We began a new series at Gateway Church in Austin on The Christmas Story.
This Christmas, we’re diving into the heart of the Christmas Story through four powerful messages that speak to the journey of faith, the challenges of waiting, and the hope that Jesus brings to all. Each week, we’ll explore different aspects of the Christmas narrative, discovering how the stories of those involved in the first Christmas still speak to our lives today. Whether you’re in a season of waiting, growing, seeking, or belonging, the Christmas story is for you. Let’s journey together and experience the wonder of His presence.
The Magi went to great efforts to gift their gifts to the Messiah.
Digging Deeper
Work through the following questions and scriptures on your own or get together with your group, spiritual running partners, or family to talk through what you are learning.
Discussion Questions
Video Message:
Audio Message:
Message Notes:
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. – Matthew 2:1-12
Have you ever mis-remembered or had a false memory? If you’re not sure, let’s take a quick collective quiz and see how well you remember a few things:
Is it Captain or Cap’n Crunch? —–> CAP’N
Which one is correct? —–> TUNES
Curious George, Tail or no tail? —-> NO Tail
Monocle or No Monocle? —-> NO Monocle
C-3PO – Silver leg or all gold? —-> Silver
There are so many of these we mis-remember:
Darth Vader doesn’t say Luke I am your father…he says No, I am your father.
Mr Rogers doesn’t say it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood…he says THIS neighborhood.
There’s an explanation for all of this, and it’s called the Mandela Effect.
Mandela effect – popularized phenomenon in which a group of people collectively misremember facts, events, or other details in a consistent manner.
Why does that matter to us? Because we easily get caught up (no matter how smart or informed we think we are) with group think, or what is known because of tradition.
What do you think of when I say the names Caspar, Melchior and Belthazar?
Maybe you know someone with that name, or maybe you’re thinking of a book or a movie, and you may be correct.
But all the three names together are what are traditionally known as the three wise men we see throughout the Christmas season. We see them carrying the gold, frankincense and myrrh, and many times we see them portrayed in the manger scene.
But for such an important supporting piece of the great Christmas story, we owe it to our understanding of scripture to at least see/read things correctly. So here are a few insights that every person who is a believer and those who are exploring should know:
- The Bible does NOT give us these names. There are credible sources that give us these names as early as 500 AD, in Alexandria, Egypt and it was translated to Latin. However, there are other traditions who verify the wise men account, but give them different names:
My point is that these men, their journey, their faith and their contribution are all important and validated throughout multiple cultures. However, that validation doesn’t mean we actually know their names.
- They were NOT part of the manger scene. Scripture does tell us they made their way to Bethlehem, but according to verse 11…
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. – Matthew 2:11
Multiple traditions again validate that there was a journey made, that they interacted with Mary and her child, but those same traditions vary from their arrival a few weeks later up to nearly two years later.
If what these wise men walked into was a house, then it doesn’t accurately represent the initial birth of Christ in the manger (more than likely inside a cavelike structure).
- There is NOT a number of wise men mentioned. Tradition gives us 3, but some other traditions vacillate between 2 and 12 wise men. Why do most traditions say there were three? Because there were 3 distinct gifts given, leading most to believe that each wise man brought a distinct gift to Jesus.
What is true and has stood the test of time is the influence these wise men made in cultural traditions, and how they add to the Christmas story. In fact, many cultures around the world have just as many traditions around the wise men as many other cultures have around Santa Claus.
For example, in Latino culture, Jesus is at the center of the Christmas story, but December 25th is only the beginning of the season of celebration. Here’s one example of how “Los Reyes Magos”/The Wisemen still make an impact in cultural traditions.
What is it we do know?
- They came from afar (verse 1)
Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
- They had a revelation of a new king and were led by a star (verse 2)
- They interacted with King Herod (verse 3)
- They were filled with Joy (verse 10)
- They worshipped the newborn king (verse 11)
- They gave the treasure they had (verse 11)
- They returned home by a different route (verse 12)
In the story of the Magi—those wise men who journeyed from afar to find the Christ child—we see both a literal and symbolic journey of faith. They traveled great distances, crossed deserts and mountains, followed a star, and risked much to find Jesus. Upon finding Him, they offered gifts of great worth: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts were precious, symbolic of honor, reverence, and prophecy.
The Magi’s journey is an inspiring testament to seeking out Christ, but it also raises a profound question for us today:
Do we, like the Magi, journey far and wide in search of faith, only to withhold the very thing God desires most—our life?
How can we be inspired by the Magi to be people of action?
1. Take Steps of Faith
The Magi came from distant lands, driven by a profound sense of purpose. They were men of learning, yet they humbled themselves to follow a mysterious sign in the heavens. This journey required effort, sacrifice, and faith—faith in something they couldn’t fully comprehend but trusted to be true. Are we willing to go the distance, even when the path is uncertain? How far are we willing to travel in our pursuit of God’s truth? Are we truly seeking Him, or are we content with partial answers and a comfortable faith?
When I’m really at my best, I’m spending time with God through prayer, reading Scripture, in a small group, serving others with others, and coming on Sundays expecting God to do something in me and through me.
It’s easy to coast from day to day – living on the spiritual fumes of the past or living on the coattails of our parents, grandparents, or small group leader.
Consider reading through the New Testament in 2025.
Through the New Testament for Skeptics and Seekers is available on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts
1 chapter a day, 5 days a week
Pray, Read, Watch the video or listen to the podcast of that chapter, and journal what you sense God is saying to you.
2. Be Guided by the Light
The star led these learned men to an unexpected place.
Not to a palace, but to a humble dwelling.
God’s guidance often leads us where we least expect. Like the Wise Men, who followed the star to an unexpected place, we may find that the path God sets before us often leads us to surprising, sometimes uncomfortable, places.
But it’s in following that divine light—however unexpected—that we are led closer to the heart of God.
Are we willing to follow when the path seems uncertain?
What is God’s path for you?
- Is God wanting you to step out in faith in a particular way, and you’ve been resistant?
- It may not be moving. What might be harder for you is staying, working through the conflict.
- Maybe it’s humbling yourself and going to see a counselor.
- Maybe it’s choosing to forgive someone for whom you’ve been holding bitterness.
- Maybe it’s coming on Monday night to work through Restore with us. Learn the skills to find healing over your hang ups, habits, or hurts.
- Maybe it’s making spiritual growth a priority. Taking one night a week off to be in a group. Just eliminate your least favorite show and make connecting with others a priority’s
- Maybe it’s stepping into serve on Sundays. We have so many people who serve in one service and attend the other service.
- Maybe you sense God calling you to start a group or lead in some way here.
- Maybe there is something at work you sense needs to change – either where you are working or how you are showing up or seeing where you work as your mission field – the place where you bring more of heaven to earth.
What does God have in store for you?
Here’s the thing: moving here and jumping all into this community was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. But I have to tell you, it hasn’t been easy. But it’s right where God wants us to be.
3. Surrender to the Call
In many ways, the Magi were not just wise men, but models of faith—faith that took them on a journey to find Christ, and faith that led them to bow before Him in worship and surrender. They had a choice: they could have turned back after their long journey or refused to kneel before a child. But they recognized in Jesus the fulfillment of prophecy, and they offered what they had.
In our own journey of faith, we too must make a choice. Will we continue to search, explore, and seek, but stop short of giving God our heart? Or will we follow the Magi’s example and give everything—our time, our resources, our talents, and most importantly, our hearts—freely to the One who gave His life for us?
4. Be Transformed by Godly Encounters
The Magi left changed, taking a different route home. When we truly give our hearts, we cannot walk the same way. True encounters with God transform our lives, guiding us to walk in new directions, not on the same path we once followed. We are called to walk in God’s way, not our own, and that means our lives should reflect that transformation. We are, in essence, “changed” by God’s presence.
In this Christmas season we have been challenged by characters who are the supporting cast of our main character, Jesus. We learn from them, we can be inspired by them.
Elizabeth and Zechariah felt forgotten, but were seen so clearly it changed their lives forever.
Mary had to fight the familiarity of birthing and raising Jesus in order to truly follow him as the Son son of God.
The wise men, their hearts pricked with supernatural faith, endured hundreds of miles, escaped an evil regime, and finally found what they were looking for. A baby, the savior of the world. Their hearts were filled with joy, so much so that they actually did what they came to do. They worshipped him and gave him their gifts. The gifts they carried for so long were no longer theirs…they didn’t have buyers remorse, they didn’t change their minds, they weren’t underwhelmed by what they experienced. They remembered why they journeyed for so much time and so far. But when they were in the presence of Jesus they were no longer far and away…no they were near, and closer, than they had ever been.
Let’s not allow the Mandela Effect of misremembering keep us from the truth of our own part of the Christmas story.
For Christmas, we may have the Mandela Effect going on in that we know the story of Christmas – the one that permeates our culture.
I don’t want you to know the story of “God with us.” I want you to experience the God who is with us.
The goal is not that you know how many magi there were or whether there were three of them or not or whether they really were at the manger scene or not. Th goal is that you experience what it is like to truly worship Jesus – to be so overwhelmed with God’s love and forgivenesss and peace and joy that you cannot help but surrender your heart and life and fears and failures and hopes and dreams to Him – knowing He I there for you and wants to lead and guide you every step of the way.
Maybe you were far and away from the truth of who Jesus is, and now that you find yourself here, do you recognize the greatest gift you can give him is the gold of your heart, the frankincense of your worship, myrrh of your surrender.
You might say, but I believe in Jesus, and I’ve walked with him for years now. I have time in!! But the time in does not mean we have fully surrendered the most precious gift God desires…you!
You see, some of us may be what’s known as cultural Christians. We may think we know all the facts about the story of Jesus, but head knowledge is not the goal. The goal is experiential knowledge – having an actual real relationship with God through Jesus.
Maybe you’re exploring faith, trying to figure this whole thing out, do you also know that the very quest you are on mirrors that of the wise men. All they had was a star and stirring…it kept them going until they encountered Jesus. Maybe today is the day that very Jesus is showing up real to you!
Here’s how you can move from a cultural Christian to having a real relationship with God or how to move from someone exploring faith to someone who has faith. It can start with a simple prayer:
“God, I need you. I need what Jesus did on the cross to count for me. Forgive me for going my own way. I need you to lead me and guide me to become who you created me to be.”
If you are ready to step into a life of faith that transforms you, just take a moment to pray something like this in your own heart to Him right now.
Now, if you are truly following Jesus, I have something for you to consider too. Whether you just prayed that prayer or prayed something like that weeks ago, months ago, years ago, or months ago, it’s quite likely that God has something for you to surrender to Him today. Perhaps God has been revealing something new He wants you to overcome. Perhaps there is a gift from God that has become an idol in your life. That means you look towards that gift, that relationship, that job, that source of entertainment or pleasure or whatever that is as your source of identity or as the person or place you go to when you are stressed instead of going to God. Perhaps you’ve gone down your own path. You know it’s not what God wants for you, but you’ve done it anyway. Maybe you are refusing to forgive someone. You just keep holding onto bitterness. Or it may be an addiction or an unhealthy relationship with a person or an with your career or with a hobby. Today, could be the day you start afresh. Perhaps you’ve surrendered something in the past to God, but you’ve recently taken it back.
Let’s just create a moment so that all of us can ask God to speak to us right now, that He might gently remind us of the ways He may want us to surrender to Him right now.
Just in your own heart, ask God to show you what He wants you to surrender to Him.
Today is Giving Sunday. Just as the magi were willing to sacrifice their time and their treasure and it changed them, we have that opportunity today.
Some of you have taken our encouragement to pray and ask God what He might want you to give in this season seriously. Some of you may have forgotten to do so. Some of us haven’t yet. Some of us may be resistant. Let me just say this: we have often said in the past, if you are new, feel no obligation. The truth is: I don’t want anyone here to feel an obligation.
Instead, I want us to give out of gratitude for all that God has done for us! I want us to give because of what giving does for us! Jesus once said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” – Acts 20:35
Jesus also said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” – Matthew 16:24-25 NIV
You see, we are created in the image of God – every single one of us. At the same time, we live in a broken world. As a result, we are inherently selfish and sinful. That’s our default. That’s why praying a prayer of surrender once in your life is not the solution. It’s the just the beginning. You see, we need to walk with a posture of surrender throughout the day and learn to walk in step with the Spirit of God. We need to spend time with Jesus every day In prayer and reading the Scriptures. We need to come every Sunday to worship our Heavenly Father. We need to build in rhythms in our life so that we are in community every week and serving every week and giving every week. We need this. To become more like Jesus, we need His help to begin thinking the way He thought, serving the way He served, giving the way He gave, and living the way He lived.
So I want to invite you to respond differently today. As the band continues to play in the background, I want to give you an opportunity to turn in your giving card. It’s similar to the way we see people going to the altar. Physically expressing what’s already in our hearts will help us live out more and more who God wants us to become. Indicate what you sense God wants you to give before the end of the year. Take advantage of this moment to connect with God.
