Address—B. Knowles
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I would like to look at three different occasions, 3 different, I believe Gentiles.
That sought the Lord, and we know in John it tells us He came into his own, and his own received him not, but as many as received him to them gave you power to become the sons of God. And we know there were those that did receive him. It says Anna Spake of him to all those that looked for redemption in Israel.
But as a nation he was rejected by Israel in Matthew chapter 2.
We'll see at the Lord's birth.
Some gentiles, and we call it them the wise men or the Magi, they were men of the East. There came. I'm just reading parts because of time and.
There came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, verse 2 Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Well, we know that.
Herod didn't know the answer.
So he goes to the chief priests and the scribes, and they go.
To the Old Testament scriptures, the word of God.
And verse 5.
And they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea.
For thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah.
Art. Not the least among the Princess of Judah. For out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel. So here come men of the East. I don't know how far they came from. Was it?
Somewhere by the Everett River, Euphrates, I don't know. It could have been Iraq, could have been farther to the east, I don't know. But it seems they had come a journey to find this one that was born king of the Jews.
They went to Jerusalem for this information.
In Jerusalem they found indifference, but the word of the prophet Micah 5, verse 2.
Was given to them by the chief priests, by the scribes and those men.
They didn't get up off their chair to go see this one that was born in Bethlehem.
The Magi had come a long distance to find this one that was born king of the Jews. I want to look for just a moment at the effect.
That knowing this prophecy.
And being indifferent to it had.
On those that were indifferent down further in the chapter.
Verse 17 then was fulfilled.
That which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet saying in Rhema was there a voice heard lamentation and weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they are not. I just want to make this comment indifference to the word of God that he's given to any one of us.
Has consequences.
And here it had consequences. They fulfilled the next prophecy.
Now this isn't the verse that they turn to, to tell the Magi. They knew the Scripture. They knew where the Lord Jesus was to be born and they sent them to the right place and they found the Lord Jesus. Those who were seeking him found him. But to those who were indifferent, what they what place they had was to fulfill this solemn prophecy. I would just like to share this.
Too, Joseph and Mary were poor. They had taken 2 turtle doves.
To the temple the Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph right after the Magi.
Imagine I depart and the Angel of the Lord appears to him and says, flee into Egypt. Well, they had just received from the Magi gold and frankincense and myrrh. They had the means to take this baby Jesus, this holy child into Egypt.
So there's the birth of the Lord Jesus. Now I'd like to look at one more. Two more if I can.
Watch the time with me. I'm sorry, I John's Gospel and chapter 12. The first was in connection with the birth of the Lord Jesus. And now John's Gospel chapter 12 and verse 20 and there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of.
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Bethsaida of Galilee and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Philip cometh and telleth Andrew and Andrew, and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die. It abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. We'll stop there now.
I understand there's a question as to whether these were gentiles.
Or whether they were Jews that lived.
And if one of my brothers that know better, I'd like to hear from afterwards. But I like to look at them as Gentiles. Where they were from, I don't know because there were in the acts, there were the Jews that had come down to the feast there. I think some of it says Grecians. So I'm not positive that this was Gentiles, but I I like to consider it being that.
So bear with me in that. And they came to see the Lord Jesus they had heard.
The story of the Lord Jesus had gone. You know it did spread.
And they came seeking Jesus, Sir, we would see Jesus and.
I believe, and again if this is wrong, I would like to have some correction, but I believe the next day the Lord Jesus was crucified. This is John 12. And then we go to the upper room ministry, and then we go to the garden, and then we go to the trial by night. Then we go to the mock trial by day in the early morning, and then the cross.
So I would just make this suggestion.
That they had heard about Jesus.
And they wanted to see him, Sir, we would see Jesus. And they had come, however far they had come from the north, perhaps from the northwest. Corinth is in Greece, I believe, and I believe Athens is in Greece, So could have been for quite a ways. But anyway, from the north, perhaps the northwest, I believe they witnessed.
What the nation thought of this one.
That was born King of the Jews. Now I'd like to look at another one.
In.
Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter 8, verse 26. And the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the South, under the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he rose and went, and behold a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace.
Queen of The Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure.
And had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning and sitting in his chariot, read Isaiah the prophet.
Then the spirit said unto Philip, Gonier, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him.
And heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understand this, thou what thou readest. And he said, How can I except some man?
Should guide me. And he desired Philip, that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the Scripture which he read was this. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb thumb before his shears, so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. And who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this of himself?
Or of some other man. Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, And the eunuch said, see, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered, and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And he commanded the chariot to sit down still, and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. So here's the eunuch. Ethiopia South.
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Quite a bit S down into Africa and he comes to Jerusalem after the resurrection. So the first one was at the birth, the second one at the crucifixion, the third one after the resurrection they came.
And they found and I would just say there's not a seeking soul here.
That's not going to find, and if you would be willing to take this precious book up as a treasure that God has given you, you're going to find that it's a mine of wealth laid open to the poor. Let's just pray.