What do you imagine are the best conditions in which to raise a child? What conditions impact their ability to be successful, both positively and negatively?
What conditions do we seek as the best conditions we could live in as a society? What kind of conditions do you think are the ones that are best suited to bring people to God?
Verse 2-6: In the time when Jesus was born, there were significant discrepancies in power and authority between those who were born into Roman privilege and those who were born into the serving classes. It seems that there has always been a tension between classes regardless of the civilization.
During the time of the New Testament, how did the authorities and Jews respond to the political tension? How are Christians supposed to respond in a time with growing tension between the populace and those in authority? What is Christ’s response to the tension he saw in his day?
Verse 7-12: The wise men must have had incredible insight in order to recognize that a king was to be born, that he was to be born in Bethlehem, and that a star was going to be a sign of where he was. The sad part is that the Jews had been given hundreds of years of opportunity to prepare for the arrival of Jesus. Why do you think the Jews missed seeing Jesus as the Messiah? What prevents them from seeking the true savior when he was right in front of their eyes?
Verse 13-15: The ability for Joseph and Mary to flee Egypt was probably funded with the gifts from the wise men. Talk about miraculous timing. Do you think God provides for your needs when you need it? What do you say to people who have lost jobs, loved ones, or are undergoing some other kind of hardship? Does God always provide for our needs?
Verse 16-18: Herod the Great was renowned for his paranoia regarding his fear of others taking power away from him, which led him to kill members of his own family, not to mention children in Bethlehem. What are some things in your life that give you great anxiety? Has any of that anxiety caused you to have destructive habits or destructive relationships? How can Christians deal with their anxiety?
Verse 19-23: Often God puts you in places where you’re uncomfortable, not because He doesn’t care, but because he has a purpose. Pain without gain is a shame. What are some gains we have an opportunity to receive through the pain we are experiencing today? Is God putting you in a difficult spot for a purpose?
You can find more than 2,000 sermons on Matthew 2 here.