Pursuing The King

Pursuing the King! Crosspointe Church October 10, 2021 The Gospel of Matthew Matthew 2:13-23 THE KING MAKERS Matthew 2:1–2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. HEROD THE FALSE MANIPULATING KING In Matthew 2:7–12 Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him ESCAPE TO EGYPT—Matthew 2:13–15 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son. HEROD’S PARANOIA—Matthew 2:16–18 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. JOSEPH FLEES TO NAZARETH Matthew 2:19–23 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene THE TAKE AWAY 1. God protects his __________________ Psalm 46:1 Deut 31:6 2. God often uses the humble and ______________ 1 Peter 5:6-7 Isaiah 40:31 3. No one can thwart God’s ______________ Job 42:2 4. Sometimes the brightest light glows in the darkest _________________ Mat 5:14–15 THE APPLICATION 1. Respond to the king like the _________________ Proverbs 3:9 1 Cor 6:20 1 Sam 12:24 2. Humbly make yourself ______________________ and ready to be used. Isaiah 6:8 Mat 23:11 3. Seize opportunities to ______________________ in Christ 2 Timothy 1:8 John 15:16 Matt 5:16