WHERE IS HE?

Dec 08, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: The true King is found in unexpected places.

The wise men traveled far expecting a palace and a king on a throne, but they found a child in a house with his mother; this teaches that the real King often appears where the world least expects him. The search for Jesus is worth the time and the disappointment that may come when expectations don't match reality. When the star finally led them to the house, worship replaced disappointment and their lives were changed by a divine appointment. [01:01]

Matthew 2:1-12 (ESV)
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
“‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Reflection: In what ordinary place or unexpected moment might you today look for the King instead of the palace you’ve been seeking, and what one step will you take this week to worship him there?

Day 2: Encountering Christ makes one a new creation.

Meeting Jesus changes identity, not merely behavior; the old life passes away and something wholly new begins in the heart. This newness is not a small repair but a full transformation of spirit, affections, and direction. The promise of becoming a new creation gives hope that the search and the encounter lead to real, lasting change. [18:24]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Reflection: What is one specific habit, attitude, or relationship that still reflects your "old" self, and what concrete first step will you take this week to live out the newness Christ promises?

Day 3: Belief and confession secure salvation now.

Salvation is not an abstract observation but a present reality that begins when one truly believes in the heart and confesses Jesus as Lord. That confession is the moment everything changes—the pathway from observing to belonging. If you have never made that confession honestly in your life, the door to a new relationship with Christ is open right now. [26:04]

Romans 10:9 (ESV)
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Reflection: If you were to speak aloud the confession Jesus calls for, what is the one hesitation or claim of self that you would need to let go of first, and who will you tell about this decision in the next 48 hours?

Day 4: Worship demands surrender, not mere seasonal observing.

Many people will observe Christmas from the outside—singing songs and exchanging gifts—without bowing to the King; genuine worship requires surrender and obedience. An encounter with Jesus calls for an immediate response: do not debate or negotiate the first step of obedience. To worship is to let the encounter alter the route of life—to leave by another way. [16:26]

Luke 9:23 (ESV)
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Reflection: After an honest encounter with Jesus, what is the single, immediate action he is calling you to obey today, and how will you carry it out without delay?

Day 5: Christmas gains meaning when the church serves generously.

Adding value to Christmas comes not from more presents but from giving of oneself to others—wrapping gifts, hosting Angel Tree, packing and delivering meals—so that forgotten children and neighbors see God's love. The church's service becomes the tangible way heaven reorients joy toward the King and demonstrates that Christ's birth matters for the hurting. Serving others during this season is a practical worship that reveals and extends the presence of Jesus. [09:50]

Matthew 25:35-40 (ESV)
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Reflection: Which specific Christmas serving opportunity will you commit to (Angel Tree, gift wrapping, meal-packing, or delivery), and what day and time this week will you sign up and show up to serve?

Sermon Summary

I opened with the Magi’s question, “Where is He?” because the real King is often found in the last place we expect—and the search itself can change us. Matthew 2 shows wise men who were more than star-gazers; they were the spiritual heirs of Daniel, waiting generations for a promised moment. When the star rose, they left comfort, crossed deserts, and arrived at the wrong address—a palace—because that’s where kings are supposed to be. But the world’s power centers rarely know where Jesus is, even when He’s in their city. Scripture and a reoriented sky led them not to a throne room, but to a small house and a young mother with her child.

Their joy exploded when heaven corrected their direction. That same joy breaks in for us when we let God re-aim us toward the true King and add value to Christmas by giving ourselves away. We don’t add value by piling up gifts and movies; we add it by serving the forgotten, wrapping gifts for children of the incarcerated, delivering meals, and embodying the generosity of the One we worship.

When the Magi finally saw Jesus, they fell down and worshiped. He wore no crown, but they opened their treasures anyway. Worship happens when we bow before the King as He actually comes to us—humble, unexpected, yet worthy of our best. And no one meets Him and goes home the same. Warned in a dream, they obeyed immediately and traveled home by another way. That’s not just geography—that’s conversion.

Many of us came in on roads of self-sufficiency, bitterness, secret sin, or apathy. Jesus meets us on those roads and sends us home on new ones: surrender, forgiveness, holiness, and fire. If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old goes, the new comes. How? Admit you’re a sinner, believe in Jesus who lived sinlessly and died for you, and confess Him as Lord. Where is He? He’s in my heart—and He wants yours. Which way will you go home today?

Key Takeaways

1. The King appears in unexpected places. We look for power, polish, and platforms; God gives us a child in a modest house. When our expectations soften, we can receive the King as He chooses to arrive. Humility is not God’s detour—it’s His address. Bowing there changes what we call worthy. [11:45]
2. Let the search reshape you. The Magi risked time, reputation, and comfort because promise outweighs convenience. Long obedience stretches our desires until they fit God’s timetable. Don’t quit in the desert; the journey is part of your formation. [03:14]
3. Joy comes when heaven reorients us. Their joy erupted when the star led again, because direction is mercy. Let God correct your coordinates this season—toward presence over presents, service over spectacle. Joy grows when we give ourselves away. [08:47]
4. Worship bows before the unexpected King. They didn’t wait for a throne to bring their treasures; they knelt at a cradle. True worship isn’t transaction; it’s surrender to the One who rearranges our values. Give Him your best where He appears, not where you prefer. [11:45]
5. Obedience sends you home differently. They didn’t debate the dream; they obeyed and took another road. When Jesus speaks, delayed obedience reveals divided allegiance. If you’ve truly met Him, your route changes—direction, not just intention. [14:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:21] - Christmas Questions: Where is He?
[01:42] - Who were the Magi, really?
[02:16] - The long road from the East
[03:14] - Christmas is worth the search
[04:52] - Prophecy points to Bethlehem
[06:44] - Why power centers miss Jesus
[08:47] - Heaven reorients; joy erupts
[09:17] - Adding value to Christmas
[11:45] - Finding a child, not a king
[13:04] - Changed travelers: another way home
[14:41] - Don’t negotiate; obey immediately
[18:58] - New creation explained (2 Cor 5:17)
[21:29] - The ABCs: Admit, Believe, Confess
[24:24] - Which way will you go home?

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Read Matthew 2:1–12 (ESV)

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Observation questions

What details in verses 1–2 show who the wise men were and what their motive was for traveling such a long distance? [01:42]
Why did the magi first go to the palace, and what does Matthew 2 tell us about the expectations that sent them there? [06:44]
What role did the star play in guiding the magi, and how did they respond when the star led them to the right place? [08:47]
What happened after the magi saw the child and offered gifts, and how did the dream-change of route illustrate a deeper change in their lives? [13:04]

Interpretation questions

The magi came as seekers prepared by Scripture and waiting generations for the sign. What does their example suggest about the relationship between long waiting, Scripture, and spiritual preparedness? [01:42]
The magi expected a king in a palace but found a child in a house. What does this contrast reveal about the kingdom’s values versus the world’s values, and how should that shape the church’s posture toward power and humility? [06:44]
The text links the star’s reorientation with “exceeding joy.” In what ways can a change in spiritual direction produce real joy, and why might that joy differ from worldly pleasure? [08:47]
The magi obeyed the dream immediately and went home by another way. What does immediate obedience indicate about the sincerity of a life-change, and how can a group discern whether a direction to obey is from God? [14:41]

Application questions

The King often appears in unexpected places. Where have you been looking for Jesus in the wrong places (career, relationships, comfort), and what is one concrete step you will take this week to look for him elsewhere? [15:26]
Long searching can reshape desire and character. What comfort, reputation, or convenience might you need to risk to pursue God’s promise this season, and what specific sacrifice will you make? (Name one measurable thing: time, money, an evening, a conversation.) [03:14]
Joy grows when heaven reorients us toward presence and service. Which one local opportunity listed (Angel Tree gift wrap, delivering meals, serving at the Christmas dinner) will you commit to this month, and when will you sign up? [09:50]
True worship bows before the unexpected king and gives the best we have. What is one tangible gift (time, talent, treasure) you will offer to Jesus where he actually appears in your life, and how will you follow through? [11:45]
Obedience sends you home differently. What is one instruction from God you have been delaying, and what is the first immediate step you will take to obey this week? (Be specific about timing and action.) [14:41]
Becoming a new creation requires admitting, believing, and confessing. Which of the ABCs is the most next step for you right now—admit, believe, or confess—and who will you tell or ask to pray with you about it in the next 48 hours? [19:55]

Sermon Clips

40s

#UnexpectedKing

“``They found him in a house, not a palace.They found him with no crown, no court,just a child and his mother.They went from disappointment to a divine appointment.Disappointment in showing up and not seeing the king that they expected in Jerusalem to the divine appointment following the star right to the house where baby Jesus and his mother, Mary, were.You see, worship happenswhen we bow before the unexpected king.”

24s

#FindTheLastPlace

“And so the question that I want to answer today is the question that the three wise men, the three magi, asked, and that is, where is he?And the big idea was this, that the real king is often found in the last place that we look, the last place that the world expects.And maybe, just maybe, the search itself will change us.”

43s

#NewCreation

“Now let me just explain to you what that means.It means that you become a totally different person.One version says a new creature.Alright and I think well maybe that just applies to husbands.But the reality is that that God in heaven says that an encounter with Jesus Christ results in us becoming a new creation.What the Bible explains to us is it says that that our spirit which was dead because of sin becomes alive.Many people go through life and they don't think about that word sin.But then when they encounter Jesus they can't help but think about it.”

53s

#JesusForEverySinner

“This is what the Bible tells us that we believe that Jesus Christ born to Mary was the son of God.That Mary was a virgin and conceived.through the Holy Spirit.And not only that but that when he lived he lived a perfect life.He didn't sin when he was seven years old.He didn't sin when he was 21 years old.He didn't sin when he was 32 years old.And then he died on the cross.He died on the cross for a seven year old Ronnie Tabor who admitted that he was a sinner.He died on a cross.You put your name there because Jesus knew that you too one day would be a sinner.”

42s

#SearchForChristmas

“These weren't just mysterious cameo of characters.These were the first fruits of the promise that God had made back in the Garden of Eden.You see, Christmas is worth the search.It's worth asking the question, where is he?It's not uncommon for a Christmas time people who normally wouldn't go to church to show up at church.Why?Because just like those wise men had that stirring within them, I believe that we all recognize that there's something special about this holiday called Christmas.And it's worth the search.”

50s

#ValueChristmasByGiving

“And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.I don't know if they sounded like us a few minutes ago, but I think it was probably something close like that.You see, joy comeswhen heaven reorients us towards the king.Joy comes when you add value to Christmas.And let me just tell you this, adding value to Christmas isn't this, more gifts under the tree.It's not more cards.It's not more Hallmark movies.I believe it's when we give up of ourselves and we give to other people.”

17s

#NotInSuccess

“I would imagine that just like the three wise men, you went looking, but you thought he was going to be found somewhere else.You thought he was going to be found in the new job.You thought he was going to be found in the new relationship.You thought he was going to be found with much more money in your bank account, and the reality is that's not where you're going to find Jesus.”

42s

#MeetAndBeChanged

“You can come to Jesus casually.You can come to Jesus religiously.You can come to Jesus curiously like the Magi came.But more likely than not, the way that you're going to find Jesus, you will end up running into some disappointment because it won't be the experience that you thought was going to happen.It may not be in the location that you expected it to happen.But the truth is when you truly meet him, when you truly have that divine appointment, when you see Jesus as he really is, you cannot go home the same.”

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WHERE IS HE?

Devotional

Day 1: The true King is found in unexpected places.

Day 2: Encountering Christ makes one a new creation.

Day 3: Belief and confession secure salvation now.

Day 4: Worship demands surrender, not mere seasonal observing.

Day 5: Christmas gains meaning when the church serves generously.

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

WHERE IS HE?

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