we also know that the wise men went home a different way. matthew 2.12 (esv) tells us that they departed to their own country by another way.
men who have come to worship CHRIST throughout the generations have always gone home another way. you can’t go the same way after worshipping JESUS. you can never be the same again!
saul of tarsus was “breathing out fire and threatenings against the church.” he was willing to kill CHRIStians to preserve the purity of the jewish religion. but one day he met CHRIST and HE was never, ever, to be the same again. he went a different way!
vacillating, cursing, hard-boiled fisherman - peter, andrew, james and john, when they met JESUS their lives were changed and transformed. they were never the same again.
it’s the new year and we think of the wise men. and they were wise men! not in the way the world thinks, but they were wise men because they were willing to follow wherever GOD led, they were wiser than the men of the world. they worshipped CHRIST, gave their gifts, and went home a different way.
what about you? what about me? what about this new year? GOD wants to make a difference in us so we will make a difference for HIM.
i’ll be honest, i am really tired at just surviving, just going the same way, doing things the same way. i want to be willing to follow wherever GOD leads, i want to be wiser than the men of the world, i want to worship HIM and give HIM everything HE wants and i want go home a different way.
you know a rut is a grave with the ends knock out. i don’t want to live in a rut, i don’t believe GOD wants any of us to live in a rut. let’s let HIM make a difference in us, to fill us with HIS HOLY SPIRIT, to cleanse us of the garbage in our lives, and to empowered us to make a difference in our world.
what about you?
just a thought from the front porch…
Showing posts with label wise men. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wise men. Show all posts
Monday, January 3, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
taking out the trash…
the third gift of the wise men was “myrrh” which comes from stunted trees. it is a brown, fragrant perfume that is used to anoint dead bodies - to embalm & preserve them. myrrh represents the work and mission of JESUS. HE came to die for us upon the cross.
simeon had already revealed to mary in the temple that this BABY was going to be a source of conflict and controversy and that her own heart would be pierced as if by a sword. the foreshadowing continues when the wise men give the gift of myrrh, a burial spice used to anoint the dead. not your typical baby gift!
from the very beginning, the shadow of calvary fell across the path of JESUS. and there's no way we can worship HIM in spirit and in truth without taking seriously the sacrificial part. worship can fill us up in many ways, but worship also takes something out of us. worship cleanses us of the ideas and actions and attitudes that separate us from GOD. when we really worship, we can't be content any more to live with hatred and resentment and guilt and prejudice and lust in our hearts. we have to take the garbage out.
there was a devotional in the upper room magazine written by a man from california named robert j. eckert. he wrote about the wonderful activities he enjoys on sundays - worship in the church, prayer, nature walks, rest, and conversations with loved ones. then, the last thing he does on sunday is to roll the garbage can out to the curb, because his trash service picks up on monday morning. he didn't choose monday mornings as trash pick-up day, but that act of taking out the garbage has become a meaningful part of his sabbath experience. it reminds him that worship includes recognition of changes that need to be made and confession of sin and reception of forgiveness and resolution to behave better. after worship, we ought to enter the new week with all our trash emptied!
then, with our trash hauled away, we're free to give of ourselves to others. this is the sacrificial part. when we follow JESUS, who from the day HE was born had a date with the cross, how can we think that our spiritual path will be easy - without risk or commitment or courage needed? true worship leads to service. encountering CHRIST commands a response from us - not just on sunday, but every day of the week. worship happens, not just inside the walls of the church, but in the offices and the schools and the stores and the restaurants and anywhere we have a chance to put our faith into action.
just a thought from the front porch…
simeon had already revealed to mary in the temple that this BABY was going to be a source of conflict and controversy and that her own heart would be pierced as if by a sword. the foreshadowing continues when the wise men give the gift of myrrh, a burial spice used to anoint the dead. not your typical baby gift!
from the very beginning, the shadow of calvary fell across the path of JESUS. and there's no way we can worship HIM in spirit and in truth without taking seriously the sacrificial part. worship can fill us up in many ways, but worship also takes something out of us. worship cleanses us of the ideas and actions and attitudes that separate us from GOD. when we really worship, we can't be content any more to live with hatred and resentment and guilt and prejudice and lust in our hearts. we have to take the garbage out.
there was a devotional in the upper room magazine written by a man from california named robert j. eckert. he wrote about the wonderful activities he enjoys on sundays - worship in the church, prayer, nature walks, rest, and conversations with loved ones. then, the last thing he does on sunday is to roll the garbage can out to the curb, because his trash service picks up on monday morning. he didn't choose monday mornings as trash pick-up day, but that act of taking out the garbage has become a meaningful part of his sabbath experience. it reminds him that worship includes recognition of changes that need to be made and confession of sin and reception of forgiveness and resolution to behave better. after worship, we ought to enter the new week with all our trash emptied!
then, with our trash hauled away, we're free to give of ourselves to others. this is the sacrificial part. when we follow JESUS, who from the day HE was born had a date with the cross, how can we think that our spiritual path will be easy - without risk or commitment or courage needed? true worship leads to service. encountering CHRIST commands a response from us - not just on sunday, but every day of the week. worship happens, not just inside the walls of the church, but in the offices and the schools and the stores and the restaurants and anywhere we have a chance to put our faith into action.
just a thought from the front porch…
Saturday, January 1, 2011
it doesn’t have to be perfect, just real…
the wise men also gave the gift of frankincense. and frankincense is an aromatic sap from a plant in the middle east that was burned in worship services. frankincense was the essence of divinity, the smell of GOD. it brought worshipers into the holy presence.
so how does your worship smell? how does it taste? what does it feel like? can you touch the presence of GOD when you worship? is there an atmosphere of the SPIRIT all around when you come into HIS house? one of the things people will say when they leave church is, “i could just feel the presence of GOD in the worship.”
rich mullins, the late CHRISTian musician who was tragically killed in a car wreck, was always attentive to the SPIRITual atmosphere of worship. he chose which church to attend not on the basis of the quality of the leadership or the music, but on the devotion of the people.
eric hauck, a close friend of rich mullins, recalled being in a worship service just a few days before rich died. a group of people had come together, and anyone who could play an instrument was invited to play and sing praise to GOD. musically it was chaos - out of tune, fourteen different rhythms - it sounded awful.
finally they asked rich and eric to lead the singing to give the noise some order. mullins took the microphone and said, “i love to be in the church. i love to listen to people sing and play with their hearts. in my profession (contemporary CHRISTian music) we worry about being in tune and sounding good. but this music is the music that's the most pleasing to GOD, because it's so real, and it comes from the hearts of the children of GOD.”
as he spoke, rich got choked up; it was the last time his friend eric saw him cry.
SPIRITual worship is the cry of the heart for fellowship with GOD. it doesn't have to be perfect, any more than we have to be perfect to be in communion with HIM. it just has to be real.
just a thought from the front porch…
so how does your worship smell? how does it taste? what does it feel like? can you touch the presence of GOD when you worship? is there an atmosphere of the SPIRIT all around when you come into HIS house? one of the things people will say when they leave church is, “i could just feel the presence of GOD in the worship.”
rich mullins, the late CHRISTian musician who was tragically killed in a car wreck, was always attentive to the SPIRITual atmosphere of worship. he chose which church to attend not on the basis of the quality of the leadership or the music, but on the devotion of the people.
eric hauck, a close friend of rich mullins, recalled being in a worship service just a few days before rich died. a group of people had come together, and anyone who could play an instrument was invited to play and sing praise to GOD. musically it was chaos - out of tune, fourteen different rhythms - it sounded awful.
finally they asked rich and eric to lead the singing to give the noise some order. mullins took the microphone and said, “i love to be in the church. i love to listen to people sing and play with their hearts. in my profession (contemporary CHRISTian music) we worry about being in tune and sounding good. but this music is the music that's the most pleasing to GOD, because it's so real, and it comes from the hearts of the children of GOD.”
as he spoke, rich got choked up; it was the last time his friend eric saw him cry.
SPIRITual worship is the cry of the heart for fellowship with GOD. it doesn't have to be perfect, any more than we have to be perfect to be in communion with HIM. it just has to be real.
just a thought from the front porch…
Friday, December 31, 2010
gold…
when the wise men come to worship JESUS they brought gifts of gold, frankincense, & myrrh. these gifts have given rise to a lot of speculation about the symbolism of these gifts.
“gold” represents wealth, obviously. solomon sat on an ivory throne, inlaid with gold. solomon’s temple was plated with gold. we read of “golden streets” in heaven.
obviously gold represents wealth of the new KING. granted, HE was born in poverty, and died in poverty, but because HE is GOD’s SON, all the wealth of the world is HIS.
i don't have to explain that gift, except to say that a natural response of devotion to GOD is to give of our wealth to HIM. HE doesn't need the wealth, but we need to give it. the bible knows no separation of physical and spiritual; it's all part of the fabric of life. when we have a spiritual relationship with GOD, it's going to show in material ways.
there was a presbyterian missionary from the nation of ghana who told about an interesting practice in the worship of that african nation. ghana was evangelized by scottish presbyterians over a century ago, and most of their worship is still very traditional and presbyterian. but they do allow the african experience into their worship at the offering.
during the collection of gifts to GOD, the people dance. the music gets lively, and the people get up and move. it becomes a real celebration that can last a while, because they dance all the way down the aisle to the altar and then back to their seats. the missionary also noted that the offering is the only time the africans smile. the rest of the time they have learned to be as serious as scottish presbyterians. but during the offering, they boogie!
that's how to worship. you put your money in the plate. you tap your foot on the floor. you lift your hands in praise and your voice in song. you laugh out loud at how good GOD is! you reach out a helping hand, and you offer a compassionate hug. that's worship.
you can dance until your legs fall off, but if you don't have JESUS in your heart, you might as well be line-dancing at the local honky-tonk.
just a thought from the front porch…
“gold” represents wealth, obviously. solomon sat on an ivory throne, inlaid with gold. solomon’s temple was plated with gold. we read of “golden streets” in heaven.
obviously gold represents wealth of the new KING. granted, HE was born in poverty, and died in poverty, but because HE is GOD’s SON, all the wealth of the world is HIS.
i don't have to explain that gift, except to say that a natural response of devotion to GOD is to give of our wealth to HIM. HE doesn't need the wealth, but we need to give it. the bible knows no separation of physical and spiritual; it's all part of the fabric of life. when we have a spiritual relationship with GOD, it's going to show in material ways.
there was a presbyterian missionary from the nation of ghana who told about an interesting practice in the worship of that african nation. ghana was evangelized by scottish presbyterians over a century ago, and most of their worship is still very traditional and presbyterian. but they do allow the african experience into their worship at the offering.
during the collection of gifts to GOD, the people dance. the music gets lively, and the people get up and move. it becomes a real celebration that can last a while, because they dance all the way down the aisle to the altar and then back to their seats. the missionary also noted that the offering is the only time the africans smile. the rest of the time they have learned to be as serious as scottish presbyterians. but during the offering, they boogie!
that's how to worship. you put your money in the plate. you tap your foot on the floor. you lift your hands in praise and your voice in song. you laugh out loud at how good GOD is! you reach out a helping hand, and you offer a compassionate hug. that's worship.
you can dance until your legs fall off, but if you don't have JESUS in your heart, you might as well be line-dancing at the local honky-tonk.
just a thought from the front porch…
Thursday, December 30, 2010
unfilled, empty lives…
another thing we know about the wise men is they worshipped and gave gifts to him.
matthew 2.11 (niv), they entered the house and saw the CHILD with HIS mother, mary, and they bowed down and worshiped HIM. then they opened their treasure chests and gave HIM gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
people are worshipping lots of different things today. some are worshipping men. others are worshipping things. and all of them are worshipping the wrong things. but these wise men came to worship CHRIST.
that is rather amazing, isn’t it? they were from a pagan world and worshipped the stars and pagan gods.
they were religious, sincere men - but their lives were unfilled. despite everything they had - wealth, prestige, power - there was a deep emptiness in their life. yet, when they came to the house and saw the CHRIST CHILD - they worshipped HIM.
what are you worshipping today? if it is not the CHRIST it will not meet the needs of your life. there will always be an emptiness there. you will always be unfilled until you can come to where JESUS is and find HIM for what HE is - the MESSIAH, the CHRIST, the SON of GOD. then, and only then, will the deep longings of your heart be met.
just a thought from the front porch…
matthew 2.11 (niv), they entered the house and saw the CHILD with HIS mother, mary, and they bowed down and worshiped HIM. then they opened their treasure chests and gave HIM gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
people are worshipping lots of different things today. some are worshipping men. others are worshipping things. and all of them are worshipping the wrong things. but these wise men came to worship CHRIST.
that is rather amazing, isn’t it? they were from a pagan world and worshipped the stars and pagan gods.
they were religious, sincere men - but their lives were unfilled. despite everything they had - wealth, prestige, power - there was a deep emptiness in their life. yet, when they came to the house and saw the CHRIST CHILD - they worshipped HIM.
what are you worshipping today? if it is not the CHRIST it will not meet the needs of your life. there will always be an emptiness there. you will always be unfilled until you can come to where JESUS is and find HIM for what HE is - the MESSIAH, the CHRIST, the SON of GOD. then, and only then, will the deep longings of your heart be met.
just a thought from the front porch…
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
wise but foolish…
another thing we know about the wise men is they were wiser than the men of the world.
matthew records that the wise men ended up in jerusalem. i guess it was the most logical place - the center of judaism - the temple of GOD - the high priests of GOD, and of course, the palace of herod the king. “if anybody would know of the birth of a new-born king it would be the present king - right?” wrong!
they went to king herod & asked their questions. matthew 2.2 (msg), where can we find and pay homage to the newborn KING of the jews? we observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled HIS birth. we're on pilgrimage to worship HIM.
but king herod knew nothing about it. he should have known. he was familiar with the o.t. prophets. herod should have had answers to all their questions - but he did not.
but the most amazing thing of all was that when herod finally had the answers, his decision was to try to kill the MESSIAH of GOD. matthew 2.16 (nlt) says, he sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.
incredible! he was like a child standing before a locomotive and saying, “stop!” or like a man standing before a hurricane and saying, “stop blowing!”
you cannot stop GOD! you cannot stop HIS MESSIAH! king herod, of all people, should have been first in line to worship JESUS. yet, he tried to kill JESUS, to stop GOD’s program.
herod was a wise man in the eyes of the world. herod had the glory, the power, the accolades of the world as king - but he was a fool.
herod summoned the chief priests. they were wise men. they knew the scriptures. they had read what the prophets had to say. they knew the prophecies backwards & forwards, & when they were asked about the new born KING they answered without hesitation, matthew 2.5 (cev), HE will be born in bethlehem!
they knew it! they had it memorized. yet, even though they knew it, they didn’t bother to go and find out if it were true. they were wise men in the eyes of the world - but they were fools!
just a thought from the front porch…
matthew records that the wise men ended up in jerusalem. i guess it was the most logical place - the center of judaism - the temple of GOD - the high priests of GOD, and of course, the palace of herod the king. “if anybody would know of the birth of a new-born king it would be the present king - right?” wrong!
they went to king herod & asked their questions. matthew 2.2 (msg), where can we find and pay homage to the newborn KING of the jews? we observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled HIS birth. we're on pilgrimage to worship HIM.
but king herod knew nothing about it. he should have known. he was familiar with the o.t. prophets. herod should have had answers to all their questions - but he did not.
but the most amazing thing of all was that when herod finally had the answers, his decision was to try to kill the MESSIAH of GOD. matthew 2.16 (nlt) says, he sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.
incredible! he was like a child standing before a locomotive and saying, “stop!” or like a man standing before a hurricane and saying, “stop blowing!”
you cannot stop GOD! you cannot stop HIS MESSIAH! king herod, of all people, should have been first in line to worship JESUS. yet, he tried to kill JESUS, to stop GOD’s program.
herod was a wise man in the eyes of the world. herod had the glory, the power, the accolades of the world as king - but he was a fool.
herod summoned the chief priests. they were wise men. they knew the scriptures. they had read what the prophets had to say. they knew the prophecies backwards & forwards, & when they were asked about the new born KING they answered without hesitation, matthew 2.5 (cev), HE will be born in bethlehem!
they knew it! they had it memorized. yet, even though they knew it, they didn’t bother to go and find out if it were true. they were wise men in the eyes of the world - but they were fools!
just a thought from the front porch…
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
just imagine what is said to people of faith…
think of the things people said to abraham, when he left ur of chaldees to go to the land that GOD had promised him.
they undoubtedly said the same kind of things to peter, andrew, james, and john when they left their profitable fishing business to become “fishers of men.”
men of faith who have been willing to respond to the challenges of the unknown have heard the same kind of things over and over again.
william cary was a shoemaker. one day he heard of the millions in india to whom no one had ever gone with the good news of JESUS CHRIST. he believed that the great commission to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” included him.
so he volunteered to go to india but was told, “young man, sit down. when it pleases GOD to convert the heathen, HE will do it without your help or mine!” he went anyway, supporting himself. for 7 years he worked without seeing a single convert - but he lived to see hundreds of churches and thousands of converts. today he is called the “father of modern missions.”
in the book, “through gates of splendor” we read of jim elliott and 4 of his companions who went to preach to the auca indians. it is a tragic story, they were killed by those savage indians to whom they sought to witness. “tragic waste” “talented and gifted men - committed men - lives stopped short - tremendous waste” but was it really?
maybe elliott said it best – “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.”
we cannot keep our lives, people. it is ours for a fleeting moment - a vapor that appears and then disappears. when you “give up what you cannot keep to gain what you can never lose” - indeed you are no fool! these were men who responded in faith, and wise men in every generation have always responded in faith!
just a thought from the front porch…
they undoubtedly said the same kind of things to peter, andrew, james, and john when they left their profitable fishing business to become “fishers of men.”
men of faith who have been willing to respond to the challenges of the unknown have heard the same kind of things over and over again.
william cary was a shoemaker. one day he heard of the millions in india to whom no one had ever gone with the good news of JESUS CHRIST. he believed that the great commission to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” included him.
so he volunteered to go to india but was told, “young man, sit down. when it pleases GOD to convert the heathen, HE will do it without your help or mine!” he went anyway, supporting himself. for 7 years he worked without seeing a single convert - but he lived to see hundreds of churches and thousands of converts. today he is called the “father of modern missions.”
in the book, “through gates of splendor” we read of jim elliott and 4 of his companions who went to preach to the auca indians. it is a tragic story, they were killed by those savage indians to whom they sought to witness. “tragic waste” “talented and gifted men - committed men - lives stopped short - tremendous waste” but was it really?
maybe elliott said it best – “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.”
we cannot keep our lives, people. it is ours for a fleeting moment - a vapor that appears and then disappears. when you “give up what you cannot keep to gain what you can never lose” - indeed you are no fool! these were men who responded in faith, and wise men in every generation have always responded in faith!
just a thought from the front porch…
Monday, December 27, 2010
a journey of faith…
we don’t know what tomorrow holds - or next week - or this next year. but we know that when we are in HIS hands, HE does lead, and HE will guide each step if we will let HIM. JESUS said, “I will not leave you alone. I will send you the COMFORTER, the HOLY SPIRIT, to guide you into all truth.”
so we have GOD’s SPIRIT to lead us day by day, dwelling within us - on the throne of our lives - leading and directing and guiding each step. even so, wise men of every generation have been DIVINEly led, listening to and heeding the word of GOD day by day.
but let us look to the wise men as they were preparing to leave their homes and follow the star.
can you just imagine how their neighbors reacted? “oh, are you going on a journey?” “yes, we are.” “where are you going?” “we don’t know.” “well, how long are you going to be gone?” “we don’t know.”
“what are you going to do when you get there, wherever it is?” “we are going to worship the KING.” “what KING?” “we don’t know.” “why are you going?” “we are going because we have read the scriptures, and we have seen a star in the sky, and we have a strange stirring within our hearts to go.”
i imagine those neighbors shook their heads and said, “and we call you, ‘wise men’? how foolish to take off on a journey, not knowing where you are going, or what you are going to find when you get there, or how long you are going to be gone.”
yet, the journey of faith always has those characteristics.
just a thought from the front porch as we look toward the new year…
so we have GOD’s SPIRIT to lead us day by day, dwelling within us - on the throne of our lives - leading and directing and guiding each step. even so, wise men of every generation have been DIVINEly led, listening to and heeding the word of GOD day by day.
but let us look to the wise men as they were preparing to leave their homes and follow the star.
can you just imagine how their neighbors reacted? “oh, are you going on a journey?” “yes, we are.” “where are you going?” “we don’t know.” “well, how long are you going to be gone?” “we don’t know.”
“what are you going to do when you get there, wherever it is?” “we are going to worship the KING.” “what KING?” “we don’t know.” “why are you going?” “we are going because we have read the scriptures, and we have seen a star in the sky, and we have a strange stirring within our hearts to go.”
i imagine those neighbors shook their heads and said, “and we call you, ‘wise men’? how foolish to take off on a journey, not knowing where you are going, or what you are going to find when you get there, or how long you are going to be gone.”
yet, the journey of faith always has those characteristics.
just a thought from the front porch as we look toward the new year…
Sunday, December 26, 2010
they stepped out in faith…
one thing we do know about the wise men is they were willing to step out in faith and follow wherever GOD led them.
why were they following the star? how did they know of its importance? since the bible doesn’t tell us, we can only guess.
the bible does tell us that the wise men came from the east. the major empires to the east had been the babylonian and the persian empires. we also know that the babylonians specialized in studying the stars.
we also know that during the jewish exile that daniel, a faithful jew and prophet of GOD, rose in such prominence that he became chief of the wise men of babylon and the third ruler in the kingdom. then when the persians conquered babylon, daniel became president of the presidents under king darius.
therefore, many scholars suggest that the wise men of the east had ample opportunities to know the o.t. scriptures and prophecies. maybe they were familiar with numbers 24.17 (niv), i see HIM, but not now; i behold HIM, but not near; a star will come out of jacob, and a scepter will rise out of israel.
so when they saw the star come from jacob, they were ready to go and worship HIM who was to wield the scepter in israel - to be the KING of the jews - the KING of kings and LORD of lords.
whatever the case was, the important thing for us to realize is that they were ready to go - to follow wherever GOD would direct them. and GOD has always been faithful in HIS leading.
HE led the children of israel across the wilderness, providing a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. HE provided them food when they were hungry, drink when they were thirsty, and clothing when they were naked.
and now HE was providing a star to lead these wise men to the place where the CHRIST child lay.
GOD may not lead us in quite as dramatic a way today, but GOD promises to lead us - if we will let HIM. someone said, “the eye of faith is one that is willing to take the next step, and trusts GOD to direct that next step.”
just a thought from the front porch…
why were they following the star? how did they know of its importance? since the bible doesn’t tell us, we can only guess.
the bible does tell us that the wise men came from the east. the major empires to the east had been the babylonian and the persian empires. we also know that the babylonians specialized in studying the stars.
we also know that during the jewish exile that daniel, a faithful jew and prophet of GOD, rose in such prominence that he became chief of the wise men of babylon and the third ruler in the kingdom. then when the persians conquered babylon, daniel became president of the presidents under king darius.
therefore, many scholars suggest that the wise men of the east had ample opportunities to know the o.t. scriptures and prophecies. maybe they were familiar with numbers 24.17 (niv), i see HIM, but not now; i behold HIM, but not near; a star will come out of jacob, and a scepter will rise out of israel.
so when they saw the star come from jacob, they were ready to go and worship HIM who was to wield the scepter in israel - to be the KING of the jews - the KING of kings and LORD of lords.
whatever the case was, the important thing for us to realize is that they were ready to go - to follow wherever GOD would direct them. and GOD has always been faithful in HIS leading.
HE led the children of israel across the wilderness, providing a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. HE provided them food when they were hungry, drink when they were thirsty, and clothing when they were naked.
and now HE was providing a star to lead these wise men to the place where the CHRIST child lay.
GOD may not lead us in quite as dramatic a way today, but GOD promises to lead us - if we will let HIM. someone said, “the eye of faith is one that is willing to take the next step, and trusts GOD to direct that next step.”
just a thought from the front porch…
Saturday, December 25, 2010
wise men increase in every generation…
i was thinking this week about the wise men that we have read about over there in matthew in the CHRISTmas story. they bring many questions that aren’t answered in scripture…
scripture doesn’t give many details, but tradition has had a heyday! tradition says that they were 3 in number, and that they traveled on camels across the desert, silhouetted against the nighttime sky, graced with palm trees. tradition gives their names as casper, melchior, baltezar. tradition tells us where they came from, what they did, & where they went.
traditions tells us that they were baptized by thomas, and when they died that their bodies were preserved in constantinople. centuries later their bones were moved to cologne, and if you have the price of admission, you can still see their bones, even to this day. tradition has told their story in its entirety. the only problem is that all of this is just tradition. there is no proof for any of what tradition tells us.
but i am certain about one thing - the number of wise men and women increases in every generation as more and more people follow what we know about the wise men, rather than what we don’t know.
just a thought from the front porch on this CHRISTmas day…
- “where did they come from?” we don’t know,
- “how many were there?” we really aren’t sure.
- “how did they know to follow the star?” we’re not told.
scripture doesn’t give many details, but tradition has had a heyday! tradition says that they were 3 in number, and that they traveled on camels across the desert, silhouetted against the nighttime sky, graced with palm trees. tradition gives their names as casper, melchior, baltezar. tradition tells us where they came from, what they did, & where they went.
traditions tells us that they were baptized by thomas, and when they died that their bodies were preserved in constantinople. centuries later their bones were moved to cologne, and if you have the price of admission, you can still see their bones, even to this day. tradition has told their story in its entirety. the only problem is that all of this is just tradition. there is no proof for any of what tradition tells us.
but i am certain about one thing - the number of wise men and women increases in every generation as more and more people follow what we know about the wise men, rather than what we don’t know.
just a thought from the front porch on this CHRISTmas day…
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