Matt.2:1,2 – Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
If we have any Christian background of any variety we would have heard stories since childhood of shepherds and wise men. The famous Charlie Brown Christmas TV special tells the story of shepherds watching their sheep and the holy interruption of singing angels. We all must also remember one of the famous Christmas songs we hear sung every year about “We Three Kings”. All I can remember about them is that they came from the ‘Orient’ and were sometimes called wise men. Have you ever wondered how gentiles from hundreds of miles away were privileged to have this revelation of the birth of the Messiah. Some say they were following Daniel’s prophesy that he gave while living in Babylon about the future birth of the Messiah. And what about these particular shepherds? Why them? Spurgeon explores these questions in his comments about today’s passage.
“Sovereignty in these cases clothed itself in the robes of mercy. It was great mercy that regarded the low estate of the shepherds, and it was far-reaching mercy which gathered from lands which lay in darkness a company of men made wise unto salvation. Mercy wearing her resplendent jewels was present with divine sovereignty in the lowly abode of Bethlehem. Is it not a delightful thought, that around the cradle of the Savior, as well as around his throne in the highest heaven, these two attributes meet? He makes known himself—and herein is mercy; but it is to those whom he has chosen—and herein he shows that he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and he will have compassion on whom he will have compassion.”
Then what about you? Why do you have this thing about Christ that has separated you from your past life? It may have cost you dearly to follow Him. Sometimes family and friends just don’t get it and and may isolate you or just write it off as some faze you are going through. For me, Christ called me to Himself years ago. Christmas has proven to be a time for me to reestablish or center myself. He still reveals Himself today to shepherds, kings, and people just like you, you just have to be willing to follow wherever the star leads.
