Follow the Star: The Story and Lessons of the Magi (Part III)

Sermon Title: Follow the Star – The Story of the Magi

Good News Statement: God has given us a star to follow

Summary: The story of the Magi is more than a single occurrence in the Gospel of Matthew; it is a story about us and how God is continually inviting us to follow His star?

Preached: Sunday, January 18^th, 2026, at Dogwood Prairie UMC & Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

Scripture (NRSV): Matthew 2:1-12 Today’s scripture reading comes from the words of Matthew’s Gospel, which tells of Magi (or Wise Men) following a star from the east to the new born Messiah in Bethlehem. Along their travels, they visit King Herod who orders them to return to the palace with news of the Messiah, but they instead choose not to return to King Herod. The Magi, although not religious and are not followers of God’s word, still follow the demands of God: they are chosen by God. The Magi remind us that God uses who God chooses. Our reading comes from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter Two, Verses One thru Twelve. May the hearing and reading of this scripture add understanding to your life.

The Visit of the Magi

2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, ² asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star in the east and have come to pay him homage.” ³ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him, ⁴ and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet:

⁶ ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah,
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

⁷ Then Herod secretly called for the magi and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸ Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” ⁹ When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east, until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹ On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

 

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

 

Introduction:

Happy Epiphany Sunday! Epiphany is a special day but sometimes over looked on the Christian calendar. Gifts aren’t handed out to commemorate this day. Candles aren’t blown out, cakes aren’t made, fireworks are not on display, and people aren’t staying up until midnight the night before to celebrate Epiphany. Epiphany is just another day for some people, but for us—for those who have chosen to follower Christ—it is a special day because it commemorates and celebrates the Magi, the Wise Men, visiting Mary and Joseph in a house a few years after Jesus was born in Bethlehem.^[1] Epiphany is a special day.

Now, the word “epiphany,” from the Greek word epiphaneia, means appearance or manifestation. Specifically, it means “manifestation from above.”^[2] Epiphany reveals to us the appearance and manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles as a symbolic measure of what the Apostle Paul notes in Galatians 3:28, “There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” It is also living proof that what the angels told the Shepherds is true: “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10)—news from above. Even those who may have not believed in the words of the prophets of old are still invited to receive the good news, to embrace the manifestation of Jesus Christ.

Digging a little dipper, epiphany, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary refers to “an experience of a sudden and striking realization” that can be experienced by all people. Jesus Christ appeared for all people, a sudden experience that has been manifesting for several hundreds of years: not for a select few, not for a specific group, and not for a partial town.^[3] That’s why epiphany is associated with the Magi because they were amongst those who needed to realize the importance of Jesus’ birth: they represent all those who were not from Bethlehem, they stood in the place of all those seeking humility in their life, and they resemble all those who need to seek out Christ. They needed to realize what came from above: a sudden experience that changed the world.

The encounter of the Magi or Wise Men helps us understand a few things about what we are called to do. They saw the epiphany of Jesus Christ because they chose to follow a star and listen to the words of God. The Magi saw the epiphany of Jesus Christ because they chose what was right and not what was easy. The Magi saw the epiphany of Jesus Christ because God chose and used them. On this Epiphany Sunday, I invite you to consider the story of the Magi and remind yourself that who God uses, God has chosen for a specific reason, and that God is calling all of us, that includes you, to have a sudden realization that we are needed by God and that we are to seek out the one who constantly searches for us by following the star.

 

Body:

The Magi, wealthy people from the east who are not believers of God’s words and who studied the stars, made their presence known before Jesus Christ because Christ needed them and they needed Christ. They came bearing gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—but their best gift was their presence. Jesus saw them for who they were and who God had chosen them to become. The power of presence is sometimes underrated because it seems simple; but to tell you the truth, it can be the best gift because it does offer love and devotion. Being present is the best gift of all because not only is your life changed but so is the life of the one whom you are with. The Magi’s presence may not have changed the world, but it was the right thing to do because it proved that they were open to receive and hear the words of God. Even in their own beliefs, they saw the power and message of Christ. However, we must ask ourselves, “Who exactly are these Wise Men or Magi that understood what we struggle with every day of our life? And do we have what it takes to follow the star?”

As we begin a New Year, I think it’s fitting that we spend time considering the story of the Magi: who they are, what they teach us, and what they call us to do? It’s through the Magi that the epiphany of Christ becomes real and present in our lives, especially in the life of the church, as we seek to continue to live out the story of Christmas. The Magi not only did something that was both characteristic and uncharacteristic of their ways, but they did something that we should be doing every day of our life and that is following the star. As we follow the star, we realize that who God chooses, God uses. But first, let’s remind ourselves of who these mysterious persons are and what they have taught us so far.

 

Movement One: Reminder of who the Magi are…

Let’s take few minutes to remind ourselves of what we have discussed so far regarding the Wise Men or Magi. Two weeks ago, we briefly highlighted how scripture doesn’t tell us everything about the Wise Men but yet you know more than scripture has revealed. For example, we learned that scripture doesn’t specifically mention three Magi, but yet, three appear in our nativity scenes. There could have two or a group of men traveling together in a caravan. We also learned that the three gifts offered—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—have come to represent Jesus’ life: gold represents his authority, power, and dominion; frankincense is an oil used to reduce stress, anxiety, and pain, suggesting Jesus’ humanity; and myrrh was used to anoint bodies for burial symbolizing the death of Christ.

Furthermore, we learned that scripture doesn’t tell us the name of the Wise Men, but tradition has given them names: Gaspar,[4] Balthasar,[5] and Melchior.[6] The three Wise Men, also known as Magi, short for magician, were men belonging to various educated classes. History has a couple of descriptors for magi, either Persian fire gods, astrologers, priests, kings, and also magicians or sorcerers. Some scholars have connected the magi to the Zoroastrian tradition—a tradition focused on the never-ending battle between good and evil. They were of noble birth, educated, wealthy, and influential. They were philosophers, the counselors of rulers, learned in all the wisdom of the ancient East, possibly traveling from different countries and continents. The Wise Men who came seeking the Christ child were not idolaters; they were upright men of integrity who possibly may have studied the ancient Hebrew literature but may have not believed it. They were outsiders but not ignorant to what was happening around them.

You see, the Wise Men didn’t attend regular services at the Synagogue, didn’t participate in Bible Study, and probably didn’t pray every day. The Wise Men weren’t who we would typically invite to the stable. But yet, like the shepherds watching their flock by night, the Wise Men were invited to see the “good news of great joy for all people” (Luke 2:10). The Wise Men represent the reality that God invites all to the manger regardless of one’s background and past.

The Wise Men, given a very minimal backstory in scripture, have certainly, overtime, become characters in the story of Christ that teach us about our faith. From our brief introduction of the Wise Men two weeks ago, we learned that when it comes to our faith we need to take time to fill in the gaps—to be curious about what scripture doesn’t tell us so that we can create a fuller picture of what is happening. The Wise Men also teach us that even those who we think shouldn’t be at the manger are the ones that God needs at the manger, including those who society has come to label as outsiders or “strangers living in a foreign land.” Lastly, the Wise Men invite us to spend more time listening to God, because when we listen to God, like the Wise Men and shepherds and disciples and so many others, our life can be changed.

As our life is changed, we also learn that in order to maintain the life that God is changing we have to learn to do not what is easy but what is right and difficult. In life, we often choose the easy path. We don’t like change, so we stay in our rut. We don’t like to be challenged, so we keep our mind closed rather than opened. We are afraid of seeing two different sides of a coin, so we make a coin that has the same image on both sides. We like the easy path because it is comfortable and we can predict what is going to happen. I’m sure many of us wouldn’t be where we are today if we always chose the easy path though. This is exactly what the Wise Men teach us: they teach us that keeping our faith is hard work and is not easy.

The Wise Men travel to an unfamiliar town, in an unfamiliar region, to tell an unfamiliar earthly king by the name of Herod, who has a horrible reputation and has great power, that an unfamiliar child to them has been born and is called “King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2). These strangers have just told someone of great power that there is a greater king living in his land. That’s not easy. (Some would say that is absurd.) Then disobeying the orders of Herod to return to him once they had found the location of Jesus is also not easy.

Matthew 2:12 informs us, “And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.” The Wise Men, in a dream, were instructed to return home from Bethlehem by another road rather than traveling through Jerusalem where King Herod was waiting. Their trust was no longer in an earthly King but in some sudden realization that manifested from above. And when Herod realized what had happened he was furious. That was when he sent out the murder decree and put a price on the head of every two-year-old and younger boy living in and around Bethlehem. Herod was taking no chances in getting rid of one who he feared would overtake his throne.^[7] The Wise Men, putting the lives of many in jeopardy, did what was right and not easy. The easy thing to do would have been to obey Herod, return to him, and tell him the news; but the right thing to do was to obey what God needed them to do, even if that meant putting their life in danger. The Wise Men teach us that as individuals, as disciples, and even as the church, God is going to need us to do what is hard and difficult and challenging and not always do what is easy to maintain our faith.

 

Movement Two: God Uses Who God Chooses

This leads us to our lesson for today: God uses who God chooses. On November 8^th, 1975, as Notre Dame battled Georgia Tech in a regularly scheduled season football game, the coach at the time told a walk-on, five-foot-six-inch senior, to go play defensive end. For four years, this individual had never stepped foot on the field of the Fighting Irish but poured out his heart during every practice. Prior to this moment, this individual served two tours during the Vietnam War as a United States Navy man. He came from a poor family living in Chicago. His father worked for the local steel mill. He battled, at the time, undiagnosed dyslexia which created physical and academic hurdles. After three disheartening rejections, he was finally accepted in 1974 and became an official Notre Dame man. Do you know who I am talking about? The individual’s name is Rudy, Rudy Ruettiger.

During his years at Notre Dame, coaches took notice. The head coach at the time not only encouraged walk-on players like Ruettiger but was well aware that sheer will can often triumph over lack of experience. During Ruettiger’s last few months as a student the new head coach gave him a chance to shine. Therefore, on November 8, 1975, as Notre Dame battled Georgia Tech, the head coach told Ruettiger to get ready. It was the first and last time that he would step onto the field during an official game. At first, Ruettiger failed to tackle quarterback Rudy Allen—but then rammed him to the ground during the final play. The crowds roared as Ruettiger’s teammates carried him off the field on their shoulders. Not only had Rudy Ruettiger’s dreams been realized—but he’d become a Notre Dame legend. His perseverance, his determination, his hard-work, his character, put him on the field that day.

The story of Rudy Ruettiger captured the hearts of millions of people when it was made into a film in 1993. Every time I watch the movie Rudy, one of my dad’s favorites of all times, I can’t help but get chills when Rudy, played by Sean Astin, is carried off the field on the shoulders of his teammates while the stadium erupts with cheers: “Rudy, Rudy, Rudy.” This story reminds me of how God works in our life, which is also echoed in the story of the Wise Men.

As has been noted previously, the Wise Men, much like Rudy, were unlikely players of the story of Christ. Rachel Billups, in her book An Unlikely Advent, which I have mentioned before, does a good job with describing these Wise Men. She states, “And these magi were not exactly kings. History has a couple of descriptors for magi, either Persian fire gods or astrologers. The Greek word for magi, ‘magos,’ can mean wise men, astrologers, priests, but also magicians or sorcerers as well. Some scholars connect the magi to the Zoroastrian tradition—a tradition focused on the never-ending battle between good and evil. These magi are not religious insiders. They are not church peeps. The magi have no political power in Judea, and they certainly do not have religious ties to the people. The magi are outsiders” (pp. 75-76, italics added). The Wise Men were outsiders, walk-ons. They didn’t attend worship services, ask questions during Bible Study, didn’t pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16), didn’t give God thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18), and probably didn’t love their neighbor has they love themselves.  

The Wise Men did not believe in God and probably didn’t trust in God but were invited to see Jesus. The Wise Men weren’t doers of the Word, but still had faith to follow the star of our God. The Wise Men were wealthy people, but still found their way to an insignificant town to see a poor and lowly family living in someone else’s house; not a palace surrounded by gardens resembling paradise. But rather a house made from clay bricks, mud, and straw surrounded by dirt and filth and animals. The Wise Men represent the reality that God invites all to the manger regardless of one’s background and past. Who God invites is who God seeks to receive “good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10). If God invites all to the manger scene, then what holds us back from doing the same? The Wise Men could be considered the “Rudys” of our day: those willing to do the work, often ignored, considered outsiders, not seen as good enough, but still given the chance to make a difference.

What I am about to say is probably the one thing that I pray you remember from today’s message. The Wise Men teach us, God uses who God chooses. God uses who God chooses.

Let me explain. The Wise Men weren’t faithful doers of the word, but God chose them and used them. The Wise Men worshipped another god, but God chose them and used them. The Wise Men were wealthy and filled with wisdom and weren’t poor like the shepherds, but God chose them and used them. The Wise Men weren’t from the Judean region, but God chose them and used them. The Wise Men appeared before the King that wanted to kill Jesus and at first obeyed this King, but God chose them and used them. The Wise Men weren’t perfect people, but God chose them and used them. God chose and used the Wise Men for the sake of continuing the good news.

This isn’t the only time when God chooses the unlikely to make a difference. Doing a simple Google search, I found a list of 101 biblical characters that many would have seen as “unfit, unlikely” to do the work of God but God still chose them and used them. For example, Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan, ate from the tree of knowledge, and did what was wrong in the sight of God; but God chose them to start the human race. Knowing the outcome of Noah’s decisions to get drunk and later abused by his son Ham, God chose Noah and used Noah to build an ark. Abraham lied about his wife being his sister to save himself, but God still chose him. Speaking of Abraham’s wife, Sarah laughed at God when her prayer was answered about being with child, but still chose her to have a child. Jacob deceived his father and brother, yet God chose Jacob to become the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. Jonah attempted to run from God, but God still chose Jonah to save the wicked town of Nineveh. Moses murdered an Egyptian and fled from justice, yet God chose him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Rahab was a prostitute who hid Israelite spies, but God chose her to be in the lineage of Jesus. Gideon struggled with doubt and fear, but God chose him to lead Israel to victory against the Midianites. David committed adultery and murder, but God allowed him to repent and he became a great leader of God’s people.  And Esther, an orphan and exile lied about who she was, but God chose her to save her people from extermination.[8]

What about the New Testament? The shepherds, seen as lowly and unimportant in society, were chosen by God to share the “good news of great joy.” Matthew and Zacchaeus were vigorous and greedy tax collectors, but God chose them to follow Jesus. God, knowing the decisions of Judas, still chose Judas to become a disciple of Jesus. The woman at the well had multiple failed marriages and lived with a man who was not her husband, yet God chose her to become a follower of Jesus. The prodigal son wasted his inheritance on sinful living, but God chose him and he was welcomed home. The Ethiopian eunuch from the Book of Acts was not a believer of the word, but God chose him to be the one in the King’s court to learn about the word of God. Thomas doubted the resurrection of Jesus, but God chose him to preach about the resurrection. Peter denied Jesus, but God still chose him to be the rock of the church. Paul persecuted Christians, but God chose him to save others. The Philippian jailer who was in charge of watching over Paul and the others was a pagan, but God chose him to become a believer and to be baptized. Those with leprosy, those with unclean spirits, those with committed sins, those living amongst the dead, those forced to live in caves outside the city walls, those with greed and lust in their hearts, were still chosen by God to do the work of Jesus Christ.[9]

These examples remind us that no one is beyond redemption or the reach of God’s transforming power; and that no one is too broken, too flawed, too imperfect, too unlikely, or beyond the possibility of being chosen and used by God to do extraordinary things. The Bible is filled with “Rudys” that simply want a chance to prove themselves, who are often neglected and sitting on the sidelines, or who don’t necessarily believe in themselves. In the case of the Wise Men, they help us remember how God didn’t choose the best, the strongest, the wisest, the most accomplished, or even the most perfect of people to do His work. Rather God chose those who needed Him in their life.

You may disagree with me, but I strongly believe the Wise Men needed God more than God needed them. The Wise Men needed to follow the star. The Wise Men needed to travel to Bethlehem. The Wise Men needed to be in the presence of King Herod. The Wise Men needed to disobey the orders of King Herod to return to him with news of a new born “king of the Jews.” The Wise Men needed to believe in the dream that God gave them. The Wise Men needed to stand in the presence of Jesus Christ so that they could understand that they have been chosen by God. It didn’t matter what others were saying; it didn’t matter if others were against them; and it didn’t matter if they knew what was going to happen. All that mattered was that God chose them and has never let them go. God chose the Wise Men just like He chose everyone else and just like He has chosen you.

 

Movement Three: God Has Chosen You…

Deep down, this is what the Wise Men are reminding us, specifically you. God has chosen you. As a matter of fact, God has a plan for you according Jeremiah 29:11: God says, “I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for” (The Message Bible). We don’t have to be perfect to be chosen by God, we just have to be willing to follow Him, to carry our cross. We don’t have to have all the answers, the right words to say, the correct actions to do, we just have to be willing to follow Him. We can even sin from time to time, and God will still choose us because He has a plan for us—a plan to use us to do extraordinary things. God has chosen you and He plans to use you for the sake of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. But are you willing to allow Him to use you like He used the Wise Men—to choose the right path, and to find your way to the stable?

You may be telling yourself, “Why would God choose me? Why would God want to use me to do His work on earth as it is in heaven? Does he not realize what I have done in my past? Does He not remember the lies I’ve told, the pain I’ve caused, the hate I’ve expressed? Does He not recognize the sins and failures and mistakes I’ve committed?” My response is, “Why wouldn’t God want to choose and use you?” Why wouldn’t God want to choose and use what He has created in His image? Why wouldn’t God want to choose and use what He has “fearfully and wonderfully” made (Psalm 139:13-14)? God doesn’t deny His creation; it’s His creation that denies Him. So, why wouldn’t God want to use you when He created you? Even on your worst day, God is still going to choose you.

Just think about your life for a moment. Think about all those times when you felt alone but you weren’t because God was there. Consider those moments when you fell but God picked you up. Ponder those moments when you were too tired but God carried you. How about those moments when tears fell, or you were at your breaking point, or when life didn’t seem fair but God got you through: He wiped away your tears, He kept you together, and He opened another door for you. God has chosen you, just as you are because He claims you as His own.

Scripture reminds us that God handpicked us for His special purpose (1 Peter 2:9 and Jeremiah 1:5). We are deeply loved and are God’s precious children (John 3:16, 1 John 3:1, and 1 Peter 2:9). Through faith in Christ, we have become part of His family, no longer a slave but an heir (Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:7). We are God’s special treasure, a people belonging to Him (Deuteronomy 7:6 and 1 Peter 2:9). God claims you as one of His own.

In the church that I grew up in, we would often sing the hymn “God Claims You” after every baptism as a proclamation to the one being baptized that they belong to God and always will. The lyrics are as follows: “God claims you. God helps you, protects you, and loves you too. We this day do all agree a child of God you’ll always be…” The question that you really need to be thinking about is, “If God has claimed me, have I claimed God?”

Church, do you know that God has claimed us? Do you know that God has opened doors for us as a church? Do you know that for over a hundred years people have called this very church their home because they have felt welcomed? God has claimed this church as one of His own. It has been a place where people have been lifted up during their darkest times. It has been a place where people were reminded of what brings them joy and happiness. It has been a place where families grew, children crawled under the pews, grandchildren walked on the pews, and where people have been lifted up in prayer. It has been a place that cares for those inside and outside these walls. Our church has been claimed, chosen by God because God has a means to continue to use the gifts and talents of each of you here. God has chosen us to do extraordinary things.

The Magi were chosen by God. They were not satisfied with looking at the star and admiring it; they did something about the star, and set out and followed it. They persevered in their search and in following after the star. They rejoiced at the star. When they arrived at the destination the star led them to, they entered in. When they entered in, they worshipped. They sensed an urgency to worship Him now and not wait until later. The Magi were chosen by God to follow that star and they were used by God to help others follow that star to Jesus Christ—to help others worship him. Why has God chosen you, and how is God using you to lead others to Christ?

 

Conclusion:

Much like the story of Rudy Ruettiger, God is always finding ways to put us into the game, to step foot onto His field, to execute His plays and plans. Sometimes we don’t always follow through, but when we do, when we remind ourselves that God has chosen us, we feel as if we are being carried off the field after doing something extraordinary. As we leave the field, I know God is looking down and shouting not Rudy but your name. God has chosen you: now is the time to accept that and let Him use you to do something extraordinary. How is God using you? How is God using our church?

The Magi, wealthy people from the east who are non-believers of God’s words and who studied the stars, made their presence known before Jesus Christ because Christ needed them and they needed Christ. The story of the Magi is more than three or more unknown individuals travelling from the east while following a star and appearing before the child, Jesus Christ. The story of the Magi is more than the presentation of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The story of the Magi is more than people disobeying the orders of an earthly King to follow the orders of the heavenly King. The story of the Magi is more than realizing that wealthy individuals worshipped a child born to two lowly and poor parents. The story of the Magi is about realizing that God has chosen you because He has plan for you, a star for you to follow.

Let it be so…

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us pray: Dear God, we are so blessed knowing that you have chosen us and have a plan for us. O Lord, give us strength to keep moving forward. Grant us the will to not give up. Bestow upon us the hope to follow your star. In your name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

Church, God claims you. God helps you, protects you, and loves you too. “On this day do all agree a child of God you’ll always be…” God has chosen you and wants to use you to do extraordinary things. Don’t forget that! May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth following the star to Jesus Christ. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

[1] Additionally, Epiphany Sunday is said to recognize the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, and the wedding at Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle of turning water into wine.

[2] (Epi – above; phaneia – manifestation).

[3] God became flesh—incarnate—so that He, through Jesus Christ, His Son, would appear before all people (Philippians 2:7).  In addition to the Shepherds, who “spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child” (Luke 2:17), the Magi (or Three Wise Men) find themselves at the scene of Christ’s birth a few years later charged to do the same thing: charged to experience the striking realization that they have come to pay homage to the king of kings.

[4] Gasper, meaning “keeper of treasure,” often depicted as the youngest of the three with a white beard, is said to have brought the gift of myrrh, indicating Jesus’s death.^[4] Are you a Gasper, a “keeper of treasure”?

[5] Balthasar, meaning “God saves his life,” often depicted as the Black king from Arabia or Ethiopia, representing adulthood, is suggested as having brought the gift of frankincense symbolizing Jesus’s humanity. Are you a Balthasar, one who has been saved by God?

[6] Melchior, meaning “King of Light,” the oldest of the three from Persia, representing old age, is the one who brought gold foretelling Jesus’s royalty. Are you a Melchior, one who has received the light of the King? https://www.lignoma.com/en/magazine/the-three-wise-kings/

[7] The Wise Men went to Jerusalem and asked about the born king. They said they had seen His star rise in the East. The Magi were astrologers, people who observed and studied the stars. Apparently some heavenly brilliance had spoken to the Magi which they interpreted as the entry of a king into the world. The Magi came looking for Jesus but they came late, perhaps as much as two years after His birth. The word that Matthew used to refer to the one born king is the word for child; whereas, Luke’s reference is to an infant. This suggests that Jesus was beyond one year of age when the Magi arrived in Jerusalem. A second indication that Jesus may have been a year or more old at this time is Herod’s decree that all male children two years of age and younger in Bethlehem and in its neighborhoods be killed.

[8] https://bibletruths.org/101-broken-people-that-god-used-anyway

[9] https://bibletruths.org/101-broken-people-that-god-used-anyway