Powerpoint Pictures: Sat Nav; Street Atlas; Signposts; Compass; Someone pointing; Star

If you were going to visit someone who lived far away, what might you use to help you find their house? [Sat Nav; Street Atlas; Signposts; Compass; Ask someone for directions].

Mary, Joseph and Jesus are now living in a house in Bethlehem and Jesus was probably 1 or 2 years old.

Now there were some wise men, called Magi, who lived a long long way away, and they had seen a star in the sky which told them that a new king had been born.

So they set off, following the star.  Expecting to find this king at the palace, they went first to Jerusalem, but He wasn’t there.

How would they find Him?

Well the star they had seen led them to Bethlehem where “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)

Like Simeon, the Magi recognised who Jesus is.  How do we know that?  They gave Him gold, incense and myrrh.

Gold was what you gave to a king.  Incense was burned and believed to carry prayers up to God, symbolising a relationship with Him.  Myrrh was what you put on a dead body.  So by giving these gifts, the Magi were saying that Jesus is a king, who would enable people to have a relationship with God, and He is going to die.

Simon, the Magi, recognised who Jesus is, and there’s someone else who does as well.

Find out who that is next time!