The men slowly made their way toward Bethlehem under the clear Judean sky.
Their clothing had an Eastern Oriental design, and their camels were laden down with treasures they had brought from afar.
Their eyes twinkled with excitement as they anxiously watched the skies for a sign.
Then… there it was! A star–brighter than any other in the sky!
The same star they had first seen in their home country in the Far East… the same star they had been following for months. But now it was hovering over the small town of Bethlehem.
The men quickened their pace as their anticipation grew.
They talked and wondered about the baby they would find in this small town. The one whose birth had caused a new star to shine in the night sky.
As they drew nearer, the star suddenly stopped right over a little house. The wise men stopped also, wondering if there had been some mistake.
Surely, this humble place was not the home of a king!
As they stood watching the star, a baby’s cry suddenly pierced the silence. The men looked at each other and then, with an expectant nod, the first one knocked on the door.
Mary, the mother, was startled at first to see the strangers standing in the doorway. Then she remembered how the shepherds had visited them in the stable unannounced. She beckoned with her hand.
“Come in,” she said, smiling.
Malchus, the first wise man, entered and bowed down reverently.
“We have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him.”
Mary picked up a bundle of cloths that were lying on the bed. The cloths began to wiggle and move as she carried them in her arms.
Malchus raised his eyes and saw a baby sleeping inside the warm bundle.
“His name is Jesus,” Mary said quietly.
“Jesus,” Malchus whispered.
He quickly opened his robe and removed a long band of gold coins that had been tied around his waist. As the gold twinkled in the firelight, he held them up in front of him and said, “Gold is the money of kings. I have brought this gift to give to the King of kings!”
Just then, Zaccheus, the second wise man, fell down on his knees in front of Mary and baby Jesus.
He quickly opened the gold chest he had carried in. Thrusting his hands inside, he lifted up the contents and laid them before mother and child.
“Frankincense,” he said, “is a symbol of the prayers of the people reaching to heaven. I have brought this gift because God has heard our prayers and sent us a Savior!”
Then, a third wise man made his way toward the child.
He removed his head-covering and unfastened a gold chain from around his neck. The gold chain was attached to a bottle, which he handed to Mary.
“My name is Nicodemus. It is written in the Torah how God commanded Moses to take myrrh and anoint Aaron as high priest of His people. Today, I give this myrrh to be used to anoint the greatest high priest of all: Jesus, the Son of God!”
Together, with mother and child, they lifted up their voices and praised God for His unspeakable gift to the world that first Christmas.
Although the story of the wise men happened over two thousand years ago (and no one knows their real names), today we are reminded that wise people still seek Jesus.
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Rev. Doug Johnson is the senior pastor at Raven Assembly of God in Raven, Virginia.