The Wise Men had the opportunity to change their path after worshiping the baby Jesus. We too can choose and change the road we are on.
Matthew 2:1-12
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.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 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. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“‘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 shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 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. 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.
Big Idea
The Magi took a different road home. A new year allows us the opportunity to examine and change the road we’re on. There are three roads worth traveling down in 2020:
The road of Spiritual Discernment
God is able to speak to us in many different ways: his words, his people, and even in dreams. Where does the Holy Spirit want to lead me/my family and our church this year?
The road of Moral Integrity
Integrity is something that you have and who you are, even when no one else is looking. Our world needs more people who will “take the high road” of integrity.
The road of Dynamic Faith
Sometimes faith doesn’t make any sense. That’s because faith is the substance of things unseen. We may not know what’s going to happen, but we do know who will make things happen, and God is able to position things just the way they need to be.
Application
No one plans a trip without the end in mind. We need to determine what our path looks like in advance. What direction are we going in? Will we be part of the problem or part of the solution?