The true Star of Christmas.

"Where is the One born to be King? We saw His star … and have come to worship Him." (Matthew 2:2)

Matthew's Gospel tells us about the Magi - mysterious eastern magicians or star-gazers. They weren't Jewish themselves, but the appearance of a new star in the night sky told them that a new King had been born. And they sensed that there was something so special about this Jewish baby that they wanted to bring their gifts and worship Him.

Luke's Gospel tells us about the shepherds - very different kinds of people from the Magi - but people who also became aware of a strange new brightness in the sky and the glow of angelic messengers.

Both the shepherds and the Magi saw a glimpse of divine glory and they responded by coming to worship.

So - out of the Christmas Gospel come 3 questions for us to consider this morning:

1st Have we seen His star? For the Magi this meant actually seeing something in the sky - maybe a comet or supernova; more likely the extra brightness caused by the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn that happened at the time when Jesus was born.

For us, it means opening our eyes and ears to God's message, which comes to us in all sorts of ways - some that we might call "extraordinary"; others quite ordinary everyday things which speak of God's presence all around us: The beauty of creation; the power of music to stir our spirits; the love of our friends and families…

But above all, the light of Christ can be seen through the Bible. Remember just now, in the sketch we have just seen ("The Brightest Star" adapted from a story by Anna Caddy), when Celeste thought she'd lost the brightest star, she found guidance by turning to God's Book of Good News.

You and I can so easily lose our way, lose our purpose in life. But if we keep turning back to the Bible, searching the Scriptures, we will find them to be like a torch shining on our path, showing the way through the darkness. Even more amazing than a special star in the sky, is the warmth of God's love that beams out from the pages of this book. Let's keep looking at it, not just at Christmas but all through the year.

"Where is the One born to be King? We saw His star … and have come to worship Him." 2nd then: Have we come to worship Christ?

If you have time after this service, take a moment to look at the Reredos - the mosaic up here in the Sanctuary behind the Communion Table - especially if you're behind a Norman pillar right now and can't see it at all! The mosaic is made of Venetian glass. It depicts the Nativity… Mary, shepherds, Magi. Worship is in their faces, their body-language, their offering of gifts…. They saw something of heaven touching earth in this child - and they bowed down and worshipped Him.

But you and I, have we too come to worship Christ? Well yes - of course we have! Here we are on Christmas Day - we've dragged ourselves away from the presents and the TV and preparing the bread-sauce - and come to church to worship of the Christ-child.

Let's also remember that when we truly worship Christ - when we glimpse something of His loveliness, the beauty of His holiness, the depth of God's love shown to us in Jesus Christ - when we respond to that love in worship it changes us. And every time we worship Christ - offer our whole selves to Him - we change a bit more. Because the power of His transforming love gets to work within us. Then worship becomes, not just something that we do occasionally in church, but a regular way of life.

So that whatever struggles and sorrows we have to face, we are strengthened with the presence of Immanuel - 'God with us'. And whatever joy and success we experience, we are enriched all the more by the presence of Immanuel - 'God with us'. The One who makes us more fully alive, more truly human because we worship this wonderful God in Jesus Christ.

And 3rd Are we shining the Christ-light to others? When we have seen the light of Christ for ourselves, when we have been drawn by its warmth and beauty to worship, then we start to reflect that light - always, everywhere. Look for a moment at the lights on the Priory Christmas tree… They're given in memory of a church member by his wife. They're a super reminder of what we're all called to do - to shine like lights, making this world a brighter better place in the name of Jesus.

As the poster outside on the notice-board says: 'Jesus is the real star of Christmas'. And you and I - who see His star and worship Him - we are also called to go out and shine like little stars. Not for our own glory, but for God's praise. Not to draw attention to ourselves - but to reflect the Christ-light, so that others can come to see it too and also come to be blessed through worshipping this wonderful Saviour-King.

Mary Barr