DAY 9
June 16, 2024

Next three weeks:

Next week; June 23 – NO CLASS, Worship in the Park

June 30: Off Topic Day

July 7: Matthew 2:13-23  Escape to Egypt

Pray

QUESTION 1:  What is a gift? (you can answer)

QUESTION 2:  What does God want from you? (You don’t have to answer this, but please do think about it)

Main Idea 1
More supporting evidence to the first century Jew – and us – that Jesus is the Messiah. (See pg 19 in book. Prophesy is appealed to and fulfilled; like a good lawyer, “Matthew is building his case.” pg. 19)

(Holman Commentary) SUPPORTING IDEA: (from the book on page 19:)

The Father’s protection of Jesus in his childhood proves him to be the promised Savior for all nations. (He is now bringing in the Gentiles.

Main Idea 2 (this one is my idea)
The contrast between King Herod and The King of the Universe.

Read
Matthew 2:1-12

(NIV) 1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea (there were two Bethlehem’s!), during the time of King Herod, Magi (wise men – see Daniel 2) from the east came to Jerusalem (maybe from the Persian/Babylonian area?)

2 and asked, (notice that scripture does not say they came “to Herod and asked”) “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, (Why?) and all Jerusalem with him. (Again, Why?)

4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet (Micah 5:2ff) 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 shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly (Why?) and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

8 He sent them to Bethlehem (Did they actually go to Bethlehem?) and said, “Go and search carefully 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 when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place (doesn’t actually say “Bethlehem) where the child was.

10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. (Why? – and why were the Jews “disturbed, or troubled, rather than overjoyed?)

11 On coming to the house (Why a house and not a manger?), 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, frankincense and myrrh.

12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Q:  Who were the Magi?

Wise men? 

Q: Why did they come?

     The Magi came to worship the King and to give Him gifts.

Q: Where did they come from?

     The east. Babylon? Persia?.

Q:  What is a manger?

A:  A feeding trough or a crib or possibly a stall.

Q:  Where did the Magi visit Jesus?

A:   “After” the birth (vs 2:1);  

  – vs says “who HAS BEEN BORN.” In other words, when the Magi got to Jerusalem to ask directions, Jesus had already been born. And, there had to be some time lost between vs 2 and when they actually got to Bethlehem (IF they even went to Bethlehem!)

  –  In a home (See Luke 2:36-39).

Q: What about Bethlehem? 

A:  Two Bethlehem’s; in Judea and Galilee. 

 – Not significant enough to be mention in the list of towns captured by Joshua. 

• Jacob buried Rachael there.
• Boaz married Ruth
• David born there

Q:  What about the star?

A:  A star? A comet? Planets aligned? Shekiniah Glory? (Gid;s divine, but veiled presence, as in the Cloud and the Fire in the Exodus) Whatever it was really doesn’t matter. What matters is that is was the supernatural doing of God according to good will and purpose from before the foundations of the earth!!

Q: Who are the players in the passage? 

A:  Joseph, Mary, Magi, Herod and Jesus) 

Q:  And What do each of the players in this passage bring to the scene?

A:  Joseph, Mary – obedience

      Magi – gifts, worship, belief

      Jesus – everything: gifts, the Way, the Truth, Life, Salvation, Reconciliation, Eternal Life, peace with God

     Herod – anxiety, distrust, death, lies, 

Matthew shows, through fulfilled prophesy and genealogy, that Jesus is considered King of the Jews according to the Jews and their prophesies, but the Magi show that Jesus is also considered King by those outside of Judaism: by the Gentiles. This is the beginning of another of Matthew’s goals, as we stated in the introductory lessons. Matthew is introducing not just the Jewish scope of Jesus’ kingship, but the global scope of Jesus’ kingship. His royalty is recognized and established by His genealogy for the Jews, but is Aldo recognized by the gentiles Magi, or wise men.

Every week close with SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: A QUESTION

What are we giving to Christ? Our best? Our mediocre? Our leftovers? Our excuses?

Christ has given us the absolute greatest and most precious gift we could ever receive from anyone ever. What is our gift to Christ? Do we take His gift of salvation and eternal life for granted? The Magi’s response to Christ was amazing. And surprising if we think about it. How do we respond to the Christ, the lover of our souls?

The answer to this question is the difference between true Christianity and every other religion in the world. We love out of gratitude first was He has done for us. We serve Him out of gratitude for what He has already done for us. We give Him our FIRSTFRUITS, our BEST, because He gave us everything, including His life. 

Think about this. Meditate on it. Pray about it.

I may be asking you about it next week!

What does God want from you?

(A: He wants our hearts. He wants our undivided hearts. He wants out worship, to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. He want our obedience. Not for His sake. He doesn’t need anything from us. He is completely self-sufficient. He wants it for our sake. Because He knows that is how He made us) and He wants our gifts; gifts that He gave us. Gifts that were not given to us to be used for our own benefit, but gifts that were given to us so that we could bless others. 

The Queen of Sheba came to see King Solomon, and brought gifts.

1 Kings 10:1-25