Sermon Summary: With Us, Part 3: The Gift of Seeking

Summary

The story of the Magi reminds us that God is actively seeking all kinds of people, drawing them to Himself by speaking in ways they understand, while ultimately leading them to Jesus Christ through the truth of Scripture. Though creation and life experiences can point us toward God, only His Word reveals the fullness of His plan of salvation. This Advent, may we recognize His pursuit, respond to His call by grace, and help others come to know the Savior.

Big Idea

"God seeks us first, speaks to us in ways we understand, and through His Word, leads us to the joy and salvation found only in Jesus Christ."

Introduction

Advent is here. The air is crisp, the lights are twinkling, and for many of us, our to-do lists are growing as fast as a snowdrift. Maybe you’re untangling lights or second-guessing the gift for Uncle Joe—again. Amid the joy of preparations, the busyness can crowd out the deeper meaning of the season.

At its heart, Advent is a season of waiting—a time to reflect on Christ’s first coming and His promised return. But we wait because God first sought us and promised Him. From the beginning, when Adam and Eve hid in the garden, God pursued them, calling, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9). Their story is ours: left to ourselves, we hide, but God lovingly seeks us.

This truth shapes how we understand our waiting. We wait not for a distant God but for one who has already come near, seeking and saving. He has been at work throughout history, fulfilling His promises and drawing people to Himself—a reality beautifully illustrated in the story of the Magi. These mysterious travelers journeyed far, following a star to find and worship the newborn King. Yet, their journey began long before they saw the star. It started centuries earlier with God’s providential preparation of history.

How would foreign astrologers know to expect a Jewish King? During Israel’s exile in Babylon, faithful witnesses like Daniel proclaimed the God of Israel. Through visions and prophecies, Daniel foretold the coming of a King who would rule an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 7:13–14) and provided a timeline for the Messiah’s arrival (Daniel 9:24–27). These truths, passed down through generations, may have prepared the Magi to recognize the star’s significance and seek the promised King.

The Magi’s story reminds us of this profound reality: just as God sought them through prophecy and a guiding star, He seeks us today through His Word and Spirit. Their seeking was a response to His seeking, showing that no distance—geographical or spiritual—is too great for God to cross in pursuit of us.

As we wait this Advent—both to celebrate Christ’s Incarnation and anticipate His return—may we rest in the truth that the One we seek has already come to seek and save us. Like the Magi, may we worship Him with hearts full of wonder and gratitude.

This morning, we will see how God seeks us first, speaks to us in ways we understand, and through His Word, leads us to the joy and salvation found only in Jesus Christ.

God Seeks All Kinds of People

The Magi weren’t exactly your typical nativity characters. They weren’t Israelites. They didn’t know the Law or the Prophets. These guys were likely from Persia or Babylon, lands filled with strange gods and customs. And they were astrologers—yes, the kind of people who read the stars for meaning. If we met them today, we’d probably say, “Hey, maybe put down the horoscopes and pick up a Bible!”

And yet—here’s the beauty—God’s grace reached them. These foreign stargazers were drawn into God’s story. They weren’t too far off. They weren’t beyond His reach. The invitation went out to them, just as it goes out to everyone. Accordingly, Isaiah 60:3 promised, “Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

Isn’t that amazing? God’s general call to salvation is extended to all people, but His call draws all kinds of people to Himself through the Spirit’s sovereign work. And that should give us pause. If God’s invitation is for all people, what does it say when we limit who we think might come to Him? Who are the “Magi” in your life—those people who seem too far gone? The skeptical neighbor, the resistant family member, the friend who seems to have no interest in spiritual things?

Remember, God’s reach is longer than ours. The ones you least expect might be on a journey toward Jesus even now. Don’t write them off.

God Speaks in Language We Understand

So how did God reach these outsiders? Through a star. A brilliant, unmistakable light in their night sky. For men who studied the heavens, this was their native language. God didn’t send a prophet or a scroll. He used something they already understood.

This is how God works. He doesn’t demand that we crack some heavenly code. He meets us where we are. He speaks through creation, through the beauty of nature, through those deep stirrings in our hearts. For this reason, Psalm 19:1-2 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

Creation itself is kind of like a sermon. But here’s the catch: While God graciously uses means like creation to direct us, it is His Word that reveals the fullness of His will. Creation can point us to God, but it can’t tell us His name. It can’t explain who Jesus is or why we need Him. For that, we need something more specific—we need the Scriptures.

The star got the Magi to Jerusalem, but it couldn’t get them all the way to Jesus. For that, they needed the words of the prophets. Matthew quoted Micah to show us that it was Scripture that pinpointed Bethlehem as the place where the Messiah would be born.

And here, too, we see the ripple effects of the Jewish exile. The Magi’s understanding of the Messiah’s significance—first sparked by the star—was refined by the Scriptures. They may have heard of these Scriptures through Jewish communities that had remained in Babylon or Persia after the exile. In God’s providence, the exile became a means of spreading His promises beyond Israel, paving the way for even these foreign seekers to find their King.

General revelation—like creation—can get us asking the right questions. But only God’s special revelation in the Bible gives us the answers.

God Seeks Us So That We Might Seek Him

Let’s not miss this: The Magi’s journey didn’t start with them. It wasn’t as if they just happened to notice a star and thought, “Why not go find a king?” Their curiosity, their seeking—it was all a response to God’s sovereign and gracious work, enabling them to move toward Him. God set the star in the sky. God, by His Spirit, sovereignly stirred their hearts and illuminated their way to Christ.

Our seeking is always a response to God’s seeking. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because He first loved us.” We seek because He first calls.

Left to ourselves, we wouldn’t seek God at all. Romans 3:11 says, “No one seeks for God.” But God isn’t content to leave us to ourselves. He pursues us. He woos us. He sets stars in our skies and His Word in our hands to guide us home.

Those Who Seek Will Find

And where does all this seeking lead? The Magi’s journey ended not in a palace, but in a humble home. There they found a toddler, perhaps wobbling on chubby legs. And these dignified scholars dropped to their knees and worshiped.

This is where God’s seeking always leads: to Jesus. Not to an idea. Not to a vague spirituality. To a real Savior. Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

God Seeks Us Still

The story of the Magi is our story. God draws us, speaks to us, and leads us to Jesus. He seeks us before we ever think to seek Him.

So take heart. This Advent, God is actively seeking those who are far off. Maybe He’s seeking you in a fresh way. Or maybe He’s using you to help someone else find Him.

Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Like the Magi, let’s follow the light. And let’s trust that it will always lead us to Christ.

Conclusion: A Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for seeking us when we weren’t seeking You. Thank You for Your Word that leads us to Jesus. Open our eyes to see Your guiding light, and open our hearts to follow You. Use us to help others see the beauty of Your Son. In Jesus’ name, Amen.