“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.” (Matthew 2:2)
That’s the question the magi asked King Herod following their 900 mile trip from Persia to Bethlehem.
Here’s the thing. Every one of us knows that things aren’t quite right on this third rock from the sun. Even from a cursory examination, it is clear there is something fundamentally wrong with our world. We’re looking for help.
We have an innate desire and need to follow leaders who promise they have solutions. We want them to fix things for us. Describing the end times, Jesus said, “For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.” (Matthew 24:5) And many have certainly come over the years to do just that.
Muhammad promised salvation. So did the Buddha. After WWI, Germans looked for someone to get them out of their mess. Along came Adolf Hitler, promising deliverance and greatness. The Russians looked to the economics of Marx and the pogroms of Lenin and Stalin. The Chinese flocked to Chairman Mao and his Little Red Book searching for China’s salvation.
But anyone trusting humans who promise to set the world right side up is, as my mom would say, “cruisin’ for a bruisin’.” They will be disappointed. Religious leaders, Kings, Presidents, Senates, Congresses, and jurists are all human – all sinners. God warns us, “Do not trust in nobles, in a son of man, who cannot save.” (Psalm 146:3)
The true savior has already come. He is Jesus, the King of the Jews. And as the magi discovered, He can be found when He’s sought.
That’s why the wise men’s question is so important. “Where is He?” Join us Sunday as we discuss life’s big questions.
