Enthroned: The King Arrives

What if Christmas wasn't about what we receive, but about what we offer? This exploration of Matthew 2:1-12 invites us to reconsider the story of the wise men through fresh eyes, revealing how their journey was actually centuries in the making. We discover that these wealthy, educated Gentile priests likely knew about the Jewish Messiah because of Daniel's faithful witness 600 years earlier, when he served as chief over the wise men of Babylon. Their knowledge wasn't accidental—it was the fruit of one man's legacy of faithfulness in enemy territory. The gifts they brought weren't random expensive items, but intentional declarations: gold proclaimed Jesus as King, frankincense declared His divinity as God, and myrrh announced Him as Love incarnate. We're challenged to consider what gifts we can bring to Jesus on His birthday—not material possessions we don't possess, but the surrender of our lives, the offering of our worship, and acts of mercy toward those in need. The message is clear: whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Him. This Christmas, we have the opportunity to move beyond cultural excess and truly honor the One whose birth changed everything.