Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
—From Matthew 2:1–11 (NKJV)

“There were no crowds outside Jesus’s house ... Only wise men, Magi from the distant East watched the sky. What was this star that only they could see?”

— The Joy of Advent

Reflection

As a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem many now display a lighted Moravian star. This church school geometry lesson was adopted in the 1830s as a symbol of Advent. The typical Moravian star is an augmented rhombicuboctahedron, a geometrical form composed of eighteen square and eight triangular cone-shaped points. There are stars with as few as 20 points and those with as many as 110! Find DIY instructions to make your own stars at our Moravian Bethlehem Star Pinterest board. Reflect today on how even the stars obey the will of God. That truth should give us peace as we move toward a new year.

Celebrate Together

Gather the family for today’s Celebration in our book, The Joy of Advent. Wonder at the intricacy of God’s plan, that even in creation, he placed the star that would one day lead the Magi to Jesus, explore the Jesse Tree symbol of the Bethlehem star, discover the history behind today’s carol, and enjoy a family conversation (or private journaling) about entrusting your life to God.

Today’s Jesse Tree Symbol:
A **Star** reminds us of the Magi who came to worship Christ.

Inspiration

The Star of Bethlehem

Edward Burne Jones. An angel holds the star, guiding the way.

Music

Reflect as you enjoy O Little Town of Bethlehem that even in our dark streets, the Everlasting Light still shines! [Play Video]

Reflect on the Magi’s visit as you listen to Low’s Long Way Around the Sea. [Play Video]

Visit our Joy of Advent YouTube playlist for featured videos, our Ultimate Christmas playlist for all our favorite carols, or our sing-along carols to enjoy karaoke style.

Prayer

Merciful Lord, we beseech Thee to cast Thy bright beams of light upon Thy Church, that it being enlightened by the doctrine of Thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John may so walk in the light of Thy truth, that it may at length attain to the light of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(From Household Prayer, From Ancient and Authorized Sources, P. G. Medd, 1864)

Resources

Whether you’re a quilter or like paper crafts, find DIY instructions to make your own stars at our Moravian Bethlehem Star Pinterest board.
Learn more about the rhombicuboctahedron (and enjoy some mathematical equations!).
Enjoy a printable coloring page of the Star of Bethlehem.
Would you like to make Jesse Tree ornaments to accompany your readings? Find tutorials and ideas from simple to advanced at our Jesse Tree Ornaments Pinterest board.