Introduction:

We have to talk about what are we going to give to Jesus for Christmas. If some think that Christmas is indeed the celebration of the birthday of Christ, therefore perhaps the most important question is “what should I give Him for Christmas?”

That is a very hard question but to help us, would you turn to I Timothy 6:15 “Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;” According to this verse Jesus Christ is the King of all other kings. Jesus is the Lord of all other lords. Jesus is the only absolute ruler. Jesus is the only potentate. So, what do you get your potentate for Christmas?

I – THE INVITATION

In the opening verses of our study passage, we learned that the wise men arrived in the city of Jerusalem seeking that they may worship Jesus and commemorate the birth of the Lord Jesus. The wise men lived so far away, how did they understand that a king had been born? How were these wise men invited? We have an answer about this, because these wise men tell us, that they have seen His star in the east.

These wise men or the magi, were astrologers. These wise men came from far away from the east, probably they were from Babylon. We learned from the Scriptures that during the days of Daniel that the children of Israel were captives in Babylon. Those Jewish people took their Scriptures with them when the Jews went away into captivity. Undoubtedly, some copies of the Holy Scriptures were left behind the time the children of Israel returned from Babylonian captivity. Those Scriptures prophesied about a star that would appear or come out of Jacob.

Turn and read Numbers 24:17 “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.” So, we understood this prophecy which means that when a star arose out of Jacob, it gives the signal that a king of the Jews had been born. It was the signal that a Sovereign ruler had risen out of Israel. That is why we could really sense that through the Bible guide these wise men were invited to the birthday occasion.

Since they were familiar with the Scriptures which were left behind in Babylon, thus they understood the significance of the star that appeared, so these wise men came. Naturally, they would go to Jerusalem, the capital city if these wise men are coming to celebrate the birth of a king. However, upon arrival of these wise men, they discovered that Jesus was not born there. The Birthday celebration was not in Jerusalem. So, where was the location of the occasion?

These wise men had to get the invitation back out. These wise men reviewed the invitation in verses 4-6, Matthew 2:4-6 “And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. ⁵And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, ⁶And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people, Israel.” Now, after they reviewed the Scriptures, it became evident that the birthday occasion was not in Jerusalem at all, but it was in Bethlehem. Therefore, these wise men set out for that town of Bethlehem because that is where the invitation said the child was to be born.

As of today, God is still inviting wise men to celebrate Jesus. This said invitation of celebration is still found in the Word of God. The Bible is still telling everybody who the Baby is. This born baby is more than a prophet, more than a philosopher, more than a philanthropist, for the Baby is the potentate, the king, the scepter out of Israel, the prophesied Messiah, the Savior of the world. The Bible is still telling us how these wise men can come in contact with this potentate, how these wise men can come into the presence of Jesus the Savior.

Now, the invitation is open for all. God is inviting all to come to the celebration not of the date but invitation to come to the born Savior, the redeemer. But if you would come, you must come the way the invitation given. Initially, these wise men did not go to Bethlehem, but they went to Jerusalem. These wise men did not find Jesus at the city of Jerusalem because they went another way other than the Bible way. However, when these wise men came to Jesus the Bible way, they found the newly born king, the promised Savior. Since, you have been invited personally to come to the Christ, are you coming the Bible way or by any other way? Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jesus is the only way to be 100% saved. Jesus is the only way to heaven, the only way to go to the Father. Not church ordinances, not church membership, not baptism, not ten commandments, not baptism, not ten commandments, not good works, or any other way, for there is only one way to be saved, that is by repenting from all our sins, and by grace through faith on the finished redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Savior.

II – THE RESPONSE

When God sent out the invitations to celebrate the birth of His Son, God wanted a reply, God wanted people to respond to the invitation. Now, what a response God got.

A. Some Respond Angrily

God got a response of Anger. When king Herod heard these things, Herod was troubled according to verse 3, Matthew 2:3 “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.“ We see here that Herod was called king of the Jews, and Herod saw Jesus as a rival to Himself as king of the Jews. And because Jesus is the prophesied true born king of the Jews (verse 2), Herod got upset (verse 3). Because of his anger, Herod sought the young child’s life in verse 4, Matthew 2:4 “And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.” It was also mentioned in verse 20, Mathew 2:20 “Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.” Herod is trying to exterminate whosoever has a threat to his own power. Imagine how dangerous this wicked Herod, as he murdered three of his sons, one of this wives, and one mother-in-law. Caesar said it was safer to be Herod’s sow than Herod’s son. That is why we don’t wonder when we read that the Bible says in verse 3, Matthew 2:3 “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” It seems that when Herod is not happy, nobody is happy.

Even today, many people still feel that Christ as a threat to their own power and supremacy. People still recognize that Jesus Christ comes as King. If Christ truly comes as a King, then I have to surrender to the Lordship of Christ, and many are not really willing to submit to the leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ. No wonder, people responded with violent anger and hostility, and they reject when they are invited to come to Christ.

B. Some Respond Apathetically

Others responded to the invitation with apathy. We learned Herod inquiries in verse 4, Matthew 2:4 “And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.” The chief priests and scribes answered without even flinching, they said Christ would be born in Bethlehem of Judea in verse 5, Matthew 2:5 “And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea:” These chief priests and scribes could quote Scripture to back up their answer, they could use as reference Micah 5:2 “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” It was the Bible verse that give the clear answer and right guidance that the ruler would come out of Bethlehem. But, in spite of the fact that these chief priests and scribes were familiar with the Scripture, and the King was close at hand, these chief priests and scribes did not go to the location where Christ was born. The reason is because these chief priests and scribes were apathetic. They don’t mind and are not concern at all.

This apathetic spirit of all chief priests and scribes are similar of today existing crowd. Many people of today are familiar with the stories of the nativity. Many of today’s generation can sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” but sadly, when it comes down to coming to Christ, they just don’t care. They respond with Apathy to the invitation in spite they know from the Scriptures the place where to find Jesus. These chief priests and scribes of the people just cannot be bothered with religious matters, even though the Savior has come and is very close at hand. Imagine, in spite that these chief priests and scribes are somewhat familiar with the contents of the scriptures, but still remained unmoved by its message. It is a response of apathy. How about you? Are you without care and unmoved with the message of the Bible?

C. Some Respond Actively

Others respond positively and praise God. They are not like others who respond angrily or apathetically, but they respond actively. We read in verse 7 that Herod inquired of the wise men diligently regarding what time the star appeared. Herod had a motive why he is so interested to know the time the star appeared.

Matthew 2:7 “Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.”

Because Herod learned that he was mocked by the wise men that is why he was so angry. Besides, Herod heard the news that the King of the Jews was born, he does not want someone to compete and rule above himself. We also read in verse 16 that Herod was very wroth, he tried to kill the children of Israel who were two years old and younger.

Matthew 2:16 “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.”

Many people have derived from this statement of verse 16 that Jesus was around two years old. As a matter of fact, Jesus is not called a baby in verse 9, but Jesus is called a young child.

Matthew 2:9 “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.”

We have reason that the star arose the time when Jesus was born. Remember, that Babylon is about a two-month’s journey by way of caravan from Israel. During the time when Christ was born approximately in 5-4 B.C., Chinese astronomers observed a nova (the brightness and movement and state of star) for 70 days (2 months and 10 days), those were roughly the time period that the magi would have take to come from Babylon going to Bethlehem. It is unbelievable that Herod would have set the age limit of execution so close to the baby’s age, if the Baby was assumed roughly two years old. Therefore, it is very possible and right that Jesus was around two months old, and it is very true and fits better if the statement of Herod would be, “Okay, if the baby is two months, let’s kill all babies two years and younger to make sure we get him.”

There are people who disagreed and have objected that Jesus is two months old, because they said the baby is said to be young child, that is why they believe it is two years old, however, that phrase “young child” is also used of Jesus in Luke 2:27 when Jesus was only 40 days old. Therefore, it fits best to believe the facts that Jesus is around the age of two months, and for those two month the magi or astronomers had been traveling to Judea.

Luke 2:27 “And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,”

Now, the wise men were determined to get to a place where Jesus was located, even though the wise men took two months to get there. The wise men actively sought the child, that was a demonstration of an act of the will, it was a display of an act of determination. When Herod told the wise men to go to search diligently for the child, this verse in verse 8 described exactly what the wise men did. Mathew 2:8 “And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.”

Listen, that is exactly what you must do when the invitation comes to you to come to Jesus Christ, we must not respond angrily, we must not respond apathetically but we must respond actively. The same with us believers, when God told us something we must obey actively with a willing heart, without angry or complain or murmur, but with concern not with apathetic spirit.

III – THE GIFTS

Even if we respond actively to the invitation, the question still the same, “What are we going to give to Jesus?” Let us notice what these wise men gave to Jesus and what is the significance of the three gifts.

A. Gold

What is the significance of the gold given by the wise men? Gold is a gift that was given to royalty. God was a gift that was fit for a king. In Kings 10 the Bible describes the wealth of Solomon in relationship to gold. Silver was nothing to be accounted for. The Kings were recognized by gold.

The Magi recognized that Jesus was a King, and that means the magi truly recognized anything about Jesus. The appearance of the star signified that a scepter had come out of Israel. The prophecy in the Scripture about Bethlehem signified that a governor, a ruler of the people had been born. That is why when these wise men came to Jerusalem, they asked about a king so they knew it was at Bethlehem that the child was born.

Notice, Jesus was born a king. Do you know someone that was born a king? Nobody else has ever been born a king. No one. There is a possibility that there are people born a prince, and they become king, that is upon the decease of the parents. Not born a king. However, the right of Jesus Christ to rule was not based or does not depend on the actions of another. Within the person of the Lord Jesus, possesses an intrinsic sovereignty. In this regard, Jesus was born king and the gold signifies the Kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anyone who would come to Jesus, must come recognizing that there never has been nor ever will be a child of such magnitude like of that Jesus. Jesus has the right to be king over us. We must recognize His Kingship over us. If we are a wise man, like those wise men or magi, we will recognize that sovereignty of our Lord Jesus. He is king, that is the significance of the gift of gold.

B. Frankincense

The wise men not only brought gold, but they also brought frankincense. Frankincense was a fragrance that was offered in the presence of deity. It was demonstrated in Exodus 30 that God was meeting with the people of God and frankincense was used. There is a warning for all, that whosoever used frankincense for any other illegitimate purpose, that person was to die. Frankincense was strictly only to be offered in the presence of deity. What is our point, Christ was God. The wise men recognized who Jesus is, they knew that Jesus was not only a king but also true God.

The wise men know well and accurately understood that the baby who had been born was more than king, because the baby was God.

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” Jesus is God in the beginning

I Timothy 3:16 “Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifested in the flesh” Jesus is God incarnate

John 2:28 “Thomas saith unto him, “My Lord and my God.” Jesus is not only Lord but God

Colossians 2:9 “In him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” Jesus is the second person of God

John 5:20 “This is the true God even eternal life” Jesus is the true God.

So, we have solid and strong reason why the wise men came to worship the child, because Jesus is God. Even though Herod was lying of his intention to worship the baby but Herod recognized that this baby was worthy of worship. Notice carefully in verse 11 that when the wise men came into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, but they by passed Mary and fell down and worshipped Him because Jesus is God.

Matthew 2:11 “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.”

Throughout the Bible, worship is exclusively reserved for God only:

Jesus answered Satan in Matthew 4:10 “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Peter refused to be worship by Cornelius in Acts 10:25-26 “And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. ²⁶But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.”

Paul refused to be worshipped by the people of Lystra. Acts 14:11-15 “And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. ¹²And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. ¹⁴Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, ¹⁵And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:”

The angel refused to be worshipped by John the Apostle. Revelation 22:8-9 “And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. ⁹Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”

God struck another Herod dead for accepting worship. Acts 12:23 “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.”

Jesus, not only on our passage worship by the wise men, but on many others, accepted worship.

This worship done by the wise men is either an act of blasphemy, and therefore wise men are worthy of death for offering frankincense in the presence of that which is less than God, or the wise men is absolutely right when they worship Jesus Christ who is God, the very God who come in the flesh. Jesus He is God.

C. Myrrh

The final gift mentioned brought by the wise men is myrrh. This is strange gift giving to give shortly after the

birth of a child. Myrrh was something that was used in burial rights. We see that Nicodemus took the myrrh and use it to bury the body of Jesus. John 19:39-40 “And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.⁴⁰Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.”

We can say that these wise men action is similar to someone giving a casket to a baby who has just arrive home from the hospital. Myrrh was similar to an embalming fluid, so this myrrh was not a precious gift.

We can never misunderstand the purpose of the baby that was born. This child Jesus has been born to die. Simeon told Mary that a sword pierce through her soul concerning the child. The fate of this child would not be considered by many as the best. The fate of this baby Jesus would seriously wound those with whom He was the most close and dear. Jesus was born to die. Purposely to die for our sins.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This verse speaks of the immense love that God has for us. even though we are sinners, God sent his only son to die for us so that we could have eternal life.

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” This verse tells us that Jesus was willing to suffer and be punished for our sins so that we could be forgiven and healed.

I Peter 3:18 “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.” This verse tells us that Jesus died for our sins, even though we are not deserving of such a great gift. Jesus wants us to come to God, and he made it possible for us to do so through his death on the cross.

I John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” This verse tells us that Jesus died on the cross so that we could come to him. He wants to draw us close to him and make us a part of his family.

I John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” This verse tells us that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not just ours but also for the sins of the whole world. This means that Jesus took care of all our sins, big and small and that we can be forgiven because of his great love for us.

I Peter 2:24 "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” This verse tells us that Jesus took on our sins and carried them in his own body. He did this so that we could be healed and made righteous in God’s eyes.

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” This verse tells us that even while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us. He loved us so much that he was willing to die for us, despite our flaws and shortcomings.”

Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” This verse tells us that God is rich in mercy and that he showed us his great love by saving us through his grace. Jesus died for us because he wanted to show us how much he loved us, and we are so grateful for his sacrifice.

When is the last time you look at God’s invitation to you to come to Christ? Do you respond angrily? Do you respond apathetically? Or Do you respond actively intending to come for that invitation.

If you are coming, are you coming with the recognition that this child is king, and God, and a Sacrifice for our sins?

It is a guarantee for anyone who come to the Savior Jesus Christ, you will surely would not leave the same. Notice in verse 12, Matthew 2:12 “And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” Here we see that the wise men went home in a different way. Likewise, it is a guarantee that if you come to Christ this very moment, you will go home differently, you will never walk in your old way of life, you will never live the old lifestyle that you have before you come to Jesus. God bless