Greetings Church,
I hope and pray that everyone had a restful and worshipful Christmas. This past Sunday we wrapped up our Advent sermon series What Child Is This as we focused on the Magi’s worship of the Christ child.
Read Matthew 2:1-12.
1. Worship of Jesus is awe inspiring
What inspires you? Nature? Sports? Art? Cars? Music? What things have you done just because they are “awe inspiring?”
Why is it hard for Jesus to inspire awe in us sometimes? What makes it easy to find awe and joy in Jesus?
How can the things in this life that inspire awe lead us to the Christ (like the star lead the Magi to the Christ)?
2. Worship of Jesus is an act of submission
Re-read Matthew 2:6. Jesus is a king that Shepherds us. Jesus himself said that the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. Jesus doesn’t demand that you give your life to him through works salvation. He asks you to receive his life- a life exchange by grace through faith.
Do you think about your salvation as the receiving of Christ life? What makes this hard/easy?
How is receiving Christ’s life much more an act of submission than working through your own life to please God?
3. Worship of Jesus results in giving
What gifts did you give/receive this Christmas? Why did you give gifts?
We said that for giving to be worship it must: 1) be powered by grace, 2) be costly, 3) be to someone that you do not expect to pay you back. Was your gift giving characterized by these things?
Before you can be a worshipful giver, you must be a receiver of God’s grace. Have you received God’s grace? Does your giving/ serving/ life flow from received grace? Or is it still an attempt to earn favor with God?
For families:
This is a great time of year to teach your children to give to others in need. Why not clean out the toy closets and donate some of the nice but older toys to those in need. Teach your children that to give to others is to give to Jesus- especially when it 1) flows from grace, 2) costs you something, and 3) helps someone who will never pay you back.
Fighter Verse Questions for Groups and Families.
Matthew 2:6. 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.”
I’d like us to focus this week on Jesus as our Shepherd King. Read Psalm 23 as a companion passage. In the beginning of Psalm 23 God is our Shepherd. At the end of the Psalm he is our King (giving us a table and an eternal home). How does Jesus fulfill Psalm 23?
Is Jesus your Shepherd King? Do you trust Him? Is He good? Does He guide you and protect you? Have you been led by him this past year?
