Gifts Fit for a King

REFLECTION QUOTES

“To be always relevant, you have to say things which are eternal.”

~Simone Weil (1909–1943), French philosopher and activist

“We’re in a time where we exclude one major component out of this whole thing called life: God.”

~Kendrick Lamar, rapper, songwriter and producer

“The Church’s central Fact is a person, not a proposition, Truth made flesh, a man in history, thereby transforming both humanity and history’s trajectory.”

~Ken Myers, social commentator

“If the only thing human beings needed were a little external tweaking of their life circumstances, then the coming of Jesus to earth wouldn’t make any sense. But if the greatest danger to all of us lives inside us and not outside us, then the radical intervention of the incarnation of Jesus is our only hope.”

~Paul Tripp, author and speaker

“Marketing and consuming infiltrate every aspect of our lives and behavior. They filter all experience we have of ourselves. They become the standard of our final worth. Marketing and consuming ultimately reveal us to ourselves as things.”

~John F. Kavanaugh, priest and writer

“The Bible is God’s anthropology rather than man’s theology.”

~Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972), leading Jewish theologian-philosopher of the 20th century

“God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.”

~St. Augustine (354-430), bishop in North Africa

“The dignity of human nature, fashioned in the divine image, is such that God can take it for himself—and keep it.”

~Dr. Nigel Cameron, bioethicist and writer

SERMON PASSAGE

Matthew 2:1-11 (ESV)

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where theMessiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For out of you shall come forth a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.