Sermon Starters: Hidden in Plain Sight

Brookside Wesleyan Church, Wellsville, NY
December 26, 2021

Text: Matthew 2:1-12

Intro: Overview of the Wise Men story
who, where, when

1. Some are seeing but not seeing. (2:1-3)

• How is it that the wise men are the only ones who see the star?
• Three Amigos ("look up here"); Downton Abbey (nobody realizes that everyone has a crush on everyone else)
• The Star surely was visible. They saw it but they didn't see it.
• Mark 4 -- "Let those who have ears to hear hear." The filtering nature of Jesus' parables 
• What/who are we not seeing?
• What is God doing around you that you're not seeing?
• Especially we don't want to be like the goats in Matthew 25!

2. Some are knowing but not knowing. (2:4-6)

• Herod surely knows he can't fight God who has power over stars!
• Why don't the chief priests and scribes run to Bethlehem too? They know the Bible well enough but somehow it hasn't sunk in.
• Stubborn ignorance -- when we refuse to know what we know deep down
• Girl who doesn't like you.
• My easter story of paradigm shifting
• Matthew 22; Romans 13 are the key. Does it fit with a true love of our neighbor?

3. Some are doing but not doing. (2:7-12)

• Herod pretends to want to worship.
• Guy at supper in Crimes and Misdemeanors. He doesn't really believe all that "mumbo jumbo." He just attends and does the ritual.
• Luther's reaction to Rome and the Protestant Reformation

Conclusion

• Be like the wise men. See, know, and do.