Today’s Scripture is Matthew 2:1-5
“The King That Missed Christmas”
King Herod and the shepherds. What a contrast. Herod had immense wealth and power and lived in a palace. The shepherds were poor young boys who lived in the fields. Yet the shepherds were the ones who found Christmas and the king missed it. How did this happen?
Read Matthew 2:1-8 and Luke 2:8-20.
What contrasts can you find between the king and the shepherds?
Why do you think the king took the course of action that he did?
Why do you think the shepherds so readily accepted and responded to the news?
Isn’t it the same today? Some will miss Christmas and some will find it?
Why is it, in a Christian nation, that so many will not find Christmas?
Does this mean that wealthy and powerful people will not find Christmas?
Does it mean that the poor will automatically find Christmas?
How would you explain what it means to you “to find Christmas”?
I. The only way to “find Christmas” is to find the Christ child!
How do you think you find the Christ child?
How do the presents and extravagant spending present a stumbling block to your finding Christmas?
How do you think materialism affects people “finding Christmas‘?
II. Set aside the time.
The magi took years to find the Christ child.
How much time are we going to spend this Christmas with the Christ child?
What are some of the things that keep us from spending time to find Him?
How do we go about setting the proper priorities for our time this Christmas season?
III. Search for Christmas.
What source did the Magi follow to find the child?
What sources does God use to lead us to Christ?
Can you still be a Christian and miss finding the presence of Christ? Explain
When we come into His presence what gifts can we give Him?
About Us
- Hope Community Church
- Santa Maria, California, United States
- Real People, Real Issues, Real Life Hope Is Real! Hope Community Church is committed: To demonstrating God’s love through building families & sharing hope. To minister to all levels of a persons life; child, adult and senior. To providing a safe environment for all to flourish spiritually and physically. To see people totally radically changed and to build up the body of Christ. This will be accomplished by providing meaningful worship and praise services, Bible-based preaching and exhortation, comprehensive education and discipleship programs, in-home ‘Life Groups’ and extensive outreach efforts. Programs will be designed to minister to people across all demographic groups (men and women, married and single) and in every age group (children, youth, college/career, and young, middle and senior adult).