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Happy New Year.

Christmas cards show them dressed in rich robes, seated on camels, bringing precious gifts, as a bright star shines in the night sky guiding them to Bethlehem. When they arrive, they bow before Jesus and present their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Who are these figures? Why do they come?

Matthew 2:1 calls them Magi. Magi are mentioned in the Books of Daniel and of Esther. In fact, four Jews exiled in the 6th century BC to Babylon – Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – were enrolled as Magi by King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1).

In the ancient empires of Babylon and Persia, Magi interpreted dreams and signs such as the alignment of planets or trail of comets or the appearance of strange lights in the sky. Because of their astrological skills, they were called “wise”.

As Christians, we find it odd – and perhaps disturbing – that Magi are part of the Christmas story. Why would God include pagan astrologers? And why would God use a star to guide them to Jesus? Certainly, God is not validating astrology or pagan belief, so what are we to make of the inclusion of the Magi? The clue is in how the story of the Magi's visit concludes.

Matthew 2:9-12 say

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. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 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. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The Magi seek the King of the Jews. The star leads them to Jerusalem. But once there, they need more than a star – they need the prophecy of Scripture (Micah 5) to tell them where Jesus will be born. Then, interestingly, the star complies with Scripture – it guides them to Bethlehem.

When they arrive, they bow before Jesus and present their gifts – gifts that speak of royalty, anointing, and death. In other words, they worship Immanuel, the Saviour of the world, who will set people free from sin.

But what happens after they see Jesus? No longer do they seek guidance from the sky – the star is irrelevant. They are no longer pagan Magi; they believe in Jesus.

The Magi are you and me. We recognize in Jesus someone who will change our lives. But we must leave our old ways and old beliefs and bow before the true King, the true Saviour, the true God. The visit of the Magi is a story of conversion – a testimony of God’s grace drawing us from our false beliefs, misguided philosophies, and worldly attitudes to the truth of the Gospel.

That’s why the Magi are so important. The Magi tell us that the Gospel is for everyone. No wonder that at the end of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus commissions his disciples to go to all nations.

As we begin this year, give thanks to God that he sought you, he called you, he chose you, he appointed you as a child of his. We are no longer Magi, we are worshippers of the King.

Grace and peace and the blessings of the Lord for 2023

視頻大意翻譯(Brief video Chinese translation):    大家早，新年快樂!

聖誕節卡片上經常顯示他們穿著富麗堂皇的長袍，坐在駱駝上，帶著珍貴的禮物，一顆明星在夜晚的星空指引他們前往伯利恆。當他們到達時，他們在耶穌面前鞠躬-他仍在馬槽裡-他們並送上黃金、乳香和沒藥當禮物。

但，這些人是誰呢? 他們為什麼來? 在簡單的靈修中他們又能教我們甚麼事? 馬太福音2:1稱呼他們是智者!在但以理書和以斯帖記中也提到他們。事實上，在六世紀時有四個猶太人被流放到巴比倫-但以理和他的三個朋友，哈拿尼雅、米沙利、亞撒利雅(比較為人所知的巴比倫名字是沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌。)- 尼布甲尼撒王登記他們是智者(但以理書1)。

在古老的東方帝國巴比倫和波斯，人們通常諮詢智者來解夢和神秘的徵兆，也包括宇宙的徵兆-如行星的排列或彗星的蹤跡，或天空中出現的一些奇怪的光。因為他們的占星術，他們被稱為智者。

作為基督徒，我們覺得很奇怪-也許有些困擾-智者是聖誕故事的一部分。為什麼神要把外邦的占星家包括進來? 為什麼神要用星星來指引他們找到耶穌? 當然，神並不是在驗證占星家或外邦人的信仰，那，我們應該如何來看待智者的參與呢?

讓我們看看馬太福音2:9-12節中記載智者故事的結局。

他們聽見王的話、就去了．在東方所看見的那星、忽然在他們前頭行、直行到小孩子的地方、就在上頭停住了。他們看見那星、就大大的歡喜。進了房子、看見小孩子和他母親馬利亞、就俯伏拜那小孩子、揭開寶盒、拿黃金乳香沒藥為禮物獻給他。博士因為在夢中被主指示、不要回去見希律、就從別的路回本地去了。

智者尋找猶太人的王。星星帶領他們到耶路撒冷。再一次，他們需要的不只是顆星星-他們需要聖經的預言(彌迦書5)來告訴他們耶穌將在哪裡出生。然後，有趣的是，那星星符合了聖經的敘述-它指引他們到了伯利恆。

當他們到達以後，在耶穌前面他們鞠躬，接著獻上他們的禮物-講的是王權、膏抹和死亡的禮物。換句話說，他們敬拜以馬內利，那位世界的救贖主，他將使人們從罪惡中釋放出來。

在他們看見耶穌後發生甚麼事情了呢?他們不再需要天上來的指引-那星星變得無關緊要了，他們不在需要智者，他們相信耶穌。

那智者就是你和我。我們知道在耶穌理可以改變我們的生命。但我們須離開我們的老我，我們舊的信仰(不管他們曾多麼有意義)和在那真王面前鞠躬，那真的救贖主，真的神。智者的到訪是個回轉的故事-一個神恩典帶領我們離開錯誤的信仰、被誤導的哲學和世俗的態度中回到福音真理的見證。

這就是為什麼智者這麼重要。智者告訴我們真理的美妙-這福音是給大家的。難怪在馬太福音的最後，耶穌差遣他們門徒到各國去。

當我們在開始今年的時候，我們感謝神今天他來找你，他呼召你，他揀選了你，他指定你成為他的孩子。我們不再是智者，我們是王的敬拜者。   讓我們禱告。 

Pastor Callum