
” When Foolish Is Wise”
Upside Down Christmas Series Lesson 3
Sermon Notes
December 17, 2023
I. Calling All Wise Men And Women…
A. Many today think of Christmas as foolishness, but not because of elves and flying reindeer.
B. God has intentionally embraced a kind of foolishness that exposes the emptiness of what the world calls
C. Christmas invites us to consider a different kind of wisdom through the story of the Magi. What do we know about these Magi? (Matthew 2:1-11)
The Magi were important foreign dignitaries who worked for kings. They were considered experts in the fields of astrology and dream interpretation, and thus were provided counsel to the kings.
As Gentiles, the Magi were despised for their race and their profession. The Old Testament taught that astrology was to be shunned by God’s people.
After traveling a great distance at great expense, they have one question: “Where is the
D. Perhaps the Christmas story is calling us to embrace a wise kind of
E. Life Group Discussion Question: How would you compare and contrast the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of God? Why is it easier for many to trust more in the wisdom of the world than in the wisdom of God? How has God made “foolish” the wisdom of the world?
II. Embracing A Wise Kind of Foolishness…
A. Wise foolishness believes in the
Matthew is clearly presenting the
Christmas presents a God who is real, who is near, and who still does things that human wisdom cannot explain. And He does it for one reason, to reach the world He loves!
Wise people recognize the presence and movement of
Life Group Discussion Question: In what ways have you seen God work that are difficult for human wisdom to explain? What gets in the way of our faith having room for the supernatural?
B. Wise foolishness believes that Jesus really
For some of us, believing that God exists is not as hard as believing that God is in charge.
In Revelation 4 & 5, Jesus is pictured as the slain lamb who is on the
Real foolishness is refusing to transfer sovereignty to
Life Group Discussion Question: Give some thought and prayer to this question as we prepare to enter a new year: If I were to transfer sovereignty to Jesus more fully and completely in 2024, how would my life be different?
C. Wise foolishness believes everyone matters to God!
- We live in a world that is always at war about our differences, but Jesus really is the
2 . The call of Christmas is to center every part of your life and every day of your life around Jesus! And it all starts by admitting that you need a
3 . Life Group Discussion Question: In which area(s), do you sense a need to “center” your life more fully around Jesus?
Finances
Relationships
Marriage & Family Life
Time
Work
Thought Life
Church Engagement
Worries
Sexuality
Lifestyle
My Future
Goals