to, would become the ruler of all nations? Did they know their baby was also
their Creator? Could they have had any idea that Mary’s little baby boy would
one day die for all of mankind and then rise from the grave three days later?
These two regular people were told their child was to be called
“God with us” and that
“of his kingdom there shall be no end” Luke 1:33b, but what
did that really mean? The wise men knew – they knew who they were seeking and
they came to worship Him – and wise men still seek Him today!
Soon our Lord
will return to take His rightful place on the Throne of David as King of kings.
“Of the increase of his government and peace
there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order
it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for
ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
Isaiah 9:7.
Indeed, this is a wonderful time of year when we enjoy the
sights and sounds which envelop our senses all related to the birth of Christ.
While we remember Jesus’ birth let’s not forget the reason He came – to set men
free. “If the Son therefore shall make you
free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36. I love you Lord
Jesus, you are my God, my Savior, my King, my Brother, and my Friend.
Merry Christmas, and God bless you
all,
Ron Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
All scripture is from the KJV and God breathed
