Christmas Magic
Pastor Luke Walker preaches the first sermon in a 4-week Advent series exploring the mysterious Magi who came to worship Christ. Who were these wise men from the East, and what does their journey reveal about God's plan?
Scripture Text: Matthew 2:1-12
"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, 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. When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled. And all Jerusalem with him, and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them, where the Christ was to be born. They told him in Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet, 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. Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared, 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. 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. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Going into the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him amazing. Then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh, and being warned in a dream not to return to Herod. They departed to their own country by another way."
Series Outline
This Advent series asks four questions about the Magi:
WHO - Who were these mysterious visitors? (Today)
WHERE - Where did their travels take them?
WHY - Why did they journey so far?
WHAT - What did they come to do?
Sermon Outline
I. WHO Were They? We don't know their personal identities. Church tradition names three (Balthazar, Melchior, Caspar) based on three gifts, but Scripture doesn't confirm numbers or names. They were wealthy, mysterious figures—Gentiles who came to worship Christ before anyone else did.
II. WHAT Were They?
Magi/Magicians - Not evil sorcerers like Simon Magus, but scientists and scholars
Astrologers - Masters of the stars, experts in natural law and the movements of the sky
The Scientists of Their Day - Rock stars of ancient astronomy who understood the heavens like a clock
Dream Interpreters - Specialists who could discern visions (God warned them in a dream)
Descendants of Daniel's School - Part of the same order of wise men Daniel led in Babylon 600 years earlier
Men of Diligence - They alone knew what was happening when Christ was born
III. WHERE Did They Come From?
From the East - Babylon/Persia, where Daniel served
The Chaldeans - This term meant both an ethnicity and a learned class of wise men
Abraham's Homeland - Ur of the Chaldeans, connecting back to God's promise to Abraham about the stars
Daniel's Legacy - These Magi may represent the last vestige of Daniel's influence, coming to bow their whole system before Christ
Key Themes
Daniel as chief of the magicians influenced Gentile scholars for 600 years
Natural law and true science point to the one Creator God
The Magi "plundered Egypt"—took pagan learning and used it to serve God
All lowercase truth serves capital-T Truth (Christ and the gospel)
God spoke through creation (the star) to those studying natural order
Connection to Abraham: "Look at the stars...so shall be your descendants"
These Gentiles worshiped Christ ahead of Israel
Application: Plunder Egypt
Like Moses and Daniel, the Magi took everything good from their pagan system and used it to serve God. Christians need not fear true knowledge—we can learn from scientists (even atheist ones) because all truth is God's truth. Our hobbies, interests, and areas of expertise can be spiritual activities driving us closer to Christ. As Paul said, "We can do nothing against the truth."
The Christ Connection
The Magi represent the fulfillment of God's ancient promises. When God called Abraham from Ur of the Chaldeans, He pointed him to the stars as a picture of his descendants—ultimately pointing to Christ, the promised Son. Daniel planted seeds of gospel hope in Babylon that bore fruit 600 years later when his spiritual descendants traveled to worship the newborn King.
These Gentile scientists, through studying natural law, discovered what Israel's religious leaders missed: the Messiah had come. Their journey shows that all true knowledge points to Christ. The same God who governs the stars with vast wisdom became a baby in Bethlehem. The Magi came to bow their entire system of learning before Him—astronomy, science, and wisdom all submitted to the Savior of the world.
This is the gospel breaking into history: Gentiles from the East, Abraham's homeland, following a star to worship the Son promised to Abraham, the descendant of David, the hope of Israel, the King of all creation. What Daniel hoped for and Abraham looked forward to, the Magi witnessed and worshiped. Christ is the capital-T Truth that all lowercase truths serve.
Christmas Magic | Matthew 2 - Who were the Magi? Scientists from Daniel's school in Babylon who studied the stars and discovered the King. Part 1 of Advent series.