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Matthew 2:1-2

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men[a] 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[b] and have come to worship him.”

Worship. You were created to worship God. Isaiah 43:7 says that God formed you and made you for His glory.  This passage in Matthew reminds us of our purpose in life: worship.  Foreign, pagan astrologers from the east traveled west, following a star, to come and ‘worship’ Jesus. 

Contrast this to those in the verses that follow (v3-6), who knew what God’s word said about Jesus, yet didn’t make the five mile trip from Jerusalem to Bethlehem to find and worship King Jesus.  Those foreign, pagan astrologers were ‘wise men’ indeed. 

Jesus, God in the flesh, born to die for the sins of the world – He alone is worthy of our worship. 

Also, of significance in this passage, Matthew’s gospel, to primarily a Jewish audience, notes that some of the first to visit King Jesus are these foreign, pagan astrologers from the east.  God’s word, front to back, consistently reminds us of God’s global redemption plan, from

* the Gospel announced in advance to Abraham in Genesis 12: “All nations will be blessed through you,”

* to John’s account in Revelation 5: “with your blood you (Jesus) purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation,”

* to fulfillment in Revelation 7: “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,” worshipping the Lord. 

This passage reminds us of the ultimate purpose of God for our lives, worship, and His global purpose throughout all history.

  • Consider these foreign, pagan astrologers and what seemingly ‘little’ they knew compared to those mentioned in Matthew 2:3-6. How should our response to Jesus look like that of the foreign, pagan astrologers (wise men)?
  • How would you explain to someone evidence of God’s global purpose as seen throughout scripture? 

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