Matthew 2:4 “And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.”
Gipsy Smith told of a man who said he had received no inspiration from the Bible although he had “gone through it several times.” “Let it go through you once,” replied Smith, “then you will tell a different story!”
Are you a learner of God’s Word? Are you interested in discovering what God’s Word has to say to you on a day by day basis? Is God’s Word the Bible going through you?
In Matthew’s gospel he records for us the situation surrounding the early years of Jesus’ life. The bloodthirsty and insecure King Herod was attempting to find out where Jesus, THE KING OF THE JEWS was born. He called his religious leaders together to ask where the Christ, the coming “Messiah” was to be born and interestingly enough they knew the scriptures. They knew the exact scripture that would lead them to Jesus… There was one… little… problem, apathy had settled in and they were not willing to take the short 10 mile trip from Jerusalem to Bethlehem to see what all the commotion was about. Now, in this same text, we are introduced to the Magi. These men came from Babylon, an approximate 900-10000 mile journey. It took them months, and exhausted resources and when they finally got to Jesus they didn’t ask from Him but gave those famous gifts to Him.
What about you? Do you hear God’s Word and then ask the Holy Spirit for help to turn it on and see the Word become flesh in your individual life? Are you only a hearer of the Word and not a doer? Or have you discovered the blessing of hearing God’s Word, relying upon the Holy Spirit and then putting it all to practice?
Listen to what Jesus said to His disciples a little later on in Matthew’s gospel:
Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Be blessed by being a DOER OF THE WORD AND NOT MERELY A HEARER, IN JESUS’ NAME!
By His Spirit,
Pastor Bill