LIGHTHOUSE MINISTRY LEADER S STUDY GUIDE To Fulfill: The Unwavering Promise of God Seen in the Incomparable Person of Jesus" (Matthew 1-2) Scene 2: An Unexpected King Matthew 2:1-12 Core Virtue: Joy December 13, 2015 Week 2 of To Fulfill: The Unwavering Promise of God Seen in the Incomparable Person of Jesus" (Matthew 1-2) This guide is designed to provide helpful hints in preparing and leading your Lighthouse discussion. If you need any assistance or further instruction on any part of this teaching lesson, don t hesitate to contact Chris at celler@ffclife.com. Announcements: Coming Dates in the Fall: o Dec. 6 To Fulfill: An Unexpected Dream (Matthew 1:18-25) o Dec. 13 Kids Christmas Musical (Morning Services) o Dec. 13 To Fulfill: An Unexpected King (Matthew 2:1-12) o Dec. 20 Monthly Lighthouse Leader Meeting, 10:00 am. o Dec. 20 Begin Christmas Break o Dec. 21 Family Movie Matinée, 1:00 pm Student Center o Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Service, 5:00 & 6:30 pm. o Dec. 27 Christmas Break o Jan. 3 Christmas Break o Jan. 3. New Series: Shoe-Leather Theology (James) Overview of this Lesson This week s lesson from Matthew 2:1-12 highlights the story of the Magi, or wise men, who searched diligently for the newborn King, and once they found Him, the rejoiced and worshiped Him. It also tells us another story, about the reaction of King Herod, the legal king of the Jews recognized by the Romans, and the chief priests and scribes, the Jewish Religious Leaders. As we will see in this week s lesson, the reaction to the birth of Jesus from these three biblical examples mirrors the response we see today to the birth of Jesus and the Christmas season we celebrate. Lighthouse Ministry Discussion Guide Fall 2015 Page 1 More resources on this series are available at www.ffclife.com. This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
Introduction 1. Looking back at your notes from this week s sermon, was there anything that particularly caught your attention, challenged or confused you? 2. What prompts people to give gifts at Christmas? 3. Why do you give someone a gift at Christmas? This Week s Take Home Truth The story of the Magis search for the Messiah reveals three common reactions to the birth of Jesus: hostility, indifference, and worship. Read the Text (Matthew 2:1-12) It s hard to imagine that anything could rival in importance, interest, and excitement the events that occurred during the hours and days immediately following the birth of Christ. But even several months after the amazing stir created by the angels and shepherds to herald His arrival, people were still hearing about and responding to news of Christ s birth. By that time, men of wealth and influence were reacting to the news coming out of Bethlehem. But was their response any more uniformly noble than that of the shepherds and common people we saw in our previous chapter? Not necessarily. Actually, as you will see, the response of some powerful people was outwardly much worse than the fleeting, indifferent curiosity the average people had to the shepherds witness. But as with the shepherds and Jesus parents, some also rendered genuine faith and worship to the newborn King. Read Matthew 2:1-12. 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Lighthouse Ministry Discussion Guide Fall 2015 Page 2
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him. 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. Despite the traditional depictions of the nativity that place the shepherds and wise men together visiting the baby Jesus in the stable, the wise men s visit was likely a separate occasion that took place some months after Jesus birth. The events of Matt 2:1 23 fell between the episodes described in Luke 2:22 40 and Luke 2:41 52. Digging Deeper In this section, feel free to develop your own questions to help guide your group s discussion. Below are some suggestions. 4. In this week s text, we see the reaction of three different actors. Describe what you learn about each and their reaction to the news of the birth of Jesus. The Magi or Wise Men The response of the Wise Men was one of worship. The wise men from the East (Matt. 2:1) who came to see Jesus were true Magi who had learned about the Jews messianic expectations, likely from the prophetic writings such as Daniel s. They were probably among the many God-fearing Gentiles who lived in the Middle East and Mediterranean areas at that time, some of whom such as Cornelius and Lydia (Acts 10:1 2; 16:14) are mentioned in the New Testament. The Magi made their long journey west to Palestine for one stated purpose: They wanted to find the newborn Savior and worship Him. Worship expresses the idea of falling down and kissing the feet or the Lighthouse Ministry Discussion Guide Fall 2015 Page 3
hem of the garment of the one honored. That definition in itself verifies that the wise men were true seekers after God. Though they had limited spiritual light, they immediately recognized God s voice when He spoke to them, and they responded in faith and obedience. The Magi had the type of genuine seeking hearts that God promises always to reward (Jer. 29:13). Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Herod The response of Herod was one of hatred. Herod s response to news of Christ s birth was the very opposite of the wise men s: When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him (Matt. 2:3). The king s anxiety, in contrast to the Magi s joy and eagerness, is understandable. He had expelled the Parthians from Palestine but was again battling Jewish zealots who wanted their country free from Roman domination. Herod was known as a man of intense jealousy and paranoia, so any mention of a potentially rival king of the Jews caused him much fear and anger. Herod s first response to news of the wise men s arrival was to summon the Jewish leaders, the chief priests and scribes, and find out from them where the Messiah was to be born. Though Herod was an Idumean (Edomite), he knew Jewish beliefs and customs rather well and associated the title King of the Jews with the Jewish Messiah, or Christ. But his awareness of the Jews hope for a Messiah did not translate into saving faith in Jesus Christ. Instead, the king gave the Magi a disingenuous rationale for wanting to hear from them the precise location and true identity of the infant Jesus that I may come and worship Him also (Matt. 2:8). Herod s true purpose in wanting to find out where Jesus lived became starkly clear in how he actually responded when the Magi did not report back to him. The Magi were simply obedient to the Lord s leading (2:12), but Herod obeyed his depraved nature and ordered his soldiers to slaughter every male child two years old and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem (v. 16). Of course, by perpetrating such a heinous act, Herod displayed his real desire of wanting to guarantee that no newborn king would rival his authority. Lighthouse Ministry Discussion Guide Fall 2015 Page 4
The Religious Leaders The response of the Religious Leaders was one of indifference. All Jewish priests were of the priestly tribe of Levi, but the chief priests, including the high priest, the captain of the temple, and other temple officials, were the most influential ones. They formed a priestly aristocracy in Israel and in certain ways were similar to the Magi, mainly because they wielded considerable political as well as religious power. The scribes were primarily Pharisees and were also referred to as the lawyers. They had much prestige and respect among the Jews, who recognized them as scholars and authorities concerning scriptural and traditional Jewish Law. Except for the Sadducees, they held a conservative, literal view of Scripture, and they were very legalistic regarding the ceremonial and moral Law. Herod called those leaders together to learn more specifically what Jewish Scripture taught about the birthplace of Messiah. The chief priests and scribes answered Herod s question by quoting Micah 5:2 and referring partially to Genesis 49:10: So they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel (Matt. 2:5 6). That answer was consistent with the concept of a shepherd s being a ruler and therefore fit the intent of Micah s original prophecy. He foresaw that Christ would be the legitimate King of the Jews and also the final and perfect Ruler of Israel. 5. What parallels do we see between these three actors in Matthew 2 and today s modern culture? The True Child of God The wise men represent the true followers of God, whether it is in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago or Ankeny, Iowa in 2016. They responded to Jesus Christ the way He desires all people to respond in adoration and worship. Because they had little of the written Word of God, the Magi had much less knowledge of the true God than did the chief priests and scribes. However, those Gentile leaders were remarkably responsive to God s Spirit, and whatever knowledge of God and Christ He revealed to them they believed and followed. Lighthouse Ministry Discussion Guide Fall 2015 Page 5
Charles Wesley captured the essence of what the wise men saw in his famous Christmas hymn, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing: Christ by highest heav n adored, Christ the everlasting Lord: Late in time, behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King. The Unsaved Enemy of God Herod s represents the hardhearted, lost man, hostile towards God and intent upon maintaining his own power and control regardless of the cost. His open rebellion and opposition toward Christ shows he really wanted to know nothing of God s way except how to eliminate it. Such an attitude reveals a heart of pride, self-interest, and a greed for power and prestige. Jesus Himself later warned about the consequences of that approach: For whoever desires to save his life will lose it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matt. 16:25 26). The Church-Going False Convert The religious leaders represent the religious man who is knowledgeable of God and His Word, yet calloused and indifferent towards God. Even when confronted by the truth of the gospel by God s people, just as the religious leaders were confronted by the truth of the Messiah by the Magi, the religious person arrogantly dismisses the true gospel in favor of a false gospel of their own making. The prophet Jeremiah lamented over the attitude of such people: Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? (Lam. 1:12). They do not believe or obey what they know of God but at best give Him only lip service. Such apathetic people almost invariably become like Herod and eventually display their hostility toward Christ. That s because indifference to God is simply concealed hatred and delayed rejection. Lighthouse Ministry Discussion Guide Fall 2015 Page 6
6. As we look at the Christmas story as told by Matthew, what conclusion can you draw as you see how God used Mary and Joseph vs. King Herod and the religious leaders? Quite simply, God often uses the humble and willing (Joseph and Mary) rather than the high and mighty (King Herod) or the most learned and authoritative (religious leaders) to accomplish his greatest missions on earth. 7. What are the lessons we can learn from the Magi? First, the coming of the Magi shows God s concern for Gentiles as well as Jews. Jesus is indeed the Savior of the world (John 4:42; 1 John 4:14), and there are other sheep He wants us to help reach that are not in the Jewish fold (John 10:16). The visit of the Magi to Jesus is commemorated on the church calendar on January 6 and is called Epiphany. The word means revelation or manifestation and refers to Christ being revealed to the Gentiles. The gospel message was proclaimed by Peter first to the Jews (Acts 2 7), then to the Samaritans (Acts 8), and then to the Gentiles (Acts 10), and then Paul took the message to both Jews and Gentiles throughout the Roman empire. God loves the world and wants to see all nations come to salvation (Matt. 28:19 20). Second, God reveals Himself to people in ways they can understand. In the case of the Magi, the Lord revealed Himself first through nature when He revealed that special star. They decided to go to Jerusalem and there the Word of God told them that Bethlehem was their destination. When they obeyed the Word, the star reappeared and led them to the house where Jesus and Mary were waiting. You find this pattern given in Psalm 19. God reveals Himself in creation (vv. 1 6), the Scriptures (vv. 7 11), and then personally to the human heart (vv. 12 14). The Magi did not stop until they came to Jesus and saw Him personally! Third, the Magi made worshiping Jesus the reason for their visit (Matt. 2:2, 8, 11). This should be the purpose of Christmas for all of God s people, not just sharing gifts with each other but giving ourselves and our very best to Him. During the busy, demanding days of the season, we must not forget to take time to worship the Lord and thank Him for coming to save us. 8. What are the lessons we can learn from Herod and the Religious Leaders? Lighthouse Ministry Discussion Guide Fall 2015 Page 7
People can know all the facts about the birth of Christ and not know Jesus personally. Herod and the Jewish religious leaders knew where Jesus was, but they did not go to see Him. St. Augustine wrote, They [the Jewish religious leaders] were like milestones: they pointed out something to travelers, but themselves remained stolid and motionless. Those who truly seek Jesus will find Him (Isa. 55:6 7) and be found by Him (Luke 19:10). The Savior of the world was just a few miles away from Jerusalem, yet the Jewish leaders made no move to see Him. The Queen of Sheba was a Gentile and yet she traveled a great distance to learn wisdom from Solomon, and the Magi traveled a long way to worship the newborn King. In the judgment they will be witnesses against the religious people who knew the facts but ignored Him who is the truth (John 14:6; Matt. 12:42). What a tragedy it would be to celebrate Christmas and yet reject the Christ of Christmas! 1 Concluding Thoughts In this section, feel free to develop your own questions to help guide your group s discussion. Below are some suggestions. 9. The Magi rejoiced exceedingly with great joy when they saw the star that led them to Jesus, and they worshiped Him. What about Christmas this year causes you great joy and leads you to worship Jesus? 10. What are the spiritual lessons the Lord has impressed upon you this week through the sermon and Lighthouse lesson? 11. What does the Lord want you to do with these lessons? 1 David W. Wiersbe and Warren W. Wiersbe, C Is for Christmas: The History, Personalities, and Meaning of Christ s Birth: An A to Z Guide (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012), 189. Lighthouse Ministry Discussion Guide Fall 2015 Page 8
The Magi and Herod s Soldiers Descend on Bethlehem Matthew 2:1-12 Following the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary remained in Bethlehem for many months. Apart from the shepherds who visited this family, the Bible tells us about two other groups who went to find Jesus in Bethlehem: the Magi (wise men) and Herod s soldiers. One group traveled a very long distance while another traveled a very short distance. One group was armed with gifts while the other was armed with swords. One group came to honor the Christ child and the other came to eliminate him. Treasure and terror descended upon the village of Bethlehem for a reason (Matt. 2:1 12). We know little about the Magi who journeyed from the east to find Jesus. It is possible they were descendants of Jews who had been sent east during the Babylonian captivity in the time of Daniel and who now returned to their homeland seeking the Messiah. What is striking is that the sophistication of their inquiry and the expensive gifts they carried suggest they were official representatives sent as emissaries to honor the new King of this ancient land. They began their trip in the east (Matt. 2:1). The most compelling evidence suggests that these visitors came to the Promised Land from Parthia and so had traveled the International Highway for months. 2 Eastern border of the Roman Empire, first century 2 The Persian identification of the Magi is supported by second-century Christian art found in the catacombs of Rome depicting these visitors in Persian garments. And the reason the invading Persians spared the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem (AD 614) was that they saw a mosaic depicting the Magi, who were wearing Persian headdress. Paul L. Maier, In the Fullness of Time (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1991), 48. We further note that they must have been traveling for some time since the star that led the Magi had appeared up to two years prior to their arrival (Matt. 2:7, 16). Lighthouse Ministry Discussion Guide Fall 2015 Page 9
They had come to Bethlehem because they believed that the legitimate King of the Jews had been born. A star had appeared that suggested that the promise of the Lord made in Numbers 24:17 had come to pass: A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. This expectation of a royal Messiah had continued to live among those who had been exiled to the east by the Babylonians. And in the footsteps of faithful Israelites like Daniel, they too anticipated the coming of the Messiah. Consequently, they followed the star that was leading them across hundreds of miles in order to honor the newborn King with their treasures. But Herod the Great had quite a different reception in mind for Jesus and a very different reason for sending visitors to Bethlehem. Herod was an Idumean whose family was trusted by the leadership in Rome. Several decades before Jesus was born, Jewish loyalists had enlisted the aid of Parthians (Persians) to drive Herod and his family from power in Jerusalem. Herod fled to Rome, where the Roman Senate honored him with the title King of the Jews. But when Herod returned to Israel in 37 BC, he had to fight long and hard for the right to bear that title. Since that time, he had ruthlessly defended it against all those whom he saw as a threat, even killing his own sons and wives when he felt they were conspiring to remove him from the throne. The Magi entered Jerusalem with Herod s royal paranoia still intact. Given the expensive gifts these Parthian wise men were bearing, they would have entered the city of Jerusalem with an armed escort. We can only imagine the panic that must have occurred in Herod and his court when they heard that men from the east were in Jerusalem looking for the legitimate King of the Jews. Such news got Herod s attention in a big way. Some thirty years had passed since Herod s last encounter with Parthians. Since he was in no position to begin a war, he began to gather from the Magi all the information he could under the guise of longing to worship this Jewish king. When he learned that his rival was a child living in Bethlehem, Herod dispatched his soldiers to kill every male two years of age and under in the village. Apart from the shepherds, two other very different groups had come seeking the child Messiah in Bethlehem. And so it was that treasure and terror descended upon Bethlehem for two very different reasons. 3 3 James C. Martin, John A. Beck, and David G. Hansen, A Visual Guide to Bible Events: Fascinating Insights into Where They Happened and Why (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2009). Lighthouse Ministry Discussion Guide Fall 2015 Page 10