Author: Gary Witcher

Wise Men

	The city comes into view.  Weary travelers approach their destination after a long trip across difficult territory.
	"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" the wise men inquire in Matthew 2:2.  "For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him."
	Herod, of course, is troubled by the inquiry.  He is the king, and he won't accept competition.  Slyly, he asks about the child with the pretense of honoring Him.  The wise men, unaware of the danger, promise to return with information about the Child.
	"And having heard the king," Matthew 2:9-12 records, "they went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was.  And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.  And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.  And having been warned {by God} in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way."
	What a tremendous story this is!  Wise men leave their homes and families to follow the star over great distances in their search for Jesus.  They successfully complete their quest, presenting to the child valuable treasures.  Learning of the treachery of Herod, they turn their backs on the evil king and return home by another way.  What a tremendous story, indeed!  But the story does not end there.  Over the centuries following that day, wise men have continued to seek Jesus.  Today, wise men still seek Jesus.  Who are these wise men and women?  They are those who, first of all, recognize the difference between earthly wisdom and real wisdom.
	Who among you is wise and understanding?" James 3:13-18 asks.  "Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and {so} lie against the truth.  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."
	Many in the city of Corinth do not understand the difference between earthly wisdom and real wisdom.  They hold various humans in high regard.  So Paul explains to them that wise men seek Jesus.
	"For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness," the apostle stresses in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, "but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.'  Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not {come to} know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
	Paul goes on to point out the difference between the attitude of the Corinthians and that of truly wise men.
	"And when I came to you, brethren," he adds in the first two verses of the second chapter, "I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."
	"And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom," Paul continues in verses 4-8, "but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.  Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden {wisdom,} which God predestined before the ages to our glory;  {the wisdom} which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."
	There are many today who exalt their own wisdom and scoff at God.  But wise men still seek Jesus.

	Wise men still seek Jesus.  They still come bearing gifts of great value.  
	"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal," Jesus cautions in Matthew 6:19-21.  "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
	Wise men come to Jesus bearing their treasures. They are even willing to leave their families, friends and earthly belongings and give all to Jesus.
	"He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me," the Lord instructs in Matthew 10:37-39. "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it." 
	Wise men still seek Jesus.  They still come bearing gifts of great value.  And they still seek Him by following the light from above.
	"To give to His people {the} knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins," Zacharias prophesies of Jesus in Luke 1:77-79, "because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high shall visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
	Even before His birth, Jesus is associated with a guiding light from above.  And this connection continues through His ministry.
	"I am the light of the world," Jesus announces in John 8:12, "he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life."
	"The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light," Jesus quotes Isaiah in Matthew 4:16, "and to those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light dawned."
	After His return to heaven, Jesus is still associated with this great light.
	"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches,” we read in Revelation 22:16.  "I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star."
	Wise men still seek Jesus.  Wise men still seek Jesus by following the light from above.  That light is revealed through God's Word, the Bible.
	"And {so} we have the prophetic word {made} more sure," 2 Peter 1:19 notes, "to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts."
	"Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path," Psalm 119:105 expresses.
	Wise men still seek Jesus by following the light from above.  They should be aware, though, that there are those who, like Herod, would like to stop the light.
	"And even if our gospel is veiled," Paul warns in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, "it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
	Wise men still seek Jesus.  Wise men still come to Jesus bearing treasures of great value.  Wise men still follow the light from above.  And wise men are still aware of the Lord's enemies.  Like the first wise men, they turn their backs on the old path of darkness and follow along their way walking in the light.
	"Therefore do not be partakers with them," Ephesians 5:7-16 alerts, "for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light {consists} in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things that are done by them in secret.  But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.  For this reason it says, 'Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'  Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil."
	Wise men still seek Jesus.  Wise men still come to Jesus bearing treasures of great value.  Wise men still follow the light from above.  Wise men are still able to tell the difference between darkness and the true light.  And they choose to follow the truth so that they may be set free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 Used by permission."