When Wise Men Still Teach the Church
How the Magi Show Us What True Worship Looks Like?
Today at the church service, I began the sermon with a simple illustration.
Tomorrow I have a car emissions recall appointment. I already knew about it. I had the information. But today, I almost forgot until a reminder arrived.
Nothing new was added. I did not learn anything I did not already know. I was simply reminded.
That moment stayed with me because it describes much of our spiritual life.
We do not usually struggle because we lack information. We struggle because we forget to live what we already know. That is why reminders matter.
Familiar Stories, Unlived Truths
Some stories in the Gospels are so familiar that they almost lose their weight. We know the details. We have heard them many times. We can retell them easily.
The story of the Magi is one of them.
And yet, familiarity does not equal obedience. Knowing the story does not mean we are living its message.
That is why I believe God still wants the church to sit with this story, not as a Christmas tradition, but as a call to respond.
Who Were the Magi, Really?
The Magi were not random travelers or mystical stargazers. They were wise men from the East, educated, trained, and influential. The book of Daniel gives us insight into their world. In the East, education mattered deeply. No one served in royal courts without serious preparation. These men were respected and trusted. They moved in the presence of kings. That is why Herod wanted to meet them personally. You do not ignore people like this.
Some scholars suggest they may have functioned as royal envoys, representatives sent to approach greater kings, seek peace, or show loyalty.
If that is the case, then their journey was not symbolic. They were approaching a King greater than their own.
An Ancient Prophecy from the East
What often gets overlooked is that God had already spoken about Israel’s future King in the East long before the Magi appeared in Matthew’s Gospel.
In Numbers chapters 23 and 24, we meet Balaam, a Gentile prophet from Mesopotamia. Though hired to curse Israel, God overruled him and forced him to bless instead.
In one of his prophecies, Balaam declared that he saw someone, but not now, and beheld someone, but not near. He then spoke of a star coming out of Jacob and a scepter rising out of Israel. This prophecy connects a star, a king, and the nation of Israel.
Balaam saw it from a distance. He spoke truth even though his heart was not right. And that word did not disappear. It remained preserved among the wise and learned of the East.
So when the Magi later said that they saw His star in the East, they were not reacting to a random light in the sky. They were responding to revelation that was already known and now confirmed. God gave the sign. They recognized it. And they moved.
What the Magi Did and Why It Matters
What struck me again as I preached today was not only who the Magi were, but how they responded to God’s revelation.
They moved: Revelation did not leave them passive. They traveled. They adjusted their lives. Knowledge turned into obedience.
They worshiped: When they found the child, they did not analyze or delay. They bowed.
They worshiped Him alone: Mary was present, but the worship was directed to Jesus. Honor has its place. Worship belongs to Christ alone.
They gave what was costly: They opened their treasures. These gifts were protected through long and dangerous months of travel. Worship cost them something.
Their worship was informed: Gold spoke of the King. Frankincense spoke of the Priest. Myrrh spoke of the suffering Savior. This was not emotional worship. It was thoughtful and obedient worship.
The Real Question for Us
The Magi remind us of a sobering truth. Revelation always demands a response.
Herod heard about the King and resisted. The religious leaders knew the Scriptures and remained passive. The Magi saw the sign and obeyed.
The revelation was the same. The responses were different.
The difference was not information. It was obedience.
A Needed Reminder
As I shared this today, I was reminded myself that God often does not need to show us something new. He needs to remind us of something true. Balaam saw the star from a distance. The Magi followed it. We now know the King clearly.
The question is no longer whether God has spoken, but how we will respond. Wise people still respond to God’s revelation by seeking Christ, worshiping Him, and offering what is costly.
May we not only know the story. May we live it.