Joy that Confronts a Troubled World

Matthew 2:1–3 “Now when Jesus was born in Beth-lehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”

Herod was Troubled by Christ

Matthew 2:3 “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”

The News Exposed Him

History tells us that Herod did much to secure the “legitimacy” of his reign in Judea. He is reported to have come to power with the help of Roman armies and kept his power by executing or exiling rivals to his position. So when the wise men came to him telling him that they were seeking the king of the Jews he was troubled. Herod hated being challenged. He would do anything to keep his power and his position. He would even kill babies to do it as is recorded in this biblical account of Matthew 2.

The News Challenged Him

The news of a rightful heir to the throne of David troubled Herod because he was a fraud. He wasn’t the King of the Jews. He was not even a Jew. He was certainly no heir to the throne. Nothing could be more problematic for Herod than a legitimate heir that would cause the people to rise up against him.

The Wise Men spreading the story of a king that had been born caused him to search the Scriptures to see just how much of a threat this baby was to him. What he found was not what he wanted to hear; that the baby indeed posed a threat to his reign.

The News Emboldened Him

When the scribes informed him that there was truly a prophecy about the birth of a king in Bethlehem he hatched a plan; the plan to kill this child and end this challenge to his throne. He came out to the wise men and put on a show. “THIS IS GOOD NEWS. “WHEN YOU FIND HIM COME TELL ME SO I CAN WORSHIP HIM ALSO.”

God had other plans and warned the wise men of them. They went home. Herod was angry that they had went on without informing him. So, he put his plan to work in a broader way. Instead of executing the Christ Child he ordered every child age two and under to be killed.

Herod was not a king, he was not a Jew, and he was not a good man. He was a mad man constantly protecting what never belonged to him in the first place.

Jerusalem was Troubled by Christ

Matthew 2:3 “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”

The Scripture never tells us exactly the reason they were troubled. Given the previously mentioned information I can think of a few reasons that they were troubled.

Herod was Angry

Herod was Feared

Herod was Irrational

The birth of Christ was not the direct cause of the trouble that filled Jerusalem. It seems to be the response Herod would have and his mood he would be in because of the news. When Herod got angry people died. That inflicted fear in people. His irrational behavior left everyone on edge.

Another possibility of that caused Jerusalem to be troubled was:

Confusion

They heard about this child that was supposedly the legitimate heir of the throne would evoke confusion. How did they know? What is the evidence? If its not true then why is Herod so troubled?

Wonder

So, if this was true; if someone truly was born that had a legitimate claim to the throne and the reports of it being the Christ-child, the Messiah it would cause people to wonder about it all. They would be amazed by the news, intrigued by prospect, but still questioning whether it was true or conjecture.

Unbelievers are Troubled by Christ

Christ is a light that shines upon darkness

John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Christ is a reminder of righteousness

Philippians 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

Psalm 145:17 “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, And holy in all his works.”

Christ is the only way for salvation

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Carnal Christians are Troubled by Christ

Romans 8:8 “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Galatians 5:13 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Conclusion

The birth of Christ confronted Herod as a fraud. The birth of Christ confronted Jerusalem with the promise of a Messiah. The life of Christ confronts the unbeliever and their sin. The life of Christ confronts the carnal Christian.

The birth of Christ brought Joy to the World. That Joy confronts a troubled world. Christ is the only person that can bring Joy and fulfillment to a troubled world filled with sin and corruption.

Truly Christ is Joy to the Troubled World. No one has to be troubled. You can find joy in the midst of your trouble.