Leading Off with a Question

Looking for a good conversation starter?  Lead off with a question.  You might try one of these:

What time is it?
Have you seen the latest Narnia movie?
Where did you get that great jacket?  (not too polite, but sure to get an answer)

Here's one you might not want to use yourself, but you can bet it caused a stir when it was asked:  Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?

Consider the circumstances.  An unspecified number of foreign travelers arrive in Jerusalem.  They are serious about their mission -- they have seen a star which, according to their study, heralds the birth of a King, and they want to pay him homage.

When they get to town they start asking around for any information that will help them in their search for the child.  Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? they ask.

You can't show up in town asking about a king without arousing the attention of the palace.  When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.  "Disturbed" doesn't sound like such a strong word, but it is the same Greek word translated in Galatians 1:7  as "throwing you into confusion," and in Matthew 14:26 as "terrified" (when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water in the midst of a storm).

King Herod's future is in jeopardy, and he knows it.  The prophecies of the Messiah are being fulfilled!  "God With Us" has arrived on the scene!

You can read the story in Matthew 2 of the New Testament.  And if you, too, are seeking a King, you will find Him in the pages of the Bible.  What better time to be seeking than this time of year, when we celebrate His birth.