| Teacher: Rusty Kennedy Series: Christmas |
Matthew 2:1-12
- We know that the magi were wise men from "the East," most likely Persia, or modern-day Iran.
- This means the wise men traveled 800 to 900 miles to see the Christ child.
- These priests paid particular attention to the stars and gained an international reputation for astrology, which was at that time highly regarded as a science.
- Their religious practices and use of astrology caused derivatives of the term Magi to be applied to the occult in general and led to the English term magic.
- Most likely, the magi knew of the writings of the prophet Daniel, who in time past had been the chief of the court seers in Persia.
- So, these magi were men who:
1) Read and believed God's Word
2) Sought Jesus
3) Recognized the worth of Christ
4) Humbled themselves to worship Jesus
5) Obeyed God rather than man
- They were truly wise men!
Luke 2:40
2 wisdoms – 1) The human quality which enables the planning and successful achievement of a desired goal. It may be expressed as technical skill, practical instruction and astuteness in political affairs. 2) True wisdom includes spiritual discernment and, above all, the reverence and knowledge of God.[1]
James 3:13-18
Wisdom - The quality of knowledge, discernment and understanding characteristic of God himself. True wisdom, seen in the ministry of Jesus Christ, is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Scripture affirms that true human wisdom is a gift from God and points out the folly of trusting in mere human wisdom.[2]
Job 12:13
1 Corinthians 1:18-19
1 Corinthians 2
How do you pursue wisdom?
- A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew.[3]
James 1:5
Proverbs 8:10-12
Proverbs 9:9-12
Proverbs 13:10
- Surround yourself with wise and proper counsel.
What does this look like inside of a community of believers?
Colossians 2:2-3
Final words to the beloved…
Proverbs 2
Prayer… Ask for wisdom…
Ephesians 1:17
[1] Manser, M. H. (2009). Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.
[2] Manser, M. H. (2009). Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.
[3] Green, M. P. (Ed.). (1989). Illustrations for Biblical Preaching: Over 1500 sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
- We know that the magi were wise men from "the East," most likely Persia, or modern-day Iran.
- This means the wise men traveled 800 to 900 miles to see the Christ child.
- These priests paid particular attention to the stars and gained an international reputation for astrology, which was at that time highly regarded as a science.
- Their religious practices and use of astrology caused derivatives of the term Magi to be applied to the occult in general and led to the English term magic.
- Most likely, the magi knew of the writings of the prophet Daniel, who in time past had been the chief of the court seers in Persia.
- So, these magi were men who:
1) Read and believed God's Word
2) Sought Jesus
3) Recognized the worth of Christ
4) Humbled themselves to worship Jesus
5) Obeyed God rather than man
- They were truly wise men!
Luke 2:40
2 wisdoms – 1) The human quality which enables the planning and successful achievement of a desired goal. It may be expressed as technical skill, practical instruction and astuteness in political affairs. 2) True wisdom includes spiritual discernment and, above all, the reverence and knowledge of God.[1]
James 3:13-18
Wisdom - The quality of knowledge, discernment and understanding characteristic of God himself. True wisdom, seen in the ministry of Jesus Christ, is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Scripture affirms that true human wisdom is a gift from God and points out the folly of trusting in mere human wisdom.[2]
Job 12:13
1 Corinthians 1:18-19
1 Corinthians 2
How do you pursue wisdom?
- A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew.[3]
James 1:5
Proverbs 8:10-12
Proverbs 9:9-12
Proverbs 13:10
- Surround yourself with wise and proper counsel.
What does this look like inside of a community of believers?
Colossians 2:2-3
Final words to the beloved…
Proverbs 2
Prayer… Ask for wisdom…
Ephesians 1:17
[1] Manser, M. H. (2009). Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.
[2] Manser, M. H. (2009). Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.
[3] Green, M. P. (Ed.). (1989). Illustrations for Biblical Preaching: Over 1500 sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file.). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
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