Sermon Discussion Guide: 9/8/24
Sermon Recap
Text: Matthew 2
Big Idea: There are ultimately only two responses to the King.
Summary: Continuing on in the storyline of the Christ who has come into the world, Matthew details two responses to the revelation of the King. The magi come from a pagan land, and by all accounts are non-Jews (though a large Jewish settlement remained in Babylon). They came, not knowing all of the Old Testament prophecies about who this was, but they knew that the star that guided them and rested upon where the Child resided was special. And upon finding Him, they bowed down and worshipped.
On the other hand, Herod and the Jews of Jerusalem rejected this announcement of a king. Herod, desiring to be the only king, sought to have this rival destroyed, and in so doing, he recapitulated the Exodus story. In Jesus flight to Egypt and subsequent return and the killing of the males two-years-old and under, Matthew is representing Jesus as the faithful Israel that would be perfect in obedience, thus meriting the covenant blessings of God.
Discussion Questions
1. What misconceptions were you raised with concerning the magi?
2. What significance do you find in the fact that Gentiles worship Christ before the Jews in Matthew's Gospel?
3. The magi, who held positions of honor and great wealth, humbled themselves to bowing and worshipping a baby born outside of the capital to an unmarried, poor teenage girl. What implications should this have for us to apply?
4. "We all have a little Herod in our hearts." In what ways do you struggle to allow Christ to be full King over your life?
5. What does this passage imply about those who are spiritually apathetic or comfortable?
6. What does it look like for us to follow the pattern set forth by the magi?
7. How does this story depict the "upside-down" nature of God's kingdom, and what does that look like in today's context?
Text: Matthew 2
Big Idea: There are ultimately only two responses to the King.
Summary: Continuing on in the storyline of the Christ who has come into the world, Matthew details two responses to the revelation of the King. The magi come from a pagan land, and by all accounts are non-Jews (though a large Jewish settlement remained in Babylon). They came, not knowing all of the Old Testament prophecies about who this was, but they knew that the star that guided them and rested upon where the Child resided was special. And upon finding Him, they bowed down and worshipped.
On the other hand, Herod and the Jews of Jerusalem rejected this announcement of a king. Herod, desiring to be the only king, sought to have this rival destroyed, and in so doing, he recapitulated the Exodus story. In Jesus flight to Egypt and subsequent return and the killing of the males two-years-old and under, Matthew is representing Jesus as the faithful Israel that would be perfect in obedience, thus meriting the covenant blessings of God.
Discussion Questions
1. What misconceptions were you raised with concerning the magi?
2. What significance do you find in the fact that Gentiles worship Christ before the Jews in Matthew's Gospel?
3. The magi, who held positions of honor and great wealth, humbled themselves to bowing and worshipping a baby born outside of the capital to an unmarried, poor teenage girl. What implications should this have for us to apply?
4. "We all have a little Herod in our hearts." In what ways do you struggle to allow Christ to be full King over your life?
5. What does this passage imply about those who are spiritually apathetic or comfortable?
6. What does it look like for us to follow the pattern set forth by the magi?
7. How does this story depict the "upside-down" nature of God's kingdom, and what does that look like in today's context?
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