It was the power of a single question that drove them to Bethlehem. That single question is the burning question of our time. It is the question that will decide the fate of our nation.
No, they did not doubt that Jesus was the Messiah. That was not the question. It was something else entirely.
Why do we need to know the question that drove them? Because our youth are on the verge of making the most disastrous mistake a generation can make.
And the older generation—for a different reason—is about to make an equally disastrous mistake.
Both generations are on the witness stand. All of heaven is watching. The combined voice of reason, righteousness and wisdom is about to level the question at them. What is that question?
To find out, we must first pull back the veil of mystery that surrounds the wise men.
They were from the Eastern School of the Magi—a school most likely created by the prophet Daniel. How did it happen?
King Nebuchadnezzar saw the superior wisdom of the four young Hebrews. “And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm” (Dan. 1:20, NKJV).
Then the king had a nightmare and changed the rules. Magicians were previously allowed to know a dream before interpreting it. This time the king, out of abject terror, demanded that they tell him his own dream. And Daniel did it! Afterward, this happened:
Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.” Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon (Dan. 2:46-48).
We know that Daniel laid out a detailed prophetic timeline of when the Messiah would be born and when He would be crucified. Those writings were handed down through the ages in this school.
And when the magi did the math, based on Daniel’s prophecies, they knew the time was near. When they saw the star, they knew it was what they were waiting for. Messiah was born!
We know they arrived two years later. It was not just because of the distance. It was mainly because of the massive preparation. Kings traveled with hundreds of people. We do not know how many kings there were. It is easy to conclude that there were hundreds because of the uproar in Jerusalem when they arrived.
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” (Matt. 2:1-3).
If only we could have overheard the deliberations of these wise men about whether or not to take the journey to Bethlehem. Was it going to take two years out of their life? Would their unannounced arrival be a pretext for war? Who would manage the vast responsibilities in their absence? Would they return to find ruin?
It seemed a journey doomed to fail, a horrendously expensive, dangerous and foolhardy escapade. They fell silent. Then the silence was broken by the question: What if we don’t go?
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The very thought of what life would be if they missed this singular moment in history was too horrifying for words. They faced the prospect of being every day with another question: “I wonder what would have happened if we had gone?”
Our youth are terrified of the future. They are willing to trade freedom for safety. And not just any safety—the most dangerous kind, the kind where the government takes care of you. Have you ever heard of a generation of youth that actually trusts the government and the media?
This generation does. And they are constantly making choices not to go. They stay home. They stare at their phones. They dream small dreams, and they have 60-year-old eyes in 20-year-old bodies. No risks. No audacity. They are the most bullied generation we have ever seen.
It is time to go to war against lies. This is a day for courage and bold choices. This generation is willing to side with Hamas, men who behead babies in front of their mothers. Why? Because of truth? No, because of fear. Fear of displeasing the influencers of TikTok and their demon- possessed professors.
For the first time in American history, we need our youth to rebel. And they simply will not.
The older generation is just as guilty. They will not invest in the next generation. Boomers still believe they are the youth generation. Sure they are angry, but not sacrificial. They are content to watch news channels. Enraged, but not engaged.
It is time to act! Our nation is slipping away! It is time to go. Go into all the world and preach the gospel. It is time to take gigantic steps of faith. It is time for the old to wake up and sell their coffins! You are going to be here. Stop planning on gumming applesauce at Leisure World. Put your money where the war is!
The wise men are a great rebuke to young and old. They asked the evil king, “Where is the real King?” They would take a flamethrower to our high-maintenance, low-impact Christianity. They would rise up and tell the truth, no matter the cost.
I do not want to hear your excuse for not facing the danger of going into the fray against the evil that is suffocating America.
I want to ask you the question: What will happen if we don’t go?
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Mario Murillo rose from poverty in the Mission District of San Francisco. After being revolutionized by Christ, he felt a call to the University of California at Berkeley. His international ministry was launched after a four-day conference in San Jose, California, extended for six months with a total attendance of nearly 250,000 people. Since then, Mario’s voice has been heard by millions around the world, bringing a message that zeroes in on the hurts of society. He presents Christ clearly and intelligently, and openly declares the power of Jesus to totally transform a life. His simple declaration: Come and see. Christ has the power to end addiction, racism, violence and disease.
John Burton 
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