This sermon by Greg Boyd explores the Christmas story of the Magi’s search for Jesus. Greg provides historical background that opens our eyes to seeing the surprising and radical nature of their journey to find the Jewish Messiah. In addition, it reveals implications about who God is and how he relates to us.
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Christmas Magi(c)
• Greg Boyd
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Matthew tells us that Magi, probably from Babylon, visited Jesus. These were a class of priests or wise sages going back to the ancient Zoroastrian Religion and consultants to political and military leaders. They were among the most educated people in the ancient world. They were also specialists in occult wisdom and astrology, which people assumed gave them the ability to “divine the future.”
This story leads to some basic questions. Why are these pagan astrologers from the east in Matthew’s Christmas story? And what motivated them to make the 900-mile trek from Babylon to see the birth of a Jewish King? What is going on with the star? This sermon addresses these questions and seeks to help us understand what God is doing in it.
The Magi were diviners of the future, but Jews were adamantly opposed to divination. Astrology and all other occult practices are explicitly and uniformly condemned 16 times in Bible. In addition, they were likely consultants to Phraates IV, the Parthian ruler over Babylon. Babylon had become a symbol of evil empires. These magi are even more unlikely guests to the Messiah than the lowly misfit shepherds!
What makes this account even stranger is that, not only is God inviting the world’s leading astrologers from the land of darkness to bear witness to Jesus, but he seems to use astrology to do it. There are five very rare astronomical events that took place between 12 BC and 5 AD. There were a number of once-every 500-1000 year events happening around the same time. From the Babylonian astrological perspective, all of them would indicate that someone very important is going to be born in Judea. Therefore, these Magi used astrology to find the newborn king. We could say that God used astrology to draw these Magi to the child Jesus.
In this story, we see God stooping as far as necessary to meet people where they are at. In reality, the stars don’t predict the future, but the Magi think the stars have this meaning. God decided to enter into their framework in order to draw them to Christ. God makes loving people a higher priority than how his love looks to others. God is not afraid of looking like an astrology-approving deity if doing so might lead someone to Christ.
Greg uses this story to work out three practical points. First, we are to discern but not to judge. While astrology is problematic, we cannot judge the hearts of the Magi. We can wrestle with what is right and wrong, but it is not our job to disparage others who do things that we would never do. Second, hunger for God’s activity like the Magi. They made that trip at great expense, giving up time and money to pursue truth. We have to ask ourselves if we are willing to count the cost to do likewise. Third, never let anything get in the way of love.
When we understand the story of the Magi, it is utterly shocking. God goes to great lengths to show his love to all, even those who might be considered outside the fold. And these people who would have been excluded from a Jewish perspective are actually a model for what it means to pursue God in radical ways.
Hide Extended SummaryTopics: Christmas, Discipleship, Judgment
Sermon Series: Seeking Christmas
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The MuseCast: December 17
Focus Scripture:
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Matthew 2:1-12, 16
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 when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 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. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“‘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.’”
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 search carefully 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 when it rose 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, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route…. When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
"Thank you all the way from Oregon. I deeply appreciate being shepherded by Pastor Greg and everyone else on the panels. You are a rare find in the church nowadays. Tackling tough questions with humility and a kingdom perspective. It has been life changing for me in such tumultuous times."
– Heather, from Oregon