Matthew 2 Part 1: How to Enter Worship That Transforms shows how Matthew first presents Jesus as the promised baby born in Bethlehem and then as the young child worshiped by the wise men. The Jews knew the Scriptures, yet many failed to recognize their Messiah. Matthew reminds us that the kingdom of heaven is revealed in this child, whose birth fulfilled God’s covenants and whose presence calls us to worship, not just to see.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
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Scriptures used in this lesson:
Genesis 15:18, Matthew 2:1, Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:14, John 5:46-47, Romans 2:28–29, Romans 11:19-20, Galatians 3:7–9, Galatians 3:26–29, Galatians 6:16, Hebrews 12:22, John 8:44, Revelation 2:9, Revelation 3:9, Luke 2:7, Luke 2:16, Matthew 2:2, Matthew 2:9–11, Genesis 22:5, Matthew 2:11,
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Last week we began our study in Matthew, and I want to continue it today. Let’s take a quick review. What is Matthew’s intention as he writes the gospel? His intention is clear—Jesus is the Messiah. That is the book’s central purpose. He is not writing to lost people but to those who already know the Scriptures. He is writing to religious people who have been taught and understand the Word of God. Matthew is presenting Jesus to the Jews as the Messiah.
Their problem is not a lack of knowledge. Their problem is recognizing that Jesus must be the Messiah, the Lord, and the King. So, who is Matthew writing to? He is writing to the Jew, not the Gentile. You must keep that in mind to grasp what Matthew is showing us. His message is directed to the Jewish audience.
Who remembers one of the key words I emphasized last week? What is one of the most important words in the book of Matthew? It appears 56 times—“kingdom.” The word kingdom is used more in Matthew than in any other book. You need to understand that to understand Matthew.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Understanding the Kingdom of Heaven
The kingdom of heaven is not materialistic. Worldly principles do not govern it. It is not a nationalistic kingdom limited to this earth. The kingdom of heaven is a spiritual kingdom. It is governed by heavenly principles, character, nature, and order. It is unlimited and without boundaries.
This was new to me. I have always separated the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God when I explained them. I would say there was no difference, and there isn’t. But last week, the term “kingdom of heaven” came alive to me in a new way. I saw that it is absolutely limitless. You cannot limit heaven. The earth is round and measurable, so you can limit the kingdom of God as it functions on earth. But when you speak about the kingdom of heaven, how can you limit it? The kingdom of God is limitless.
That truth was vital to me, and I want you to grasp it. There is no limit to this kingdom.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
The Significance of “Son of David, Son of Abraham”
Now, in verse 1 of chapter 1, why does Matthew open with the phrase “the son of David, the son of Abraham”? What relevance does it have? “Son of Abraham” connects Jesus to the covenant in Genesis 15, which promised the land. “Son of David” connects Him to the covenant with David, which promised the throne. The land and the throne are central to God, and both covenants are significant to Him.
Genesis 15:18
“In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:”
God’s Ongoing Interest in the Land and the Covenant
Before I go any further, I want to address something. Is God still interested in that land? Yes, He is. There is something significant there. I know what the Scriptures say about who the true Jew is, and we will look at that tonight. I know the natural Jews are apostate without Jesus Christ, and I know they broke the covenant. Yet I also know God is still interested in His covenant with Abraham. He still intends to do something with that land. He is concerned with the land and the throne.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Meeting the Main Characters of Matthew 2
In Matthew 2, we meet the wise men who came after Jesus was born. We also meet Herod the king. He is a New Testament Nimrod and represents the carnal mind. I will portray him that way throughout chapter 2. The wise men first went to natural Jerusalem looking for the King. Then they followed the star to Bethlehem, the city of David, where they found Him in a house.
These wise men were not Jews. Or were they? Who is a Jew anyway? Some claim to be Jews, yet they are not (Revelation 2:9). The wise men come to worship the king. They were not satisfied with only seeing him. Worship includes opening our treasures and offering them to the king. Finally, some wise men outwit Herod, the carnal mind. The dragon is before the woman, but she flees to the wilderness (Revelation 12:4). The carnal mind kills the babies anyway. Finally, Joseph is instructed to bring his family to Nazareth. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? (John 1:46) Can any good thing come out of Lafayette? The answer is the same. Come and see.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Structure of Matthew Chapter 2
The wise men section is divided into four parts. I have it arranged in four sections. We will cover the wise men and the Gentiles tonight, which are verses 1-12. The second section is the flight to Egypt in verses 13 and 14. The following section is the return from Egypt, in verses 16-18. The rest of the chapter forms the final section.
Correcting Our Programmed Nativity Imagery
Now, we will touch on some crucial details in this chapter. If you study closely, you will see that the nativity scene described in Luke 2 does not match the picture we have been programmed to imagine when we read Matthew 2.
I think you know what I mean when I talk about the nativity scenes we see in front yards and in front of churches. They show the shepherds and the wise men together. As we study this chapter, you will see that this picture does not line up precisely with the Scriptures.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Why do I even bring this up? What is the relevance? I want us to see how easily we become programmed to think a certain way. A simple illustration like this shows how our minds can be shaped by tradition. Matthew is trying to deprogram the Jews so they can genuinely see that Jesus is the Messiah. He wants them to recognize the King in Israel. He wants them to know the King has come. We do not have to wait for Him any longer.
“When” vs. “After” Jesus Was Born
So I am going to point out simple things that help us see how we become programmed. The first thing Matthew 2 tells us is, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem.”
Matthew 2:1
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
The NIV says, “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem,” and the NAS says the same. So is it “when” or “after”?
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
I am not trying to be controversial. All I want us to see is that this passage takes place after the birth of Jesus. This does not describe His birth. We will see more about that as we move forward, but the phrase “after Jesus was born” is correct.
The Incarnation Foretold and Fulfilled
Jesus was born, and we rejoice in that. Matthew 1:23 fulfills Isaiah 7:14. A virgin conceived, and His name was called Emmanuel, God with us. Jesus was born, and that is the incarnation.
Matthew 1:23
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Isaiah 7:14
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
The Days of Herod
The days of Herod the king – Herod is mentioned a lot in the Bible, and you need to know something about him, so I’ve got us just a little history here. He could have gotten a whole lot more, but what I want to do is read this and let you understand more about who Herod was. Herod was a king. Who was Herod the king? He was also referred to as Herod the Great.
I want you to turn to John 8:39. Jesus, at this time, was having a difficult time with the religious leaders, the Pharisees. They are calling themselves Abraham’s seed in verse 33. I want to pick it up in verse 39.
John 8:39–42
“They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.”
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
He told them they were trying to kill Him, a man who told them the truth He heard from God. Abraham never did that. Jesus said they were doing the deeds of their real father. They pushed back and said they were not born of fornication (a slap in the face about Mary’s conception) and claimed God as their Father. Jesus told them that if God were their Father, they would love Him.
Who Is the Jew? Understanding Spiritual Identity
Now think about what Jesus is saying. If God were the Father of these Jews, they would love Jesus. A better way to say it is this: if God were the Father of these natural Jews, they would love Jesus. Jesus said He came from God and was sent by God. They could not understand His speech because they could not hear His word. Jesus told them they were of their father, the devil. They would fulfill their father’s desires.
Jesus said their father was a murderer from the beginning who did not live in truth, because there was no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
Their father was the devil. Jesus made that clear. These were natural Jews. They were Pharisees. They were educated in the things of God, and they knew the covenant forward and backward. Yet they would not receive the Messiah.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
They would not receive the Messiah, and I want us to think about that. Who is the Jew? This issue must be settled in our theology. If it is not, we move into dispensational thinking rather than an overcoming mentality. Now hear what I say. There is no such thing as an orthodox Jew unless he or she is a Christian. Orthodox means belonging to the church. Do you understand what I just said? Do you agree with it? Unless a person is washed in the blood of the Lamb and has received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, they cannot be orthodox. They cannot belong to the true church.
Circumcision of the Heart and True Covenant Identity
Circumcision is the covenant symbol, but it does not place anyone in the church. No one can belong to the church while rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord and King. That is precisely what the Pharisees were doing. They rejected Jesus as Lord and as King. I said the idea that non-Christian Jews are God’s chosen people is a myth.
I want you to know that I do believe God still has purposes and plans for Israel. So, I began by saying that the land still has value to God. But to say that they are more important than the church is a myth. You are the people of God. We will look at scriptures that show this. You must know they are not the people of God right now. God loves them, and He will graft them back in. He has purposes for them. But you must know that you are the chosen generation. You are the royal priesthood. You are the Israel of God today.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Do not get upset with me. This is not saying there is another way to God. If you say the Jew can come to God through Old Testament law alone, then you are saying there is another way to God other than the blood of Jesus Christ. Non-Christian Jews are covenant breakers. They are apostate. We just read that by rejecting Jesus as Messiah, they are of their father the devil. If they genuinely believed the Old Testament, they would believe in Christ.
John 5:46-47
For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Jesus and Moses – A Covenant Witness
Jesus said that if they had believed Moses, they would have believed Him, because Moses wrote about Him. If they did not believe Moses’ writings, they could not believe His words. What is He saying? If they truly believed the old covenant and walked in its light, they would receive the Messiah. Moses wrote about Him. The old covenant pointed to Him.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
They rejected Him, so what does God have to do? Who broke the covenant? Did God fail to provide His part? No. God sent the Messiah just as He promised. He fulfilled His side completely. They broke the covenant. That is important to understand. They rejected the Messiah. Because they do not come through the door—the truth, the way, the life—they are like thieves and robbers trying to enter another way. That is precisely what Scripture says.
Romans 2:28-29 teaches this clearly. A true Jew is not one who is circumcised outwardly. A true Jew is circumcised inwardly, with the circumcision of the heart. God looks at the heart, not the flesh.
Romans 2:28–29
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
True Jewish Identity According to Paul
Philippians talks about the false circumcision, which is the circumcision of the flesh, and the true circumcision, which is the circumcision of the heart.
Let’s look at Romans 11. I would like to read the entire section of 11 through 25, but let’s get verses 19 and 20.
Romans 11:19-20
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Paul explains that the Gentiles might say the Jews were broken off. He warns them not to be proud but to walk in fear. Who was broken off? The Jews were broken off so the Gentiles could be grafted in. Why were they broken off? Because of unbelief. They did not believe in the Messiah. They did not believe in the King. Those who rejected Jesus did not believe that God had provided the promised Messiah. Because of that unbelief, that covenant ended.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Galatians 3:7-9 talks about the children of faith, and they are the seed of Abraham.
Galatians 3:7–9
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Galatians 3:26-29 tells us that you are the children of Abraham by faith in Christ Jesus. Is there any other way to the Father than beside faith in Christ Jesus? No way, absolutely not, and to say there is is to be the same as a thief or a robber.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Galatians 3:26–29
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
There is neither Jew nor Greek bond nor free male nor female in our salvation.
The True Israel of God
Ted has a genuine compassion for the Jew, and he has shared that with me many times. I understand that. But what I want you to see is this: they must come to Jesus Christ. They cannot enter in any other way. They cannot come to God through Judaism or through the old covenant alone.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
God will not recognize the natural Jew until he abandons Judaism as his faith and places his faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel. Let’s look at Galatians 6:16. It tells us who the true Israel of God is. Paul is talking about the same idea—circumcision of the flesh versus circumcision of the heart. He says he bears in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Galatians 6:16 says that as many as walk according to this rule—meaning the circumcision of the heart—peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. You are the Israel of God.
Galatians 6:16
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Hebrews 12:22 should be very familiar to you. It says we have already come to Zion, the city of the living God. We have come to the heavenly Jerusalem. A company of angels surrounds us. We are the assembly and the church whose names are written in heaven. God is the Judge, and Jesus is there as well.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Hebrews 12:22
But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
I wrote that by rejecting the Messiah, the Jews broke the covenant. Jesus is the door, the way, the truth, the light, and the life. Anyone who tries to enter in any other way is the same as a thief and a robber. That is what John 10:1-10 teaches. John 8:44 shows their father is the devil when they reject Christ.
John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Who is the Jew? Do you see what I am saying? By rejecting the Messiah, they rejected the new covenant. God fulfilled His part. He sent the Messiah. He gave them the King He promised, and He kept His part completely. They broke the covenant. By breaking the covenant, they opened themselves to all the curses of Deuteronomy 28 and 29. And those curses came. In A.D. 70, Jerusalem fell.
I want to continue this thought for a moment, because I do not want to miss the chance to show you what I am hearing. In Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, the Son of man speaks to His churches. There is nothing mythical or symbolic about this. These are real churches. No one disputes this.
In Revelation 2:9, He is speaking to the church in Smyrna.
Revelation 2:9
I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
The Message to the Churches in Revelation
With what we have just looked at in the Scriptures, who is the Son of man talking about when He says they claim to be Jews but are not, and are instead of their father the devil, of the synagogue of Satan? That is the connection I want you to see. When you relate this to yourself, it helps open up the book of Revelation. I believe that the Old Covenant ended. God brought it to an end. He said, “You broke covenant with Me, so I must keep My word.” He exalts His word above His name. Because they broke the covenant, He brought the curses upon them. And He did.
In Revelation 3:9, the same idea appears again with another church. It is the same message repeated.
Revelation 3:9
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
Everything hinges on this question: Who is the Jew? Who does the New Testament teach is the true Jew? Are we the Jew, or is natural Israel the Jew? Who is claiming to be a Jew and is not? Who is of the synagogue of Satan? If you think about this, it will carry you into the book of Revelation and open up new understanding. It has helped me. It does not fit my old programming, and I admit that. But I know God is helping me and helping all of us see some things more clearly.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
The Shepherds Came to See – The Wise Men Came to Worship
I want to stay with this thought because it is crucial. I will quit in about ten minutes, but I want us to get this point. Are we getting it? Now turn to the book of Luke, chapter 2. I want to show you something I saw today.
The wise men came to worship. They wanted to find the Christ. They said, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? We have come to worship Him.” In Luke 2, you have the nativity story. Jesus was born in the manger at Bethlehem. The angel appeared to the shepherds out in the fields in Luke 2:8 and the verses that follow. Now let’s pick it up at verse 15.
Luke 2:15-20
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
When the angels left the shepherds and went back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” They hurried and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. When they saw Him, they spread the word about what had been told to them concerning the child. Everyone who heard it wondered at their report. Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen.
Now notice this. When the shepherds came to Bethlehem, they came to see. They came to see what had been announced to them. And what did they see? They saw a baby. They saw the babe in the manger. Look at verses 7 and 16. The baby had just been born. Verse 16 says they came quickly and found Mary, Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. What they saw was the baby Jesus lying in a manger. They came to see.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Luke 2:7
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:16
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Now let’s go back to Matthew, where we belong. We are only going to get to two verses tonight. In verse 2, they say, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? We have seen His star in the east…”
Matthew 2:2
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.
They came to worship Him. The wise men came for one purpose. They came to worship Him.
To grab this thought, I’m going to jump ahead of us and go to verse 9.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Matthew 2:9–11
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.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
The Star, The House, and the Young Child
When the wise men came into the house, they saw a young child. They did not go to a manger. They went into a house. But we are programmed to picture the manger scene with wise men standing beside the baby. I am pointing this out on purpose. It is not a profound revelation, but it helps us see how easily we become programmed. This visit happened about two years later. Why do I say two years? Because Herod carefully asked when the star first appeared, and then he killed all the children two years old and under.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
So I am showing you that we get programmed in our thinking, and that can be dangerous. It can harden our soil so we cannot receive new seed. If we cannot receive new seed, we cannot produce a new crop. This simple example shows that the wise men arrived about two years after the birth, yet nativity scenes always place them at the manger. We grew up with that picture from Sunday school, but it is not accurate.
The Difference Between Seeing and Worshiping
Let me close with this thought. The shepherds came to see, but the wise men came to worship. There is a part of me that wants to see. I want to see miracles. I want to see hands laid on the dead and see them raised, and I want to see hands laid on the sick and see them recover. Yes, I want to see. But a wise man knows to worship. Some only want to see, but wisdom says, ‘Worship.’ We must come to worship.
Do not confuse worship with praise. They are very different. Worship always involves falling before Him because He is King and Lord. Praise is more outward and exuberant. But when you enter worship, you give everything. That is precisely what the wise men did. When they came into the house, they saw the young child with Mary. They fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and gave Him gifts. Worship always involves presenting your treasure to Him.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Abraham did the same. When he went up Mount Moriah, Genesis 22:5 says,
Genesis 22:5
And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
The Question That Defines Your Life
That is precisely what the wise men did. They opened themselves. They opened their treasury and worshiped, and they gave Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Many volumes have been written about what these gifts symbolize, and I have all that in your notes. But what I want to leave you with tonight is this question: Why are you coming—to see, or to become someone who worships?
How do you know if you are a worshiper? It is in your treasury. It is in your life. Is your life open before Him? Are you sold out? Is He getting all that you have? Is your treasury open to Him? That is how you know you have entered worship. Some people come only to see. They may reach thirtyfold or sixtyfold. But the hundredfold people have come to worship. They have entered a place where they have come not just to see but to bow and worship their Father.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Closing Scripture
Let’s read the verse again as we close.
Matthew 2:11
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
Matthew 2 Part 1 How to Enter Worship That Transforms
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