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This blog post is Part 2 of a series entitled "Love Begins Here" by Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith of Donelson First in Nashville, TN. 

Message Date: December 10, 2023

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Who was the first non-family member of Jesus to believe in Him? I’m going to let you think about that question for a moment…And, as you do… imagine… imagine a father sending His child on a 33 year journey He knows will be the most difficult and horrific and painful 33 years any human will ever experience. Imagine that Father also knowing that this journey will eventually lead His child into the hands of people who will lie, betray, arrest, and beat him, and eventually, end His life. Imagine an engaged couple, planning their wedding day, excited for their new lives together, only to soon realize just a few months into their engagement, an unexpected pregnancy would change everything – their plans, their home, their reputations, and the entirety of their lives. Imagine a young mother’s realization that this child would one day be despised, hunted, rejected, and wanted dead. Too, imagine a father, knowing His Son is wanted dead, flees with his family by night to another nation and remains there for several years. Imagine later in life, this child has siblings who proclaim that their brother is “out of His mind,” thus never having a genuine relationship with Him. And, imagine a mother, 33 years after the birth of her newborn son, watching as He is stripped of His clothes, beaten almost to death, cursed at, hit, mocked, and then publicly killed in the most atrocious of deaths known to man.

These are not such thoughts we desire to have or upon which we expect to focus at this time of year. Undoubtedly, the scriptural story of Christmas is one marred with pain. This reality is what makes the revelation of what the birth of the Christ-child brought to humanity all the more amazing.

Not only was Jesus the Christ, the Christ-child, the Immanuel, God with us, born of a virgin, both fully God and fully man, and our Redeemer and Lord, Jesus too, at His birth, provided for humanity a “love” never before experienced.

And this, my friends, is why I can confidently proclaim to you… Love begins here…with the birth of the Christ.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

I shared last week that throughout this month-long series, Love Begins Here, I am primarily dissecting this passage into 5 parts. My wife, Amy, and I spoke about this very process after last Sunday’s message, and she said, “I’ve never thought of John 3:16 in the way in which you taught last Sunday.” I presume some of you have too never dichotomized this ever-popular passage in such a way. This, Church, is what is so exciting and fulfilling and exhilarating about God’s Words...The more deeply I dive into the Holy Scriptures, the more I discover the immense and immeasurable richness of His truths. Such a revelation shapes me in ways too infinite to describe.

The 5 parts:

Love Begins Here…

1. For. (We learned previously, in the Greek = Because of this very reason; with no doubt.)

2. God so loved the world.

3. God gave His one and only Son.

4. Whoever believes in Him shall not perish.

5. I will have eternal life.

Last week, we discussed the first three truths in this remarkably popular yet equally powerful verse in John 3:16.

Love Begins Here…

1. For.

2. God so loved the world.

3. God gave His one and only Son.

Today, I want to continue our examination of John 3:16 discussing part #4:

4. Whoever believes in Him shall not perish.

There are so very many stories throughout the Gospels of both men, women, children, leaders, people in powerful positions, soldiers, business owners, persons of great wealth, the poor, beggars, blind, sick, and even people once dead and are brought back to life who meet Jesus, choose to believe in Jesus, and thus, as John 3:16 promises, are given the promise:

“… whoever believes in Him will not perish.” John 3:16

It is primarily the “believe” part of John 3:16 upon which I will direct your attention today. Today I want to focus our attention to a character, more directly, to co-characters in this Christmas story to whom little attention is given. What is unique about these people…Their love of the Christ began before ever meeting Jesus, and it is these co-characters who, as the first non-family members of the Christ, first choose to believe in Him.

Read: Matthew 2:1-12

What is the significance of the Magi in the story of Christmas? Well, there is so very much we can glean from their actions and apply to our lives. So I want to give you several thoughts today. But I do want to prepare you… this has been quite the convicting week for me as I have thought through this beautiful story of faith; a remarkable and truly unique story unlike any other in the Bible. So, let’s explore this together today as we consider how love begins here with the Magi! First…

Love begins here…

1. Before the Magi had even seen. 

You know, we hear these stories, particularly those of the birth of Christ, and I presume for so very many people, these words are read very matter-of-factly, with little to no “wow,” or excitement, or even the least bit of amazement as to these supernatural life-circumstances that are completely out-of-any realm of normalcy. Imagine…You and your fiancé, making wedding plans, registering at your favorite places, dining with friends, and getting your new house to be in order, and picking out colors and furniture and forks and knives… giddy over one another. So in love and so excited for the honeymoon…and then this happens…

Matthew 1:18-25

If this were not crazy and wonderful and supernatural enough… miles upon miles away, men, and not just men… very smart men… the Bible calls them “Magi,” are on the journey of their lives. “Where are they going,” you ask? I wonder if they asked the same question on more than one occasion as they journeyed. Scripture says this:

Matthew 2:1-2

I arrived a few minutes late into Worship this morning because I joined with the Ignite Hope Church upstairs for their first day of Worship on our campus! After praying as a Ministry Team, and as families – Pastor Stephen and Cristin and myself and Amy – we have chosen to follow God’s lead and are truly amazed that God has answered our prayer to “Go” unto the nations right here on our campus. I have been praying for over two years that the Lord would prepare me… that He would prepare our hearts to be a Church that looks outward, that looks to the needs of the greater world and says, “We will go! We will take the gospel unto the nations!” Not merely by sending money to missions organizations, but by helping mentor Pastors, and launch churches and go unto the nations! Well, I had no idea that the Lord was going to lead us to launch 2 churches right here on our campus. Now, yes we have had churches here before. But we have not had churches here who have been led and mentored and prayed over and supported and taught how to organize and manage and promote and plan and lead a congregation. The churches we have had previously were essentially “tenants”. We did not do ministry together. The Pastors of these churches rarely if ever met with the Pastors of DF. And dare I say, most of the people who were here before I arrived did not even know the names of these Pastors, their wives, and their children… nor had they ever attended Worship with them! Several weeks ago, I invited these Pastors, Pastor Kaju and Pastor Rigo and their people here worshipping with us together as the Church of Christ. We announced on that day that these two churches:

Ignite Hope Church – A church for the Nepalese people.

Primera Iglesia Bautista de Donelson – A church for the Hispanic people.

… will now be a part of our Donelson First family. I too want to quickly say a BIG “Thank you” to those who have helped us get ready for the arrival of these churches. Greg Johnson… thank you for all you do and specifically have done to help us logistically get ready to help these churches be super successful from day one.

I shared my enthusiasm at our Ministry Celebration this week about the two new churches that are coming in under our leadership and accountability and encouragement and financial support here at Donelson First. And I shared that we still need to raise more money to help purchase the necessary equipment and technology to launch, and manage, and operate a church. I hope you will pray about this! For those who are new here today, we typically do not ask this of our church – to give to a specific need. We have only done so one other time. And that was for the very chairs you are sitting in this morning.

These two churches are so very thankful to be here worshipping. For instance, for most in the Nepalese church are immigrants who fled the tyranny they were under in the country of Nepal. As a matter of fact. Pastor Kaju has told me that many in their church have literally lost family members due to the abuse their government inflicts upon their people, specifically Christians. Some of these people, now worshipping in this building right now, have been the recipients of serious human rights violations. Some have been, or have had a family member, arrested, placed in detention, and have had friends and family and children to “disappear.” They have watched family and neighbors executed, abducted, and tortured by both the Royal Nepalese Army and the Maoist rebels in the 10 years of the ongoing war that is known in Nepal as, the People’s War. The same can be said for one family who is worshipping today in our building with our Hispanic Church. This one family escaped the terror of the drug cartels in Mexico City where they watched their older nephew be killed by the cartels. They got out and now live here and are a part of the Donelson First family. So they are thankful. 

And I am so very glad that we have a Ministry Team who merely does not say, “Let’s just do enough.” Because that’s not who we are!

Think about it - - we have done so very much for the people of Sneedville, TN sending clothing, food, medical supplies, furniture and much more! We haven’t done merely just “enough” for the ladies at The Next Door ministry whom we have supported for years. And we haven’t done “just enough” to the financial tune of $1.2 million dollars this church has sent to missions over the past decade. So, “Thank you” to those who have supported us “go the distance” in helping these churches so they may have a wonderful Worship experience here – being free to worship with sincere hearts and experience an outpouring of blessings that for many of them, they could have never imagined having just a few years ago before their migration to America.

This too was so clearly the heart of the Magi. They didn’t have to “go the distance” to see the Messiah. They could have just “done enough” to pay their respects to the Christ. But they did not. They embarked upon a long journey to bring their very best to the Lord. The Magi knew of the inconveniences this journey would bring. They knew the dangers of traveling into a land where bad people ruled, very similar to the one the Nepalese people have faced and some of the Hispanic people too have faced. They had to have known the risk that traveling to Jerusalem to give the Savior their very best could place them at odds with Herod. And this is exactly what happened! These wise men, most likely traveled with an extremely large entourage of attendants and guards, and they knew the sacrifices such a journey would take. These leaders were very versed in cultural knowledge. They knew of the leader, of the brutal King Herod. They knew that Herod was:

Herod /an Idumean/ = a leader unqualified by lineage to lead in a high position. 

They surely had heard that as a shrewd businessman, Herod must have made deals with people under the table; climbed the ranks by murder, and betrayal and blackmail; they knew he feared one day being “found out.”  They too would soon realize that Herod, once finding out about the news of the Messiah, would strive and manipulate and maneuver to have the child killed. This is precisely what Herod did!

Matthew 2:16

It would have been much easier and much cheaper and much more comfortable on the Magi to have merely worshipped the Savior from a far. But just “good enough” was not good enough for them. What I have been reminded in this story as it relates to my role here at Donelson First:

There are times when decisions are to be made and the “easy” and the “good enough” and the “costs” are much less important deciding factors as to how we as a Church elect to faithfully and obediently worship, trust, and follow the Christ wherever and however He leads us unto the nations.


So… love begins here… before the Magi have even seen, and secondly…

2. Through the gifts the Magi bring.

Answer this question, “Why did the Magi journey to Bethlehem?” Was it to see Jesus? Did they journey this distance to bring Him gifts? What was the reason for their voyage? In their obvious Scriptural knowledge of the Old Testament writings, they knew a King was Prophesied to come and to change the world. So, with their wealth and knowledge and power and position and prestige, did they journey to the Christ to use such a position to buy themselves favor with the Holy One? Were they merely following a star? Why journey so far? Why go the distance?  Why not just, “good enough” and send a “Welcome to the world” gift basket?

Well, fortunately, we do not have to surmise as to the reasoning of their expedition.  The Scriptures answer this question for us: 

Matthew 2:1-2

They saw the star and Magi came to, what? … To worship the Messiah! And they placed their very lives and positions and possessions in harm’s way, to come and to give their very best, to the Christ!

Matthew 2:11

Have you ever received a gift that, respectively, you can tell that either you’ve just been “re-gifted,” or you’ve been given a gift that someone probably just pulled out of their “gift closet?” Now of course, yes we are to be thankful for any gift received. But we all know those times, and potentially we each have been guilty of being the one delivering such gifts; gifts that are less than to be desired. How many gifts did the Magi bring to Jesus? We do not know. But we do know that the gifts detailed in Scripture were some of the finest, most expensive and prized gifts of the time.

Gold = a primary currency of the day.

Frankincense = a resin used ceremonially for sacrifices; this was the only incense permitted on the altar in the temple.

Myrrh = a sap used in incense and perfume; a stimulant toxin.

Each of these gifts were obviously extremely valuable and in tremendous demand. The Maji could have very easily said, “Well this boy will be but a child and will most likely not even understand nor be able to comprehend the expanse and value of such gifts.” Let’s merely bring him a “good enough” gift. But they did not! Though having never seen the Christ, the Magi brought to the Messiah their very best. 

I tell you… this too has greatly convicted me this week. When I think about my approach to the work of the Lord; when I consider what I bring in the use of my time and my skill sets and my finances… I’ve been convicted this week. I’ve been convicted, and too I have been encouraged and burdened in my heart to ask myself… and I hope you will ask this of yourself too: Do I bring my very best to the Christ?

Ask yourself this question in relation to how you serve… to how you give financially to the Lord… to how you pray… and so very much more. Then, ask this of yourself: Am I willing to journey however asked of me as I obediently follow the will of God? And listen, listen very closely Church… I say this with every ounce of love I have in me coupled with every ounce of spiritual discernment that has been afforded to me… After almost 30 years of ministry to the local Church, and too, after what is soon to be 4 years of serving you as Senior Pastor:

I am confident that pride and arrogance and tradition and the mentality “Church is to be what I expect it to be” is what is keeping the Church from experiencing the full blessings and outpouring of God’s wonderful hand of favor and provisions upon His people and upon both the Church’s impact and influence among the nations.

Man, it is so very difficult for me to be the one to say such, particularly during such a wonderful time of the year as this. I feel as an Old Testament prophet must have felt having to “pull back the curtain” to God’s chosen people revealing their spiritual indiscretions unto the Lord. Church, if I do not speak of such, then I, listen… I am the one who will answer to the Lord for this. Paul wrote these very words to Pastors in the New Testament to say:

Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.  For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Acts 20:26-31

You see… the Magi brought their very best to the Lord. Not what was easy; not what was comfortable. And Scripture reveals, there will be many, many religious leaders throughout Jerusalem during the time of Jesus’ ministry who, though thinking they are doing right, are being led by their customs and traditions and pride and arrogance. They will chose to deny the Christ, to defend their ways, and they will one day die not having believed in Jesus Christ, and they will not receive the eternal blessing that Jesus promises in John 3:16 of eternity in heaven, and instead, will truly perish.

Church, I am confident there are those within the Church who, as savage wolves…Are eager to point out the speck in one’s eye yet too blind to see the forest of trees in their own. See serving through the selfish lens of what is comfortable rather than what is needed. Allow pride to lead the way in wanting church to be what church has always been.

Oh, I pray as we approach the day of celebrating the birth of our Lord, that we do so, each of us, with hearts of humility and repentance. I implore we each pray now in this very moment:

Holy Father,
Rather than asking that You reveal Yourself to those in this very room guilty of such pride, in Jesus name, reveal to me in this very moment if I am one guilty of such pride. And if so, may I have a heart repentant; a heart broken; a heart desiring to bring to you my very best gifts for Your very deserved glory. Amen.

The Magi believed the journey to worship the Lord was worth the sacrifice. And they did so bringing Him the very best.

Love begins here…

1. Before the Magi had even seen. 
2. Through the gifts the Magi bring.

And lastly,

3.  As the Magi positioned their lives secondary to Messiah King.

Jesus said in John 20:29:

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

It takes a tremendous person of faith to step out and say, “I will do what is asked of me; what is necessary to bring God my very best.”

The Magi did exactly this as they journeyed to worship a Savior whom they had never seen. Oh what faith. I pray we too will be such a people and too such a Church of tremendous faith. There is one tremendously important word in this passage. Any idea to which word I am referring? It is the word found in this sentence: Matthew 2:11. The word: “House.” Notice when the journey toward the “house” began for the Magi: Matthew 2:2. Their journey began when “his star arose.” These Wise Men most likely knew the writings in the book of Numbers that says:

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. Numbers 24:17

This verse was known by Jews to point to a messianic deliverer.  The Magi see a star in the sky, and their journey begins. But again notice… by the time their journey brings them to the Messiah, He is no longer in a manger. He instead is in a “house.” This journey lasted more than likely for many days, if not weeks. Many scholars believe the Magi could have traveled more than 800 miles. Traveling at a fast pace in those times of 20 miles a day, such a journey would have taken them more than 40 and close to 50 days. These Magi placed their lives secondary to the Messiah. In doing so, they believed in Him. And in believing, they, as promised in John 3:16 did not perish.

Each December, at this time of the year, if you are like me, you spend some time, if only momentarily, thinking of Christmas’s past with those whom you love, who have gone on to be with the Lord. My Pepa was a remarkable man. His name was Larry Dean Shupe. He was my momma’s dad. And I loved him as much as I have ever loved anyone. Pepa loved duck hunting. Pepa loved big band music. He loved dogs. He loved college football. He loved to drink Coca Cola out of a glass bottle. He loved being a deacon at First Baptist Stuttgart, AR. Pepa taught me so very much. I spent a lot of time with him when I would spend a good part of my summers at their place. We would drive out on the rice fields and watch, by the thousands, flocks of white Rice Birds come into these fields to nest for the night. He taught me joy in playing the piano. He taught me how to love Coca Cola in a bottle. By the time my wife, Amy, as my new girlfriend at time, met Pepa, he was in his final few days of living. She never met the Pepa I knew and loved and adored and respected. He passed away on August 13, 1990. Four years later, on this same day, Amy and I were married. When Pepa passed, I cried for weeks and weeks in the proceeding days. And even until today, when I hear the Brad Paisley song, “When I Get Where I’m Going,” I think of Pepa. I too think of him anytime I hear the 1930’s classic, “Moonlight Serenade.” We played this classic, which was recorded by the Glen Miller band, at Pepa’s funeral. Though death is a part of life for humanity, it is not a condemnation for those who believe in Jesus and have accepted Him, as John 3:16 states. I find it so comforting to know that my Pepa has met the Magi. And one day, I will too.  But only after I first hug my Pepa’s neck in celebration of…

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

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Jeffrey Dean Smith is a husband, father to Bailey & Brynnan, author, and the Senior Pastor at Donelson First in Nashville, TN. If you are in Music City, meet Jeffrey and enjoy iced tea on the front lawn each Sunday at 10:30a.