SEEKING SALVATION

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

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.’”

Matthew 2:1-6

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Joseph and Mary had received a surprise visit from an unlikely group of people, the shepherds who had rushed into Bethlehem after being in the audience of a company of angels declaring the Messiah’s birth. They had been the first ones God announced Jesus’ coming to and after they had seen Jesus themselves, they went around the town telling everyone about what had happened and the scriptures tell us that the people hearing the story were amazed.

There is little doubt that others followed the lead of the shepherds and went to the lowly stable to see and honor this newborn babe who had been prophesied as coming for generations. Many came seeking to see salvation that had come in the form of this Savior lying in a manger.

Well, as we see in today’s scripture passage and our continuing look at the wonder of the Christmas story, there were others who were seeking to find the Messiah, a group called the Magi who had traveled far from the east in their quest. Look again at our scripture passage for today:

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.’”  Matthew 2:1-6

Jerusalem was the city at the heart of Israelite worship and holiness, the crown jewel of the nation. If you were looking for a leader of any prominence, you would find them within the fortified walls of Jerusalem. This is why the Magi went there first. Obviously schooled in astronomy, the men had been following a star that had appeared, a star they believed indicated where the Messiah had been born. And having been versed in the prophecies about this coming Savior, they believed the baby they sought was born the King of the Jews, and where else would you look for a King of the Jews than in Jerusalem.

And so the Magi entered the city and began to inquire about where they could find the King as they wanted to worship Him. Word traveled fast through the city and it didn’t take long before word reached Herod, the Roman king of Judea, who became alarmed at the news. After all, he was in charge of keeping the Israelites in line under Roman authority and could not afford having any person rally the Israelites to revolt as an emerging King of the Jews might do.

Trying to get out in front of the matter before he entertained the Magi, we read where Herod summoned “all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law” asking them “where the Messiah was to be born.” The men who were very knowledgeable in all the Hebrew prophecies told the king that the Messiah was born in Bethlehem, a town just to the south of Jerusalem and within Herod’s jurisdiction. They shared the following words that had been spoken by the prophet Micah:

“‘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.’” Micah 5:2

Seeking the Messiah, the Magi believed he would be found in Jerusalem. Through the shared words of the prophet, Herod knew the Messiah was born in Bethlehem, the place where anyone seeking the baby could find him. It didn’t take long for Herod to see how he could use the unsuspecting Magi to fulfill his evil purposes.

Tune in over the next few days to see how the story unfolds.

Amen

In Christ,

Mark

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