No Buyer's Remorse: Jesus the Promised, Life-Changing King

Devotional

Day 1: Ordering Life Around the Promised King

After the celebrations, many things we buy get returned because they weren’t what we hoped. Life can feel the same—expectations high, outcomes underwhelming. But in Jesus, you have a King who was not waiting to become something; he arrived already reigning, the promise in flesh. Like the wise men, you can accept that promise, believe it, and order your steps around it. As you look into a new year still searching, anchor your plans in the King who does not disappoint. There is no buyer’s remorse with him. [02:06]

Matthew 2:1-6: During Herod’s reign, travelers from the east came to Jerusalem asking about the child who was already king of the Jews, having seen his star and come to honor him. Herod, shaken, gathered the priests and scribes to learn where the Anointed One would be born. They answered: in Bethlehem of Judea, because the prophet said a ruler from Bethlehem would shepherd God’s people.

Reflection: What specific promise of Jesus will you arrange your calendar around this week, and what one concrete change will that require?

Day 2: Grace that Reveals and Draws the Nations

You did not find Jesus because you were clever; God kindly let light break into your life. The star that guided the wise men pictures the Spirit’s gentle revealing, drawing outsiders in with grace. That realization humbles the heart and stirs gratitude for those God used to point the way. Joy rises when you follow the light you have into the presence of Christ. Receive that grace again today and respond with worship and open-hearted thanks. [09:06]

Matthew 2:9-10: After hearing the king, they set out, and the star they had seen earlier moved ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star lead them to the goal, their hearts overflowed with great joy.

Reflection: Who helped you see the light of Christ, and how could you express gratitude or pass that grace along to someone else in the next seven days?

Day 3: When Jesus Divides Indifference, Hostility, and Worship

Jesus’ arrival exposes what lives in us. Herod shows hostility, the religious experts display informed indifference, and the wise men bow with joy. The quiet danger for many churchgoing people is not hatred of Jesus but a polite neutrality that never moves. Ask the Spirit to shift you from unhurried, safe distance to wholehearted allegiance. Choose to draw near rather than remain comfortably unmoved. [16:24]

Matthew 2:3-8: When Herod heard of a newborn royal, he was disturbed, and so was Jerusalem. He gathered the Scripture experts to learn where the Messiah would be born, and they pointed to Bethlehem. Then he secretly met the travelers to learn when the star appeared and sent them to search carefully, pretending he wanted to honor the child too.

Reflection: Where does indifference hide in your routines—what meeting, habit, or screen time dulls your response to Jesus—and what small, honest step could you take to turn toward him today?

Day 4: Opening Our Treasures to a Worthy King

The wise men opened their treasures because they saw his worth. Love always shows itself in what we offer—our time, attention, resources, and reputation. The child worshiped in a small house is the same Lord who would be lifted on a cross to save the world, infinitely worthy of honor. Let your worship be visible enough that others can tell what Jesus means to you. Open what you’ve guarded and lay it before him with joy. [24:59]

Matthew 2:11: Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, bowed down in reverence, and worshiped. They opened their treasure chests and presented costly gifts—gold, sweet incense, and myrrh.

Reflection: What “treasure”—time block, financial gift, act of service, or vulnerable conversation—could you bring to Jesus this week as a tangible expression of his worth?

Day 5: Going Home Another Way with Jesus

Meeting Jesus redirects the road. Warned by God, the wise men went home by another route, and nothing about them could stay the same. He is not a part-time accessory; he is a life-changing King who turns us right-side up. Where you have tried to limit his influence, trust him again—there is no regret in surrender. Step into the year choosing his way, confident he will give what you’ve truly been searching for. [30:22]

Matthew 2:12: After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they set out for their own country by a different path.

Reflection: If you were to “go home by another way,” what one pattern would change—schedule, relationship approach, or decision-making—and how will you begin that change in the next 48 hours?

Sermon Summary

Disappointment is a familiar teacher after the holidays: things arrive not as advertised. That very tension raises a deeper question after Christmas celebration—what is actually received in Jesus? Matthew 2 answers by unveiling a King unlike expectations: promised, revealed, dividing, worthy, and life-changing. He is not merely a baby who will someday ascend; he is born King. The Magi order their lives around that reality, investing time, distance, and treasure because God’s promise is trustworthy and present-tense. God’s promises in Christ are solid enough to rearrange a calendar, reorient a journey, and reshape a heart.

This King must be revealed. Knowledge of Christ does not come by cleverness or pedigree; it is grace. God discloses his Son to outsiders—astrologers from afar—foreshadowing a global invitation. That revelation humbles pride and kindles gratitude, because what is known of Christ has been given, not achieved. From the manger, the mission to the nations is already in motion.

Yet Christ’s coming also divides. Hearts surface in the presence of the King: Herod is threatened, the religious leaders are informed yet unmoved, and the Magi bow with joy. Hostility is obvious, but indifference is subtler and more dangerous—especially cloaked in routine religious activity. Jesus refuses neutrality. His presence compels a response.

He is worthy. The Magi open their treasures because his worth outvalues their valuables. Gold honors his royal right, frankincense his divinity, myrrh his sacrificial destiny. Worth is always visible: what is loved most receives the best. If an observer watched patterns of worship, attention, giving, and obedience, would the conclusion be that Jesus is of surpassing worth?

Finally, he is life-changing. The Magi go home by another way—geographically, but also existentially. Meeting Jesus redirects loyalties and paths; he does not merely accessorize a life, he reorients it. As a new year begins with many searching for change, the counsel is simple and demanding: entrust everything to this King. In him, there is no buyer’s remorse—only the steady fulfillment of God’s long-standing promise and the joy of a redirected life.

Key Takeaways

1. Born King, Not Becoming King Jesus is not awaiting legitimacy; he arrives with it. The Magi seek the one “born King,” not a future claimant, anchoring faith in a present reality rather than a distant possibility. Promises about him are already in force, sturdy enough to shape decisions today. Ordering life around that truth is wisdom, not wishfulness. [06:11]
2. Grace Reveals, Outsiders Welcomed Understanding Christ is a gift before it is a conclusion. God delights to disclose his Son to the unexpected and uncredentialed, humbling the proud and gathering the far-off. That grace forms a grateful posture and a missionary instinct: what was received by revelation must be shared in love. [12:25]
3. Jesus’ Coming Exposes Our Hearts Encountering Jesus surfaces what rules within: fear of losing control, settled indifference, or joyful surrender. Herod’s agitation, the leaders’ apathy, and the Magi’s worship chart the options still before every soul. Neutrality is not a category in his kingdom; his presence demands allegiance or refusal. [17:35]
4. His Worth Shapes Our Worship The treasures opened in Bethlehem were not payment but proclamation—Jesus is worth more. Worth becomes visible in what is gladly surrendered: attention, time, comfort, and resources. If worship costs nothing, it may be announcing too little about Christ’s value. True adoration aligns gifts with his glory. [24:59]
5. Life With Him Changes Direction Meeting Jesus reroutes lives—sometimes quietly, always profoundly. The Magi’s “different way” signals new authority and new priorities guiding their steps. Christ does not decorate existing agendas; he becomes the agenda, leading into obedience that is safer for the soul if not simpler for the schedule. [28:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - Returns, disappointment, and expectations
[02:06] - After Christmas: what do we have in Jesus?
[04:06] - Outsiders drawn into the story
[05:18] - Promised King: born King, not becoming
[07:40] - Ordering life around God’s promise
[11:06] - Revealed King: grace, not cleverness
[15:51] - From manger to mission: nations included
[16:59] - Dividing King: hostility, indifference, worship
[20:12] - The danger of religious indifference
[24:35] - Worthy King: treasures and true worship
[27:48] - Life-changing King: a different way home
[31:12] - No buyer’s remorse in Christ

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

- Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Observation questions

In Matthew 2, what exact title do the Magi use for Jesus when they arrive in Jerusalem, and why does that wording matter for understanding who he already is? “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews?” [06:11]
Trace the three responses to Jesus’ arrival in the passage: Herod, the religious leaders, and the Magi. What do you notice about each group’s posture and movement? [19:16]
When the Magi find Jesus, what actions do they take and what specific gifts do they open? List them and note what each gift would have signaled in their world. [24:59]
How does the story end for the Magi, and what does the phrase “they went back by another way” show about their new direction? [28:08]

Interpretation questions

“Born King” points to present authority, not future aspiration. How does that challenge any tendency to wait on obedience until life feels more stable or convenient? [07:07]
If knowledge of Christ is revealed by grace and even outsiders are welcomed (like astrologers from afar), how should that shape humility and gratitude in those who believe? [12:25]
Jesus’ arrival exposes the heart: hostile like Herod, informed-yet-unmoved like the leaders, or joyful like the Magi. Which of these responses seems most common in religious settings today, and why? [18:53]
The Magi’s gifts declare worth, not payment. What does this teach about how true worship always becomes visible in surrendered time, attention, and resources? [24:59]

Application questions

Ordering life around a promise: Where, specifically, will your calendar, plans, or routines shift this week because Jesus is not becoming King but already is? Name one change you’ll make. [07:21]
Grace revealed, outsiders welcomed: Who in your life might feel like an outsider to faith? What is one gentle step you can take to include them—an invite, a meal, a listening ear—because understanding Christ is a gift first? [12:25]
Indifference check: Where might spiritual routines (attendance, giving, serving) be masking a cooled heart? What practice could help move from “informed” to “engaged” this month? [23:02]
Visible worth: If someone watched your week—your attention, spending, screens, and service—what would they conclude has the most worth? What one “treasure” will you open to Jesus in the next 7 days? [27:05]
A different way home: What “different way” is Jesus calling you to take right now—relationally, ethically, financially, or digitally? What concrete first step will you take, and who will you tell? [28:08]
Mission from the manger: The nations are in view from the start. How will you weave a missionary instinct into your normal week—praying for a nation, supporting a worker, or befriending someone from another culture? [15:51]
No buyer’s remorse: Where are you hesitating to entrust something to Jesus (a fear, a plan, a possession)? What would entrusting that look like this week in action, not just intention? [31:50]

Sermon Clips

But the wise men have received a promise of who Jesus is. They received enough information from the Lord through their studies and and through what they were doing that that Jesus is no ordinary baby, that he is a king. It's important to note that that Jesus isn't a baby who would someday become king, that he is king. [00:06:34] (27 seconds) #JesusIsKingNow

This is the promise that the wise men were responding to. They came believing in a promise. They came believing that it was reality, that it was something that they could experience right then and there if they could only find where Jesus was. And so that's the nature of their search. They're coming responding to this promise to find the promised king. [00:07:02] (29 seconds) #SeekThePromisedKing

We can bank on this promise of Jesus being our king, our savior king. We don't have to wonder if it's gonna pan out for us. We don't have to wonder if it's gonna work out for us. We can bank on the promise made to us. And as we've mentioned already, we order our life around the promise made. [00:10:22] (20 seconds) #BankOnGodsPromise

This is important for us because knowledge of of Jesus' birth, knowledge of who he is, that he is our king, that he is our our savior. I have to remember that I didn't come to that on my own. I didn't come to that because, man, I'm just such a smart guy. You know? Good for me. I figured it out. It was revealed to me. God revealed it to me. He illuminated my heart and my life through the holy spirit so that I could know Jesus as my savior. And so we see grace in this story, that this knowledge of Jesus was revealed to the wise men. [00:11:13] (40 seconds) #RevealedByGrace

Coming to Jesus, and this may sound strange, but works much the same way. Right? It exposes what's in our hearts. Now it may expose some hostility. Right? For those folks who maybe the idea of following Jesus and laying your life down before him, that kind of threatens a degree of autonomy in your life. You can't just make your own decisions and be a follower of Jesus. You have to give your life to him. And so the coming of Jesus may expose that in us. [00:21:15] (36 seconds) #JesusExposesTheHeart

I think sometimes it is the church that has been the most successful in creating an indifference in people in who Jesus is. And this is what I mean by that before, you know, everybody's first squirming. It is possible. It's possible to attend church every Sunday. It's possible to get a tithe every Sunday. It's possible to go to Sunday school. It's possible to go to all the committee meetings. It's possible to read your bible every day and still be completely indifferent to who Jesus is. [00:22:36] (43 seconds) #FaithNotJustHabit

And so for you and I, when someone in our life has worth to us and we value that person, we typically show. We do things for them. We serve them. Right? We pour ourselves into that relationship. We express how much we value them. Right? They're worth so much to us. And so so should be the questions we ask of ourselves of Jesus. How much is Jesus worth in our lives? He is a worthy king. The one worshiped in a house by wise men is the same one who will be later nailed to a cross, rejected by his own people, yet saving the world, all the more worthy of our worship. [00:26:11] (49 seconds) #WorthyOfOurWorship

It may have been normal for men of their stature, the wise men, to involve themselves in political intrigue. I'm sure with their influence and their knowledge, people probably often soften them out, but it wouldn't happen this time. Their life would be directed not by the heavy hand of a jealous king, but by the gentle baby who would be a savior king. Their life would be completely different. [00:28:27] (30 seconds) #LedByTheHumbleKing

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No Buyer's Remorse: Jesus the Promised, Life-Changing King

Devotional

Day 1: Ordering Life Around the Promised King

Day 2: Grace that Reveals and Draws the Nations

Day 3: When Jesus Divides Indifference, Hostility, and Worship

Day 4: Opening Our Treasures to a Worthy King

Day 5: Going Home Another Way with Jesus

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

No Buyer's Remorse: Jesus the Promised, Life-Changing King

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