A Thrill of Hope - Part 2

1 John 5:11–12 NLT

And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

Introduction

Some stories seem hard to believe. They are like some fishing stories— the fish keeps getting bigger each time you tell it.

Like that, there is some controversy over the song “O Holy Night.”

At one point the song was banned from all Church services in France.

As we already mentioned, Cappeau was an atheist and was outspoken against the priests and the church.

Adolphe Adam who put the song to music was Jewish.

Neither of these men attended church on a regular basis.

Their lives were under a lot of scrutiny much like we see in today’s music world.

Catholic church leaders decided “Cantique de Noel” was unfit for church services because of its lack of musical taste and “total absence of the spirit of religion.” (https://www.annhgabhart.com/2019/12/16/the-story-behind-the-song-o-holy-night/)

The song was removed from worship services for a long time until John Sullivan Dwight translated it into english.

Dwight, an abolitionist during the Civil War, reintroduced the song at a much needed time in history. This is evident in the second verse:

Truly He taught us to love one another

His law is love and His gospel is peace

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother

And in His name all oppression shall cease

What beautiful words! They wonderfully capture the essence of the impact of salvation. These words expose the darkness of the human heart and to what lengths we will go to destroy each other, yet God in His great love has the power to change all that.

Lets continue to look at the greatest story ever told, the Christmas story and see how it changed the whole earth.

Matthew 2:1–20 NLT

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.’ ” 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!” After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. 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.” That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.” When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

The Dark Side of Christmas (don’t say the title)

Matthew’s gospel tells the dark side of the Christmas story.

This is a story of 2 kings - one earthly and jealous, the other divine yet humble and giving

Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem looking for the king of the Jews

This is who Herod thought he was so imagine his anger when the wise men said something about His star.

Vs 3 tells us that Herod was deeply disturbed (did you catch that?)- Herod was king and nobody was going to take that away from him

Herod could not stand anyone else being king so he set out to kill anyone who would try to take that away.

Herod - A Tale of Two Characters

It almost seems like Herod was two different people — he did a lot of good for Israel but he also did a lot of bad

He was a friend to Israel in many ways:

He built cities and buildings

Masada was one of his accomplishments as well as Herodium - two marvels (we went to Herodium)

He rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem

Much of what one sees of the walls surrounding the Temple mount today can be attributed to Herod

However, Herod was also very devious and extremely jealous

He played powers against each other

He didn’t trust anyone

The Jews never really accepted him as their legitimate king and this only added fuel to his paranoia and insecurity

Does this sound like anyone else? (does it sound like Satan?) (does it sound like who we used to be?)

By God’s divine providence, Jesus was saved from Herod though many young boys did die by Herod’s evil orders.

Life Through A Son

What happened to the children under Herod’s order is commonly known as “The Massacre of the Innocents” and it poses some questions.

Did it really happen?

Josephus was known as the great historian of the 1st century and much of what we know of ancient Israel is found in his writings.

And though Josephus did not record the killing of the innocents, it doesn’t mean that it didn't happen.

Bethlehem was a small town - so it is quite possible that it wasn’t on the radar. Look what Micah says: Micah 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.”

The reports of how many boys who were killed varies with some estimates being in the thousands while others around 20. This is the more likely.

With that being said, it is unlikely that it would have even caught the attention of the local news.

I love what Pastor John said about this — “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.”

Just because it wasn't in the news doesn’t mean it didn't happen.

Do you know who did take notice no matter how small a number of human life lost?

God took notice and He still doesn’t miss a thing!

Why would God allow this?

Some people might ask, “Why would God allow this?”

Questions like this can be dangerous as I have said before.

We try to figure things out and become angry.

We think that we would do something a certain way and try to think that we know best.

We have to remember that we are not God and lack much needed perspective.

At the end of the day it comes down to choices. God has allowed us to make choices (free will). (HOLY SPIRIT ELABORATE)

We all have a choice to do good or do evil. Herod chose poorly!

Why didn’t God intervene?

That is a great question.

We must remember that we cannot see the big picture.

We are too limited in our viewpoint.

How many times have you been down the road and missed a sign or saw something for the first time that has been there forever?

God is big! He sees it all! We must trust that He is working all things for good!

In case you were wondering, God did intervene, just not how some people expected.

He sent the angel to warn Joseph - he got his family to safety which by the way included a young Jesus, the Savior of the world.

He did not save all the little sons but He saved the whole world this one Son.

Jesus could have defeated Herod even as a child but then what?

What if God did things your way?

The work God wants to do is so much greater than defeat one bad king or win one battle.

He wants to change us!

He wants to give us something that is so much bigger than what we comprehend, His work is an eternal work, a supernatural work; a forever, life-changing, life-giving work!

All Oppression Shall Cease

The last line in the second verse of the song was especially important to Adolphe Adam and for the whole world.

King Herod was a type of anti-Christ.

He oppressed the people of Israel and Satan, the enemy of our souls has been doing this from the beginning.

John 10:10 “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Slavery, human trafficking, abortion, and other social injustices are still very much alive today and no amount of legislation will fix it.

Only Jesus can change a life. The good news is that Jesus CAN change hearts. The best news is that He still does!

The enemy wants what he cannot have. He cannot have salvation so he wants to steal it from you. He cannot have joy, so he wants to take it away from you. He cannot have freedom so he doesn't want you to have it.

Satan is crafty and lures us with clever schemes and attractions.

There is still a battle going on for our children. Let there be no doubt about it, mthere are those in this world who would seek to oppress. There are spiritual forces at work trying to stop the kingdom of God.

Matthew 11:12 “And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.”

Let me give you just a few examples

Abortion

Beginning in 1973 with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade, Americans’ right to abortion was protected by a constitutional right to privacy. The Court reaffirmed this right in 1992 with Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey. While abortion rights appeared to many jurists to be precedent and “settled law,” anti-abortion activists and their sponsors never saw it as such, and for nearly 50 years they lobbied the Court to overturn Roe. The Court’s June 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization did just that. Federal abortion rights were nullified, and the regulation of abortion was returned to the states.

As of November 2025, 13 states have enacted a total ban on abortion with few exceptions. The landscape of abortion rights is in flux with each new election cycle, state legislative session, and round of court cases.

North Dakota is the latest state to enforce a total abortion ban. In November 2025 the North Dakota Supreme Court reversed a September 2024 lower-court ruling that had blocked the state’s ban on the grounds of constitutional vagueness. (https://www.britannica.com/science/US-abortion-rights-by-state-2236312)

Schools

I recently read of schools allowing the After School Satan Club to operate in their districts.

The Satanic Temple claims they offer an alternative to other religious after-school programs.

They claim to “foster creativity and projects are often designed to benefit the community and promote empathy.”

While this type of evil indoctrination may not be prevalent in our area, it is happening in other places and we cannot expect that it will not show up here.

The enemy wants our children and he wants to destroy families.

What Can I do?

First, you need to make sure you are a Christian, a sold out follower of Jesus. You can’t be a CHINO - Christian in name only! —

How do you do this? Repent from your sins, turn to Jesus, and make sure your life proves your salvation.

Second be involved in ministries that support the sanctity of life like Skylark. You can give money, you can give time, you can give prayer.

As a matter of fact — be involved period. When Jesus is your Master, you will want to do something!

Third, you can be involved in your children’s or grandchildren’s learning. You should not take a back seat to their education. What they learn starts at home. Don’t leave up to the school system. Don’t say its there job. No, it is your job.

Be involved in what is being taught and stand up if it goes against God’s law. Don’t just be passive and let it take place.

Fourth, We must fight for our families on our knees and at the polls and everywhere we can.

As we celebrate Christmas— Let’s remember that we are all created in God’s image, and that Jesus can truly teach us to love one another; in His name, all oppression shall cease.