Sermon Response Guide
PRIMARY SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 2:1-12 ESV
1 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, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Key Points
- The wise men:
1) Considered the clues
In the same way, we should acknowledge the signs and reflect on the evidence of God at work in our lives.
2) Tracked down the truth
Just as the wise men were seeking to find Jesus, so should we. Each day we should look for Jesus so we can follow his better way for our lives.
3) Bowed down and worshiped
When the wise men encountered Jesus, all they could do was give him the best they had to offer. Likewise, if we have encountered Christ, we should look at our lives not only as his gift to us, but our gift to him.
Memory Verse
Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“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 saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’”
-Matthew 2:1-2 ESV
Questions for Reflection
Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:
1: Based on what you know to be true of Jesus, how would you contrast the character and commands of King Herod with King Jesus?
2: Read Acts 17:22-31 and answer the questions that follow.
· What connections do you see between Paul’s message to the men of Athens in Acts 17 and the wise men’s story in Matthew 2?
· What do both passages teach us about God?
· What do both passages teach us about people (ourselves)?
3: What sign has God given you lately that reminds you he is at work in your life?
4: As you reflect on that sign from God, what greater truth is the Holy Spirit illuminating for you?
5: What do you believe God is inviting you to do in response to that recently revealed truth?
6: What most resonated with you about the wise men’s story?
7: Who do you know who needs to hear the wise men’s story?
· Will you tell them?
Pray
Lord, thank you for coming for everyone. Regardless of how we see the world or how the world sees us, you see us for who we really are – and still, you invite us to come and see you for who you really are. What’s more, you send us out to show the world the very same thing: believing the truth of who you are enables us to receive the truth of who we are in you. Help us to live in response to the truth that we will never be all you’ve created us to be until we find ourselves fully in you. May we never stop seeking you, and may we forever delight in finding you.
