Sermon Tone Analysis

How many of us have people in our lives that are really hard to get along with?

Don’t point at them!

It’s interesting that in today’s culture, in today’s society, especially here in the United States— people are just angry, aren’t they?

Like in the last two-three years, we’ve seen an increase in the tension and conflict— the cancelling of people— right?

Crazy is being multiplied!

Even more so— this time of the year, around the holidays, you may have a little of this crazy going around in your family, right?

Unfortunately, when I talk to counselors and people who give help to those who are struggling this way— they are saying that probably more than ever— we are relationally challenged.

We are just dealing with tension.

We have been through an unprecedented two or three years here in our lives, haven’t we?

And all that, on top of the upheaval and uncertainty in government, economics, wars and rumors of wars— and its created some really mean people.

I mean like Grinch mean— Do you remember that weird little story?

The Grinch— Now that creature, whatever he was, was hard to get along with.

He initially hated the WHO’s down in Whoville— remember--- I’m going to introduce you again tonight to someone who was a real person in history— and like the Grinch, he had no peace in his heart, he was actually threatened by Jesus, he tried to destroy Christmas.

Have you ever felt threatened by Jesus?

That his coming into the world, your life— disrupting or challenging what you do, who you want to be--- was just too much for you to bear— and you actually, like King Herod— don’t want to deal with Jesus at all.

Wow— Pastor, it’s Christmas eve— gosh, lighten up...

I want you to consider something---Someone has said that with all that has changed for us in the last 25-30 years— this is the age of “perpetual offense.”

People are so quick to become angry, to take offense, to be offended— to cry “foul” and to sometimes explode when they feel questioned, threatened, or challenged.

Welcome to the world of “Perpetual Offense”.

Did you catch that?

Perpetually offended.

I’ll tell you this— in today’s world,

If you are searching to be offended, you are always going to find what you are looking for!

I promise you — if you’re always looking to be hurt— always looking for ways you are a victim, you’ll find it.

There is a strange and fascinating part of the Christmas story that I want to highlight tonight- Let me give you some background--We’ve been talking each week here leading up to tonight about this missing peace— this God shaped, void in our hearts— a space that only God can fill—we’ve emphasized that Jesus is that missing Peace.

We highlighted several people in this wonderful epic story who embraced Jesus— Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, and Angels, even these very smart kings or scientists or whatever from really far away--- most everyone in the story welcomes and worships Jesus— but there is someone in the storyline who didn’t — and that act of rejecting Jesus like he did— produces the greatest lack of peace that we can read about in scripture.

We can speculate that he just didn’t understand what the big picture was— or that he just flat out rebelled against God and everything Jesus represented… Like was he just incompetent or ignorant— or was he so corrupted that he willingly rejects the Prince of Peace---to his own demise.

Either way, I want us to consider Herod, and the desperate place that he finds himself.

That story is found in Matthew 2:1-2

Conrad read for us this intriguing set of verses before— so I won’t go through it all with you again.

The wise men are a wonderful part of the story—and they have come from the furthest away— in fact, some scholars believe it might have been up to two years after the birth of Jesus that these folks arrived-- but I want to focus for a few min on the result of their visit.

These were men (and possibly women) who were smart enough to understand changes in the astronomy of the sky, and had enough wealth and status, (perhaps as kings themselves)- to come a very long way, and give very extravagant gifts to Jesus.

Its very common for leaders, especially leaders that are not very stable, to never want to be surprised.

Like— I’m supposed to be in charge of this thing— and somehow a group of people apparently from way far off in the east show up, and drop this bomb on me.

Not good.

How did they know and I didn’t?

Now I’m playing catch-up and I don’t like it.

Herod was indeed named “King of the Jews”, but only by the higher Roman authority… The scripture says that the Magi asked the question, “Where is the one BORN King of the Jews...” That right there was an affront to his authority— and his obvious lack of knowledge about the promises surrounding the Messiah to begin with.

Herod was exposed by the visit of the Magi.

Can you imagine what was going through his mind when this caravan from so far away showed up asking questions about the King?

“We saw his star in the sky”… What in the world?

Herod is thinking— “Where’s the king?” I’m the king!

(or I thought I was)

The scripture says he was “disturbed” or “alarmed” by the news that a king had been born— that the Messiah had come.

You would think he would want to celebrate with everyone— yes!

The promised Messiah has come!

If he actually knew any of the prophecies, he would do well to get his heart and mind in the right place and embrace Jesus just like everyone else!

Remember the shepherds and angels— woo hoo!

These shepherds go all over and tell everyone who would listen.

The whole region was in turmoil— it was probably buzzing with the rumors, and the stories that all the eye witnesses told.

Herod was offended and angry by the birth of Jesus.

With all the general buzz— rumors, and apparent arrival of the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”, Herod finds himself OUT of the spotlight, on the outside looking in— and he has a choice to make here— and he gets it all wrong, doesn’t he?

Some people just don’t want to be told what to do.

Sometimes their called “strong willed”, or “headstrong” “independent”, or “dominate personalities”.

Believe it or not, we probably all have a little bit of it in us--- We’re sinful humans… If that is you— it’s ok, God has created you that way, and he can use you to do mighty things for the world.

I think Herod probably is one of these types.

Some of you may not know that this Herod (there were several of them— it’s kind of a family name/ tradition— but this Herod was a particularly mean and evil king.

He actually kills several of his own family, eliminating them because they may ascend to the throne.

Herod's brutality has been demonstrated by the fact that Herod used secret police to monitor and report the feelings of the general public toward him.

He sought to prohibit protests, and had opponents removed by force.

He had a bodyguard of 2,000 soldiers.

In his world, and during his time, he was “large and in charge”.

He accomplishes quite a bit in the total of 37 years that he reigns over Judea.

We don’t need to be high level historians or bible experts to conclude that Herod immediately begins to plot an evil plan— He does some research with his advisors— and comes up with this sly plan:

He knows why they have come— he appears to want to join in on all the worship— but later when the Magi don’t return— the plan gets even more intense:

This is what historians have named the “Massacre of the Innocents”.

But if we do the research, we’ll find that it only served to further fulfill the prophecies about Jesus even more clearly.

Matthew makes a point to highlight these references also.

Jesus and his parents are warned by God— they flee to Egypt— and the weeping is heard all over the region.

So what is the point of all this?

It’s Christmas eve, my goodness, we’ve had a great night with our music and we’re getting ready to light some candles and sing together---

What can we learn from Herod and these Wise men tonight?

One thing I want you to remember—

In this life, you will be offended, but to live offended is your choice.

Herod chose not to embrace Jesus.

That’s a choice we have too— but that choice carried with it a life of fear, self-righteousness, doubts, and ultimately no peace.

When we come across people in our life that are kind of like Herod or the Grinch— we need to realize that they don’t have peace, because they either don’t know— they are ignorant of the whole point— or they have rebelled and are choosing to reject Jesus.

I’m standing here tonight to simply say that choosing to reject Jesus — that’s a choice that I want anyone within the sound of my voice tonight to reconsider--

Yes, will Jesus coming into your life cause some discomfort?

Yeah— for sure.

Will Jesus arriving on the scene of your world disrupt your plans?

Maybe--

Will Jesus dropping in and even taking a role in your life that you thought only you could fill— like being the KING of your life— will that be hard?

Absolutely— but listen to me:

Your acceptance of Jesus as Lord has no bearing on it actually being true.

You might be able to stop Jesus from being your savior— but you will not stop Jesus from being savior of the world.

Herod couldn’t kill him, the Pharisee’s thought they did, but both were horribly mistaken, and you won’t be able to stop him either.

The book of Revelation gives us a little window into the future— The apostle John is given visions and trys to write them down: Take a look here, compare this scene with the Angels and shepherds, the Wise men bowing down...

Those of us who have embraced the baby in that manger— believed that He is Lord and Savior of our souls— we will be a part of that great celebration at the end of time.

This is a scene of peace— of perpetual peace.

Forever.

I’ll end with this also:

Paul wrote these wonderful words about Jesus:

You can bow now— like Mary and Joseph, the Shepherds and the Wise Magi— and embrace the missing Peace in this life— You can embrace God’s plan for your life— his purpose.

or you can turn away like Herod and fight him--forfeiting any lasting peace— But let me remind you-- you’re going to bow anyway later.

So why not do it now?

Jesus is not a tyrant.

He isn’t here to punish or shame us— He came that we would have life— and have life more abundantly!

He is a gracious and loving Lord.

I pray this Christmas you can join the host of heaven (both past and future) and proclaim the promised, perfect, patient and perpetual peace of Jesus Christ in your life— and that you would share it with everyone you know.