Four days after celebrating Christmas Day and three more days before New Year’s Day, let us bring these critical takeaways as we start 2025.

Who doesn’t love takeaways? For those unfamiliar, a takeaway is where you can buy food to eat somewhere else or just the food you buy to take away. People love takeaways because they’re super convenient and usually cheaper than a sit-down restaurant. Fish and chips are the most popular takeaway food in NZ.

I am also thinking of the bountiful foods we prepared to celebrate Christmas, either on noche buena if you are Filipino or Hispanic, or on Christmas Day lunch, and sharing it as takeaways for family and friends who have joined us.

But that is as far as physical food is concerned. As the New Year comes, we must carry crucial takeaways to meet all the challenges that 2025 will bring.

Based on Matthew 2:1-12 narrative of the Magi’s visit to the Messiah, let us discover the lessons we must possess as we celebrate and live through the new year 2025.

1. Faith and Commitment

• The birth of Jesus Christ ignited fervour among the faithful community, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Messiah.
• The time of Herod helps us figure out when Jesus was born. Jesus came into the world sometime before Herod the Great died, probably around 4 BC. The exact date of Jesus’ birth is still a bit of a mystery.
• Wise men from the East came: These travellers are called wise men, derived from the ancient Greek term “magi.” There are many misconceptions and legends surrounding these individuals. They were not kings; instead, they were wise men and astronomers.
• While it is commonly believed that there were only three of them, likely, there was a larger group. Furthermore, they probably did not visit the newborn on the night of his birth but several months later.
• There was a strong expectation of the Messiah’s arrival among the Jews, yet the wise men realized they were among the few genuinely excited to find the newborn Messiah. There was a notable lack of enthusiasm in Jerusalem.

The dedication and bravery of the Magi from the East are extraordinary, considering the challenges of their journey and the dangers they faced while travelling. They left their comfort zones to seek and worship the newborn King, Jesus Christ.

2. Earnestness

In Matthew’s narrative, we have two character types who are insincere.

First, the chief priests and teachers of the law were aware of the prophecy regarding the birth of the king of the Jews (verses 5-6), yet they failed to recognise and accept that the Messiah had indeed been born.

This makes me reflect that there are Christians who are only Christians by name. These Christians have vast knowledge of the Bible but don’t have the capacity or refuse to follow what the Bible says. There are many Christians who are insincere in their faith, Christians in name but not by heart.

Second, Herod plotted to kill Jesus by pretending he wanted to worship him.  Ironically, Herod believed the prophecy, perhaps out of fear that the “king of the Jews has been born” and will replace him. Having been outwitted by the Wisemen, he ordered the massacre of children in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under (Matthew 2:16).

There are Christians who are like Herod; they believe in God’s prophecies but detest the thought of surrendering fully their lives to Him. Instead, it is their SELF that reigns in their hearts. These insincere Christians will not hesitate to cut off any Godly influence and leadership in their hearts, but they are satisfied to pretend to be Christians.

Let us be like the Wisemen who earnestly sought the born king of the Jews, followed his star when it rose, and worshipped Jesus when they found him.

Devotion

I am presenting the four elements of the Magi’s devotion to Jesus, which we can follow.

The Magi followed the star of Jesus (or the Start of Bethlehem) as it seemingly persisted in its guiding role, appearing at pivotal moments along the Wisemen’s journey like an ethereal beacon in the night sky. Its initial glow graced them months prior, subtly steering their quest toward the broader region they sought.

Following this, their travels led them to the ancient city of Jerusalem, where they gathered vital knowledge and insights. As their search unfolded, the star reemerged, radiating luminous intensity to offer precise directions through the darkened paths ahead.

Its appearances were nothing short of a supernatural marvel, leaving them in awe of the divine guidance that seemed to transcend the ordinary realm of understanding.

The Star of Bethlehem is widely regarded as more than just a natural phenomenon, remaining a mystery that science has yet to unravel. This extraordinary light is described as leading the Magi from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, ultimately hovering directly above the location where Joseph and Mary were residing. Notably, no documented celestial event is known to follow such a specific and purposeful path.

Jesus Christ embodies God’s glory, which was revealed on earth 2,000+ years ago. In our devotion to God, we follow Jesus Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit. The Wisemen exemplified the importance of seeking and following Jesus relentlessly.

The Wisemen were overjoyed (Matthew 2:10) – Overjoy means “to cause someone to feel extremely happy or joyful, or to fill someone with great joy.”

The Magi were overjoyed seeing the star “stopped over the place where the child was.”  Overjoy is a feeling when you think you are going nowhere or you are considering whether you are on the right track or not, and suddenly you see from afar something that assures you that you’re on the right path.

Overjoy is like driving the Central Otago’s “Pigroot” (or a few call it the “Pig Route”) for the first time. The name “Pigroot” applies to the section of SH85 between Palmerston and Ranfurly.

I have driven through the Pigroot many times, and during my first trip, I kept wondering when it would end. It feels disorienting to see the natural scenery until you ascend from the valley and see the towns dotting from the distance. That gave me an overjoyed feeling.

When the Magi saw the star settle over the place where the child Jesus was, they were so happy. At last, we know where the King is!

They bowed down and worshipped him (Matthew 2:11)

In verse 11, the arrival of the wise men at their home reveals that Joseph and Mary transitioned from the manger to a residence after Jesus’ birth. This suggests they remained in Bethlehem or nearby Jerusalem, allowing Mary to fulfil the 40 days of purification mandated by Jewish law.

Jesus is referred to as a young child, likely between 6 and 18 months old. Notably, the child is mentioned before the mother, contrary to custom, indicating that the child’s status as the Saviour takes precedence.

How did the Wiseman worship?

• Bowed down –  (Gk pesontes) fall down;
• Worshipped – (Gk prosekynēsan) prostrate oneself in homage;

Yes, they worshipped HIM (emphasis mine). The Magi did not worship Mary, Joseph, or the child with Mary and Joseph. They worshipped only him!

They worship in deep reverence by falling prostrate before the child King.

They gave generously to Jesus.

 Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

• TREASURES – a storehouse for precious things;
• GIFTS – many and not only one of each kind;

Because the Magi brought a storehouse of gifts, there is no way that only three of them travelled to find Jesus. I imagined the Magi bringing with them servants to carry and guard the treasures they got for the newborn King.

The valuable gifts were given directly to Jesus, not Mary or Joseph. While the infant Jesus did not use these gifts, Joseph and Mary, responsible and Godly parents, wisely used them for His benefit. Presumably, the family spent their gifts of gold as they went and lived in Egypt to escape Herod’s persecution.

We also practice generosity in our devotion to God. When we give to Jesus today, we channel it through the church to the people He called to serve, with the confidence that the leaders will use your gifts wisely on His behalf.

Conclusion

Let me briefly share my encounter with a fruit grower association leader from Hawke’s Bay on a plane from Auckland to Singapore, an 11-hour flight. I was in the middle seat, and he was in the aisle, meaning Jewel and I had to “bother” him whenever we went to the toilet.

When I introduced myself, that I’m a pastor and we’re on our way to attend a conference in Malaysia and hold a seminar in the Philippines, he said he’s a born-again Christian.

Then, he shared how God carried him, and co-farmers rose from Cyclone Gabrielle’s destruction to their region. He said that his faith and their church’s prayers and support encouraged him to lead the farmers despite their hopelessness and defeat by Cyclone Gabrielle’s devastations.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle was a destructive tropical cyclone that devastated parts of the North Island of New Zealand and affected parts of Vanuatu and Australia in February 2023. It is the costliest tropical cyclone on record in the Southern Hemisphere, with total damage estimated to be NZ$14.5 billion (US$9.2 billion), of which NZ$3.18 billion (US$2 billion) are insurance losses. The cost of the cyclone in Hawke’s Bay alone was estimated to outstrip NZ$5 billion (US$3.17 billion).

Source: Wikipedia

You might ask what this testimony has to do with the “Christmas takeaways for the New Year” we’re talking about.

Isn’t it that unforgettable events, such as severe natural calamities, tend to be remembered and talked about for centuries?

I could imagine the wise men travelling leisurely on their journey back, feeling more at ease. They eagerly shared their transformative experiences with everyone they met, and, in every place, they rested for the night.

I can easily envision the Wisemen, surrounded by their families, servants, friends, and community, captivated by their compelling stories of encountering and worshipping the newborn King, Jesus Christ.

F.A.C.E.D. – Faith and commitment, Earnestness, and Devotion are the important Christmas takeaways we must always bring in 2025 and the many New Years to come.

Faith and commitment, Earnestness, and Devotion are the non-consumables and everlasting takeaways we carry along as we share our personal encounters and life experiences with Jesus Christ.

Have a blessed 2025. Happy New Year!