Mt 2:1,2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea , during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 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."

This is going to be the last of our meditations about those who met Jesus when he was a baby. The first was about the shepherds who were outcasts. The second was about an old man and now the third one is about foreigners. Is God trying to tell us something through the people He chose? He delights in outcasts, He delights in the elderly, and He delights in foreigners? These are all people we tend to write off – but God doesn't!

We've dressed up some of these stories so that they appear so sweet and sentimental when we include them in the Nativity every Christmas. The shepherds were probably a rough bunch of outcasts who many of us wouldn't want to know. The Magi or ‘Wise Men' were from a foreign Arab country and they were probably magicians-cum-fortune tellers. How embarrassing that such people should come to see Jesus. We tend not to describe them like this usually, but it is possible that this is what they were. In the Christian world we teach (rightly) against astrology and yet there seem to be elements of that in this story. “We saw his star in the east.” Whatever was that about? Somehow, and we don't know how, these men saw a new star in the sky and it caught their attention, and we have no idea why.

Was it that God prompted them? Did He take the means that was familiar to them and speak through that? Was it a comet? We don't know, but somehow the attention of these men from the East was caught. But it was more than that; yes there was a star but look at the content of their understanding, for the star was only a means of guidance to a PERSON. Listen to their descriptions of this person: “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.” (Mt 2:2) Yes, the star can almost be a distraction. Somehow these men have found out that there is a king who is about to be born, and this king is so special they need to travel hundreds of miles to worship him. Worship is the sign of an inferior bowing down and acknowledging the greatness of a superior being, a deity even. Indeed when they eventually get to Jesus we find, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.” (Mt 2:11) This has got to be pure heart felt worship. You might bow down before a powerful king, but before a baby?

We mustn't extol these men to much because, in fact, they did get it partly wrong. They knew there was coming a great king, and they knew he was coming to Israel ; so far, so good. But they assumed being a king he would be born in Jerusalem and that proves difficult because when they come seeking, King Herod hears about it and is upset and jealous and fearful. Yet all is not lost for he calls the scribes and teachers together and they point out the prophetic scriptures that say the Messiah will come to Bethlehem. So off they go to Bethlehem and there they find Jesus.

Whatever imperfect guidance these men used, it got them to Jesus. Ultimately we have to say that God guided them, for why would they accidentally turn up. In fact we have to ask WHY did they come? Oh yes we know vaguely how they got there, but for what purpose? Did God have a purpose in bringing these men? Well when we look at the end outcome, after these men have been and gone, we can only say, well, yes, God is a provider and this little family have been provided for in a most amazing way: “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.” (Mt 2:11) These men appear to have expected an earthly king and you present gifts to such a king; not small gifts but expensive, lavish gifts, and these men (and we assume three usually because three gifts are given) bring three expensive gifts. For what purpose? To sell surely! God knows this little family is going to have to soon flee to Egypt and live there for several years. This little family needs living expenses and this they now have!

There thus appear two reasons for these Magi coming to Jesus. First, they come to herald and proclaim him and, second, to provide for him and his family for the coming years. After they have done that they return home: “And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” (Mt 2:12). Whether they heard what happened to this baby when he grew up, and whether they were still alive thirty years later, we don't know. The have played their part in this child's life and they have moved on. No doubt they did many other significant things in their lives but this little episode is what has them recorded in history, this little episode was possibly the most significant part of their lives. Sign posts and providers! Are we signposts to our Jesus? Do we provide our lives for his use? Do we give what we have for his use? Simple but serious questions, all stirred on by some strange men from the East. May we be challenged by their example!