Discussion Questions
The Declaration of the King
Jono Burlini | 12.14.2025
The news of Jesus’ birth comes with two main responses—worship and scorn. The scorn takes two forms: terror at the loss of power by King Herod and indifference on the part of the priests. How did you first respond to news about who Jesus is and what He came to do?
God’s plan of redemption stretches back before the Creation of the World (cf. Ephesians 1:4). Numerous prophecies of the Messiah came thousands to hundreds of years before Jesus was born (ex., Genesis 3:15, Deuteronomy 18:15-22, 2 Samuel 7, Psalm 2, Isaiah 53, Ezekiel 34, etc.). Why would Jesus’ own people, the priests and scribes, not receive Him with exuberant joy? What does their indifference towards the Messiah tell us about their faith in God’s promises?
Who in your life do you see responding with indifference to Jesus? How are you praying for them to have a life-altering encounter with King Jesus?
King Herod’s response echoes throughout history to anyone who rejects the rule of Christ, because it costs us our personal rule over our lives. Who in your life has rejected Jesus because they don’t want to lose their autonomy? How can you pray for them to receive Jesus as Lord of their lives, even if it costs them their autonomy?
The first people mentioned in this passage are the wisemen from the east. Naturally, we would not expect these Gentiles to come to worship the Messiah, much less know Him to be the King of the Jews. How does their worship of Christ fulfill Isaiah 42:6-7? How do you pray for those who currently seem “unlikely” as converts to Christ? What hope does this give you for your loved ones who are far off?