Tag / King Herod
Video: Christmas in Light of the Cross, Day 9. Intimidation
Christmas in Light of the Cross, Day 11 (False Worship)
I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2 NLT
Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!” Matthew 2:7-8 NLT
When the wise men go to worship Jesus, they were probably surprised to find they were the only ones. Why were God’s people so lethargic? Then the wise men meet Herod, who tells them he wants to worship too. That must have really encouraged them! Of course, we know Herod’s claim to worship was not sincere. It was very hypocritical. The fact that the wise men were not a part of some big mega church or mega movement did not keep them from worshiping Jesus, even if they were the only ones. The fact that Herod, who claimed to be a worshiper turned out to be phony, did not keep them from seeking Jesus either.
Please don’t let the lethargy that may be in your church, family or community, keep you from seeking Jesus, even if like the wise men, you feel all alone. Please don’t let hypocrites or false worshipers rob you of your joy in finding the Savior!
Wise men still seek Him, even if no one else does!
Christmas in Light of the Cross, Day 4
I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area. This is my home church. Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist Church.
After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Matthew 2:13 NLT
Satan was doing his best to destroy Jesus before He could accomplish His purpose for coming to this earth. He not only tried to kill Him as a Baby but also tempted Him to jump off a cliff. (see Matthew 4) He also tried to get people to throw him off a cliff. (see Luke 4) They also tried to stone him to death more than once. (See John 10). However Satan could do nothing against Jesus until He accomplished His purpose for living and could die a death that would glorify His father and save others. Likewise if we belong to God, we have the same assurance Jesus had, that Satan can’t defeat our purpose for living, and we can’t die until we have accomplished God’s goal in our lives.
But in that coming day
no weapon turned against you will succeed.
You will silence every voice
raised up to accuse you.
These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;
their vindication will come from me.
I, the Lord, have spoken! Isaiah 54:17 NLT
Christmas in Light of the Cross, Day 2
I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ Matthew 2:1-6 NLT
Strange that the priests and teachers knew the Scriptures concerning the advent of the Messiah, yet they were were not leading out in a revival preparing for His coming. They were totally silent about it until asked by the gentiles who seemed more aware and interested than they were.
Why do you think the wise men from the east were more vocal and active concerning Christ’s coming than the priests and teachers were? Maybe the the priests and teachers did not want to offend the Romans or their king, and stir up persecution? Maybe they did not want the people to be worshiping anyone besides themselves? Or maybe even though they were religious leaders, they were just too caught up with their standing and position in the world to care about a Savior coming to set men free from sin. Earlier the Jewish priests and teachers were wanting a king like all the other nations around them. Later, when Pilate sought to free Jesus, the priests and teachers were claiming that they had no kind but the worldly Roman king. Were the priests and teachers so caught up in trying to make their nation like the nations around them that they forgot the whole reason why they existed?
The New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers. As a priest of Christ are you preparing others for His second coming? If not, could any of these reasons be keeping you back? Let’s not be so enthralled with everything around us that we forget why we exist.
When I was a child a lady from my church was in the hospital. She said later, that the pastor from the church where she worked in the nursery on Sundays came to visit her, but her own pastor never came to see her. So it was, at the birth of Christ, nobody from His own church came to welcome Him.
In Light of The Cross 