The Four Kings of Christmas (Herod) (Part 3) (Mt. 2:1-8, 16-18)

Transition: What is it about Herod that causes us to be concerned?

HEROD WANTED TO RETAIN CONTROL.

• Why did Herod issue an executive order to murder all boys in Bethlehem two years old and under?
• He wouldn't allow for any possibility that another king would reign.
• In other words, Herod was threatened.  He wanted to remain in control.  Murder was his vehicle for dealing with the threat.  It is estimated that between 6 and 20 boys were murdered in Bethlehem.¹
• Regardless of the actual number, you can imagine the grief this atrocity caused.
• The magi came to Herod and announced that a King had been born.
• Herod determined that there was no way he would surrender his domain by acknowledging the legitimacy of this King.
• Today, I remind us that a King was born.
• Not only was this King born, but He was crucified on a cross and He rose from the dead three days later.  Now that's a powerful King!
• Just as Herod viewed this King as a threat over 2,000 years ago, so also many people today view Him as a threat.
• They do not want to relinquish control of their lives to King Jesus.
• They do not want to repent of their sins.
• They do not want to embrace the lifestyle demands that King Jesus imposes.
• They rightfully understand that King Jesus is highly intrusive.
• When people surrender to Him, there is no area of their lives that can be considered “off limits.”
• Christmas didn't happen – King Jesus wasn't born – so that you could annually accumulate more stuff that you don't need to impress people who don't care.
• King Jesus was born for one purpose – to die.
• To rebel against King Jesus, by determining not to surrender control of your life to Him, means that you will once again miss Christmas.
• Oh, I don't mean that you won't have any gifts.
• What I mean is that there is no gift that can ever compare with the ultimate gift – salvation.
• In 2 Corinthians 9:15, Paul called it God's “indescribable gift.”
• In Romans 6:23, Paul defines this “indescribable gift” as “eternal life through Jesus Christ.”

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_the_Innocents (accessed 12.05.15)