Speaker 1: Hello again and welcome back to Kids' Bible Stories. Today's
Speaker 1: story is called the Wise Men. This comes from Matthew
Speaker 1: Chapter two, verses one through twelve. I would like to
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Speaker 1: jump right into today's story. A long time ago, in
Speaker 1: a little town called Bethlehem, nestled in the land of Judea,
Speaker 1: a very special baby was born. It happened during the
Speaker 1: days when King Herod ruled over the land. This baby
Speaker 1: wasn't just any baby. You heard about his birth in
Speaker 1: our last episode. What was his name? Shout it out, Jesus,
Speaker 1: You got it. He was Jesus, the one who would
Speaker 1: change the world forever. After Jesus was born, far away
Speaker 1: in the east, some wise men known as magi, they
Speaker 1: noticed something amazing in the night sky. A bright, shining
Speaker 1: star appeared, glowing like a beacon of hope. These wise men,
Speaker 1: who studied the stars and searched for signs, knew that
Speaker 1: this was no ordinary star. It meant a new king
Speaker 1: had been born, a king who would be very special.
Speaker 1: So they began a long journey, traveling across deserts and hills,
Speaker 1: following the star until they reached the great city of Jerusalem.
Speaker 1: When they arrived, they asked.
Speaker 2: Where is the baby who was born to be King
Speaker 2: of the Jews. We saw his star shining, and we
Speaker 2: came to worship him.
Speaker 1: But when King Herod, the ruler of the land, heard this,
Speaker 1: his heart filled with worry and fear a new king.
Speaker 1: Herod frowned his face dark with anger. He didn't like
Speaker 1: the sound of this at all. The news of this
Speaker 1: special baby troubled him deeply, and he began to wonder
Speaker 1: what it might mean for his throne. Listeners, why do
Speaker 1: you think King Herod is.
Speaker 3: Upset because she still on to be the king?
Speaker 1: Thanks for sharing you see. King Herod wanted no one
Speaker 1: to be more powerful than him, and all the people
Speaker 1: in Jerusalem were worried too. Fearing this news, Herod called
Speaker 1: a meeting of all the leading priests and teachers of
Speaker 1: the law, hoping that they could provide more information.
Speaker 2: If if this King of the Jews has been born,
Speaker 2: just just where exactly might the child be?
Speaker 3: He asked, They answered, in the town of Bethlehem and Judea.
Speaker 3: The prophet Michael wrote about this in the Scriptures. Bohy
Speaker 3: Micah told us this long ago. He said, and you,
Speaker 3: old Bethlehem and the land of Judah are by no
Speaker 3: means least among the rulers of Judah. For from you
Speaker 3: shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.
Speaker 1: Everyone, did you just hear him say the Savior the
Speaker 1: ruler would come from Bethlehem and did he. Yes, everything
Speaker 1: God promised would happen did happen exactly as he said
Speaker 1: it would. Let's continue. I imagine Herod pacing back and forth,
Speaker 1: back and forth at this news, because next he had
Speaker 1: a secret meeting with the wise men from the east.
Speaker 1: He learned from them the exact time they first saw
Speaker 1: the star. Then Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem,
Speaker 1: saying to them, then.
Speaker 2: Go and look for this child carefully, and when you
Speaker 2: find him, come and tell me that way. That way
Speaker 2: I can go, and uh, I'll worship him too.
Speaker 1: After hearing the king, the wise men set out on
Speaker 1: their journey. Do you think King Herod actually wants to
Speaker 1: know where Jesus was so he can worship him? No,
Speaker 1: no way. Consumed by greed and jealousy, he couldn't bear
Speaker 1: the thought of anyone threatening his power, and he was
Speaker 1: determined to put an end to it. The wise men,
Speaker 1: dressed in beautiful, flowing robes of rich colors, traveled across
Speaker 1: the desert with their camels, whose soft feet padded quietly
Speaker 1: on the sand as they carried precious gifts for the
Speaker 1: new king. As they ventured, they saw the same star
Speaker 1: they had seen in the east. It went before them
Speaker 1: until it stopped right above the place where the child was.
Speaker 1: When the wise men saw the star, they were filled
Speaker 1: with joy.
Speaker 2: Wow.
Speaker 3: Wow.
Speaker 1: They went to the house where the child was and
Speaker 1: saw him with his mother Mary. Falling to their knees,
Speaker 1: they worshiped him. The wise men carefully opened the gifts
Speaker 1: they had brought with them, their hands gently untying the cloth.
Speaker 1: Inside the treasures sparkled in the soft light. They gave
Speaker 1: the child shining gold as bright as the sun. To
Speaker 1: honor him as a king, they offered frankincense, a sweet
Speaker 1: perfume that swirled into the air hmm, smelling heavenly and pure.
Speaker 1: And they gave him murror, a rich, fragrant oil often
Speaker 1: used for special purposes. That night, as the wise men slept,
Speaker 1: God sent them a dream. In the dream, he warned
Speaker 1: them not to return to King Herod. When they awoke, quietly,
Speaker 1: they packed their things, the camels swishing their tails as
Speaker 1: they prepared to leave. Instead of going back to Herod,
Speaker 1: they chose a new path home, one that led them
Speaker 1: far away from the jealous king. Well that is it
Speaker 1: for our story today. But before we go, let's think
Speaker 1: about what we just heard. When you see a manger scene,
Speaker 1: who are some of the people you see there?
Speaker 3: Answer outloud, Mary and Joseph, the shepherds.
Speaker 1: That's right, and often we see the wise men there too.
Speaker 1: But did you know that the wise men actually did
Speaker 1: not show up to see Jesus until he was about
Speaker 1: two years old. I never knew that when the wise
Speaker 1: men arrive, they don't go to the manger. Rather they
Speaker 1: go to a house, because by that time Mary and
Speaker 1: Joseph had moved from the manger. This scripture from our
Speaker 1: Bible that we just read is pretty amazing because it
Speaker 1: reminds us that Jesus came for us, not just one
Speaker 1: group of people. What I mean is, when Jesus was born,
Speaker 1: according to Jewish tradition, this king was there to save
Speaker 1: only them, not the gentiles. A gentile just means someone
Speaker 1: who is not Jewish, so most of us listening would
Speaker 1: be considered gentiles. The wise men were gentiles, so it
Speaker 1: made no sense that they would seek out a king
Speaker 1: who most believed was not for them. But what do
Speaker 1: they do when they see Jesus?
Speaker 3: They were very excited. They give them frank and sensmer and.
Speaker 1: Gold, some of you may have said they fell down
Speaker 1: and worshiped or brought him gifts. Both are correct. This
Speaker 1: is beautiful. It shows us that Jesus is not just
Speaker 1: the King of the Jews, but the king of all nations.
Speaker 1: Do you remember what the Angel told the shepherds.
Speaker 3: Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of
Speaker 3: great joy that'll be for all of the people. Was
Speaker 3: born this day in the city of David, a savior
Speaker 3: who is Christ the Lord.
Speaker 1: He said, it's for all the people. That is wonderful
Speaker 1: news for us. You don't have to be a certain
Speaker 1: age or live in a certain area. It doesn't matter
Speaker 1: how much money you have, or how you look, if
Speaker 1: you have curly hair or straight hair, how tall you are,
Speaker 1: none of that matters. Jesus came for all of those
Speaker 1: who come to worship him, just as the wise men did. Well.
Speaker 1: That is it for our story today. Thank you so
Speaker 1: much for listening. I hope you all have a very
Speaker 1: merry Christmas, and as always, bye for now.