Today we are talking about the joy of Christmas...

...and in particularly the quest of the Magi.  Matthew 2:1-2 (NIV) “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." Nobody knows who the Magi were, though everyone’s heard of them. They embody the quest for truth, meaning, and purpose in life. 

1. Quest for Truth. One day Herod’s court is disturbed by the arrival of these foreign dignitaries who come asking to meet the king of the Jews. They meet Herod and tell him sorry but this is not the right address to deliver their packages. These truth seekers had followed the clues that drove them west. They see the palace was not the destination but a detour that could be a distraction, so they didn’t stay there. They kept following until they found Jesus. But what do you do when you’re a truth seeker—and you find it? Or rather you find Jesus, Who is “The Way, The Truth and the Life”? What you do when you find him is the test of whether you’re really a seeker or a perpetual wanderer—still lost.

2. Quest for Meaning. Maybe you made a decision once as part of your spiritual journey in life. But that may not mean you’re a disciple. Here is it is. Verse 11 says when they found Jesus, “The Magi bowed down and worshipped Him.” That was what they wanted to do from the start, they set out to follow the star but the quest was not the point, they already told Herod they knew that the end of their journey was the beginning of true worship. They came to worship Jesus.

3. Quest for Purpose. The Magi let what they saw going on in their times and their world take them on a journey, but they did not define themselves as lifelong seekers. When they met Jesus, the search was over! They started as seekers, but when they found him, they became worshippers. They brought themselves, the very best that they had, and literally “offered it” to him. Their gifts represented not so much who they were—because this was no longer about them—but who He is. The purpose of their quest was Jesus! What is your quest today? Matthew 2:11 (NIV) “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.”