Series: Advent
Matthew 2:1-6 ESV
Micah 5:2 ESV
John 6:35 ESV
John 15:7-8 ESV
John 10:10 ESV
Micah 5:3-5a ESV
Experts tell us the concepts and people we learn about when we are young children act as building blocks in our story of life.
Those of us who were in church during early childhood may not have understood all of the connections, but we heard the words. I was raised in a congregation where children sat in church with their parents. We were supposed to be quiet. My dad drew pictures for me during the sermon. Without knowing it we heard the words.
Years later I was a member of a congregation where children sat in church and they were not always quiet. I was fine with that. Most of the time when a child needed to say something to their parents they whispered. If the child was very young and had not yet learned the meaning of their quiet inside voice, the parents could sit or stand in the back. I love that model.
I love it because from a very young age as children hear the words and they remember. As they grow older they connect the dots.
When I heard the Christmas Story I heard about the journey, the star, the birth, and the wise men. Even as a child I understood the Christmas story was an important part of the puzzle.
Matthew 2:1-6 says, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
The Prophet Micah wrote in Micah 5:2, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”
The place named Bethlehem is significant because Bethlehem means House of Bread. In John 6:35, “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
Ephrathah means fruitfulness or abundance.
In John 15:7-8 Jesus said,“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
And in John 10:10 Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
In Micah 5:3-5a we read, “Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
And he shall be their peace.”
The interconnected themes are no accident.
At one time in my personal faith journey there were ‘words’ that defined scripture.
I landed on believing scripture is true. Scripture is ‘God Breathed’.
Scripture is reliable.
The Spirit of God speaks to us through scripture today.
I know when I’ve been confused I can pray and the Spirit will lead me to scripture. The Spirit will show me the way and teach me through scripture.
The words mattered to me when I was a child and they matter to me now.
As a child I heard or read about the wise men who came. I’ve always been fascinated that they traveled from afar and the star was their guide. Various sources who have studied the journey believe they traveled between 900 to 1200 miles to see the one born king of the Jews. The exact journey and route is unknown but Matthew 2:1 tells us they came from the East.
I am a visual learner and as a child I envisioned the wisemen traveling through the desert riding on camels carrying gifts for the one who was born King of the Jews.
There is no indication they knew a lot about why they were traveling approximately 1000 miles. They believed in the journey.
It was their quest.
While it’s unsubstantiated, I believe the Spirit of the living God gave them a desire to find the child. The Spirit gave them a burning desire to worship the child.
The Spirit still gives us a desire to connect to the truth about the child. When we connect to the truth, we worship the one who revealed the truth.
In John 14:6 we are told, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The wisemen let God show them the way to the truth and the life. That is what their journey was really all about, and it was life changing!
Spiritual Practice: Your journey
Ask God to lead today you on Your journey.
In God, Deborah