The Star and the Wise Men

The Star and the Wise Men

(No. 1698)

Delivered on Lord's-Day Morning, December 24th, 1882, by

C. H. SPURGEON,

At the [1]Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington

"Now Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the
king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying,
Where is he that is born King of the Jews'? for we have seen his star
in the east, and are come to worship him. When they had heard the king,
they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went
before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy."—
Matthew 2:1-2, 9-10.

SEE, DEAR FRIENDS, the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ even in his state
of humiliation! He is born of lowly parents, laid in a manger, and
wrapped in swaddling bands; but, lo! the principalities and powers in
the heavenly places are in commotion. First, one angel descends to
proclaim the advent of the new-born King and suddenly there is with him
a multitude of the heavenly host singing glory unto God. Nor was the
commotion confined to the spirits above; for in the heavens which
overhang this card, there is a stir. A star is deputed on behalf of all
the stars, as if he were the envoy and plenipotentiary of all worlds to
represent them before their King. This star is put in commission to
wait upon the Lord, to be his herald to men afar off, his usher to
conduct them to his presence, and his body-guard to sentinel his
cradle. Earth, too, is stirred. Shepherds have come to pay the homage
of simple-minded ones: with all love and joy they bow before the
mysterious child; and after them from afar come the choice and flower
of their generation, the most studious minds of the age. Making a long
and difficult journey, they too at last arrive, the representatives of
the Gentiles. Lo! the kings of Seba and Sheba offer gifts—gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. Wise men, the leaders of their peoples, bow
down before him, and pay homage to the Son of God. Wherever Christ is
he is honorable. "Unto you that believe he is honor." In the day of
small things, when the cause of God is denied entertainment, and is
hidden away with things which are despised, it is still most glorious.
Christ, though a child, is still King of kings; though among the oxen,
he is still distinguished by his star.

Beloved friends, if wise men of old came to Jesus and worshipped,
should not we come also? My intense desire this morning is that we all
may pay homage to him of whom we sing, "Unto us a child is born; unto
us a son is given." Let those of us who have long worshipped, worship
anew with yet lowlier reverence and intenser love. And God grant-oh,
that he would grant it!—that some who are far off from him spiritually,
as the Magi were far off locally, may come to-day and ask, "Where is he
that is born King of the Jews? for we have come to worship him." May
feet that have been accustomed to broad roads, but unaccustomed to the
narrow path, this day pursue that way till they see Jesus, and how
before him with all their hearts, finding salvation in him. These wise
men came naturally, traversing the desert; let us come spiritually,
leaving our sins. These were guided by the sight of a star; let us be
guided by faith in the divine Spirit, by the teaching of his word and
all those blessed lights which the Lord uses to conduct men to himself.
Only let us come to Jesus. It was well to come unto the babe Jesus, led
by the feeble beams of a star; you shall find it still more blessed to
come to him now that he is exalted in the highest heavens, and by his
own light reveals his own perfect glory. Delay not, for this day he
cries, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest."

This morning let us try to do three things. First, let us gather light
from this star; secondly, let us gather wisdom from those wise men; and
thirdly, let us act as wise men helped by our own particular star.

I. First, then, LET US GATHER LIGHT FROM THIS STAR. May the Spirit of
the Lord enable us so to do.

I suppose you have each one his own imagination as to what this star
was. It would seem to have been altogether supernatural, and not a
star, or a comet of the ordinary kind. It was not a constellation, nor
a singular conjunction of planets: there is nothing in the Scriptures
to support such a conjecture. In all probability it was not a star in
the sense in which we now speak of stars: for we find that it moved
before the wise men, then suddenly disappeared, and again shone forth
to move before them. It could not have been a star in the upper spheres
like others, for such movements would not have been possible. Some have
supposed that the wise men went in the direction in which the star
shone forth in the heavens, and followed the changes of its position:
but it could not in that case have been said that it stood over the
place where the young child was. If the star was at its zenith over
Bethlehem, it would have been in its zenith over Jerusalem too; for the
distance is so small that it would not have been possible to observe
any difference in the position of the star in the two places. It must
have been a star occupying quite another sphere from that in which the
planets revolve. We believe it to have been a luminous appearance in
mid-air; probably akin to that which led the children of Israel through
the wilderness, which was a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
Whether it was seen in the daylight or not we cannot tell. Chrysostom
and the early fathers are wonderfully positive about many things which
Scripture leaves in doubt, but as these eminent divines drew upon their
imagination for their facts, we are not under bonds to follow them.
They aver that this star was so bright as to be visible all day long.
If so, we can imagine the wise men travelling day and night; but if it
could be seen only by night, the picture before us grows far more
singular and weird—like as we see these easterns quietly pursuing their
star-lit way, resting perforce when the sun was up, but noiselessly
hurrying at night through slumbering lands. These questions are not of
much importance to us, and therefore we will not dwell long upon them.

Only here is a first lesson: if it should ever be that men should fail
to preach the gospel, God can conduct souls to his Son by a star. Ah!
say not only by a star, but by a stone, a bird, a blade of grass, a
drop of dew.

"Remember that Omnipotence
Has servants everywhere."

Therefore, despond not when you hear that one minister has ceased to
preach the gospel, or that another is fighting against the viral truth
of God. Their apostasy shall be to their own loss rather than to the
hurt of Jesus and his church; and, sad though it be to see the lamps of
the sanctuary put out, yet God is not dependent upon human lights, he
is the Shekinah light of his own holy place. Mortal tongues, if they
refuse to preach his word, shall have their places supplied by books in
the running brooks and sermons in stones. The beam shall cry out of the
wall, and the timber shall answer it. When chief priests and scribes
have all gone out of the way, the Lord puts stars into commission, and
once more in very deed the heavens are telling the glory of God, and
the firmament is showing his handiwork. Sooner than lack speakers for
the incarnate God, mountains and hills shall learn eloquence and break
forth into testimony. Jehovah's message shall be made known to the
utmost ends of the earth. God shall save his own elect; he shall give
to Christ to see of the travail of his soul and to be satisfied. His
counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure. Hallelujah!

Now, when the Lord does use a star to be his minister, what is the
order of his ministry? We may learn by this enquiry what kind of
ministry God would have ours to be if we are stars in his right hand.
We also shine as lights in the world: let us see how to do it.

We notice, first, that star-preaching is all about Christ. We do not
know what the color of the star was, nor the shape of the star, nor to
what magnitude it had attained; these items are not recorded, but what
is recorded is of much more importance; the wise men said—"We have seen
his star." Then the star which the Lord will use to lead men to Jesus
must be Christ's own star. The faithful minister, like this star,
belongs to Christ; he is Christ's own man in the most emphatic sense.
Before we can expect to be made a blessing, dear friends, we must
ourselves be blessed of the Lord. If we would cause others to belong,
to Jesus, we must belong wholly to Jesus ourselves. Every beam in that
star shone forth for Jesus. It was his star, always, and only, and
altogether. It shone not for itself, but only as his star: as such it
was known and spoken of—"we have seen his star." As I have already
said, there is no note taken of any peculiarity that it had except this
one, that it was the star of the King. I wish that you and I, whatever
our eccentricities or personalities may be, may never make so much of
them as to attract men's attention to them. May people never dwell upon
our attainments or our deficiencies, but may they always observe this
one thing, that we are men of God, that we are ambassadors of Christ,
that we are Christ's servants, and do not attempt to shine for
ourselves, or to make ourselves conspicuous; but that we labor to shine
for him, that his way may be known upon earth, his saving health among
all people. Brother, it is well for us to forget ourselves in our
message, to sink ourselves in our Master. We know the names of several
of the stars, yet they may each one envy that star which remains
anonymous, but can never be forgotten because men who sought the King
of Israel knew it as "his star." Though you be but a very little star,
twinkling for Jesus; however feeble your light may be, be it plain that
you are his star, so that if men wonder what you are, they may never
wonder whose you are, for on your very forefront it shall be written,
"Whose I am and whom I serve." God will not lead men to Christ by us
unless we are Christ's heartily, wholly, unreservedly. In his temple
our Lord uses no borrowed vessels; every bowl before the altar must be
his own. It is not consistent with the glory of God for him to use
borrowed vessels. He is not so poor as that comes to. This lesson is
worthy of all acceptation. Are you in a hurry to preach, young man? Are
you sure you are Christ's? Do you think it must be a fine thing to hold
a company or people listening to your words? Have you looked at it in
another light,? Have you weighed the responsibility of having to speak
as Christ would have you speak, and of yielding yourself in your entire
personality to the utterance of the mind of God? You must be
consecrated and concentrated if you hope to be used or the Lord. If you
have one ray, or ten thousand rays, all must shine with the one design
of guiding men to Jesus. You have nothing now to do with any object,
subject, design, or endeavor, but Jesus only: in him, and for him, and
to him must you live henceforth, or you will never be chosen of the
Lord to conduct either wise men or babes to Jesus. See ye well to it
that perfect consecration be yours.

Note next that true star-preaching leads to Christ. The star was
Christ's star itself, but it also led others to Christ. It did this
very much because it moved in that direction. It is a sad thing when a
preacher is like a sign-post pointing the way but never following it,
on his own account. Such were those chief priests at Jerusalem: they
could tell where Christ was born, but they never went to worship him;
they were indifferent altogether to him and to his birth. The star that
leads to Christ must always be going to Christ. Men are far better
drawn by example than driven by exhortation. Personal piety alone can
be owned of God to the production of piety in others. "Go," say you;
but they will not go. Say "come," and lead the way: then they will
come. Do not the sheep follow the shepherd? He who would lead others to
Christ should go before them himself, having his face towards his
Master, his eyes towards his Master, his steps toward his Master, his
heart towards his Master. We are so to live that we may without
boasting exhort those around us to have us for an example. Oh, that all
who think themselves to be stars would themselves diligently move
towards the Lord Jesus. The star in the east led wise men to Christ
because it went that way itself: there is a wisdom in example which
truly wise men are quick to perceive. This star had such an influence
upon the chosen men that they could not but follow it: it charmed them
across the desert. Such a charm may reside in you and in me, and we may
exercise a powerful ministry over many hearts, being to them as
loadstones, drawing them to the Lord Jesus. Happy privilege! We would
not, merely show the road, but induce our neighbors to enter upon it.
We read of one of old, not that they told him of Jesus, but that "they
brought him to Jesus." We are not only to tell the story of the cross,
but we are to persuade men to fly to the Crucified One for salvation.
Did not the king in the parable say to his servants, "Compel them to
come in." Assuredly he girds his own messengers with such a compelling
power that men cannot hold out any longer, but must follow their lead
and bow at the King's feet. The star did not draw, "as it were with a
cart rope," nor by any force, material and physical; yet it drew these
wise men from the remote east right to the manger of the new-born
child. And so, though we have no arm of the law to help us, nor
patronage, nor pomp of eloquence, nor parade of learning, yet we have a
spiritual power by which we draw to Jesus thousands who are our joy and
crown. The man sent of God comes forth from the divine presence
permeated with a power which makes men turn to the Savior and live. Oh!
that such power might go forth from all God's ministers yea, from all
God's servants engaged in street-preaching, in Sunday-schools, in
tract-visitation, and in every form of holy service. God uses those
whose aim and intent it is to draw men to Christ. He puts his Spirit
into them, by which Spirit they are helped to set forth the Lord Jesus
as so lovely and desirable that men run to him and accept his glorious
salvation. It is a small thing to shine, but it is a great thing to
draw. Any cast-away may be brilliant; but only the real saint will be
attractive for Jesus. I would not pray to be an orator, but I do pray
to be a soul-winner. Do not aim, beloved brethren, at anything short of
leading men to Jesus. Do not be satisfied to lead them to orthodox
doctrine, or merely to bring them to a belief in those views which you
hold to be Scriptural, valuable as that way be. It is to the person of
the incarnate God that we must bring them to his feet we must conduct
them that they may worship him: our mission is not accomplished, it is
a total failure, unless we conduct our hearers to the house where Jesus
dwells, and then stand over them, keeping watch over their souls for
Jesu's sake.

Once more, the star which God used in this case was a star that stopped
at Jesus: it went before the wise men till it brought them to Jesus,
and then it stood still over the place where the young child was. I
admire the manner of this star. There are remarkable stars in the
theological sky at the present, time: they have led men to Jesus, so
they say, and now they lead them into regions beyond, of yet
undeveloped thought. The gospel of the Puritans is "old-fashioned";
these men have discovered that it is unsuitable for the enlarged
intellects of the times; and so these stars would guide us further
still. To this order of wandering stars I do not belong myself, and I
trust I never shall. Progress beyond the gospel I have no desire for.
"God forbid that I should glory save ill the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ." When the star had come to the place where the young child was,
it stood still: and so should the gracious mind become settled, fixed,
immovable. The wise men knew where to find that star, and where to find
the young child by it: so be it with us. Oh, you that have hitherto
been diligent in leading souls to Christ, never indulge for a single
moment the notion that you need a broader philosophy or a deeper
spirituality than are to be found in Jesus. Abide in him. Cry, "Oh God,
my heart is fixed. My heart is fixed." There is nothing beyond Christ
which is worth a moment's thought. Do not lose your paradise in Christ
for another taste of that tree of knowledge of good-and-evil which
ruined our first parents. Stick you to the old points: your one subject
Christ, your one object to bring men to Christ, your one glory the
glory of Christ. Standing by your Lord, and there alone, from this day
to the last day, you will secure a happy, honored, and holy life. They
said of Greece after her fall that it had become so ruined that you
might search for Greece in Greece and fail to find it: I fear I must
say that some professed preachers of the gospel have roamed so far away
from it that you cannot find the gospel in their gospel, nor Christ
himself in the Christ they preach. So far have some diverged from the
grand essential soul-saving truth beyond which no man ought to dare to
think of going, that they retain nothing of Christianity but the name.
All that is beyond truth is a lie; anything beyond revelation is at
best a minor matter, and most probably is an old wives' fable, even
though he may be of the masculine gender who invented it. Stand you to
your colors you who hope to be used of the Lord. Abide so that men
shall find you in twenty years' time shining for Jesus and pointing to
the place where the Savior is to be found, even as you are doing now.
Let Jesus Christ be your ultimatum. Your work is done when you bring
souls to Jesus, and help to keep them there, by being yourself
"steadfast, unmovable." Be not carried away from the hope of your
calling; but hold fast even the form of sound words, for it may be that
in letting go the form you may lose the substance also.

II. Now that we have somewhat rejoiced in the light of the star, let us
see if we can GATHER WISDOM FROM THE WISE MEN. Perhaps you have heard
the "much speaking" of tradition as to who they were, whence they came,
and how they traveled. In the Greek church, I believe, they know their
number, their names, the character of their retinue, and what kind of
ornaments were on their dromedaries' necks. Details which are not found
in the word of God you may believe or not, at your pleasure, and you
will be wise if our pleasure is not to believe too much. We only know
that they were Magi, wise men from the East, possibly of the old Parsee
religion—watchers if not worshippers of the stars. We will not
speculate about them, but learn from them.

They did not content themselves with admiring the star and comparing it
with other stars, and taking notes as to the exact date of its
appearance, and how many times it twinkled, and when it moved, and all
that; but they practically used the teaching of the star. Many are
hearers and admirers of God's servants, but they are not wise enough to
make fit and proper use of the preaching. They notice the peculiarity
of the preacher's language, how much he is like one divine, how much he
is unlike another; whether he coughs too often, or speaks too much in
his throat; whether he is too loud or too low; whether he has not a
provincial tone, whether there may not be about him a commonness of
speech approaching to vulgarity; or, on the other hand, whether he may
not be too florid in his diction. Such fooleries as these are the
constant observations of men for whose souls we labor. They are
perishing, and yet toying with such small matters With many it is all
they go to the house of God for, to criticise in this paltry fashion. I
have even seen them come to this place with opera glasses, as if they
came hither to inspect an actor who lived and labored to arouse their
leisure hours. Such is the sport of fools; but these were wise men, and
therefore practical men. They did not become star-gazers, and stop at
the point of admiring the remarkable star; but they said, "Where is he
that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east,
and are come to worship him." They set out at once to find the now-born
King, of whose coming the star was the signal. Oh, my dear hearers, how
I wish that you were all wise in this same manner! I would sooner
preach the dullest sermon that was ever preached than preach the most
brilliant that was ever spoken if I could by that poor sermon lead you
quite away from myself to seek the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the one
thing I care about. Will you never gratify me by enquiring after my
Lord and Master? I long to hear you say, "What is the man talking
about? He speaks about a Savior; we will have that Savior for
ourselves. He talks about pardon through the blood of Christ; he speaks
about God coming down among men to save them; we will find out if there
is any reality in this pardon, any truth in this salvation. We will
seek Jesus, and find for ourselves the blessings which are reported to
be laid up in him." If I heard you all saying this I should be ready to
die of joy.

Is not this a good day on which to set out to find your Savior? Some of
you that have postponed it long, would it not be well to set out at
once ere this expiring year has seen its last day? These wise men
appear to have set out as soon as they discovered the star: they were
not among those who have time to waste in needless delays. "There is
the star," said they; "away we go beneath its guidance. We are not
satisfied with a star, we go to find the King whose star it is!" And so
they set out to find Christ immediately and resolutely.

Being wise men, they persevered in their search after him. We cannot
tell how far they journeyed. Travelling was extremely difficult in
those times. There were hostile tribes to avoid, the broad rivers of
the Tigris and the Euphrates to cross, and trackless deserts to
penetrate; but they made nothing of difficulty or danger. They set out
for Jerusalem, and to Jerusalem they came, seeking the King of the
Jews. If it be true that God has taken upon himself our nature, we
ought to resolve to find him, let it cost what it may. If we must
circumnavigate the globe to find a Savior, the distance and the expense
ought to be nothing so long as we may but reach him. Were the Christ in
the bowels of the earth, or in the heights of heaven we ought not to
rest till we come at him. Everything that was necessary for their
expedition the wise men soon gathered together, regardless of expense;
and off they went following the star that they might discover the
Prince of the kings of the earth.

At length they came to Jerusalem, and here new trials awaited them. It
must have been a great trouble to them when they asked, "Where is he
that is born King of the Jews?" and the people shook their heads as if
they thought the question an idle one. Neither rich nor poor in the
metropolitan city knew anything of Israel's King. The ribald multitude
replied, "Herod is king of the Jews. Mind how you speak of another
king, or your head may have to answer for it. The tyrant brooks no
rival." The wise men must have been more astonished still when they
found that Herod was troubled. They were glad to think that he was born
who was to usher in the age or gold; but Herod's face grew blacker than
ever at the bare mention of a king of the Jews. His eyes flashed, and a
thundercloud was upon his brow; a dark deed of murder will come of it,
though for the moment he conceals his malice. There is tumult all
through the streets of Jerusalem, for no man knows what grim Herod may
do now that he has been roused by the question, "Where is he that is
born King of the Jews? Thus there was a ferment in Jerusalem, beginning
at the palace; but this did not deter the wise men from their search
for the promised Prince. They did not pack up their bales and go back
and say, "It is useless to try to discover this questionable personage
who is unknown even in the country of which he is King, and who appears
to "be terribly unwelcome to those who are to be his subjects. We must
leave to another day the solution of the question: "Where is he that is
born King of the Jews?'"

These earnest-minded seekers were not dispirited by the clergy and the
learned men when they came together. To the chief priests and scribes
the question was put, and they answered the enquiry as to where Christ
would be born, but not a mother's son among them would go with the wise
men to find this new-born King. Strange apathy! Alas, how common! Those
who should have been leaders were no leaders; they would not even be
followers of that which is good, for they had no heart towards Christ.
The wise men rose superior to this serious discouragement. If the
clergy would not help them they would go to Jesus by themselves. Oh,
dear friend, if you are wise you will say, "I will find Christ alone if
none will join me: if I dig to the center, I will find him; if I fly to
the sun, I will find him; if all men put me off, I will find him; if
the ministers of the gospel appear indifferent to me, I will find him:
the kingdom of heaven or old suffered violence, and the violent took it
by force, and so will I." The first Christians had to leave all the
authorized teachers of the day behind, and to come out by themselves:
it will be no strange thing if you should have to do the same. Happy
will it be if you are determined to go through floods and flames to
find Christ; for he will be found of you. Thus these men were wise
because, having started on the search, they persevered in it till they
found the Lord and worshipped him.

Notice that they were wise because, when they again saw the star, "they
rejoiced with exceeding great joy." While enquiring among the priests
at Jerusalem they were perplexed, but when the star shone out again,
they were at ease and full of joy: this joy they expressed, so that the
evangelist recorded it. In these days very wise people think it
necessary to repress all emotion, and appear like men of stone or ice.
No matter what happens, they are stoical, and raised far above the
enthusiasm of the vulgar. It is wonderful how fashions change, and
folly stands for philosophy. But these wise men were children enough to
be glad when their perplexity was over, and the clear light shone
forth. It is a good sign when a man is not ashamed to be happy because
he hears a plain, unmistakable testimony for the Lord Jesus. It is good
to see the great man come down from his pedestal, and, like a little
child, rejoice to hear the simple story of the cross. Give me the
hearer who looks not for fineries, but cries out, "Lead me to Jesus. I
want a guide to Jesus, and nothing else will suit me." Why, truly, if
men did but know the value of things they would rejoice more to see a
preacher of the gospel than a king. If the feet of the heralds of
salvation be blessed, how much more their tongues when they tell out
the tidings of a Savior. These wise men, with all their mystic learning
were not ashamed to rejoice because a little star lent them its beams
to conduct them to Jesus. We unite with them in rejoicing over a clear
gospel ministry. For us all else is darkness, sorrow, and vexation of
spirit; but that which leads us to our own glorious Lord is spirit, and
light, and life. Better the sun should not shine than that a clear
gospel should not be preached. We reckon that a country flourishes or
decays according as gospel light is revealed or withdrawn.

Now follow these wise men a little further. They have come to the house
where the young child is. What will they do? Will they stand looking at
the star? No: they enter in. The star stands still, but they are not
afraid to lose its radiance, and behold the Sun of righteousness. They
did not cry, "We see the star, and that is enough for us; we have
followed the star, and it is all we need to do." Not at all. They lift,
the latch, and enter the lowly residence of the babe. They see the star
no longer, and they have no need to see it, for there is he that is
born King of the Jews. Now the true Light has shone upon them from the
face of the child; they behold the incarnate God. Oh, friends! how wise
you will be if, when you have been led to Christ by any man, you do not
rest in his leadership, but must see Christ for yourselves. How much I
long that you may enter into the fellowship of the mystery, pass
through the door, and come and behold the young child, and bow before
him. Our woe is that so many are so unwise. We are only their guides,
but they are apt to make us their end. We point the way, but they do
not follow the road; they stand gazing upon us. The star is gone; it
did its work, and passed away: Jesus remains, and the wise men live in
him. Will any of you be so foolish as to think only of the dying
preacher, and forget the ever-living Savior? Come, be wise, and hasten
to your Lord at once.

These men were wise, last of all—and I commend their example to
you-because when they saw the child they worshipped. Theirs was not
curiosity gratified, but devotion exercised. We, too, must worship the
Savior, or we shall never be saved by him. He has not come to put away
our sins, and yet to leave us ungodly and self-willed. Oh you that have
never worshipped the Christ of God, may you be led to do so at once! He
is God over all, blessed for ever, adore him! Was God ever seen in such
a worshipful form before? Behold he bows the heavens; he rides upon the
wings of the wind; he scatters flames of fire; he speaks, and his dread
artillery shakes the hills: you worship in terror. Who would not adore
the great and terrible Jehovah? But is it not much better to behold him
here, allied to your nature, wrapped like other children in swaddling
clothes, tender, feeble, next akin to your own self? Will you not
worship God when he thus comes down to you and becomes your brother,
born for your salvation? Here nature itself suggests worship: O may
grace produce it! Let us hasten to worship where shepherds and wise men
and angels have led the way.

Here let my sermon come to a pause even as the star did. Enter the
house and worship! Forget the preacher. Let the starlight shine for
other eyes. Jesus was born that you might be born again. He lived that
you might live. He died that you might die to sin. He is risen, and
to-day he maketh intercession for transgressors that they may be
reconciled to God through him. Come, then; believe, trust, rejoice,
adore! If you have neither gold, frankincense, nor myrrh, bring your
faith, your love, your repentance, and falling down before the Son of
God pay him the reverence of your hearts.

III. And now I turn to my third and last point, which is this: LET US
ACT AS WISE MEN UNDER THE LIGHT OF OUR STAR. We too have received light
to lead us to the Savior: I might say that for us many stars have shone
to that blessed end. I will, however, on this point content myself with
asking questions.

Do you not think that there is some light for you in your particular
vocation, some call from God in your calling? Listen to me, and then
listen to God. These men were watchers of the stars; therefore a star
was used to call them. Certain other men soon after were fishermen; and
by means of an amazing take of fish the Lord Jesus made them aware of
his superior power, and then he called them to become fishers of men.
For a star-gazer a star; for a fisherman a fish. The Master-Fisher hath
a bait for each one of his elect, and oftentimes he selects a point in
their own calling to be the barb of the hook. Were you busy yesterday
at your counter? Did you bear no voice saying "Buy the truth and sell
it not"? When you closed the shop last night did you not bethink
yourself that soon you must close it for the last time? Do you make
bread? and do you never ask yourself, "Has my soul eaten the bread of
heaven?" Are you a farmer? do you till the soil? Has God never spoken
to you by those furrowed fields and these changing seasons, and made
you wish that your heart might be tilled and sown.? Listen! God is
speaking! Hear, ye deaf; for there are voices everywhere calling you to
heaven. You need not go miles about to find a link between you and
everlasting mercy: the telegraphic wires are on either side of the
road, God and human souls are near each other. How I wish that your
common vocation would be viewed by you as concealing within itself the
door to your high vocation. Oh that the Holy Spirit would turn your
favourite pursuits into opportunities for his gracious work upon you.
If not among the stars, yet among the flowers of the garden, or the
cattle of the hills, or the waves of the sea may he find a net in which
to enclose you for Christ. I wish that those of you who conclude that
your calling could never draw you to Christ would make a point of
seeing whether it might not be so. We are to learn from ants, and
swallows, and cranes, and conies; surely we need never be short of
tutors. It did seem that a star was an unlikely thing to head a
procession of eastern sages, and yet it was the best guide that could
be found; and so it may seem that your trade is an unlikely thing to
bring you to Jesus, and yet the Lord may so use it. There may be a
message from the Lord to thee in many a left-handed providence; a voice
for wisdom may come to thee from the month of an ass; a call to a holy
life may startle thee from a bush, a warning may flash upon thee from a
wall, or a vision may impress thee in the silence of night when deep
sleep falleth upon men. Only be thou ready to hear and God will find a
way of speaking to thee. Answer the question as the wise men would have
answered it, and say, "Yes, in our calling there is a call to Christ."

Then, again, what should you and I do better in this life than seek
after Christ! The wise men thought all other pursuits of small account
compared with this. "Who is going to attend to that observatory and
watch the rest of the stars?" They shake their heads, and say they do
not know: these things must wait; they have seen his star, and they are
going to worship him. But who will attend to their wives and families,
and all besides, while they make this long journey? They reply that
every lesser thing must be subordinate to the highest thing. Matters
must be taken in proportion, and the search after the King of the Jews,
who is the desire of all nations, is so out of all proportion great
that all the rest must go. Are not you, also, wise enough to judge in
this sensible fashion? Do you not think, dear friends, it would be well
to use all to-morrow in seeking Jesus? It will be a leisure day, could
you spend it better than in Seeking your Redeemer? If you were to take
a week, and give it wholly to your own soul, and to seeking Christ,
would it not be well spent? How can you live with your soul in
jeopardy? Oh that you would say, "I must get this matter right; it is
an all-important business, and I must see it secure." This would be no
more than common-sense. If you are driving, and a trace is broken, do
you not stop the horse, and get the harness right? How, then, can you
go on with the chariot of life when all its harness is out of order,
and a fall means eternal ruin? If you will stop driving to arrange a
buckle for fear of accident, I would beg of you to stop anything and
everything to see to the safety of your soul. See how the engineer
looks to the safety-valve: are you content to run more desperate risks?
If your house were not insured, and you carried on a hazardous trade,
the probability is you would feel extremely anxious until you had
arranged that matter: but your soul is uninsured, and it may burn for
ever,—will you not give heed to it? I beseech you be just to
yourself,—kind to yourself. Oh! see to your eternal well-being. You are
not certain that you will get home to dinner to-day. Life is frail as a
cobweb. You may be in hell before yon clock strikes one! Remember that.
There is not a step between you and everlasting destruction from the
presence of God if you are as yet unregenerate; and your only hope is
to find the Savior, trust the Savior, obey the Savior. Wherefore, like
these wise men, put everything on one side, and set out now upon an
earnest, resolute, persevering endeavor to find Jesus. I was about to
say—resolve to find Jesus, or to die; but I will change the words, and
say—resolve to find him, and live.

When we do come near to Jesus, let us ask ourselves this question, "Do
we see more in Jesus than other people do?" for if we do, we are God's
elect taught of God, illuminated by his Spirit. We read in the
Scriptures that when these wise men saw the young child they fell down
and worshipped him. Other people might have come in and seen the child,
and said, "Many children are as interesting as this poor woman's babe."
Ay, but as these men looked, they saw: all eyes are not so blessed.
Eyes that see are gifts from the All-seeing One. Carnal eyes are blind;
but these men saw the Infinite in the infant; the Godhead gleaming
through the manhood; the glory hiding beneath the swaddling bands.
Undoubtedly there was a spiritual splendor about this matchless child!
We read that Moses' father and mother saw that he was a "goodly child";
they saw he was "fair unto God," says the original. But when these
elect men saw that holy thing which is called the Son of the Highest,
they discovered in him a glory all unknown before. Then was his star in
the ascendant to them: he became their all in all, and they worshipped
with all their hearts. Have you discovered such glory in Christ? "Oh!"
says one, "you are always harping upon Christ and his glory. You are a
man of one idea!" Precisely so. My one idea is that he is "altogether
lovely," and that there is nothing out of heaven nor in heaven that can
be compared with him even in his lowest and weakest estate. Have you
ever seen as much as that in Jesus? If so, you are the Lord's; go you,
and rejoice in him. If not, pray God to open your eyes until, like the
wise men, you see and worship.

Lastly, learn from these wise men that when they worshipped they did
not permit it to be a mere empty-handed adoration. Ask yourself, "What
shall I render unto the Lord?" Bowing before the young child, they
offered "gold, frankincense and myrrh," the best of metals and the best
of spices; an offering to the King of gold; an offering to the priest
of frankincense; an offering to the child of myrrh. Wise men are
liberal men. Consecration is the best education. To-day it is thought
to be wise to be always receiving; but the Savior said, "It is more
blessed to give than to receive." God judges our hearts by that which
spontaneously comes from them: hence the sweet cane bought with money
is acceptable to him when given freely. He doth not tax his saints or
weary them with incense; but he delights to see in them that true love
which cannot express itself in mere words, but must use gold and myrrh,
works of love and deeds of self-denial, to be the emblems of its
gratitude. Brothers, you will never get into the heart of happiness
till you become unselfish and generous; you have but chewed the husks
of religion which are often bitter, you have never eaten of the sweet
kernel until you have felt the love of God constraining you to make
sacrifice. There is nothing in the true believer's power which he would
not do for his Lord: nothing in our substance which we would not give
to him, nothing in ourselves which we would not devote to his service.

God give to you all grace to come to Jesus, even though it be by the
starlight of this Sermon, for his love's sake! Amen.