Our world promises many joys and many avenues to those joys. Now, there are many good temporal joys, gifts of our Father in Heaven, to be enjoyed with thanksgiving. But these good gifts are not to be confused with the world’s idolizing twists on such earthly blessings. Furthermore, we should not chase after lesser, tainted joys over the incomparable joy offered us in the Christmas message.
However, the strange thing about gospel-joy is it does not result from pursuing joy. Rather, it is the result of pursuing Someone. Moreover, and this is ultimately good, the way to this abiding joy is not at all what we would expect. In fact, this way to joy often appears to work against joy! But, then, how would we know if we would actually arrive at joy? Matthew 1:18 to 2:18 teaches us the answer.
The story picks up in what seems a regular day in first century Jerusalem. But little did people realize what was about to come to “light” (1:18-25, 2:1-2). Life was not going to be the same again, as the news that the Christ, the true and eternal King of the Jews, the King of all kings, has been born.
The striking thing is this good news is announced by "wise men from the east." Why was it not heralded by the Jewish leaders, those who were the keepers of God’s Word and promises, who were responsible for shepherding the Israelite people of God, and who were to be a light to the nations?
We gain important insight when, at the announcement of the wise men, king Herod and the Jewish leaders begin brewing like a coming storm (2:3). None of the leaders saddle up their donkeys to ride out with the wise men and see this great thing the Lord their God has done in fulfillment of his promises to them and the whole world. Only Gentile foreigners from the far east are eager and chomping at the bit to go and see.
Instead, the Jewish leaders, having settled for much lesser joys, loved their lives as they were. They preferred the favour of king Herod, who was in reality a paranoid, murderous megalomaniac (2:16-18). Sadly, they desired the illegitimate rulership of a descendent of Esau rather than of Jacob. Their unbelieving hearts came to “light” in the “light” of Jesus.
Am I any different? Do I, professing faith in Christ, actually love my life so much in this world that I would refuse to go where Christ Jesus is? Have I so attached myself to worldly figures that I cannot see the incomparable value of Christ? Matthew has provided us with a convicting invitation to "snap out of it," to "get up," and to "go" to Jesus, knowing that coming to Him is coming to true and abiding joy (2:10).
