Resources: Lesson Manuscript, PowerPoint, and Devotional
Franklin Heights Church Connect Groups: https://franklinheights.org/connect/groups/
Welcome to the Disciple Briefing. I’m your host, Caleb.
Review: Last week we looked at how Jesus selected his disciples. Calling them to follow Him and assuring Him that He would make them into fishers of men. True discipleship isn’t inward focused, but intentionally evangelistic. If we’re making disciples we’re modeling sharing our faith conversationally as a way of life and calling those we disciple to do the same, training and equipping them to share the gospel. As a top priority, our Connect Group Leaders are to share the gospel every week in Connect Group to model and train the group members.
Title: Worship the King
Text: Matthew 2:1-12
Key Verse: Matthew 2:11, “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.”
Introduction: In this week’s lesson we see that [Theme:] Jesus the Savior is worthy of worship.
At our recent Quarterly Connect Group leader training we honored the teaching tenure of our Connect Group Leaders. I am truly thankful for their hard work and dedication to making disciples. It’s important to give honor to those worthy of honor. Jesus is worthy of our worship.
Main Points:
- Seeking the King (Matt. 2:1-3) “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men[a] 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[b] and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;”The wisemen visit happened somewhere between 6 & 4 BC based on Herod’s death at 4 BC and Jesus’ birth at 6 BC, most likely. The Bible never states there were 3 wisemen, just 3 gifts. We have mistakenly assumed 3 wisemen. So around the Christmas gatherings make sure to share that, and people will be impressed. However, wouldn’t it be funny to get to heaven someday and find out there were 3 wise men. The text just doesn’t say. They weren’t kings, either. They were astronomers and astrologers from the eats, notably Persia. But they were looking “for the one born king of the Jews,” the Messiah.Herod was on a murderous rampage and wanted Jesus put to death. This paranoia must have heightened by their arrival. Herod’s paranoia, worry, and self-preserving, self-kingdom building remind us:
-For the believer there is a peace we are able to walk in that passes understanding (Philippians 4).
-The sooner we cease from our own self-kingdom-building and surrender to Jesus’s Lordship over our lives the better.
-The believer’s God is King of kings and Lord of lords and dwelling on this should remove paranoia and replace it with worship. He’s sovereign.
II. Finding the King (Matthew 2:4-8) “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.”
- Herod called the scribes and chief priests to advise him on the Messiah’s birthplace foretold in Micah 5:2.
- Claiming to be a true worshiper surrendered to Jesus’s Kingship and lying that he desired to worship Jesus with the wise men Herod was a wolf in sheep’s clothing aspiring to actually murder Jesus.
- III. Worshiping the King (Matt. 2:9-12) “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.”
- The wise men set out for Bethlehem with joy. The time had finally come to worship the newborn King.
- The Greek explains that their arrival was some time after the angelic announcement to the shepherds the evening of Jesus’s birth. Common manger scene portrayals show them at the manger the same time as the shepherds, and that’s not accurate. So maybe, this year if you set out a manger scene, maybe place the wise men on a separate end of the living room making their way to the manger. If you do a manger in your yard, maybe place the wise men on the far end from the manger on their journey to the manger scene.
- They presented the kingly gift of gold and the worshipful gifts of frankincense and myrrh which some scholars share Joseph and Mary could have used to finance their escape to Egypt (Matt. 2:13-15). While Jesus’s birth was filled with wonder and glory, there was definitely a threat and urgency to keep Jesus safe. God’s mission would not be thwarted. Ever since Satan’s attempt to tempt Adam and Eve in the garden after God’s creation of all things, evil forces have been at work to thwart God’s redemptive plan. The gates of Hell continue to fall to against the advancement of Jesus’s church.
- God intervened with his warning to the wise men to not go back to Herod.
Doctrine: Our key doctrine for this week is God the Son.
Lifeway Explore says, “Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.”
Luke 1:35, “ And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[a] will be called holy—the Son of God.”
Hebrews 1:1-3, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”
Gospel: This Christmas season people will cross our paths stressed by the holidays, overwhelmed at having to interact with Aunt Sallie, and grieving the empty chairs. Christmas is a blessed time, but also a time that highlights the broken spaces of our lives, as well. We need to transition these conversations.
Gospel Conversation Transition Statement: “I haven’t dealt with that exact hardship around Christmas, but I have been experienced similar hardships that Christmas time can accentuate. May I share with you the hope I have found in the real reason for the season, Jesus’ birth?”
Big Takeaway(s):
- Jesus the Savior is worthy of worship because He’s the true King.
- His birth fulfilled OT prophecy.
Discussion Questions:
- In what ways is Jesus King?
- What do we know about the wise men, what is biblical and what is shared about them based on tradition?
- What has God called you to offer as gifts to Him as acts of worship?
Caleb Walker 
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