THE OTHER WISE MAN
Matthew 2:1-12
 

I want to tell you the story of the “Other Wise Man,” a friend to the three wise men who came to visit Jesus as a baby. My story is based on a story written many years ago by Henry Van Dyke.1
The wise men of that day were called magi. They were astronomers who studied the stars. They were philosopers who studied the sacred scriptures of all religions. And they were physicians who made medicine for those who were sick.

Matthew’s Gospel says that three magi from the east determined by reading the stars and reading sacred books that a king who would rule the world with peace and wisdom was about to be born. They decided to visit this new child, to follow the stars to where he was born and to bring him gifts.
My story today is about their friend. His name was Artaban. He lived in Persia, which is where Iran is today. The three wise men lived in Babylon, which is where Iraq is today. One night Artaban invited his neighbors over to his house to tell them what he was planning.

He wore a long white robe and white cap and they sparkled with silver beads. He was a tall impressive figure when he stood up and began to speak. "I've been studying with my three friends in Babylon Jewish scriptures and other holy writings, and I've been studying the stars. Last night a new star appeared for awhile, then disappeared, and by my calculations tonight two planets will come close together in the sky. These scriptures and these heavenly signs have convinced us that the new King of the world is born. With him will come a new kingdom of peace and wisdom and light. If tonight the planets coalesce in the skies and the new star appears in the sky, then I am going to ride and meet my friends and we are going to Judea to see the new King.

"I have sold my house and my possessions to buy three jewels to give to the royal Child: A sapphire -- as blue as a fragment of the night sky; a ruby -- redder than a ray of sunrise; and a pearl -- pure white as the peaks of snowy mountains at twilight. Will you come with me?"
But his friends politely said no, and left.

That night, the two planets came together in the sky, the new star appeared, and Artaban, dressed in his impressive white robes, the three jewels carefully tucked in his pocket, jumped on his horse and started his ride across the desert. He rode all night and all the next day. He was to meet his friends by midnight that night or they would go on; so he had no time to waste. Day turned to night and he kept on. About an hour's ride from his friends' house he heard the sounds of a man moaning. He stopped and saw a man lying near the side of the road dying. He thought to himself: “What am I to do? If I stop and help this man I may miss my friends, but if I leave this man he will surely die.” He had compassion on the man and stopped. He brought him water from a nearby well. He took some medicine from his pouch - - for wise men were also physicians - - and gave it to the man and gradually over the period of a few hours nursed the man back to health.
When the man got strong enough to talk, he asked the wise man who he was. Artaban said

"I'm a wise man from Persia, and I'm going to Jerusalem in Judea to find the new King born there."

The man said, "I'm a Jew. My scriptures say the Messiah will be born not in Jerusalem but five miles away in Bethlehem. Because you have helped me, I pray this prayer: May the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob bless and prosper you on your journey. "Artaban hopped on the horse and rode furiously to meet his friends. When he got to his meeting place they were gone. He found a note that said: "We waited long after midnight. We go to find the King! If you read this note, follow us."

Artaban didn't know what to do. He thought: “I have no provisions to take me on that long journey alone.” Then he thought: “I'll sell this sapphire and buy a camel train and provisions, and I'll go to meet my friends and see the King. At least I'll have two jewels to give the King.” So he sold the sapphire, bought the provisions and headed across the desert. He traveled across the wide Arabian desert over to Damascus, down through Galilee and Samaria and finally reached Bethlehem.

To his surprise the town seemed almost deserted. He went down the streets looking for the newborn King. He passed one cottage and heard a mother singing softly. He knocked on the door. A mother came holding a child. “Could it be?” But it was not.
He told her his purpose. And she said that three days ago, three wise men had come looking and found a child born to a man named Mary and Joseph. They were in a shepherds' cave in back of the inn. They gave gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh but then left in a hurry. “Three days late!” the man thought.

“The man and wife fled with their child the same night,” the woman said. “It was whispered in town that they went to Egypt. They had heard that King Herod might try to kill their child.”
The wise man looked at the smiling child and wished this one could have been the king.
“I must go to Egypt and find him,” Artaban said to the woman.

Suddenly there was wild noise and confusion and uproar in the streets outside. There was shrieking and wailing of women. The soldiers of Herod had come looking to kill the Christ child (earthly kings almost always fear rivals, even if it's a child). And to make sure they wouldn't miss him, they were killing all the babies they found. "They are killing our children," women cried, running through the streets.

The mother's face grew white with terror. She hid in a corner with her child. Artaban went to the door and stood there blocking the entrance. Soldiers came to the door. The wise man stood in the door, his impressive white robes flowing, gleaming. He said to the captain of the guard, "I alone am in this place. I am waiting to give this jewel to the captain who will leave me in peace."

He showed the ruby to the captain. The captain's eyes got big. He took it and said to the soldiers, "Move on, there is no child here."

Artaban re-entered the cottage. He knelt and prayed, "O God of truth, forgive my sin! I have lied to save the life of this child." (I am sure God did.)

And he thought to himself: “Two of my gifts are gone -- meant for the God-Son, spent on these people in need. Will I ever get to see the face of the King?”

The woman came to him, weeping with joy and relief and said, "Because you've saved the life of my little one, 'May the Lord bless you and keep you, may the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace.'" With that prayer of blessing, Artaban left and started on his way to Egypt to find the King.

He crossed a desert once more and arrived at this amazing land of Egypt. He saw the Nile. He saw the great pyramids built two thousand years before he was born, gleaming in their alabaster white in the sun. Never had he seen anything so majestic. And he saw the sphinx, this huge stone animal with the body of a lion and face of a man. Never seen anything like that either! He saw huge statues of Pharaohs and ancient temples grander than anything he'd ever seen, but he could not find the Child!

He went to Alexandria, to the great library there, and met an old man, a Hebrew scribe translating the Old Testament. The Hebrew told him he would not find the Messiah amid the powerful and rich, not in palaces or among princes. “This prophecy in Isaiah says the Messiah will come among the poor and lowly, the sorrowful and oppressed. Look for him there,” the man said.

Artaban went on all over the world looking for the Messiah among the poor and sick and lowly. He did not find the King to worship, but he found many to help.

The years went by swiftly. Thirty-three years passed. He was now an old man, white hair, weary and ready to die. He decided to make one last trip to Jerusalem.

It was Passover. Jews from all over the world had come to the city.

There was commotion; crowds started moving toward the city gate. "Where are you going?" Artaban asked.

“We are going to a place called Golgotha . . . outside the city walls, where there is to be an execution. Two famous robbers and a man called Jesus of Nazareth. He is being killed because he's made himself out to be the Son of God. People call him King of the Jews!”

The wise man thought: “Could it be the same as the one born in Bethlehem thirty-three years ago?” His heart beat with excitement. “Maybe I'll find the King after all and I'll give him this pearl. Maybe the pearl will buy him back his life.”

So he followed the crowd. Suddenly two soldiers came by dragging a young girl. She broke free and grabbed the wise man around his feet.

“Have pity. I know you are a wise man from Persia. That is my country, too. I am to be sold as a slave today. Save me from a fate worse than death.”

Artaban trembled. Once again the terrible conflict came between finding the King and worshiping him with a gift, and the opportunity to help a person in need.

He took the pearl from his pouch -- never had it seemed so beautiful. He gave it to the girl. “ This is your ransom; give it to the soldiers and they will set you free.”

As he spoke the sky turned dark. An earthquake shook the ground. Houses rocked. He heard people say: Jesus has been crucified. He crouched beside the girl. His quest was over.

As he lay there a voice came from somewhere. The girl turned to see whose it was but saw no one. The old man was looking up to the heavens.

Then the old man's lips began to move and she heard him say, "Not so, Lord. For when did I see thee hungry and feed thee, and thirsty and give thee drink? When did I see thee a stranger and take thee in, and naked and clothed thee? For thirty-three years I've looked for but never seen the face or ministered to thee, my Lord."

He stopped talking, and the young girl heard the voice. It was Jesus’ voice from heaven: “Verily I say to you. Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me. When you helped the man by the road, when you saved the child from Herod's sword, when you set the young girl free, you did it unto me."

A calm radiance of wonder and joy lighted his face.

His journey was ended and his mission accomplished. His treasures were accepted. The “other wise man” had found the King.

Jesus says:

“And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple - - truly, I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
Matthew 10:42

Christmas is not just about the joy of giving and receiving gifts on Christmas Day; it is about helping people who need help every day of the year. By helping them we are Jesus’ friends in the world.

_______________________
1 Children's sermon adapted from the story "The Other Wise Man" by Henry Van Dyke, first published in 1893.