Here are some questions based on last Sunday’s sermon text (Matthew 2:1-12), in case they’re helpful to you for personal growth or group discussion…

• [2, 10] God used signs in the heavens (the star) to guide the magi from the east to Jesus. “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens… and let them be for signs and for seasons” (Genesis 1:14). Such signs (sun, moon, stars) are mentioned frequently in Biblical prophetic and apocalyptic literature. Can you think of some references? How might they refer to this, Christ’s First Coming into the world? How might they point forward to his Second Coming? How might they refer to heavenly (angelic) beings, who are also closely associated in the Scriptures with Christ’s two Advents?

• [2, 11] The eastern magi (“wise men” or “wizards”) traveled far to worship the newborn King of the Jews. That’s a strange type of visitor to punctuate the birth of Christ, especially when contrasted with the hostility of Herod and others of Christ’s own nation in the Gospels. Why do “unlikely” people flock to Jesus? Are you one of the “strange” ones? How? Do you make it easy or difficult for strange ones to come to Jesus? How?

• [1, 11b] “After Jesus was born…” God is the one whose very Triune being is Gift, who took the initiative to send his Son into the world to be our Savior. After God opened his treasure and gave his Son, then the magi opened their treasures and gave their gifts. Like the magi, then, all our generosity and gifts are only ever a response to the divine Gift of God in Christ, never in order to impress God or to gain his favor. Is that how you feel or think when you bring your gifts and offerings during corporate worship?

• The magi responded to Christ’s infant presence with specific gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Whether they intended the symbolic significance or just brought costly gifts, these gifts foreshadowed Christ’s ministry. Gold represented his kingship and the riches of his grace; frankincense (an ingredient of the special incense used only on the altar) represented his priesthood and intercessory prayers; and myrrh (used for a lover’s perfume… and for embalming) represented his complete sacrifice of love, ultimately on the cross. So, their gifts reflected Christ’s person and work. When you give to others and serve others, how can your gifts reflect Christ’s person and work?

• How can those “with nothing to offer,” in the world’s estimation, be generous and give as a response to and reflection of Jesus? What sorts of people would that describe? Does that describe you, or people you know? How can just being who you are in Christ be a gift to the church?

• Do you think children are interested in giving gifts in response to Jesus? Do you think they can reflect Jesus in their gifts? Do you think they can do it “better” or “more naturally” than you? Or do you think you might be able to help them with this?