Saturday, January 23, 2010

January 24/25, 2010 sermon on Luke 4:13-21

January 24/25, 2010, Epiphany 3
Pastor Paul G. Eckert
Sermon text - Luke 4:13-21
13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.
17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
When I chose the theme for today’s sermon text, namely the theme "AS JESUS BEGAN HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY," I couldn’t help ut think of and compare a bit with when I began my public ministry. When Jesus began His public ministry He was about 30 years old. When I began I was 26 years old. Jesus began His preaching ministry in the northern part of Israel, Galilee, and then was also in the south, in Judah. My first call took me north too, to Canada, from where I also served two congregations in northern Michigan, and then another call brought me south to Wisconsin and St. Jacobi. Jesus’ ministry lasted about 3 years. Mine has lasted 3 years plus another 50 years.
You could make some comparisons for yourselves. How old were you when you became a Christian - at your Baptism, or more recently; and how long have you been a Christian? Where have you lived your Christian life - in Wisconsin, elsewhere, north, south? What is the work God has given you to do? Is it that of being a faithful Christian husband or wife, a Christian father or mother or son or daughter, a Christian student or teacher or employee or employer? Is it being a Council or Board member installed this Sunday, or being a volunteer? All of these positions, yours or mine, are important. But none is on the same level with Jesus and what He did. Jesus was indeed unique, special. And so let’s get back now to our theme for this service.
AS JESUS BEGAN HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY
I THE DEVIL HAD HIS INPUT (13-14a)
1. There had been 40 days of intense temptation (13a)
When the devil had finished all this tempting, ---.
a) the verses just before our text tell us how the devil tempted
Jesus with three major temptations, all of them urging Jesus to
want and to do things which God had not told Him to do
b) in every case Jesus defeated the devil’s temptations by turning
to what God wanted and by clearly saying, "It is written!"
2. The devil would use many more opportune times (13)
When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
a) think of the many cases of devil possession that confronted
Jesus, every one an attempt to interfere with Jesus’ ministry
b) think of the Garden of Gethsemane when the devil was so busy
that Jesus’ sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood; think of
the cross, the taunts saying if Jesus was the Son of God He
should prove it by coming down from the cross, not bring the
sacrificial death of the Lamb of God to atone for the world
3. Jesus went on with another power (14)
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
a) the devil Jesus defeated; "It is finished!" He loudly shouted
b) not with the devil, but with the Spirit’s power He, the Son of
God, would proceed with His ministry, with the triune God’s
saving mission for the world
4. Beware the devil’s input into our lives (13b)
--- he left him until an opportune time.
a) the devil may at times seem to leave us alone for a while
b) but he finds many opportune times: he’ll use television, society
with its loose morals, friends who will say, "Did God really
say that is wrong? Why are you so narrow-minded as to think there is only one way to heaven? Get with it! It’s 2010!"
c) while Jesus did not give in to the devil’s tempting input, we
do, and do so again and again; thank God that Jesus began His
public ministry on the way to saving people like you and me!
II THE PEOPLE HAD THEIR REACTIONS (14-16a)
1. Much of Jesus’ early ministry was in Galilee (14)
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
a) Jesus’ Baptism by John the Baptist took place in the south,
and there He also began to choose some of His disciples
b) but then He returned to the north where He had grown up;
there He performed His first recorded miracle, changing water
into wine at a wedding; there He began preaching the kingdom
of God and became known throughout the area
2. His method was what was standard (15a)
He taught in their synagogues ---.
a) for bringing sacrifices and for special occasions people had to
go to the temple in Jerusalem
b ) for worship at home they used their synagogues, their meeting
places, and there Jesus regularly taught the people
3. He was well received at this time (15)
He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
a) did some already know this was the Messiah, or were some
just impressed by His teaching and preaching style?
b) whatever, Jesus was praised here, praise that also changed
quickly; just a few verses after our text we are told that there
was an attempt to kill Jesus!
4. He gave us a custom to emulate (16a)
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.
a) Jesus went to church every week; He never missed
b) we know there are times - sickness and other legitimate
reasons - when people cannot come to church every week
c) but members of St. Jacobi, look to Jesus’ example; come to
church regularly to hear God’s Word, to receive our Lord’s
Supper; and encourage and help fellow members who don’t
III SCRIPTURE FORETOLD WHAT TO EXPECT (16-19)
1. Here we are given the text Jesus used (16b-17a)
He went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him.
a) my sermon text today is from Luke chapter 4
b) Jesus’ text was recorded in Isaiah chapter 61 (OT reading)
2. It spoke of someone especially chosen (18a)
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me ---."
a) this would not be someone who took it on himself to say that
he was the Christ, the Anointed One, the Promised One
b) it would be someone anointed by the Spirit - aha! could this be
Jesus on whom the Spirit descended at Jesus’ Baptism?
3. It spoke of what His mission would be (18)
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed, ---."
a) this prophecy went beyond physical situations and spoke of
people who were poor before God and had nothing that could
pay off their debt from sin; who were prisoners of their sin and
could not break out; who were blind and could not see the truth
by themselves; who were oppressed by their own sins and by
what sin around them did to them and to others
b) the Anointed One’s mission would be to such people
4. It spoke of proclaiming the time for this (19)
" --- to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
a) over 4000 years had passed since God promised the Savior
b) people had waited for the fullness of time for this to come
c) prophecy said the Anointed One Himself would announce it
IV JESUS CLAIMED HE WAS THE FULFILLMENT (18-21)
1. Here the custom was to sit to preach (20a)
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.
a) today we read the text and stay standing for the sermon
b) sitting or standing, the message is what is important
2. Jesus now made a tremendous claim (20b-21)
The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and
he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
a) many, also in recent times, have claimed to be the Christ
b) now Jesus claimed that He was - but could He prove it?
3. Consider how He fulfilled this and all prophecy (18-19)
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
a) He fulfilled these specific words: He preached the good news
that He paid the price for sin we poor sinners could not pay off;
His perfect life and innocent death as our Substitute have set us
free from the prison of sin; His holy and precious Word has
opened our blind eyes to see the truth and released us from the
lies of the devil; and He continues to proclaim His Gospel of
salvation which makes every year and day of our lives a time of
His favor resting on us
b) do you want more proof that Jesus’ claim to be the Promised
One is valid? - think of how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of a
virgin birth, of Bethlehem as the birth place, of countless
physical healings of the sick and crippled and mute and blind, of
raising people from death to life, of His suffering and dying on
the cross, of His rising from the dead to be our Redeemer who
lives to be our resurrection and life; Jesus’ claim is valid, true!
4. Keep eyes and ears of faith fastened on Him (20b)
The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, ---.
a) some of these people later on may have turned away
b) may that never be the case with any of us
c) keep your eyes on Jesus who is God’s promised fulfillment;
keep your ears open to what He proclaims to us in His Word;
and use your lives to praise and serve Him
Today’s sermon theme has been: "AS JESUS BEGAN HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY." That ministry was special. It was unique. And Jesus not only began it. He finished it! He is our Savior!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

EPIPHANY 2
January 17/18, 2010
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: John 2:1-11

“JESUS’ TIMING IS ALWAYS JUST RIGHT!”

John 2:1-11 (NIV) “On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." 5His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
6Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." 11This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.”

You have to kind of wonder what was going through Mary’s mind as she raised her Savior. The beginning was filled with such excitement and extraordinary happenings. Gabriel appeared to her. Shepherds came with the story of the angel choir they’d seen in the sky. Simeon and Anna at the Temple with their thrilling and chilling words of praise and prophecy. Wise men came guided by a miracle star with expensive gifts. The Lord spoke to her husband Joseph in a dream. A flight to Egypt. A more orderly return to Nazareth in Galilee. There, life must have settled down to a very normal and predictable existence of raising Jesus and her family. While Jesus was a perfect boy He appeared to others as very average, so much so that when Jesus returned to Nazareth as Messiah they stumbled over their familiarity with His commonness. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” Mary must have wondered when Jesus would do what He was supposed to do. When would the time be right?
Things began to change when Jesus was about thirty years old. John the Baptist did his work. Jesus was baptized. He called some disciples to follow Him. Then a wedding took place. It was in Cana, a village about 10 miles north of Nazareth. Mary was invited. Jesus and His disciples were there too. Your typical marriage of the time consisted of the public announcement of the marriage, a waiting period when plans were made, preparations done and then the marriage festivities. The groom and his friends would go to the bride’s home, pick her up and escort her to the groom’s home where the bridesmaids were waiting, the guests and family members were waiting. Then you had a feast, a party. It could last several days. The groom and his family provided food and drink that entire time.
Here’s where the problem arose. They ran out of wine. We don’t know Mary’s relation to the bride or groom or their families. We do know Mary tried to help. “When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." What was Mary thinking? She had not seen Jesus do any miracles yet. Was this a subtle hint to get those guys following him to do something useful? We don’t know. We do know how Jesus responded. "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." Now even though the form of address, “Dear woman” might sound a little harsh to our ears as a way for a man to address his mother it really wasn’t. Putting that aside though Jesus’ answer to her had to feel like rejection. But it wasn’t rejection. The timing was not right.
When the timing was right great things happened. “Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." Jesus did a miracle, His first miracle. He changed water into wine at just the right time with just the right result. “This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” Jesus’ timing is always just right.
Friends, that is a great and comforting truth from God for you to take with you the rest of this day and the rest of your life. Jesus’ timing is always just right. It’s true for every aspect of your life. “Jesus timing is always just right.”
That’s the main point. There are several sub truths to take with you to help you to apply this main truth:
1. No problem is too small to take to God. Running out of food and drink when you are entertaining is embarrassing at the moment, something to laugh about later on. Yet Mary was right. She laid that need before God. Just as there is no problem too big for God to handle there is also no problem too small.
2. God’s answer might seem like rejection but it is not. Pray, people, pray, like Mary did, presenting a need without telling the Lord how to fix it. When you don’t see an answer that is not God’s rejection. He has a better way. Just wait.
3. The Lord will solve your problem in the way that is best and often not in any way what you were expecting. We are so limited and often only come up with very human ways of fixing things. Give room for God to be God, apply His wisdom in the way that is best.
4. Often the world will not recognize the miracles God does but His people do. Ah the master of the ceremony. His response to the miracle of Jesus was to observe an apparent breaking of custom. Most in that room were oblivious to the glory of God at work. Sadly that’s the way most people are today too. Can’t explain it. How did that happen? We don’t have to be that way. When a mother and baby both are pronounced dead at Christmas and then come back to life we don’t have to look for other explanations. God does miracles.
5. God’s number one goal in all He does or allows is that we trust in Jesus as Savior. When Jesus did this miracle it was to reveal His glory to His disciples and to build up their faith in Him. This is also God’s goal in all He does and allows in this world. People need to trust Jesus to be saved for heaven. Our sin and their sin condemn them and us to Hell. Only Jesus makes the difference. That’s why God does what He does, allows what He allows and waits when He waits. Jesus’ timing is always just right.
Hold on to that truth brothers and sisters. When you find yourself struggling against a sin you just can’t seem to beat or a family member is and you worry and you pray and the answer you are getting from God feels like rejection, remember, Jesus’ timing is always just right. At just the right time, in just the right way, for the right result Jesus will come through in your time of need. When you have ill health or a loved one is dying or has died and you are wondering why, remember, Jesus’ timing is always just right. What is the need, the problem, big or small on your heart today? Got problems with friends? Uncertainty at work? Debt out of control? Marriage problems? Lonely? Carrying some hurt on your heart? Take it to Jesus. Remember at just the right time Jesus went up on the cross for you. At just the right time, when all sins, your sins were paid for, He gave up His life. At just the right time He rose to rule as your Savior. Though as the children learned, our eyes may not be able to see it, Jesus’ timing is always, just right! Amen.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

January 10/11, 2010

Pastor Waldschmidt
January 10th , 2010
JESUS WAS BAPTIZED TOO!
I. To Show He was the Savior.
II. To Do His Father’s Will.

In the name of Jesus, who was baptized too, dear fellow redeemed children of God;
It has been a while since I've heard of this, but I remember books and movies that showed the benefits of taking cod liver oil. I’ve never tried it, but I don’t think one of the benefits was the taste. In fact in the books and movies in my memory banks, I remember the mom or dad begging and pleading and finally offering “Daddy will take some too.” And as I recall Daddy was not real thrilled about being included.
God’s Word today takes us to the banks of the Jordan River. John the Baptist is there with his camel’s hair outfit clothes and his lunch box filled with locusts and wild honey. He is busy baptizing and preaching about a change of heart. John looks up and there is Jesus. He is now 30 years old and ready to begin his public ministry. You can imagine the crowds of people being baptized sort of parting as Jesus approached and then Jesus is baptized too. It’s not a painful dose of awful tasting medicine but instead it’s a beautiful part of God’s Word that brings comfort and peace. Jesus was baptized too! I. To show everyone he was the Savior. II. To do His Father’s will.
John talked with the people about repentance to get the people ready for Jesus coming. Now, I’m impressed seeing and hearing John the Baptist on the pages of scripture. The people who heard John preached must have been impressed too. Some of them wondered if John might himself be the Messiah. That’s one of the reasons Jesus was baptized too- To show everyone who the Savior was. “The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ.” John certainly made an impression but at the baptism of Jesus, John made clear that God had someone far greater than him in mind. “John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
John’s job was simply to prepare the people for the coming of the Savior. The Messiah’s power and tools to do His work would be far greater than John’s. “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The coming Messiah would not only be the Savior of the world who would send the Holy Spirit to strengthen His followers but as John points out will one day sit in judgment of the whole world. Jesus, not John, would be the one to follow! Jesus would be the one to listen to! Remember the time when John’s disciples came to him complaining that more people were following Jesus and John explained, “He must increase, I must decrease.” With the heavens open, as Jesus stood in the Jordan River praying, it was made clear to everyone that Jesus was the Savior.
Scripture says, “Be baptized and wash your sins away.” But Jesus didn’t have any sin. He was sinless. So why was it so important that he be baptized too. We got a clue about that in the Old Testament Lesson today. Remember that when God chose a prophet, a priest or a king for His people, they were anointed. When a person was anointed, God’s prophet would pour oil on their heads. This simple act was God’s way of telling everyone that the person who had been anointed had been reserved or set aside for a special job. In the case of David, he was set aside as the king. God didn’t hang a sign or badge on David to say he would be the next king but that’s the anointing showed everyone.
At Jesus’ baptism God showed everyone that He had set aside a descendant of King David for a special purpose – for a special job- to be the Savior of the world. There on the banks of the Jordan River God made clear to everyone that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah. Jesus was the prophet who would proclaim freedom and forgiveness for those held captive by sin and death. Jesus was the priest who would sacrifice himself as full payment for the sins of the world. Jesus was the King who would fight for His people and win the victory over the devil. The scene there on the banks of the Jordan told everyone Jesus was the Savior. The disciple John records for us, John the Baptist’s reaction, “Then John gave this testimony; “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him. I would not have known him except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. I have seen and testify that this is the Son of God.”
I picture John the Baptist as kind of guy you might feel a little uncomfortable around. Not so much uncomfortable because of the way John looked. No I think it would have been interesting to find out how locusts taste or if the camel’s hair was scratchy. I think people would have been uncomfortable because of what John talked about. He talked plainly about sin and how uncomfortable it will be for sinners standing before the sinless one. No one could stay standing there thinking, “I glad the Messiah is coming to be the Savior for all those people. As for me I really don’t need a Savior. I haven’t been so bad.” John’s word burned in their hearts. “He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." King David later talked about our need for a Savior in one of his psalms. “Surely I was sinful from birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”
No one can stand here this morning on the banks of Jacobi thinking “I’m glad Jesus came to be the Savior for those people. They sure need a Savior. As for me I haven’t been so bad.” John’s words burn in our hearts. “His winnowing fork is in his hand…He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” We need a Savior. Because of God’s grace we have a Savior in Jesus. Jesus being baptized showed everyone that Jesus was the Savior. At the same time John the Baptist made people comfortable because he talked to them and to you and me about our Savior. “And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.”
At first, John was sort of taken back when Jesus came to him to be baptized. The Gospels record his reaction, “John tried to deter Jesus, saying “I need to be baptized by you and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Right from the very beginning of His ministry Jesus ties himself to sinners. Remember the Bible said that “Jesus would be numbered with the transgressors.” No “t’s” would be left uncrossed, no “i” undotted in the plan of salvation God was now unfolding. . “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened.” Jesus was baptized too-to do His Father’s will.
Jesus was doing all things right in our place. Jesus does things right for us. As He begins His ministry, there He is, praying. Just think about that for a moment. Ask yourself how your prayer life is? Do we check in with our God at the beginning and end of the day or do we pop out of bed at the beginning of a new day of blessing without even a word of thanks or fall into bed at the end of a day with an acknowledgement that he was the one who got us through the day? Here’s Jesus, at the beginning of His ministry doing things right for us. The things we’ve failed to do right Jesus did right in our place. In God’s wonderful accounting book of grace, God transfers Jesus’ record for us.
Still today, tonight because of Jesus, it is because Jesus did His Father’s will that God opens heaven to us to hear our prayers. God stoops to hear the things that are on our minds and hearts. He tells us, “Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you and you will glorify me.”
Some might say that you are weak if you do what someone else wants you to do. Others have written that a person is weak if they have to pray. But look at Jesus! He is the one whose sandal shoe string John was not worthy to untie but yet here He is praying- here He is doing His Father’s will.”
And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Here we can see God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all working together. No person of the Trinity is going rogue. No, your salvation and my salvation was the something that Three in One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, worked out. Jesus was indeed carrying our His Father’s will.
Some might wonder how this event in the squishy mud of the Jordan River has an effect on us. In Baptism God tied you and me to Jesus in faith. This one who is the Savior is your Savior. This one who did the Father’s will did it in your place. All of the events of Christmas with the angels and the manger and the shepherds and the wisemen- benefit you. Jesus went to Calvaryt for you. You are tied to Jesus. You are a member of God’s family. God says of you “This is my son or daughter.” He looks at those trusting in Jesus with His Jesus’ glasses on and says, “With Him I am well pleased.”
Are you feeling a little alone lately? Maybe all your friends and much of your family has gone home to heaven. Maybe you are feeling like sort of an outcast from your family, like you don’t fit in. Trusting in that one who was baptized too, you are a member of God’s family.
They say the Jordan River plunges downhill at a furious pace, falling nine feet per mile. The 158-mile river begins in the snows of Mount Herman at a point 260 feet above sea level. By the time it empties into the Dead Sea, at a point 1,287 feet below sea level, the water has reached the lowest point on earth. At the high points of life and at the low points of life we can take comfort from something that happened in the Jordan River. Jesus was baptized too! Amen.

Monday, January 4, 2010

EPIPHANY
January 3/4, 2010
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Matthew 2:1-12

"LESSONS LEARNED FROM WISE MEN!"
1. Seek the Lord.
2. Find the Lord.
3. Worship the Lord.
4. Obey the Lord.

Matthew 2:1-12 (NIV) "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem {2} and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." {3} When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. {4} When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. {5} "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: {6} "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' " {7} Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. {8} He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." {9} After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. {10} When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. {11} On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. {12} And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route."

There are several different ways to define wisdom or smarts. Those who know how to get things done legally or illegally, to survive in a dog eat dog environment are known as being street smart. Several outwardly successful businessmen like Michael Dell, Paul Allen and Bill Gates never went to college but they are obviously business smart. Then there are the book smart people, intellectuals who prosper in the academic fields. Then there is good old common sense which often seems to be uncommon but is most often displayed by those who have lived a while. Wise is the child who learns sooner rather than later that the older you get the smarter your parents become. In the Bible it God says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Since that’s true we get to turn to the account of some men who demonstrated that kind of wisdom and are aptly named “The Wise Men.” Let’s learn from them.
If we do the first thing we’ll learn is that it is wise to seek the Lord. The wise men did. "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem {2} and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." The actual origin of these wise men is unknown. Best guess is they came from what had been Babylon and that they had heard about the Lord and the coming Messiah from what had been passed down from Daniel the wise man whom God used as a prophet in that land. Whatever their origin, their title, Magi, indicates they were smart men, excelling in mathematics and astronomy and probably many other things too. But that’s not what made them wise. This did. They came seeking the Lord, the one born, king of the Jews. How long did they travel? Months? A year? How much did it cost them? No matter. They were seeking the Lord.
We join the ranks of the wise men when we do too. I’m not talking about showing up at church occasionally or even weekly as long as it’s convenient. I’m talking about putting some work, some time, some effort, like the wise men. Praying on a daily basis, “Show me your will, O Lord, teach me what you want me to do. Tell me what you want me to believe.” Make it your goal to know Him more clearly, love Him more dearly and follow Him more nearly this year. Wise men seek the Lord.
If you do, you will find the Lord, as they did. “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. {4} When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. {5} "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: {6} "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.” These wise men showed they had more than Godly wisdom. They actually stopped to ask for directions. They knew a king had been born so they naturally came to the capital city. The not so wise King Herod asked some not so wise chief priests and teachers of the law where to find the newborn king. They found out where in the Bible. Now even though the chief priests and teachers of the law knew where to find the Lord, they didn’t go there. That’s not very smart, is it?
If you know where the Lord is to be found why wouldn’t you go see Him? Are you smart? Do you know where to find the Lord? Sure you do! He’s there for you every day, in the Word. Please, people of God, follow through on that desire you have to be someone with a daily devotional habit, reading your Bible or a good Bible based devotional book. You will find your Lord there waiting to speak to you, waiting to talk with you. It’s a wise thing to do for wise men find the Lord.
Wise men worship the Lord. “Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. {8} He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." {9} After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. {10} When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. {11} On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” When these wise men found the Lord they worshipped Him. They used what was at their disposal to show others that this baby was their number one. They used gold, incense and myrrh.
What can you use to worship the Lord? What has God put at your disposal? I’m reminded of the Christmas song, “The Little Drummer Boy.” Do you know it? Did you see the claymation version of DVD or TV? “I played my drum for him, I played my best for him.” There it is, there’s worship. Not the best. No one can give God the best. My best for Him. There’s worship. Devoting yourself to the Lord. He gets my best time. My best effort. My best of what God has put into my hands to give for Him. Wise men worship the Lord.
Wise men obey the Lord. “And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." You heard before the command from Herod. The wise men were to return to Herod and let him know where they found the newborn king. The wise men did not obey Herod. They obeyed the Lord not King Herod. Why? Because they were wise men and the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. They respected the Lord more than King Herod. They feared more the punishment of God than the mistreatment of man. Wise men obeyed the Lord.
Let’s obey Him too. Brothers and sisters, we have the blessing of true teaching in this church. We got it right that our God is so wonderful forgiveness is free. God’s grace is astounding, how He keeps forgiving us. But what does it say to others when we are careless in our obedience to this wonderful Lord? What does it say when we zealously obey His commands? Wise men, those with God’s wisdom living in them, obey the Lord. They care more about what He thinks than what anybody else does.
They know they are dealing with their Lord. The wise men, what did they see when they got to Bethlehem? They saw just a little boy, a baby no more than 2 years old. He didn’t do any tricks for them, no levitation, no glow around his head. But that didn’t make them stumble. This was the Lord. So you too, don’t stumble over your Lord. While He could make all your illnesses go away and give you great wealth, while He could perform miracle upon miracle, what He’s most concerned with is that you are with Him now and in heaven. So that could be He gladly was punished for your sin. He is first and foremost your Savior. Wise men, women and children know this so they seek Him, find Him, worship Him and obey Him. Amen.