We have come tonight expectantly.  We know what is tomorrow, but we do not know what tomorrow will bring. 

The signs are everywhere that there is a special day arriving.  You cannot miss it.  Stars, angels, candy canes, wreaths, Moravian stars, greens, and ribbons line windows and are hung from polls. 

Regardless of culture or faith, these things are pointing to a special event that is coming.  In the past few weeks, I have been to Hershey for three different events, Longwood Gardens, the Outlets, the Mall, a tree farm, downtown Wellsboro, and no matter where I go, I am given signs that a special day is coming and has now arrived. 

On the first Christmas night when Jesus was born there was a sign given that nearly everyone missed.  It was THE Star.  Only three foreigners from the East took notice. 

Matthew 2:1-12 “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi^[a] from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’^[b]”

⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Magi

• A term for wise men or astrologers, people who investigate and study things, including the stars.
  
  
• From the East. Likely near Babylon where there would have been access to Hebrew texts. 

Star

• Was evidently different that caused them to behold it as being beyond normal.
  
  
• They likely connected this occurrence to the Hebrew text.
  Numbers 24:17a “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.  A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel…”

• They were watching, they beheld it, and they were compelled to go.

Herod and the Spiritual Leaders of Jerusalem

• They were not aware of the star—which was there for months!
  
  
• They were alarmed.
  
  
• They were not desiring to worship, rather they were threatened.

The Marks of Worship

• The Magi were looking with expectancy to what God is doing.
  
  
• They acknowledged his identity as King by bent knee.
  
  
• They gave gifts deserving of a King which likely by God’s sovereignty provided the resources to escape to Egypt.

“We look to him, we submit to him, we give to him.”

Their Blessing: As Gentiles from far away, they did not miss out on the greatest birth in history.

Our candles tonight are a testimony and a sign that THE Light has come to the world and we have beheld that light, and now, we shine it for others to come and join us in worship!  Let’s not miss out on what God is doing even now.  For Jesus’ light is the sign to our generation to come to him and worship.