There Can Be Only One

The thing about a conspiracy, there’s something secretive going on, behind scenes - only a few folks recognize that’s happening. Most people are walking around blissfully ignorant.

We got the idea of talking about Christmas as a conspiracy from Dallas Willard, who talks about the Kingdom of God as the divine conspiracy. This idea that God is establishing his kingdom, his reign, here on earth, so that everything in heaven and on earth would be under his rule, according to his will. And he’s doing it through Jesus.

And it begins here at Christmas, with his birth. It’s not just that there’s a cute little baby boy is born (although that’s true), it’s that the true king has been born. One destined to rule - and to rule forever. As it says in Isaiah 9, “Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.” It will be the never-ending kingdom. That’s great conspiracy, the Christmas Conspiracy.

When we come to Gospel of Matthew, you see all elements of a conspiracy happening - story of Jesus’ birth in Matthew is filled with intrigue and treacherous plotting, it’s wild.

Begins with scandal of a young woman who’s pregnant - and not married yet. That’s fairly commonplace here today, but in days of Jesus in Israel, that was type of behavior for which you’d be shunned.

Joseph, her fiance, rather than expose her to scorn of the community, decides to divorce her quietly.

Then, through a dream, it’s revealed to Joseph that she actually has been faithful to him, that child in her womb is from the Holy Spirit - and that he is to take her and marry her and raise the child as his own.

My guess is, Joseph did not go around and tell a lot of people about the dream. That’s kind of thing that they lock people up for.

So we have this scandalous pregnancy - and then, these strange travelers from a foreign country. They’ve seen signs in the stars. Signs that a new King of the Jews has been born.

This is huge. Jews have not had their own king for decades. They were under rule of the Roman empire, who had installed an Edomite, a non-Jew, Herod, as king. This is revolutionary, subversive news, that a Jewish king has been born.

This is why Herod and all Jerusalem were disturbed when wise men come asking about the newborn king.

So Herod calls together religious leaders to find out what the prophecies say about where Messiah was to be born. It’s Bethlehem. So, he sends these magi off in that direction with instructions to go find the child and report back to him so he, too, can go and worship this king.

This is where the lies and treachery really start to kick in, because Herod has no intention of honoring this baby. He wants to destroy it. It’s a threat to his reign.

Wise men make their way to Bethlehem, following the star, and find baby in the home where he is living with Mary and Joseph. Jesus may have been as old as two years old by this time.

Conspiracy stuff continues - we have these clandestine escapes - Magi are warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, so they return to their country, taking a different route home. You can guess they avoided any soldiers they might have seen.

But not just wise men, Joseph, too, is warned in a dream. He immediately gets up, gathers his family and belongings and they flee the country. They become refugees, on the run, traveling all the way down to Egypt.

Just to get a sense of how conspiratorial this all is - can you imagine somehow asking them, so, what brought you to Egypt?

Oh, the King in Israel wanted to kill my son because he’s the true king of the Jews so we had to flee the country…(yeah, that new couple is nice, but they’re a little cuckoo).

We didn’t read this part of the story, but Matthew 2 ends with the terrible slaughter of the innocents - all the boys two and under in Bethlehem and the neighboring areas are murdered by Herod’s soldiers. It’s hard to imagine how many mothers and fathers were weeping helplessly that night because of the paranoia of a cruel king.

It’s all here, plotting, treachery, nighttime escapes - conspiracy city.

King Herod was absolutely brutal, he ruled ruthlessly and did whatever he could to hang onto power, but there’s one thing he gets exactly right in regards to Jesus - it’s me or him

I don’t know if you’ve ever seen any of The Highlander movies, or the TV series.

Whole premise is that there are a tiny group of immortals that live among us - people that can’t be killed.

Except, if you sever their heads. That’s one thing - so movies are filled with a lot of sword fights.

There’s one essential element to the story…There can be only one. They all have to fight each other until only one of them remains.

Herod knew that there can be only one. It’s me or him. Either I am king. Or he is. Either I reign, I’m in control. Or he is.

This is the very heart of the Christmas Conspiracy - and it’s part that really is most threatening - not just to Herod, but to all of us.

It’s one thing to really admire Jesus. To pray and ask him for help. To even trust and believe that he made amazing sacrifice, dying on the cross for our sins.

But Jesus comes to us not just as our help in need, as our Savior, but as Lord. He comes to us as King. He wants you to enter into his Kingdom, under his reign. There can be only one.

One of the things I find most amazing about Jesus is how he comes to us as king. It’s always never pushy, never forced or compelled. Jesus comes with an open invitation.

When Herod comes with sword, he comes with a sword. He will take what he wants and use whatever force needed to get it - including killing.

But not Jesus, Matthew 11:28-29…Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.

To take yoke of Jesus is to willingly attach yourself to Jesus, follow him, be willing to learn from him. To come under his reign - It is to let him be the one.

Do you see how the invitation comes - not to put burdens on us, not to weigh us down, but to free us. give us rest, rest for our souls.

This is the one place in all the gospels where Jesus describes his own heart - For I am gentle and humble in heart.

But at the same time that Jesus comes with this gentle invitation, what he asks for - is everything. Complete surrender. Your life given over to him. Jesus is absolutely insistent that He be the Lord of your life. Your King. There can be only one. It’s you or him.

He wants your love, your loyalty, your worship, your devotion - and nothing less. That why he says such things as...

Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (to deny yourself is to say “no” to yourself in order to say “yes” to Jesus.

“No one can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and money.”

It’s important to see that Jesus wasn’t just saying these things. He meant them.

When a rich young man came to Jesus to verify that he was doing all things necessary to gain eternal life, he thought that by obeying the commands, that would be enough.

He was quite shocked when Jesus told him that in order to gain eternal life, he needed to sell everything he had, give that money to poor, and then come follow him.

We should be clear about what Jesus was doing here. Jesus wasn’t guilting him for having wealth. Jesus didn’t want to deny him good things in life. Jesus recognized that this young man had given his allegiance to his wealth. Jesus was asking him if he would be willing to chose Jesus over his wealth. There can be only one. Young man chose his wealth. And so Jesus let the young man walk away.

Jesus wants you and I, and he wants all of you and I. Nothing less.

Wise men got it, they understood it. Why they were willing to travel hundreds of miles (which was no easy task back then) to come honor Jesus as king.

Interesting to note that they didn’t hesitate - as they soon as they came into the house, saw the child Jesus and his mother Mother, what did they do? They bowed down and worshiped him. They presented him with lavish gifts of gold, frankincense, myrrh.

Think how strange what was - they were clearly privileged men, scholars, they had wealth, prestige (not anyone coming to Jerusalem could get an audience with King Herod - but they did).

Mary and Joseph were just a common peasant couple. We know they were poor because of the type of offering they brought to temple on behalf of Jesus, two doves - that was poor folks’ offering. These gifts were way beyond their means, Joseph and Mary would have never owned gold or expensive fragrances.

Yet here the wise men were, offering the gifts, bowing down before Jesus. They didn’t do that for King Herod, who lived in real palace. And had an army to command, multiple fortresses. But they did for Jesus. Because they recognized who he was. The True King. There can be only one.

Here’s why Jesus is so insistent - this really is what’s at the heart of great Christmas Conspiracy

Jesus is life. Jesus knows that he himself is the life, that only he can give it to you. Why he’s absolutely insistent about you following him, coming under his reign, a part of his kingdom.

He doesn’t want you to keep looking in all wrong places. We all hunger for life. Everyone.

Ted Lasso show, one of the characters, Dani Rojas, soccer player from Mexico. Throughout the show, Dani proclaims, “Football is life. Football is life, coach!” He’s a very happy fellow, fun character. But for some kids - and some adults, sports is life. It’s the basis of their happiness, where they believe they’re going to find fulfillment, meaning, joy.

Some of us are more like the rich young ruler. Life is found in money and good things. And we will chose that over Jesus.

For Herod, life was power. Being able to rule over others. Some believe life is found in a cause, some greater purpose serving humanity, saving planet.

For me, I pursued life in relationship (the idea of feeling loved), sought life in comfort, I want the say-so in my life, under my control

Let me be very clear here - I’m not saying you can’t enjoy all these wonderful gifts God blesses us with.

Enjoy playing or following sports, enjoy nice things, be grateful for experience of loving relationships, or opportunity to be involved in doing good.A career you’re passionate about. All great things.

But they cannot give you full and everlasting life - they were never meant to. That comes from one place, and one place only: 1 John 5:11-12...

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

There can be only one.

Let me finish with this: Here’s how you can trust the heart of Jesus, his intention, desire to give you life

Because of what we celebrate here at Christmas, he came to us

God emptied himself of his divine power and glory, took on frailty of humanity.

The one who spoke creation into existence, just said the word, became a helpless infant, capable only of crying.

The one who crafted heavens and the earth with his hands had to be held by mother’s hands.

God humbled himself in order to come be with us. To reveal himself. To invite us - I can tell you, I can show you the way to life.

We can trust the heart of Jesus because of his willingness not just to show us way to life, but to make that way possible - by laying down his life for us. Jesus came not just to be with us, but to die for us. The one born King was destined to wear a crown of thorns.

There can be only one - and it’s Jesus. That’s my hope and prayer for you this Christmas. That for you it would be Jesus.

Related Media

Related Sermons