GLORY | Ps Don Easton

We celebrated the quiet power of small seeds—how a simple prayer, an invitation, or an act of love can grow into a legacy across generations. Bruce and Julie’s handover to their children stirred that vision again in me: God is writing stories bigger than our moments, and He uses ordinary obedience to do it. “Follow the Star” invited us to step into Matthew 2 with fresh eyes. I imagined sitting with the Magi—men of status and intellect—who crossed cultures and ideologies to bow before a Child. Each gift spoke: gold for a King, frankincense for God, myrrh for the One who would suffer. They were powerful, yet profoundly humble. They didn’t come to get; they came to give.

Then we listened in on Herod—restless, threatened, clutching at control. The contrast is sharp: the Magi ask, “What can I give?”; Herod asks, “What will I lose?” Worship and fear both reveal identity. When we seek Jesus, we don’t just find answers—we find ourselves. We receive the right to belong as children of God, the peace of a truer name, and the joy that reorders status, goals, and possessions.

We traced two legacies. Herod’s fear birthed violence that echoed down his line. The Magi’s humility forged a story retold in every generation. One grabs; the other kneels. One manipulates; the other worships. And because they bowed, they were guided: warned in a dream, led by a star. Worship didn’t just fill their hearts; it shaped their steps.

This is our invitation as a church family: to be the “they” who bow together, open our treasures together, rejoice together, and become a people guided together. Some of us need to return—lay down Herod-like fears and re-open our hearts to Jesus’ leadership. Some of us need to begin—simply to pray, “Jesus, be Lord of my life.” As we seek Him, we will find Him. As we worship, He will guide. As we give, He will form a legacy through us that outlives us.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Small seeds shape generational legacy God delights to multiply ordinary obedience into extraordinary influence across time. What looks small in your hands may be a hinge on which someone else’s future swings. Sow anyway; you are not the whole story, but you are part of God’s story. He tends the seed and guards the harvest. [01:59]
• 2. Worship reorders identity and power The Magi were the kind of people others bowed to, yet they bent low and opened their treasures. Worship relocates the center from self to Christ, untangling our identity from status and performance. When we kneel, we are free to be named—not by position, but by belonging. [14:48]
• 3. Curiosity that follows the light They crossed borders because a question burned brighter than their comfort. Holy curiosity—“Where is God at work?”—will carry you beyond cynicism and apathy. Follow the light you have, and more light will be given; revelation grows with movement. [07:56]
• 4. Fear protects thrones; love bows down Herod defended a fragile crown and became a prisoner of his own control. Whenever fear governs our choices, we reduce people to threats and God to a rival. Love, however, chooses surrender over security and discovers a better Kingdom. [10:20]
• 5. Worship opens guidance for next steps Their kneeling became their compass; God warned and redirected them. Guidance is not God’s prize for the competent but His gift to the surrendered. If you will offer your joy, your knees, and your gifts, expect Him to speak about your road ahead. [17:06]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:59] - Seeds and legacy: Bruce & Julie
• [03:37] - Follow the Star: Matthew 2
• [05:39] - Conversing with the Magi
• [07:01] - Babylon to Bethlehem: Daniel’s echo
• [07:56] - Gold, frankincense, and myrrh
• [09:07] - Identity, belonging, and generosity
• [10:20] - Herod’s insecurity exposed
• [11:40] - Seek, find, and become children
• [14:48] - Knees bent, treasures opened
• [15:55] - Legacies that echo through history
• [17:06] - Guided by dreams and worship
• [19:06] - The power of “they” in worship
• [21:41] - Prayer of dedication to Jesus
• [22:29] - Next steps and closing blessing

1. In Matthew 2:1-12, what did the Magi do when they found Jesus, and what emotions are named in the passage as they drew near?
2. How did Herod respond when he heard about the child? What actions did he take, and what do those actions show about his inner state?
3. What meaning was given to each gift—gold, frankincense, and myrrh? [07:56]
4. What repeated word draws attention to worship done together rather than alone? [19:06]

1. The Magi were people others bowed before, yet they bowed to Jesus and opened their treasures. What does this say about how worship reshapes identity and power? [14:48]
2. They were warned and redirected after they worshiped. Why might guidance often come to the surrendered heart, not just the competent mind? [17:06]
3. Contrast these two questions: “What can I give?” and “What will I lose?” How do these reveal the heart’s posture toward God and people? [09:07]
4. Small seeds—simple prayers, invitations, acts of love—can shape legacy. Why does God delight to work through the small and ordinary across generations? [01:59]

1. Think of one “small seed” you can sow this week (a prayer, an invitation, an act of love). What exactly will you do, when will you do it, and who is it for? [01:59]
2. Where are you most tempted to protect a “throne” in your life—control, image, schedule, finances? What would it look like to kneel there and trust Jesus with it? [10:20]
3. What “treasure” could you open before Jesus in this season—money, time, influence, skills, a costly habit to surrender? What is one concrete step you will take in the next seven days? [14:48]
4. Follow the light you have: what is one question or holy curiosity stirring in you right now? What small move will you make this week to follow that light? [07:56]
5. Make space for guidance after worship. When and how will you worship and then listen for next steps this week (for example, 10 minutes kneeling, a simple “Speak, Lord” prayer, journaling one question)? [17:06]
6. Where do you tend to seek your name from status or performance, and how will you practice receiving the name “child of God” in a practical way this week (for example, memorizing John 1:12–13, praying “Father, I belong to You” at the start of each day)? [12:54]
7. The power of “they”: as a group, what is one way you can bow together, open your treasures together, rejoice together, and seek guidance together this month (serve someone, give together, worship and listen together)? Choose a shared step and a date. [19:06]