Text: Matthew 2:1-12

Topic: How God relates to us

Introduction:

• Many retail businesses spend their entire year focusing on the single month of December.

• Wouldn't it be great if we could be so focused on the Christmas message that it consumed our entire year as well?

• We need to remember that Christmas has year-round significance in our lives.

• Matthew 2:1-2

• Anyone who looked into the sky could see this magnificent star shining brightly, yet only the Magi followed the star in order to find Jesus.

• Jeremiah 29:13

• Matthew 2:12

• It takes faith to believe that God is speaking to you

• God speaks to us through the Bible.

• Psalm 119:105

• God speaks to us through the preaching and teaching of his Word.

• Illustration: May illustrates how even poor preaching can be used of God by telling Peter Lord's story of visiting a church with a poor preacher only to clearly hear God's direction through the message.

• God speaks to us through many other sources.

• Illustration: May tells the story of Bob Geldof, a musician who heard the call to compassion during a news broadcast and raised $100,000,000 toward famine relief in response.

God leads those who will follow.

• Matthew 2:9-10

• Illustration: May illustrates our need to follow by telling the story of a lost missionary who turned to a native for help and heard the native explain, "In this place there is no path. I am the path."

Conclusion:

• Big Idea: God wants to be involved in our lives day-to-day.