Brotherhood Lesson, "Being Led By The Spirit"

BEING LED BY THE LORD

Matthew 2:1-12

 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Ephesians 6:11-12

GOD USES YOUR PASSION TO DRAW YOU TO HIM

V.1-2. " After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi 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 in the east and have come to worship him."

A. Some times God speaks to you through your passion.

    1. The Magi may have been Astrologers, religious men and magicians.

    2. Whatever they were,  their focus was vertical, toward the sky.

    3. Let me suggest that they were more religious than the Jewish leaders.

    4. The Jewish religious leaders were focused horizontal.

        a. They were concerned about how other people saw them.

        b. Their focus was on power, authority and riches.

B. The Star was seen in both the east and Israel.

    1. The shepherd saw the light the night of Jesus birth and broadcasted it

         throughout Bethlehem without making an impact .

    2. Israel had their long awaited Messiah in front of them and didn't recognize

        Him. They were blinded by their passion of status and control.

        Daniel 9:25

        Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to

        restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and

        threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in

        troublous times.

       The Old Testament recorded the time, the place and the method of Jesus birth.

       The Jewish leader had this information but refused to live by it.

LET THE WORD CONVICT YOUR HEART

    3. The Magi were impacted and convinced by what they saw was the birth

        of a King.

C. Being convinced, of what they saw, they made a commitment to seek out the

     King.

   1. The Magi recognized the Star as something special

   2. It may be possible that they had a copy of the Old Testament.

        Numbers 24:17

        "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. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all   

         the sons of Sheth. "

Micah 5:2

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

   3. Not only were they Astrologers, but also mathematicians. They were able to    

       triangulate  the position of the Star as pointing to Bethlehem. 

YOU CAN LEARN FORM PEOPLE OF OTHER CULTURES     

D. Let me make some suggestions about  the Magi

     1.They studied the Word.

     2. They were convicted by the Word.

     3. They were committed to worship the King.

     4. They acted on their belief

     5. Isaiah 7:14

        a. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and    

            will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

        b. The name Immanuel means "God with us" which is symbolic  for Messiah.

 E. I believe the Magi were wise not only because of their education

      but because they came looking for the king.

PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH MAY BELIEVE THE CONTENT OF THE WORD

V:3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

  A. When the Herod was  disturbed all Israel had reason to be disturbed.

       1. To protect his position he killed his previous wife, brother in law

           and sons.

       2.  He had a reputation for being cruel.

 B. Anyone that threaten Herod position would be eliminated

THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW GOD KNOW BELIEVERS (YOU)

V:4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he

   asked them where the Christ 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 be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"

A. Like the Magi, Herod the king trusted the accuracy of the Word.

     The Jewish leaders, who were keepers of the Word, knew the scripture concerning the

     coming of the Messiah, but were not phased by the news of His birth.

   1. One of the jobs of a believer  is to search the scriptures to discover its truth.

   2. The ruling Jews neglected their duty.

   3. We fail not only our selves but our families when we fail to study the scripture.

B. The ruling Jews had the information about the birth of Jesus 1 to 2 years earlier

    1. See verse 16

GOD MAY USE THE ENEMY TO GIVE YOU DIRECTIONS

V: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 make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

A. God does not give you all information concerning your research at one time.

    1. He leads you in a direction to get what you need at the time of your need.

    2. God sometimes uses different sources to give you the information you seek.

        a. He used the Herod the King

        b. He used the Jewish leader call by Herod.

B. God does not always tell you what danger you are in.

    1. God protects you in dangerous situation on way to serve Him.

    2. Herod had the resources to kill the Magi at any time.

C. In our research, every discovery confirms our conviction of the truth.

    1. Their research of the stars reveal a special star, A unique star which

        confirm Numbers 24:17

    2. They recorded the exact time of the appetence of the star.

    3. The appearance of the star confirm Daniel 9:25

    4. Their questioning of Herod and the Jewish leaders reveal the birth place

        to be Bethlehem which confirm Micah 5:2

WE MUST ACT ON THE INSITE GOD GIVES

V:9-10. " After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.

10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

A. God leads those who seek Him to Himself

    1. When you serve the Lord, He continues to confirm

         His directions to you.

    2. The wise men had not seen the star since Jesus birth.

    3. After visiting Herod, God place the star before them to

        guide them to Jesus.

  B. Jeremiah 29:13

      You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

    Matthew 6:33

    But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to     

    you as well.

QUESTIONS FOR GOD

C. Why did the Lord wait until after the Magi visited Herod to place

      the guiding star back in the sky?

    1. To force the Jewish leaders to search the scriptures concerning Jesus

    1. To remind the Israelites that their Messiah was alive and well.

    2.  To stir up their religious zeal.

    3. To show that we don't have to have all the answers for the work

        God has for us.

4. Why did Joseph wait 2 years before leaving Bethlehem?

    a. His purpose for going to Bethlehem was to get registered.

    b. That being accomplish, why didn't he return to his home in

         Galilee?

5. The answer may be to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies

    Psalms 80:8-9

    You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.

    You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.

Hosea 11:1

"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

To fulfill this prophecy, Joseph had to take Jesus into Egypt.

Matthew 2:13

13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."

THE WAY TO WORSHIP THE LORD

V: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 and of incense and of myrrh. "

A. The text gives us four reasons why the Magi did not see Jesus in the manger

     1. This verse says that they saw Jesus in a house

     2. In this verse "child" is the Greek word paidion which is little child.

     3. In Luke 2:12 the word used for Jesus at his birth is brephos which means

         infant.

     4. In verse 2:16, Herod kill all male children from 2 years and younger

         a. The Greek word for children is pais which mean boy, child , young man

B. Those who seek the Lord will find Him.

     1.  Jeremiah 29:13

      You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

     2. There is a proper way to worship the Lord.

         a. The Magi, humble themselves before the Lord by bowing down.

         b. They worshipped the Lord. reverence or adore  by prostrating themselves

         c. The brought sacrifices to honor Him.

         d. The gold represented His kingship

         e. The Incense represented His deity.

         f. The myrrh represent His  humanity, death, His mission on earth

   

GOD PROTECTS THOSE THAT WORSHIP HIM

V:12. " And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. "

A. Psalms 37:23

    The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

    1. God knows the evil plans of your enemies.

    2. God directs us away from trouble.

  

MAKE IT YOUR GOAL TO FOLLOW GOD'S DIRECTION

Rev. M. Mitchell