Jesus is our friend, but He is also our King! The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! In this message, Pastor Jen DeWeerdt encourages us to rediscover the wonder of God’s majesty and sovereignty this Christmas Season! His royalty leads us to worship, and that worship creates wonder!
Notes 📓✏️:
Matthew 2:1-12 (ESV) “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.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
“‘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.’”
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 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.” 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. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 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. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”
Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
1 Timothy 6:15,16 (ESV) “…He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light…”
King: leader of the people, prince, commander, lord of the land.
Lord: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding.
Worship or Withhold.
Do you worship or withhold?
Matthew 2:11 (ESV) “And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary, His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him.”
Don’t allow accessibility to diminish His Majesty
I need to worship because without it I lose a sense of wonder and gratitude and plod through life with blinders on.
Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV) “Therefore God exalted Him (Jesus) to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Discussion Questions 📝❓:
- What does it look like to live a life with Jesus as the king of our lives?
- What are the differences between living a life of worship and a life that withholds from Jesus?
- Pastor Jen reminded us that worship isn’t a feeling, but something that changes us. What are some things this Christmas week you can do to have a posture of worship?
- How can you take the focus off yourself and take off the blinders of life to make Jesus the true King of our lives?