After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 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." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him... Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 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." 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. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 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. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:1-12 (find this or any other passage at www.Biblegateway.org)
There is much to this story! I would like to follow yesterday's theme and look at the spreading of the News. The Magi, or Wise Men, traveled to see the Baby King. They did not, however, go directly to Him. They came into Bethlehem and began asking; Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? What a stir this must have caused! The news spread quickly and far...all across the land and all the way to Herod. How do we know this? When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
After their visit with Jesus, the Magi returned to their country. It is quite reasonable to think that they spread the news there as well.
Think of it...all Jerusalem aware of the arrival of the King of the Jews! As with the shepherds telling of the story, this news spread throughout Jerusalem, certainly would not have been quickly forgotten.
And consider this news arriving in the lands to the east. The Magi returned with this fantastic story of a star and a Child King named Jesus. Who knows how it might have been taken in the moment. But maybe years later, when the Gospel began to be carried abroad, could it be that the story was familiar? Could it be that the people of some eastern kingdom might have heard and remembered the Wise Men's story?
And so it was, and is. You and I share the story of our faith, the Good News of Christ. Maybe it is brand new to the listener. Or maybe, just maybe, there is a spark of recognition from a story heard years before, from church school, from a grandmother, and that spark grows a little...glows a little...
Who knew?
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Questions:
1. Did you realize that the Wise Men told others?
2. Have you ever considered the long term impact that would have?
3. Will you agree to a reading of the Gospels this Christmas season? If you would like to compare the Gospel readings, I've posted a link below, and a sample comparison readings. I welcome any questions that arise from your study.
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
Parallel reading of the Gospels
from http://www.are-you-for-real.com/easy-to-print/nt01of02-jesus-the-christ.pdf
Jesus The Christ
Introductions by the Gospel Writers
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Mark 1:1
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John 1:1-18
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Luke 1:1-4
The Genealogies of Jesus
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Matthew 1:1-17
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Luke 3:23b-38
The Births of Jesus and John the Baptist
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Luke 1:5-80
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Matthew 1:18-25a
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Luke 2:1-20
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Parallel verses Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21
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Luke 2:22-38
Visit of the Magi and Flight into Egypt
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From Infancy to Manhood
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Parallel verses Matthew 2:19-23 and Luke 2:39-40
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Luke 2:41-52
The Ministry of John the Baptist
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Parallel verses Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-4, and Luke 3:1-6
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Parallel verses Matthew 3:4-6 and Mark 1:5-6
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Parallel verses Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-14
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Parallel verses Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, and Luke 3:15-18
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