Trinity Baptist Church

I Have Seen the Light

The Star of Christmas

Matthew 2:1-12

 

When Isaiah presented his prophecy regarding the coming Messiah, he said one of the results would be that “the people who walked in darkness” would see “a great light”.  That is the focus of our Christmas messages this year, the great Light of our Savior and Lord. 

 

So far, we’ve heard from John the Baptist, the one sent to prepare the way for the Messiah, as he presented the gospel and warned people of coming judgment. 

 

Today, I want to back up thirty years or so from when John preached that message to look at one of the events that occurred after the birth of Jesus.  It is recorded in

 

Matthew 2:1-2 

 

Let’s focus for a moment on one phrase from the first verse.  The wise men said, “We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship Him”.

 

The story of the star only occurs in here in Matthew.  No one else mentions it. Mark's Gospel doesn't mention the story, nor does the Gospel of Luke or the Gospel of John. There is no direct prophecy regarding the star.  The closest we have is in Numbers 24:17 which tells us “there shall come a Star out of Jacob” which is a reference to the Messiah Himself, not the physical star.   

 

Some scholars have conjectured that Matthew made it up.  After all, a moving star and "wise men from the East" aren't easy to believe in if you have questioning or skeptical mind.  Others say the story is so controversial that Matthew wouldn't have dared to tell it if he hadn't true. 

 

Then there is all kinds of disagreement about what type of star this was.

 

* Some believe it was a meteor. But a meteor would have burned out long before the Magi arrived.

* Others have thought it was a comet. But comets generally inspired fear, not worship. A comet wouldn't have drawn men to a King... it would have frightened them away.

* Still others have speculated this star was a super nova (an exploding star). Aside from the fact that a supernova wouldn't have lasted long enough for the Magi to have made the trip, there is no record of super nova occurring at that time.

 

Another theory is that the star was a result of the lineup of 3 planets Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. This happens about every 1000 years, and would likely have happened around the birth of Christ. Their collective brightness would have lit up the night. But we're left with the problem of a "star" that moved and eventually disappeared, then reappeared and stopped over the stable where Jesus was. 

 

Now it could be that God just created a special star just for this occasion.  After all, He created the lights of the heavens to begin with.  It sure wouldn’t be any trouble for Him to do one more. 

 

 

And He prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah so if He wanted to create a star to announce the birth of His Son, that’s just one of the perks of being God!

 

Obviously, this was not your average, run-of-the-mill star. Let me give you my theory:   

 

The Greek word translated "star" is often translated "radiance" and the word is very similar to the Old Testament word used describing the "fire" from the burning bush described in Exodus 3 as well as the pillar of fire that led the children of Israel in the Wilderness wanderings. 

 

Now that radiance was a constant reminder of the presence of God.  In fact, the Israelites were to follow that fire everywhere it went.  If it stopped, they were to stop.  If it moved, they were to pack up and follow. That, in and of itself, is extremely similar to the experience of the Magi.

 

On the day of Atonement, when the sacrifice for sin was offered on behalf of the nation, the Shekinah of God would descend into the Holy of Holies and there meet with the blood that was sprinkled. 

 

This fire or radiance was a visual reminder of the presence, power and glory of God. Of particular interest is a comment recorded by Ezekiel in 11. In that chapter, Ezekiel is describing the time when the glory of the Lord exited the temple and departed from Jerusalem.

 

Ezekiel 11:23

  

Now think about that.  The Glory of the Lord moved. That kind of sounds like our moving "star" doesn't it?

Now Ezekiel tells us the "glory of the Lord" left the Temple of God and it never returned. In fact, we don’t see it return in Scripture until Luke tells us in chapter 2:9 that, "an angel of the Lord appeared to (the shepherds) and the glory of the Lord shone around them" (Luke 2:9).

 

And it’s my personal conviction the next appearance is when the star appears in the east as the glory of God returns to earth. 

 

But there is one primary difference in the Old Testament gory and the New Testament glory.  In the Old Testament, “the glory of God” is specifically a Jewish experience. 

 

But in the New Testament that seems to broaden.  It is no longer just for Jews and it is not reserved for the temple or tabernacle.  First we have shepherds out is the pasture, who are outcasts from society experiencing the glory of God. 

 

And then we have “wise men from the East” God’s leadership through a radiance in heaven, much like the Israelites of old. 

 

So who are these “wise men”? They are not kings.  That's a later idea put in by Christian tradition that doesn't match Matthew's account.  The New International Version calls them magi -- a Greek word which is close to our English word for magician. 

 

Magi were priests of the religion of Persia who specialized in astrology.  Astrology was based on the belief that the movement of the stars influences and sometimes determines what happens in our lives on earth. 

These priests were called "wise men" because they offered advice to people based on their reading of the stars.  They were the original readers and interpreters of horoscopes by using the zodiac.    

 

And the Bible comes down very hard on magicians, sorcerers and astrologers -- all suggested by the name term magi. 

 

In fact, the Law of Moses strictly forbade any practice of divination, witchcraft, or magic (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).  Such people could be executed for their heresies. 

 

In Acts Chapter 8 we read of a magician named Simon who was impressed with the power of prayer shown by Peter and John.  He asked them to give him the same power which he saw as a more powerful form of magic, but Peter and John condemned him for his request and told him he had better repent of his twisted desire and hope that God spared him of punishment. 

 

And yet in spite of the clear Biblical condemnation of magi, magician and astrologers, Matthew has us admiring three magi who are astrologer-magician -priests of another religion in the eastern world. 

 

Some scholars located these priests in what is now modern day Iran while others think they were from Babylon which is modern day Baghdad.  Either way we have Iranians or Arabs in our nativity sets, although most of us haven't been aware of it. But Matthew was.

 

 

 

So what is going on with the appearance of the star to foreigners and the glory of God shining around the shepherds? 

 

I think we are seeing the very first New Testament indication of the heart of God to reach the world with the gospel. Those shepherds and the wise men are reminders that God's grace isn't restricted to just the Jews.  This Savior was for all the world. 

 

And the very first witness to that fact was the star. 

Now here’s the thing I want us to see.  IF that star can be a witness for Christ, then you and I can as well. From this text this morning,, lLet me show you why that is so important.

 

First, think about

 

 

When do the stars come out?  They are seen the best when it’s dark.  In fact, the darker the night, the brighter they shine. Now this star was seen in a physical darkness.  But physical darkness is not the only kind of darkness there is. In fact, there are a lot of similarities between the darkness of their day and ours.  

 

First there was

 

 

I’ve already talked about the magi.  They represented intellectual enlightenment.  They counseled people according to the world’s wisdom. 

 

 

We have the privilege today of living in the most educated generation in history. Yet the knowledge of God has never been so sparse.  I am reminded of what Paul said in Romans one, "when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were they thankful." He went on to say, "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."

 

How else can you describe the intellectual climate today?  Those who reject evolution are dismissed as non-intellectual.  True believers are the subject of scoffing and ridicule. And yet those who are ridiculing us are relying on mysticism and the stars and New Age-ism to guide their decisions.   

 

The Bible says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." There is intellectual darkness today because He who is the Wisdom of God has been rejected or replaced. 

 

 

Moral darkness likewise prevailed.  Cruelty and barbarism were rampant.  Their finest philosophies could not lead men to God.  Alexander the Great who conquered the known world before dying of intemperance at the age of 33 had for his personal tutor Aristotle, one of the world's greatest philosophers. 

 

Emperor Nero, known for his many injustices was taught by the brilliant Seneca.  Ignorance, polytheism, and skepticism, reigned supreme.  Darkness still envelopes our so-called enlightened civilization.  Despite our vaunted scientific progress the world stands on the brink of moral disaster.

 

The dictators of the world threaten nuclear disaster.  More and more third world countries with nuclear capability threaten all nations, even America.  Some say that a single blow in a nuclear attack could cost us forty percent of our industrial facilities and without protective measures, thirty-nine per cent of our population.

 

The moral darkness today has never been more concerning.  Millions of babies are aborted before they had a chance to live.  Bible prophecy concerning the last days is coming to light.  Many false voices are raised today that claim to be the way to heaven.  Jesus warned about this when he said, "many shall come in my name and deceive many.

 

He said there would be wars and rumors or wars.  Our world is war-torn, with the United States itself involved. Our national debt mounts daily and economic uncertainty threatens the richest nation that has every existed on this planet.

 

Marriage is being expanded to apply to homosexual couples.  Divorce is rampant and for the most part marriage has been discarded for "living together."  The biblical model for success includes building our house on the solid rock.  There is a moral darkness today.

 

 

Paul warned that the last days would be perilous times, not just because of war, but because of the decay of society.  Our American society has never been more godless than it is today.  Yet we have never had so much religion available to people. 

 

Surely Paul was right when he said in the last days there would be "a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.  In the times before Jesus was born there had been 400 years without a prophet.  Today we ask the age-old question, "Is there any word from the Lord?"

 

Too often God's prophets are silent, and false prophets prosper. We have "heaped to ourselves teachers, having itching ears." The great need is for God's prophets to "preach the word, be instant in season and out of season."  Never has the need for the old time salvation needed to be preached as it is today.

 

If you preach on the new birth, the old time gospel, repentance and faith, and the judgment to come you will stand out among the preachers of our day. But the only way to dispel the spiritual darkness of our day is to preach the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

 

But that star appears, not only in the context of the darkness, but also

 

 

Hundreds of miles to the west of where those Magi were was born the Child that would be the answer to the world's darkness. 

 

Centuries before, the prophet Isaiah had said of Him,

 

Isaiah 9:6

 

 

 

Of that little town called Bethlehem, the hymn writer said, "yet in thy dark streets shineth the Everlasting Light. 

 

He would later call Himself "The Light of the World.  When he walked the highways and byways those who sat in darkness saw a great light

 

John wrote of Jesus saying, "In Him was the light of life," and "in Him is no darkness at all." 

 

To those seeking God, He is the way.  To those seeking the meaning of life, He is the truth. To those seeking purpose in life, He is the life. To those who seek forgiveness He is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

 

To those who are hungry, He is the Bread of Life.  To those who are thirsty, He is the Living Water.  To those fearing death, He is the Resurrection and the Life.  He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He is a "lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path."  He is from everlasting to everlasting, the Ancient of Days, the Daystar.

 

Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness.  He shines His light on the human head and brings conviction.  Then He shines His light on the human heart and brings conversion.  He turns the one who trust in Him from darkness to light, from condemnation to salvation, from death to life.

 

The hymn writer said it best when he said:

The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,

                The light of the world is Jesus

 

Now before we finish, I want us to look at  

 

 3. The Star

 

Now I think it important to remember that the star is not the star of the show. In fact, the star was just the star witness to the star of the show. In fact, notice the comment made by the magi in Matthew 2:2: “We have seen “His” star.  This star is unique to Jesus.  It was that star that led the wise men to the place where Jesus was. 

 

That is a reminder that people in darkness today will never find their way of out of the hopelessness of their lives unless somebody points them to Jesus.  That, by the way, is the chief assignment given to the people of God. 

 

At Christmas we have many opportunities to plant a seed, give a witness, and point people to the One who is the true Star of Christmas.  We can witness through a kind and loving spirit.  People at Christmas time are tired, weary and stretched to the limit. 

 

When they encounter a believer in the store where they work, or in church, or in their business it ought to be a positive experience.  We can invite them to Christmas services, offer to pick them up and set with them during the worship time.  Let us resolve to be like the Christmas star, and point people to Jesus.

 

Now how do we do that?  Well, how did the original star do it? 

 

First, I notice it was

 

If the church does not hold up the standard, then who will?  If Christians lower their standards they become fallen stars.  All of us could think of some "fallen stars" right now. They started off well in the Christian walk, then lowered their standards, and now they are nowhere to be found.

 

Let our speech be elevated.  Paul said to "speak only that which edifies."  Many at this time of the year will not have a "merry Christmas."  Let us encourage them with the manner and content of what we say.  It doesn't cost any money to speak a word of encouragement, and God will bless us for it.

 

The star was

 

 

No doubt existed in the Magi's mind as to the reality of the star.  It shone brightly.  People coming into contact with those who profess to shine for the Lord should leave no question as to the genuineness of their testimony.  If the light flickers with wavering glimmer, who will follow?  Some say I will simply witness by my life.  But how many people have been saved by simply looking at our lives.

 

Our witness for Christ must be conspicuous.  We must be able to articulate our faith.  Peter said we should be able "to give to any man who asks a reason for the hope that is in you."

 

That star was

 

It took something out of the ordinary to cause the Wise Men to embark on this long adventure.  This star was a phenomenon.  Likewise believers ought to be different.  When compared with those outside of Christ believers should shine like a phenomenal star.

 

Down through the ages unbelievers have been deeply moved by the fortitude of Christians when faced with suffering and pain.  Cheerfulness and sweetness in the midst of disappointment and tragedy have amazed non-Christians, created a desire to know the secret of victory. 

 

The quiet peace even at the loss of loved ones in death has impressed those who have no hope, starting them on the journey to find Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life.

 

 

God Himself decided the pathway of that star. Now that’s important because a lot of people in this old world don’t know where they’re headed.  They need someone to show them the way. 

 

And as we follow the guidance of God, we can show them the way as well.  We have to keep on shining to bring people to the Savior.  Jesus said: "YOU are the Light of the world.  Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

 

Paul tells us that we should live as "children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:14).

It's not enough to just go to church on Sunday and give our offering and sing our songs.  That's not going to draw anyone to Jesus.  It's only when we start letting the light God put inside of us shine that God begins to show thru.

 

A little girl was on her way home from church with her mother and suddenly asked, "Mommy, the preacher's sermon this morning confused me."  The mother said, "Oh! Why is that?"  The girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?"  "Yes, that's true," the mother replied.  "He also said that God lives within us. Is that true too?"

Again the mother replied, "Yes."  "Well," said the girl. "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn't He show through?"

 

I pray this Christmas you’ll let God show through and that those who are searching will be able to look at us and say, “We have seen His star in You and we have come to worship Him”.

 

Let’s pray.