Matthew 2:1-2
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, [2] Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
I have always loved this passage of Scripture concerning the birth of our Lord. We have witnessed this scene portrayed many times in Christmas Plays or pageants. Typically we assume that there were three wise men because of the gifts they brought, but in reality we don't know how many made the trip to worship the Lord. That is a central theme in Matthew 2. The wise men came to worship the Christ. They were persuaded to seek Him out and compelled to worship Him.
We are unsure of the exact location from which the wise men came, but it is very likely that they traveled several hundred miles from the east to get to Jerusalem. It is probable that they came from Babylon, modern day Iraq. Consider the journey they made at that point in history. No doubt these men were well to do and well educated, but even their position in society would not have ensured an easy trip. They traveled hundreds of miles across the desert sands on camels or donkeys. They endured the harshness of the heat of the day and the cold nights. Travel in barren places was dangerous in those days. Bandits patrolled the known travel routes in search of victims to rob and take advantage of. These men were not deterred. They were committed to worship the Lord. The over-whelming desire for worship persuaded them to make the trip, travel to a distant land under extreme conditions, and seek out the Lord.
I have no doubt that the Lord placed that desire within their hearts. There was a stirring of God that moved them to seek out the Christ and worship Him.
Worship has that effect on those who genuinely desire a closer relationship with the Lord. There is something about worship that persuades me to find my way to the house of God. I am afraid that I will miss out on what God has for me if I stay away. It is a persuasion that cannot be suppressed or denied. The longing to meet with the Lord compels me to find my place at the house of God.
Worship will have an effect on your life. If you ever experience genuine worship, it will create a hunger and desire that only worship can fulfill. Nothing else can replace or satisfy the soul that is hungry for worship. I pray that our souls will be stirred in such a way that we are actively and routinely persuaded to worship the Lord. As we have heard many times before, "Wise men still seek Him." I pray that we will seek Him so that we may offer our worship to the One who is worthy and enjoy sweet fellowship with Him.
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, [2] Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
I have always loved this passage of Scripture concerning the birth of our Lord. We have witnessed this scene portrayed many times in Christmas Plays or pageants. Typically we assume that there were three wise men because of the gifts they brought, but in reality we don't know how many made the trip to worship the Lord. That is a central theme in Matthew 2. The wise men came to worship the Christ. They were persuaded to seek Him out and compelled to worship Him.
We are unsure of the exact location from which the wise men came, but it is very likely that they traveled several hundred miles from the east to get to Jerusalem. It is probable that they came from Babylon, modern day Iraq. Consider the journey they made at that point in history. No doubt these men were well to do and well educated, but even their position in society would not have ensured an easy trip. They traveled hundreds of miles across the desert sands on camels or donkeys. They endured the harshness of the heat of the day and the cold nights. Travel in barren places was dangerous in those days. Bandits patrolled the known travel routes in search of victims to rob and take advantage of. These men were not deterred. They were committed to worship the Lord. The over-whelming desire for worship persuaded them to make the trip, travel to a distant land under extreme conditions, and seek out the Lord.
I have no doubt that the Lord placed that desire within their hearts. There was a stirring of God that moved them to seek out the Christ and worship Him.
Worship has that effect on those who genuinely desire a closer relationship with the Lord. There is something about worship that persuades me to find my way to the house of God. I am afraid that I will miss out on what God has for me if I stay away. It is a persuasion that cannot be suppressed or denied. The longing to meet with the Lord compels me to find my place at the house of God.
Worship will have an effect on your life. If you ever experience genuine worship, it will create a hunger and desire that only worship can fulfill. Nothing else can replace or satisfy the soul that is hungry for worship. I pray that our souls will be stirred in such a way that we are actively and routinely persuaded to worship the Lord. As we have heard many times before, "Wise men still seek Him." I pray that we will seek Him so that we may offer our worship to the One who is worthy and enjoy sweet fellowship with Him.
Preacher Chris
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