Seeing the New Stars

Starting yesterday, I embarked on reading the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) as well as tidbits of 3 Nephi by Christmas. In one month, reading just about six pages a day, I'll have read the most intimate accounts of the Savior's personal ministry on the Earth. Because of that, expect a whole bunch of blog posts focused on those five books over the next month!

The first one, though, is very Christmasy. One of my favorite parts of the whole Nativity story is the Wise Men. In the opening four verses of Matthew 2, we read:

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, 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. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born."

Many wonderful things have been and should be said about the diligence of the Wise Men seeking the infant Son of God, traveling long and far to meet this promised Child. But something slightly different hit me this time around.

See, let's go through all who are involved in these passages: The Wise Men, obviously. Herod. All of Jerusalem. All the chief priests and scribes of the people.

The Gospel According to Matthew was aimed primarily at showing Jews that Jesus of Nazareth really was the long-awaited Messiah. As such, he constantly refers to Biblical prophesies which Jesus fulfills.

The point is, the prophesies were there, yet neither Herod nor anyone in Jerusalem including those to whom the responsibility belonged to understand the scriptures recognized the new star. They didn't even notice.

In the pictures of this scene that I've included thus far, I don't really believe anyone would miss the star. It's obnoxiously huge. That's how the art always portrays it, though, right?

What hit me as I read this story, though, is that the star likely was not nearly so noticeable. No one in Jerusalem apparently noticed it. Not even the priests and scribes! The Wise Men must have been looking for it. Consider the following pictures:

I feel like our lives are often like a starry night. There are so many stars, it is almost impossible to differentiate one star from the next, let alone notice any new ones. Whether those stars are random distractions (television, video games), genuine good uses of time (family matters, careers), or even full-on gospel activities (church, scripture study), it really doesn't make a difference. Less remarkable to me than the fact that the Wise Men followed the star is that they noticed the star. Let's be real, who in their right mind wouldn't go

Do Scriptural Miracles REALLY Matter?

Here are a few quick questions, easy enough to answer. Answer them personally.

• Does it matter that Jesus Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene three days after being laid dead in a tomb?
  
• Does it matter that the Savior and His Father appeared to Joseph Smith in a grove of trees behind Joseph's farm house?
  
• Does it matter that we have the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and other accounts of God's dealings with men and women here on Earth?
  

I could ask a few other questions, but you get the point. Or so you think. I'm going to give an answer that you might find surprising: Maybe not. 

Now, don't get to uppity, I will explain!

Spiritual experiences are powerful. They allow us to feel God's love, grace, and almighty power. They show
us that there is a Being out there who knows us, hears us, and is willing and maybe even eager to interact with us. They can confirm our hopes or they can point us in directions that we have never imagined. 

But the three questions all refer to other people's spiritual experiences. I'm sure having a resurrected Messiah appear to Mary was pivotal for Mary. I'm sure having the "two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description" was life changing for Joseph. Other stories found in scripture show people who develop dramatic and powerful relationships with deity, be it the story of Moses, of the Brother of Jared, of Nephi, or of Paul the Apostle.

Here's the real kicker, though: None of this matters if we don't have our own spiritual experience as a result of these events. By this, I mean solely as pertains to our life here on Earth. Clearly, if the account of the Savior's resurrection is true and if the story of the Restoration is true, they will affect all of us in the end. So, like I said, for the sake of this post, I mean these things only matter in mortality if they lead to a spiritual experience of our own. If we don't get a spiritual confirmation, a witness from our Heavenly Father that these events are real, then they will never change us here in mortality.

2 Nephi 33:1 teaches, "For when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men." See, when we teach with the Spirit, the Spirit testifies of truth. When I learned of the resurrection of the long-