Dear Trinity Family and Friends,

I pray that you are being blessed with a holy Advent season so far! Over the past three weeks, we have considered the experiences of familiar people from the Advent story: Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, and King Herod. Now in the fourth week, we come to the most mysterious witnesses of the advent of the Christ - magi from the east.

It’s easy to forget that this week’s scripture from Isaiah (60:1-3) was already several centuries old by the time Jesus was born. It is thrilling and amazing to think that in Jesus’ time, before people’s very eyes, ancient scripture was being fulfilled! The magi followed a great light that had come - following the also-mysterious star - to locate the great Light that had come to save the world from darkness, that is, Jesus the Christ.

I’m keenly aware that many of us are very familiar with these passages of scripture and with the Advent accounts in general. Let’s try to approach the scriptures this year with fresh minds and eyes, and experience these texts anew. To that end, let’s consider the following questions as we prepare ourselves to worship together:

1. The magi are strangers to Jerusalem, foreigners who have come from outside and yet demonstrate significant determination to come and witness the “king of the Jews.” How have you generally viewed foreigners or strangers? Have you had the experience of feeling like a foreigner yourself, when visiting a new country or interacting with people outside of your comfort zone?
2. The magi seem to place great importance on the fulfillment of prophecy. Some Christian groups continue to emphasize prophecy fulfillment today, while others (United Methodism included) may not spend as much time or energy on prophetic fulfillment. In your personal spiritual life, do you believe deeply in scriptural prophecy and look for it to be fulfilled - or is it an aspect of religion that seems less familiar or comfortable to you?
3. There are many ways to interpret the description of the magi’s action upon locating the Christ, translated in the CEB as “honored him” (Matt. 2:11). What is your opinion of their actions? Are they worshiping the Living God by this action, merely paying homage to a foreign king, or something else entirely?

I pray that the Lord will draw our attention once again towards the humble origins of the most important human life in history. I look forward to worshiping with you in person and online, at 9 or 10:30 am, this Sunday!

In Christ,

Pastor Dale