Scripture reading
Sermon text
Matthew 2:1–12
¹ 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, ² 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.” ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 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.” 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.
Advent: Devotionals & Liturgies
This Advent, pastors, staff, and members of Coram Deo have put together a collection of devotionals and liturgies to help orient us towards the birth of Christ as we prepare for Christmas. There are two for every week and the ones that are written for the Lord’s Day will align with the sermons that are being preached on Sundays.
The Lord's Day devotional for this week titled "The King of Christmas" is available now on our blog.
We hope that these will be encouraging and helpful as you seek respite from the holiday busyness. May the joy of every longing heart be fulfilled by the coming of the King.
Call to Worship
Psalm 28:6–9
⁶ Blessed be the LORD!
For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
⁷ The LORD is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
⁸ The LORD is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
⁹ Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.
Prayer of Confession
Lord God, we praise you for sending light into this world. We confess that we live as though the light had never defeated darkness. We confess that we ignore the Savior you sent to be among us and to live in us. We’ve kept the birth of your Son confined to the Christmas season and do not yearn for his coming each moment in our waiting hearts. Forgive us for not opening our eyes to Jesus. Prepare us for His return. Help us rejoice in the light so that your grace can illuminate the darkened places of our hearts. Amen.
December Memory Verse
1 John 4:9
⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
Resources for Parents
Every Sunday, the children's ministry team creates lessons that cover the scripture and concepts from a recent sermon. The teachers ask simple questions to help the kids learn to understand and apply what God says in the Bible.
We want to equip parents to talk to their kids about what they're learning. The following is the content that the children's classes taught this week. We encourage parents to use this resource at home to help you and your kids grow as you learn from God's word together.
Children's Lesson from Sunday, December 15
Scripture:
Matthew 2:1-12
The Main Point:
Jesus is the best King.
Questions:
Q: What did God put in the sky after Jesus was born?
A: A special star.
Q: What did God show the wise men?
A: That Jesus is a very special king.
Q: What kind of King is Jesus?
A: The best king!
Q: What are two responses people have toward Jesus?
A: They love him or they don't love him.
New City Catechism Question #20
Q: Who is the Redeemer?
A: The only Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Note: All of our classes work through one question per month from the New City Catechism. You can download the New City Catechism app with all the questions and children's songs for free.)
