Christmas was originally meant to celebrate the birth of a King, but today this concept hardly exists. Not only has the Kingship of Jesus been forgotten, the profile of Christ has also been marginalized. Some Western countries do not even allow schools to use "Merry Christmas" as greetings, and the name of "Christ" has become a censored word. As we approach Christmas, let us ask ourselves: "Where has the Christ, born to be King, gone to?"

Matthew 2 records that when Christ Jesus was born, the Magi from the East who came to Jerusalem asked "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?" (v2). These Gentile magicians did not know much about this new born King. Their professional knowledge was probably limited to knowing that a Jewish King would be born, but not enough to provide them with the significance or location of such a birth. They wanted to visit this new born King, and could only head for the Jewish capital, but eventually found the wrong place, and asked the wrong people. They were unaware of the sensitive and complicated political situation of their times, and did not know of King Herod's suspicions nor cruel nature. If it weren't for God's protection, their innocent questionings could have led to tragedy. However, despite their very limited understanding, they nevertheless grasped the core message of Christmas – that Jesus Christ was born to be King.

The scriptures record three times men's questions regarding this new born King. Those who proactively ask include not only the Magi, but also King Herod. He asked the chief priests and teachers of the law "Where is the Christ?" (v4), since they lived in Jerusalem and knew more about the Christ than the Magi did. These Jewish experts of the law were very familiar with the prophecy of the coming of an anointed King, and even Herod understood that the Christ was the King of the Jews. However, they did not realize that it would happen within 6 km in Bethlehem. They had the right answers, but they were not concerned over the birth of the Christ. Perhaps many today are like that too: Christ is in our creeds, in our books, in our research, but not in our hearts.

Herod goes on to ask exactly when Christ was born (v7), so that he could know the age of the child and kill him. He was not like the Jewish experts of the law, and could not distance himself from this event. The birth of the Son of Heaven was a serious threat to this ruler of Edomite descent authorized by Rome. When a person's self-interest is harmed, and own status is threatened, even an innocent infant can become an unwelcomed thing, bringing immense unease. This explains why many in today's society, rich in Christian tradition, would actively banish Christ from their midst.

Just the opposite, the Magi of the East should be our example. Their quest for the new born King derived not out of professional curiosity, but out of a desire to prostrate before Him. They brought gifts of gold, incense and myrrh (v11) from afar, which were all appropriate gifts for a King, yet the most precious gift was their sincere submission to this King. Today, we are still not sure of the exact location and date of Jesus' birth. But this does not matter, as all theological research is for the worship of God. Our one true Lord cannot be the object of objective research, nor can He be rejected, overlooked or marginalized. All authority is to be given to this Christ who was born to be King. So let us give our precious lives as a gift to Him anew.