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, 2 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.”-Matthew 2:1-2
In the Kooi household, we have a tradition with our manger scene. Every year I try to sneak the wise men with our manger scene and every year my wife moves them when she realizes what I have done. Why does she do this? She does it because the Magi didn’t come on the night that Jesus was born. To make this point, we have the Magi at a different part of the house “traveling” to the manger scene. It is only after December 25th that the manger scene can finally be completed. It is only after the birth of Jesus that the Magi actually come.
How do we know this? Matthew tells us. He writes, “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.’”
We often picture the night that Jesus was born as some sort of crazy, guest filled night for Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. We often think that not only do shepherds come, but also some wise men too. However, this is not the case. The wise men come later. They were studying the stars and saw that they announced that the true King, Jesus, has been born, and that they have come to worship Him. They were seeking Jesus out. They wanted to bring Him gifts and to worship Him.
As we enter this new year, what are you seeking? What are your goals and desires? Are you looking for more stability or success in your life? Do you want to buy a new house, get a new car, or earn that elusive promotion? Do you hope to start a family or plan to turn the corner on getting healthy? Whatever you are seeking, I encourage you to do one thing: seek Jesus.
Like the wise men, look for and seek Jesus. Come to worship Him, and receive His grace and forgiveness. Try something different this year. Seek Him and His ways first, and see what happens. This isn’t to say that all your desires will be filled or satisfied, or that bad things won’t happen to you. Being a Christian doesn’t safeguard you against bad things but helps to give you a proper perspective and peace when they come. See the One that the wise men worshipped. Enjoy the peace that the Christ child brings. Experience and know the joy of His salvation. Cherish the blessings that being a child of God gives. Have a great Epiphany season!
~Pastor Nick Kooi
(Originally published in Emmaus Footprints, Vol. XVIII, Number 6, January 2017)