Summary: Murder & Christmas do not jell with our thinking of Christmas. We have to examine our lives in the light of the thinking of Herod and the Wisemen

Wed Dec. 5, 2007

19-year-old Robert A. Hawkins killed eight people and then himself at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, left a suicide note

Sun., Dec. 9, 2007

Five people — including Matthew Murray, 24— were killed, and five others wounded Sunday in the two eruptions of violence 12 hours and 65 miles apart

2 - Youth With a Mission Denver

2 - New Life Church in Colorado Springs

Evil had it’s day

Christmas time and murder do not go together

’Boxing Day’ or ’St Stephen’s Day’.

’St Stephen’s Day’ — ’Good King Wenceslaus looked out on the feast of Stephen’.

- What happened on St Stephen’s Day?

- Stephen, was murdered! Stoned to death

because he preached Jesus

- Children Murdered by Pharaoh, king of Egypt in Exodus

- In the church’s calendar, the day after Christmas is associated with two significant events – one is the martyrdom of Stephen that we read about in Acts 7.

- The other is the terrible event we read about in our Gospel reading today – the ’murder of the innocents’, where King Herod orders the death of every baby boy in the town of Bethlehem two years old and under!

- Herod knew the prophecies, yet fought against their fulfilment

Murder by a King

a. King Was Disturbed -v. 2

- The news of the wisemen.

- There was not room for another authority!

- Does Christ disturb the authority of your life?

- Living outside of the Lordship of Christ always will disturb us

- Shutting Him out of our lives is committing spiritual murder

b. King Was Demanding.

Demanded from the scribes information about where this King was to be born.

- Be careful to personal demands and selfishness a sure road to scriptural suicide

c. King Was Deceitful.

To the wiseman he said, ".....bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also."

- Living deceitful lives leads to self-destruction

d. King Was Destructive.

Herod ordered the death of all children age 2 and under in the region.

- Herod’s steps away from the Lord are a warning to our own lives

Key for Avoiding Murder

1 Peter 5:8KJV

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

- Wise men Rich & powerful

- Jesus was their Pursuit Passion & Joy

- When under the influence of grace – they gladly gave & surrendered to Jesus

- They come bow down and gave - Result Peace

ANOTHER AUTHORITY

• FOCUS: They have persistent endurance v. 1

• BELIEVE: They are not afraid to follow the star v. 2

- neither should we be afraid to follow the son

• SEEK : They are not afraid to ask for directions

- From all who might know

- Scripture their source of authority - v. 2-6

• PASSION: They came to worship v.2 & 11

- Worship involved humbling themselves

- Worship included giving

Overcoming Results in Unbelievable Joy•

Progressive fulfilment v 10

Joy

Great Joy

Exceeding great joy

We know the Christmas story

Now it is time to surrender to Christ