Seeing the Light

Fellowship – Snacks or a Meal (10 minutes with snacks; longer, obviously, if there is a meal).

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes). In pairs or groups of three, have participants answer, “Briefly ponder these words from Isaiah 60:2: ‘For darkness shall cover the earth and thick darkness the peoples.’ What do you see in the local, national, or international news that you might describe with Isaiah’s words?

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). Read Isaiah 60:1-6 and Matthew 2:1-12.    

Why did the magi journey to Jerusalem from their homeland in Persia? [They had seen a star in the eastern sky that signified the birth of the king of the Jews. They travelled to Jerusalem in search of the child so that they could worship him (Matthew 2 1-2).

What emotion gripped King Herod when he heard that Gentile astrologers/dream interpreters were in the territory that he ruled, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2) [Fear. (Matthew 2:3)]

Why do you think he felt that way?

What actions did he take as a result? [(Matthew 2:4-8) He learned from the chief priests and scribes that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem as prophesied in Micah 5:2. He also met with the magi in secret to hear when they first saw the star. He directed them to go to Bethlehem, find the child, and return to tell him the child’s whereabouts so that he could also worship him [Matthew 2: 4-8)].

Retrace the magi’s journey from their first glimpse of the star to their return to their homeland “... by another road” (Matthew 2:12).

• What does this series of events reveal about the gifts the magi received and the challenges they faced in following the star?
• What does the story of the magi reveal about the gifts and challenges of seeing God’s light for contemporary Christians?

What can you do to “Arise, shine, for your light has come . . . “ (Isaiah 60:1a) in the presence of the darkness that came to mind in response to our opening question? How does your church community help you see the light?

Prayer (10 minutes). Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes). End with the following prayer, a similar prayer, or the Lord’s Prayer: God of love and light, when we feel engulfed in the darkness of this world, open our eyes to see your light and grant us the courage to follow where it leads. Amen.
 

Rev. Sherry Bryant-Johnson, a United Methodist deacon, served extension ministries in the Mississippi Annual Conference for nearly three decades. Now retired, she teaches “Abiding in Christ Together: Creating Gospel-Centric Retreats” as well as Lay Servant Ministries courses online at www.BeaDisciple.com. An author and a spiritual director, she is an editor and essayist for the anthology, Embodied Spirits: Stories of Spiritual Directors of Color (Morehouse, 2014).