The Worship of the Magi

Driving home: And God, as we saw this morning, seems to delight in bypassing all the issues that are problems to human curiosity. And in so doing, He sets in bold relief the issues that really matter.

Martin uses the analogy of buying gifts at J.C. Penney's versus exclusive Fifth Avenue shops to emphasize the value and rarity of the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, indicating the Magi's wealth and the preciousness of their offering.

And there are very interesting speculations. But when all is said and done, the only thing we can know for certain about these magi, is what the text of Scripture tells us. And what we are told in this passage concerning these men is that they are men who were obviously, for some reason, involved in the study of the stars, who noticed an unusual configuration of stars or an unusual manifestation of a specific star, and by means of this came to seek the Messiah, the King, of the Jews. And then about the only other thing we can say for certain is that they came from the East, because the text sa...

6:34 - 7:54 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If you want a Christianity stripped of the supernatural, you'll have to create your own. That's not the Christian faith revealed in the Scriptures.

Martin uses the analogy of stumbling through the Bible, from chapter 1 to chapter 2 and beyond, to illustrate that rejecting the supernatural in one part of Scripture leads to rejecting it throughout, ultimately leading to spiritual ruin.

And then you'll stumble at chapter 3. And you'll go stumbling all the way through the Bible until you stumble into hell. If you want a Christianity stripped of the supernatural, you'll have to create your own. That's not the Christian faith revealed in the Scriptures.

22:21 - 22:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that you will never come to the feet of Jesus without the inward pressure of desire created by the Holy Spirit, leading to a consuming passion for Him above all else.

The Magi's journey, despite its dangers, is presented as an example of a consuming spiritual passion that could not be quenched by worldly knowledge, wealth, or influence, but only by finding and worshipping the King of the Jews.

If you are not at His feet, if you stand at a distance, unbent and unbroken, not humbled in the presence of the Lord, the Lord of glory, what is it that will ever bring you to that posture? May I suggest it will be precisely what was operative in these men. There must first of all be that inward factor or you will never be brought to the feet of Jesus. As these Magi, by what means we do not know whether fragments of truth passed on by oral tradition from the days of Daniel, by whatever means, the Spirit of God brought them to the place where they were consumed with a passion that could not be ...

24:24 - 25:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that if you are content with anything in life without the Son of God, you will continue without Him.

Martin uses the metaphor of Christ never coming as an 'unsought luxury' or an 'extra commodity' to emphasize that people only come to Him when they recognize their desperate need, not out of casual interest.

He never comes to men as an unsought luxury. Do you hear me? He never comes to men as an unsought luxury. And men never, never come to Him as some kind of an extra commodity.

26:24 - 26:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not pride yourself on a lack of yearning for Christ; instead, pity yourself and cry to God to break through the bewitching power of sin that has dulled your senses.

Martin describes 'rocking along in carnal, smug self-contentment' as a destructive path, arguing that one doesn't need to be an overt sinner to be lost; mere self-satisfaction without Christ is enough to keep one from salvation.

My friend, you do not need to be a thief, a lecher. You do not need to be a man or a woman who openly blasphemes the name of God and openly profanes the Sabbath and the outward religion of the living God. No. All you need do is rock along in carnal, smug self-contentment.

27:18 - 27:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not resist any influence ordained of God to bring you to that inward yearning for what only Christ can give.

Martin illustrates how God uses 'strange providences' like trials, disappointments, suffering, frustration, or even people and literature, to 'hedge men up' and guide them towards the Son of God, similar to how the star guided the Magi.

But often God does use strange providences to guide us to the Son of God. He hedges us up by trial, by disappointment, by suffering, by frustration. He can use a person that He puts in our path who speaks a word, another who puts a piece of literature in our hands. God has the entire creation at His disposal to hedge men up.

29:24 - 29:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Be led to Christ by the objective Word of God, which marks the path, tells who He is, what He did, and assures salvation to all who believe.

Martin draws an analogy between the Magi's journey and contemporary listeners, suggesting that their presence in church on Christmas Eve might be God's way of creating a 'thirst and a hunger' within them, making them 'twentieth century magi' seeking something real.

has ordained, then you will not be led to Christ. And could it be that on this very Christmas Eve, God in the most wonderful way is repeating the history of the man who They are set before us as a specimen of the ingathering of the Gentiles. Could it be that this very night, God has brought you here. Your very presence is witness to the fact that God is creating within you a thirst and a hunger for something real in the realm of the spiritual dimension that hitherto you've never known. That's why you couldn't be content to stay at home and just sit in front of your contacts and pray. You could...

30:41 - 31:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Be led to Christ by the objective Word of God, which marks the path, tells who He is, what He did, and assures salvation to all who believe.

Martin contrasts the Magi's external star with the 'perpetual star of a prophet's providence' that continually points believers to the Son of God, referring to God's ongoing guidance in their lives.

You do not need an external star. God has given you the perpetual star of a prophet. A providence that is continually pointing you, pointing you, pointing you to the Son of God. And then I say, above all else, you have His word, this word which calls upon you to behold the Lamb of God, this word which calls upon you to repent and to believe the gospel, this word which promises you, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.

32:08 - 32:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that Christ will either conquer you in grace, leading you to gladly abdicate your throne, or crush you in judgment for opposing His rule.

Martin quotes a line from a well-known hymn to illustrate the language of a heart that gladly abdicates its throne and welcomes Christ as King, contrasting it with defiance.

And say in the language of that well-known hymn. Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus. There is room in my heart for thee. Welcome, King of glory.

40:29 - 40:41 Read in full sermon