Christmas Love for God's Global Family
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
1 When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and said, “Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard about this, he was worried, and so was everyone else in Jerusalem. 4 Herod brought together the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses and asked them, “Where will the Messiah be born?” 5 They told him, “He will be born in Bethlehem, just as the prophet wrote, 6 ‘Bethlehem in the land of Judea, you are very important among the towns of Judea. From your town will come a leader, who will be like a shepherd for my people Israel.’ ” 7 Herod secretly called in the wise men and asked them when they had first seen the star. 8 He told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, let me know. I also want to go and worship him.” 9 The wise men listened to what the king said and then left. And the star they had seen in the east went on ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 They were thrilled and excited to see the star. 11 When the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him. They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and gave them to him. 12 Later they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they went back home by another road.
Matthew 2:1-12
Memory Verse
Matthew 2:10-11
10 They were thrilled and excited to see the star. 11 When the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him. They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and gave them to him.
Think of the word “family.” What comes to mind? Maybe you think of your parents or siblings. You might think of your cousins. You may think of your pets. But did you know that you have a family that’s bigger than you think? In fact, you are part of a family that’s all around the world: God’s family!
The wise men were, as you may guess, very wise. So wise, in fact, that the king would ask them for advice. And they were wise enough to follow the star of David when they saw it rise in the sky. They knew that it was a sign from God and followed it all the way to Bethlehem, which was hundreds of miles from their home. When they arrived at the home of Mary and Joseph, they bowed to Jesus and worshiped him. Yes, he was only a child. But they knew he was the Son of God, the King they had been waiting for. The wise men gave gifts to Jesus, but they weren’t usual baby gifts, like rattles and blankets and stuffed animals. They were gifts for a King: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Though they had lived far away, they knew that God wanted them to know his Son, to be a part of his family.
Just like the wise men, we can choose to follow Jesus. By accepting the gift of his love, we give him a big gift: our hearts. After all, God’s family isn’t brought together by speaking the same language or wearing the same clothes. We don’t look the same or eat the same food. We’re brought together by the love of Jesus, which was shown on the first Christmas.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for inviting us all into your family. Thank you that the gift of Jesus’ love is for everyone around the world. Please help me to share your love with others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.Related Resources
Areo Keller-Donahue
As soon as Areo could pick up a popsicle stick, she was making puppets and putting on plays that shared her faith with her neighbors. Areo grew up with a strong interest in musical theatre and earned her BFA at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Areo was led to use artistic gifts to share the gospel with young ones, and she became involved in ministry. She has worked in children's ministry at Redeemer Upper West Side and North Way Christian Community and is currently developing a musical live-action series that celebrates faith and fun. Areo and her husband live in Pittsburgh, where they enjoy spending time with their families and adorable cat, Daisy.