Key points
- 1
1The Magi bowed before Jesus while Herod was disturbed and sought to destroy Him — two contrasting responses that reflect our own human condition.
A story from life
Pastor Scott's account of being disturbed by the Gospel after his friend Todd walked him through Stryper lyrics, eventually leading to his conversion during a cross-country drive from Michigan to California
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2Hearing the true announcement of who Jesus is creates a clash of kingdoms — our desire to be in charge versus surrendering to His reign.
“when someone accurately communicates with us who Jesus is, there's a clash of kingdoms”
- 3
3God rescues us from the dominion of darkness and transfers us into the kingdom of His Son, where forgiveness of sins brings real hope and joy.
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4Jesus commands us to seek His kingdom first, and all our basic needs will be provided — making every believer also a seeker.
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5God is not hiding from us; He is constantly revealing Himself, and when we seek Him with all our heart, He promises we will find Him.
“He's not playing hide and seek. He's playing seek and find”
“I think God's so confident when he says, If you seek me with all your heart, you're gonna find me, because I'm the very one who put the desire in your heart to seek me”
“if the one who hung the stars can use a star and get the attention of a pagan, Babylonian, astrologer, and bring them to Jesus, he certainly can get our attention and bring us to Christ”
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6Seeking the King and His kingdom instead of building our own kingdom means we build a legacy to pass on to those who come after us.
“instead of building our kingdom, seeking a king, seeking his kingdom, we're actually building a legacy”
Application
Pastor Scott's challenge is direct and personal: Where is God trying to get your attention right now? Just as the Magi followed a star across hundreds of miles and the Magi bowed before the Christ child, and just as Scott himself was unsettled for days after first hearing the gospel, God is constantly revealing Himself — through a friend's conversation, a season of struggle, or even a Christmas card on the refrigerator. The invitation is to stop building your own kingdom and start seeking His. For those who already follow Jesus, that means actively seeking His rule and reign in every area of life — your marriage, your parenting, your work. For those still deciding, it means trusting that the hunger you feel to know more is itself a gift from God, who promises: seek Me with all your heart, and you will find Me.
