A Long Road to "Ah Ha!"
HYMN: WE THREE KINGS
Main Scripture:
Matthew 2:1 1 "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem..."
Do you feel weary this morning? Are you tired of traveling, seeking out the blessing you know GOD has called you to, the fulness of Life you know is out there but has eluded you so far, no matter how hard you've chased after it? If so, I have good news for you today. It is a long road to "Ah Ha!" It is a long journey to the full glory of the promise. But GOD says that when it is a promise He has made, He will fulfill it and you wil have joy at the end of the journey after all.
These promises are all over the Bible:
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Galatians 6:9)
"Those who sow in sorrow will reap with joy" (Psalm 126:5)
"Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)
And we could go on.
Most people know the story of the Three Kings, even if they don't read the BIble or attend church very often, if nothing else from the song "We Three Kings" that we just sang. Of course, those who fancy themselves more learned, or those who listen to a lot of radio or TV sermons, will take issue that there were not necessarily three kings, and that they weren't kings at all. But the main point is that these men came from far away. The statement that they came from the east infers that it was far to the east of Israel, a foreign nation. They didn't just step next door asking "What up?"
It was a struggle for these travelers to get to Jerusalem. In fact, if we read further...
Mattthew 2:16 "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men."
I believe that the wise men had started out on their journey two years earlier. They were led as far as Jerusalem. Knowing it was the capital and where you'd expect to find a king, they came asking for him. Then, once Herod of all people sends them to Bethlehem, they suddenly see the star again. Now things move rapidly toward their goal.
This happens to us as well. We can struggle for years, searching for answers from GOD. Then, suddenly, the heavens open and we are given a clear path on the road He has for us. And sometimes it's from the most unlikely sources, like here where it's the person who hates Christ most who directs the wise men to Him.
If your road seems hard and bitter, check yourself. Have a "sit down" with GOD, in total sincerity, and check whether the road you are traveling is the road He wants you to travel. These obstacles you're facing may be GOD-given, like the angel blocking the way of Balaam who would have killed the wayward prophet had not the faithful donkey acted on his behalf. (Numbers 22:23) Check with others, with godly counselors, to see whether you are deceiving yourself. But once you know you are going GOD's way, let nothing stop you, just as these wise men did not let anything keep them from Christ.
These wise men also brought gifts to the new king. We could conjecture on what these gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh symbolized. But what matters is that they were given as an act of worship (Matthew 2:11). The wise men came seeking the King of the Jews but they found the King of Kings and LORD of LORDS, the Christ, the Savior of the World. And giving the gift of themselves, they were changed, and in the integrity of their heart they went another way rather than return to Herod. (Matthew 2:12)
Somehow they knew that this little boy would be the hope of the world, not just for one nation. This is the same hope that Simeon had when he met JESUS in the arms of Mary and Joseph in the temple the day JESUS was dedicated (Luke 2:25-35). Simeon was apparently an old, old man who should have died by all accounts long before, yet GOD promised that he would not die until he saw JESUS with his own eyes, and as long and hard as that road was, it eventually came to pass. Anna, too, (Luke 2:36-38) an elderly prophetess, had the honor of having her hope fulfilled.
If it is a promise of the Bible, it will be fulfilled, no matter how long it takes. Some of us won't see the fulfillment of our hopes and dreams until we step out of this life into eternity. With Job (Job 19:25) we must acknowledge here and now that we have a living Redeemer, but that we may not see the full effects of His promises until He returns. Yet He will return, of this we are certain, and we shall behold Him with our own eyes, in a new body, with joy.
So, whatever these gifts meant that these wise men brought with them, the greatest gift they brought, like Simeon, Anna and Job, was themselves. And that is what we are called to do. GOD promises that we will find Him if we seek Him with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:13). When we seek the Father, we will find Him, and when we find Him, we find JESUS, Who says that if we come to Him, He will never cast us out. (John 6:37)
It is a long road, a long, weary way to the "Ah Ha!" of having what we hoped for fulfilled. In fact, we're warned in the Bible against saying "Ah Ha!" too soon. (Psalm 35:21, Psalm 40:15, Psalm 70:3, Isaiah 44:16, Ezekiel 25:3, 26:2, 36:2). In every case, it was said by the enemies of GOD against Him. But when we trust Him at His word, JESUS will fulfill all of His promises. Someday soon, no matter how long or rough our journey has been, it will end. And we will be able to say "Ah ha! So this is Life everlasting!" in the presence of GOD.
Main Scripture:
Matthew 2:1 1 "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem..."
Do you feel weary this morning? Are you tired of traveling, seeking out the blessing you know GOD has called you to, the fulness of Life you know is out there but has eluded you so far, no matter how hard you've chased after it? If so, I have good news for you today. It is a long road to "Ah Ha!" It is a long journey to the full glory of the promise. But GOD says that when it is a promise He has made, He will fulfill it and you wil have joy at the end of the journey after all.
These promises are all over the Bible:
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Galatians 6:9)
"Those who sow in sorrow will reap with joy" (Psalm 126:5)
"Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)
And we could go on.
Most people know the story of the Three Kings, even if they don't read the BIble or attend church very often, if nothing else from the song "We Three Kings" that we just sang. Of course, those who fancy themselves more learned, or those who listen to a lot of radio or TV sermons, will take issue that there were not necessarily three kings, and that they weren't kings at all. But the main point is that these men came from far away. The statement that they came from the east infers that it was far to the east of Israel, a foreign nation. They didn't just step next door asking "What up?"
It was a struggle for these travelers to get to Jerusalem. In fact, if we read further...
Mattthew 2:16 "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men."
I believe that the wise men had started out on their journey two years earlier. They were led as far as Jerusalem. Knowing it was the capital and where you'd expect to find a king, they came asking for him. Then, once Herod of all people sends them to Bethlehem, they suddenly see the star again. Now things move rapidly toward their goal.
This happens to us as well. We can struggle for years, searching for answers from GOD. Then, suddenly, the heavens open and we are given a clear path on the road He has for us. And sometimes it's from the most unlikely sources, like here where it's the person who hates Christ most who directs the wise men to Him.
If your road seems hard and bitter, check yourself. Have a "sit down" with GOD, in total sincerity, and check whether the road you are traveling is the road He wants you to travel. These obstacles you're facing may be GOD-given, like the angel blocking the way of Balaam who would have killed the wayward prophet had not the faithful donkey acted on his behalf. (Numbers 22:23) Check with others, with godly counselors, to see whether you are deceiving yourself. But once you know you are going GOD's way, let nothing stop you, just as these wise men did not let anything keep them from Christ.
These wise men also brought gifts to the new king. We could conjecture on what these gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh symbolized. But what matters is that they were given as an act of worship (Matthew 2:11). The wise men came seeking the King of the Jews but they found the King of Kings and LORD of LORDS, the Christ, the Savior of the World. And giving the gift of themselves, they were changed, and in the integrity of their heart they went another way rather than return to Herod. (Matthew 2:12)
Somehow they knew that this little boy would be the hope of the world, not just for one nation. This is the same hope that Simeon had when he met JESUS in the arms of Mary and Joseph in the temple the day JESUS was dedicated (Luke 2:25-35). Simeon was apparently an old, old man who should have died by all accounts long before, yet GOD promised that he would not die until he saw JESUS with his own eyes, and as long and hard as that road was, it eventually came to pass. Anna, too, (Luke 2:36-38) an elderly prophetess, had the honor of having her hope fulfilled.
If it is a promise of the Bible, it will be fulfilled, no matter how long it takes. Some of us won't see the fulfillment of our hopes and dreams until we step out of this life into eternity. With Job (Job 19:25) we must acknowledge here and now that we have a living Redeemer, but that we may not see the full effects of His promises until He returns. Yet He will return, of this we are certain, and we shall behold Him with our own eyes, in a new body, with joy.
So, whatever these gifts meant that these wise men brought with them, the greatest gift they brought, like Simeon, Anna and Job, was themselves. And that is what we are called to do. GOD promises that we will find Him if we seek Him with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:13). When we seek the Father, we will find Him, and when we find Him, we find JESUS, Who says that if we come to Him, He will never cast us out. (John 6:37)
It is a long road, a long, weary way to the "Ah Ha!" of having what we hoped for fulfilled. In fact, we're warned in the Bible against saying "Ah Ha!" too soon. (Psalm 35:21, Psalm 40:15, Psalm 70:3, Isaiah 44:16, Ezekiel 25:3, 26:2, 36:2). In every case, it was said by the enemies of GOD against Him. But when we trust Him at His word, JESUS will fulfill all of His promises. Someday soon, no matter how long or rough our journey has been, it will end. And we will be able to say "Ah ha! So this is Life everlasting!" in the presence of GOD.
posted by Ariel Lion of God | 9:50 AM
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