YouTube video sermon

Matthew 2:1-12

Let me invite you to take your copy of God’s Word and, once again, turn with me to Matthew 2. If you were with us on Christmas Eve, then you heard me read the poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Well, this morning, I want to share with you it’s lesser-known twin brother; the poem ‘Twas the Day After Christmas.

Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house,
Every creature was hurting – even the mouse.
The toys were all broken, their batteries all dead.
Santa passed out, with some ice on his head.

Wrapping and ribbons just covered the floor,
While upstairs the family continued to snore.
And I in my T-shirt, new Reeboks and jeans,
Went into the kitchen and started to clean.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the sink to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the curtains and threw up the sash.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a little white truck, with an oversized mirror.
The driver was smiling, so lively and grand.
The patch on his jacket said “U.S. POSTMAN.”

With a handful of bills, he grinned like a fox.
Then quickly he stuffed them into our mailbox.
Bill after bill, after bill, they still came.
Whistling and shouting he called them by name:

“Now Dillard’s, now Belk’s, now Penney’s and Sears,
Here’s Cabela’s and Target’s and the big one from De Beers!
To the tip or your limit, every store, every mall,
Now chargeaway, chargeaway, chargeaway all!”

He whooped and he whistled as he finished his work.
He filled up the box, and then turned with a jerk.
He sprang to his truck, and he drove down the road,
Driving much faster with just half a load.

Then I heard him exclaim with great holiday cheer,
“Enjoy what you got; you’ll be paying all year!”

Well, you might be feeling like that about now. We’ve been in Matthew 2:1-12 for several weeks and we’re considering each of the gifts that the wise men brought Jesus. It’s been good to spend a little extra time and meditate on a familiar passage.

We’ve learned, for example, that there weren’t three of them. There were three gifts presented, but there was probably a larger entourage of these magi. The second thing we made note of is that they were not kings, they were kingmakers. They were a hereditary priesthood tribe, and they were in charge of acknowledging who kings would become, and they advised kings. And then the other thing that we noted is that they didn’t show up the day or the night that Jesus was born, but that they came sometime later, as far as up to two years after his birth. He was a “young child” at the time, and he was now in a house and not some structure used for housing animals.

But we also noted that the gifts weren’t just costly, expensive items. They were emblematic of roles that Jesus would play. The gold was to acknowledge that he was the King. That’s exactly what the wise men said they were looking for: “Where is He who has been born the King of the Jews?” They also gave Him frankincense. And as we noted last week, that was the substance that was used by the priesthood in the temple in Jerusalem. And the New Testament book of Hebrews confirms that Jesus has become our Great Hight Priest.

Today, we’re going to consider the third gift – the gift of myrrh. Of all three gifts, the most curious of all and perhaps even insulting was this third gift of myrrh. And, yet it’s the most inspiring, because it shows us the depth of God’s love. So, let’s read these verses one more time.

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

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

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

“Speak, Lord, in the stillness while we wait on Thee, and hush our hearts to hear in expectancy; to hear Your voice, not so that we might have information to ponder but that we might have a life-changing encounter with You – the Living God – through Your Word by the power of the Holy Spirit, for we offer this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, the Babe of Bethlehem. Amen.”

The Significance of Myrrh in Ancient History

The use of myrrh goes all the way back to the second millennia B.C. One source I read said as far back as the sixth millennium B.C. That’s the Neolithic Period. So, it’s an ancient item and it was used way before Jesus. What is it exactly? Well, myrrh, like frankincense is a resin that comes from a tree or a plant. It was an aromatic resin that came from a reddish sap from a low-lying, low-growing, thorny tree of the genus Commiphora. You would wound the tree by making small incisions that would cause the sap to come out. The sap would harden into a resin and that resin was called myrrh.

It appears 17 times in the Bible; 14 of those are in the Old Testament; 3 of them are in the New Testament. The Hebrew word is mor. (Remember that because it will be a strong connecting point in a moment.) But the word that’s used in the text that we just read is a Greek word. And some of you might recognize it. It’s the word smurna. There was a city called Smyrna. And if you’ve read Revelation 2, it was the second of the seven churches that Jesus wrote little postcards to: “To the angel of the church of Smyrna.” Smyrna was 30 miles north of Ephesus in Asia Minor. It’s the modern-day city of Izmir, Turkey. Most of you will probably recall the name Aristotle Onassis – the guy who married Jacqueline Kennedy – that’s where he was from (Izmir/Smyrna). It was because of myrrh that the city Smyrna got its name.

It was used several different ways in ancient times. First of all, it was used as a beauty treatment. When queen Esther, before she even became queen, was brought in before the king (Esther 2:12) we read this: “Now when the turn came for each young woman to go into King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women.” So, it was like the ultimate spa experience, and it lasted a year. How’s that for a treatment: six months with myrrh? So, it was a beauty product.

Second, it was a perfume. Psalm 45:8 notes that the king’s garments are, “scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia.” Some of you remember Proverbs 7 where the seductress says to the young man, “I have perfumed my bed with myrrh and aloes and cinnamon.” And then I love the Song of Solomon where Solomon (the groom) says to his fiancée as she rides in toward him, “Who is this coming out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh…” So, it was a beautifying treatment, a spa treatment. It was used as a perfume.

Third: it was an analgesic. It was a painkiller. It took away the pain. By the way, it’s still recommended in certain parts of the world for toothaches and for sprains and minor aches and pains. It was used in the Bible that way, too. In Mark 15 we’re told, “They gave [Jesus] wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.” When Jesus was on the cross and he was dying the most excruciating death of crucifixion, the Romans offered Him wine and myrrh to deaden the pain, but Jesus refused it in order to experience the fullness of our sin.

A fourth use is as an antiseptic. Again, in many parts of the world it’s used in mouthwashes, in toothpaste, and they say it even prevents gum disease.

But it’s the fifth usage that’s important and relevant to our text. It was used as an embalming fluid. It was used to treat the dead. And I’ve quoted the Greek historian Herodotus a lot, because I draw a lot of this stuff from him. He says that it was used mostly by the Egyptians for embalming the inside of the body cavity before it was entombed. But not only them; the Jews also used myrrh to treat the outside of the body. In the case of Jesus, after He died, at His burial in John 19:39 we read, “Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about 75 pounds in weight.” Now, the reason they used it was obvious. Dead bodies begin to stink and to mitigate against the stench of that tomb experience, myrrh and aloes were used to encase the body. Here’s what’s interesting: the same substance that was associated with Jesus’ birth is also associated with Jesus’ death.

Now why this is fascinating is because I discovered that the ancient rabbis associated myrrh with sacrificial death, and especially Abraham giving his son Isaac on Mount Moriah. And here’s why they make that association: the Hebrew word for “myrrh” is the world mor, which is the root word for Moriah, the place where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac. The name of the mountain is Mount Moriah, but it would also be accurate to call it the “mountain of myrrh.”

Now, this really got my attention, because in that same area (Mount Moriah) is where Jesus would be sacrificed by His Father for the sins of the world, years later. No wonder, then, that ancient Christian scholars regard this gift of myrrh, to Jesus, as prophetic of His death.

Have you ever been given a gift that bombs at Christmas? My parents would give, like, underwear. They’d wrap it up. I go, “What? Underwear. Seriously?” It’s like you open it up, “Ahh!” But that’s what the angel said to Joseph, “You will call His name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sin” (Matthew 1:21). And how would He save the people from their sin? By going to the place where myrrh was used most – the place of death.

Now, before we move on, I want to make a very important qualification here. You need to hear this. You need to know this. No one is saved by Jesus’ life or His words. We’re only saved by His death. Salvation only comes as you recognize that Jesus took your place on a cross and died for you. You say, “Well, you know, I’ve always liked the red letters of Jesus. I like to meditate on the red letters. I feel so good whenever I do.” Or, “I’ve always seen Jesus as a wonderful example of a human being. And I aspire to live by that example.” Good luck with that. Salvation only comes through Jesus’ death.

The Symbolism of Myrrh in Jesus’ Ministry

You see, we all know the Christmas story. We’re familiar with it. We know about the manger. Know about the shepherds. We know about the singing angels, the wise men. But do you know the rest of story? The rest of the story is that this Child was the only person who was ever born with the distinct purpose of death. Sure, we all die. That’s part of the curse of the Fall and sin’s entrance into the world. But God didn’t allow us to be born for the sole purpose and intent of being killed. But He did with Jesus. That’s the part that most of us overlook at Christmas. Here we are looking over the manager while we overlook the cross. That was the goal of the manager. Unless you see the shadow of the cross falling on the crib, you don’t see the crib clearly at all. The purpose for the crib was the cross.

When Jesus died on the cross that wasn’t plan B. It wasn’t a divine “oops.” God never goes, “Oh, this wasn’t supposed to happen.” No. It was always supposed to happen. God planned it that way from the beginning. Jesus is called (Revelation 13) “the Lamb slain from the foundations of the earth.” It was always the divine plan that Jesus would be born and die for the sins of mankind.

I want to show you a painting by William Holman Hunt called The Shadow of Death. (Here it is.) It took him 3 years to paint, and the symbolism is simply remarkable. Notice the sawhorse where Jesus has just finished cutting wood resembles a manger. Then there’s the wood spar on the wall behind Jesus and hanging on the spar are hammers and chisels – tools He would be associated with in carpentry, but also tools associated with His crucifixion. Finally, notice Mary. She’s down on her knees and she’s opening a chest that appears to contain the gifts of the wise men. As she’s opening the chest, she looks up at the shadow that’s created by the afternoon son. In the moment, Jesus is simply taking a break from His work as a carpenter and He’s stretching, but the shadow looks as if He’s on the cross. William Holman Hunt understood that the cross cast a long shadow throughout history. He understood that Jesus was born with the singular goal of going to the cross of Calvary.

Max Lucado, in his terrific book, God Came Near, imagines that Mary understood this too. And the night Jesus was born, Max imagines that Mary offers a prayer. In the book it’s called “Mary’s Prayer.” He writes as if Mary is praying: “Rest well, tiny hands. For though you belong to a King, you will touch no satin. You will own no gold. You will grab no pen. You will guide no brush. No; your hands are reserved for works more precious: to touch a leper’s open wound, to wipe a widow’s weary tear, to claw the ground of Gethsemane. Your hands, so tiny, so tender, so white – clutched tonight in an infant’s fist. They are destined, not to hold a scepter nor wave from a palace balcony, they are reserved instead of for a Roman spike that will staple them to a Roman cross.”

At this point you might be asking, “What kind of a father would give his son to be killed?” Only a Father who loves you enough to redeem you with the only way possible – His Son’s death. So, we’ve seen the significance of myrrh in ancient history. We’ve noted the symbolism in Jesus’ ministry.

The Signal to Us Personally

Now, I want to draw your attention to the response of the magi. Just sort of coming full circle. Verse 10, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.”

Now, whenever the Bible says that you just have to imagine that it’s not like they cracked a smile. It’s not like, “Heh, that’s great.” That’s not exceedingly great joy. It’s more like your kids or grandkids opening gifts on Christmas – jumping up and down, hooting it up. That would be exceedingly great joy. They saw the star and they rejoiced. Then verse 11, “When they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Here’s what I want you to see: these wise men saw two things that caused them to do two things. They saw the star and they saw the Child, and they did two things: they rejoiced, and they worshipped.

They found what they were looking for and it produced joy. How much joy is in your life, today? You know, we sing about joy this time of the year: Joy to the World! We sang these words this morning: “O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant.” Are those just hollow words for you, or is there a genuine sense of joy in your life? They found what they were looking for and they rejoiced.

And they worshiped. They fell down. These wise men “worshiped.” The Greek word I mentioned a couple weeks ago, proskuneó, is a very strong word and it’s almost always reserved for worshiping God. These magi fell down, they bowed low, and they worshiped. These kingmakers, these influential, dignified, politically connected men are bowing down to a baby. Why? Because they knew their place.

You see, you don’t brag about your crayon sketches when you’re standing next to Picasso. And you may be a kingmaker, but when you’re standing in front of the King of kings, you bow. They knew their place. They bowed down and they worshiped. So, I draw your attention to this: What should our response to Christmas be? And second: What gift should we give to Jesus, if anything? First of all: What should our response be? (Rejoicing.) I know that this time of year is hard for some of you, but you can make a decision that rejoicing will be part of the menu. Second: What do we give Jesus? (Worship.) Some commentators call this the fourth gift of the magi: gold, frankincense, myrrh, and worship. You can worship Him.

I want to close this little series with another little story from the pen of Max Lucado, this time from his devotional It Began in a Manger. He writes:

“It’s Christmas night. The house is quiet. Even the crackle has gone from the fireplace. Warm coals issue a lighthouse glow in the darkened den. Stockings hang empty on the mantle. The tree stands naked in the corner. Christmas cards, tinsel, memories remind Christmas night of Christmas day.”

“It’s Christmas night. What a day it’s been! Spiced tea. Cranberry sauce. ‘Thank you, so much. You shouldn’t have!’ Grandma is on the phone. Knee-deep wrapping paper. ‘It fits perfectly.’ Flashing cameras.”

“It’s Christmas night. The midnight hour has chimed, and I should be asleep, but I’m awake. I’m kept awake by one stunning thought. The world was different this week. It was temporarily transformed. The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having and what we were intended to be.”

“It’s Christmas night. In a few hours the cleanup will begin – lights will come down; trees will be thrown out. Size 36 will be exchanged for size 40, and eggnog will be on sale for half price. Soon, life will be normal again. December’s generosity will become January’s payments, and the magic will begin to fade.”

“But for the moment, the magic is still in the air. Maybe that’s why I’m still awake. I want to savor the spirit just a bit more. I want to pray that those who beheld Him today will look for Him next August. And I can’t help but linger on one fanciful thought: If He can do so much with such timid prayers lamely offered in December, how much more could He do if we thought of Him every day?”

And so, we savor these gifts of Christmas: the gold (He’s King of kings); the frankincense (He’s our Great High Priest); and the myrrh (Behold! Our sacrificial Lamb). We savor that. We linger on that. Oh, there is one final thought. Myrrh gave off its best scent when it was crushed. Does that ring a bell this Christmas? Isaiah 53:5, “But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.”

“Father, to some it might seem strange that we considered death on the day after Christmas, but it’s fitting to know that Jesus came for a purpose and that purpose was the atonement, that purpose was to be a sacrifice, to bear the weight of sin and shame. All of us have sinned, and all of us have come short of Your glory, but we celebrate that a sacrifice, a Lamb, has come who would take away the sin of the world. And we rejoice, Lord, in humility, bowing down, thanking You, worshiping You this Christmas, in Jesus’ name, amen.”