A Promised Christmas: The Promised King

If you have your Bibles with you, I hope that you do. If

you'll turn with me to the Gospel of Matthew and Matthew chapter two is a

passage, will be in this morning, Matthew chapter two. Delighted that you're

here, Glad you're worshiping with us in person. I know it's a rainy

days, so thank you for coming out. I know there's many watching also

online and on TV. And we're delighted that you're here with us this morning,

Matthew chapter two. And you know, this time of the year,

we kind of get all kinds of reactions, you know, we when you

go into time of giving and some of you maybe have all exchanged some gifts

and we're just a week or so away and we're going to be opening up

gifts. And it's really fun to watch children when they're younger and to get

their presence, and you know, sometimes you even you have to maybe even

coach them a little bit. You know, when you get gifts, you

need to real excited. You ever had that conversation on the way to someone's

house, right, don't ask for is that all you know? Don't don't

say that you know and so, but you know, when a child opens

up their gifts, you're going to get a reaction right of some sort of

good orb at. Uh. You know, we all react to news,

and sometimes that's react to different presents we're going to get. Sometimes that reacts

to different news that we're gonna receive. Sometimes that's reaction of acceptance, like

we really love the gift, and sometimes this reaction of maybe we're not so

excited. I heard about a story of three dads, and this was before

the days where the parents were in the dads were in the waiting I mean

in the labor room, and three dads were waiting in the waiting room.

They were waiting to hear about their children who were their Their wives were pregnant,

were in labor and they were all waiting waiting for the news that the

child was born. And so about that time there were three guys sitting in

there, and the nurse came in and I said, mister, mister Smith,

you hear, yes, I have good news. What is your wife

had baby? But I have better news that your wife. Now I had

one child, but I had two. He said. It's really strange.

He said, I worked for the double Mint company. That's she's so strange.

I had two children. I worked for the double Mint Company. About

that time, nurse came in and asked for mister Brown. Mister Brown,

are you here, and says, yes, yes, yes, your wife

is good news today. Your wife just gave birth to three children, triplets.

He says, man, that's the strangest thing, he said, you

never believe. I worked for the three in company. By the time,

the third guid just fell out on the floor, nurse came up to and

woke him up, slapped him in the face and said, young men,

young man, you're okay, he says, Lord, help me. I'll

work for seven up. You know. So we all, you know,

respond to news different ways, and sometimes that means passing. Now, well,

this morning, as we come to Matthew Chapter two, Matthew is giving

you an announcement of good news. An announcement is the song we just saw.

The King has come. The King is here, and he's announcing that

Jesus is the Savior. Jesus is the Messiah, and this Messiah is the

Promised King. That's the title of my sermon today, the Promised King,

and he wants you to see today as we see the announcement of the Promised

King born today, the King of the Jews, Matthew wants you to see

today. There are two reactions that we see in scripture and reaction versus.

There are those who react in worship when they hear the good news of the

promised kings come. There are those who respond, who react in worship,

they fall down, and we're going to see that in just a minute.

But there's also a reaction of there those who reject, who are not ready

for this king. And so today I want to ask you, as we

look at this announcement that Matthew is showing he wants you to seize Messiah.

He wants you to see as a promised king. Today, I want you

to hear you also react and you either react in worship or you're reacting in

worship with your life, or today you're reacting in direct rejection. You rejected

this promised King. And I want you to think about today, how are

you today? We see how different people in scripture respond to this news,

this good news. But scripture Matthew is calling upon you today to hear this.

Matthew's calling upon you to respond, to react to this good news today

and today I want you to consider how have you responded to the good news

of Jesus, that he is the Promised King. He is the Messiah born

to save you from your sins. So I hope you today as we read

this pastor of scripture, you will see that let's stand unless Regod's word together.

It's Matthew chapter one, I mean chapter two, starting a verse one,

and we'll read through verse twelve. And now Jesus was born in Bethlehem

of Judea. And the days of Herod the King, and 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 we've come to listen to this to worship him. And when Herod

the King heard this, he was troubled in all of Jerusalem with him and

assembling all the chief priests and the scribes and the people. He inquired of

them where Christ was to be born, Christ the Messiah. There this word

Matthew's using. And they told him in Bethel, him of Judea, for

it is written by the prophet. And you, oh Bethlehem, in the

land of Judah, by no means least among the rulers of Judea, of

Judah, from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.

And when heard some of the wise men secretly and ascertain from them what the

star had what time the star had appeared, he sent them to Bethlehem,

saying, go and search diligent for the child, and when you have found

him, bring me word that I might too come and worship him. And

after listening to the king, they went on their way and behold the star

they had seen when it rose before them, until it came their rest over

the place where the child was. And when they saw the star, they

were exceedingly with great joy, And going to the house they saw the child

would mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then,

opening the treasury, they offered him gifts and gold with sac freaking sense and

mirror, and being warned in the dream not to return to Herod, they

departed their own country by another way. Let's pray together, Father, we

thank you for this word. We thank you for this very familiar passage that

we've heard many times throughout our lives. And Lord, I pray today as

we come to it today that you would speak to it, use it today

to speak to us in a new way, a fresh way. And Lord,

we have a fresh movement of your spirit in this place. Lord,

today, you know what I've prepared. You know the thoughts that you've brought

before me. You know the Lord, the outline. Lord, I believe

you've led me through and two. But Lord, I pray that today I

need you. You know, I'm just a broken pastor who does not deserve

to be Lord who you've called. But God, you've called me, and

today I pray you lends me that you might use me and pour me out

today for your glory, that people might hear the good news of Jesus today.

So Lord, used me today, give me words to say and clarity

of speech and clarity of thought. And Lord, may I rightly divide your

word. Lord Lord, may today we as body of believers come today and

may we hear Lord your word. Lord, we love you today, we

ask God, may you move in great power in your name. We pray,

Amen, you may be seated as you as you're listening to this passage

scripture. I think one thing that I want you to hear today as you

come. Most of you at some point. You've heard Matthew chapter two one

through twelve, and so you know the story of the Wise Men. You've

heard this story many times before. But I want you to understand when Matthew

writes this passage of scripture, Matthew is writing almost like apologetic style. Apologetics

is arguments for faith, arguments for and here what Matthew is arguing. He's

arguing that Jesus is the Messiah. In chapter one, he argued that Jesus

is Messiah because of who he is, who was he He was born in

the line of David, and so he is the Messiah, he says in

the very beginning. Jesus is the Messiah. He says that, and this

is why he's messiah because of the line that he was born. He's from

the line of David. He argued last in chapter one that he is the

Messiah and on because who he is. He's born in the lines of David.

But who he is, he's virgin born, he was because of the

divine conception, because he is that promised child Emmanuel. Jesus is the Messiah.

As he turns to chapter two, he's arguing again that Jesus that you

know of as he's writing to Jews, the Jesus that you've heard of from

Galley, from Nazareth, the one that you knew. He is the Messiah,

not only because who he was. He's from the line of David,

because he was virgin born, because he's a divine child. But I'm telling

you today he is the Messiah because where he came from. And so he's

arguing the entire chapter two he gives a geographical argument for Jesus the Messiah and

why he is a messiah, and only because who he was, but where

he come from. Now, today, if someone comes into America and they

have a child that's born in America, that child is what born an American.

Right as he begins this argument, he argues that Jesus is the Messiah

because he's from what he is a Jew, but he's from the line of

Judah, because he was born and where Judea. So as you come to

verse one, the very beginning, he says, now after Jesus was born

in what Bethlehem of Judea. He's saying that Jesus is then he is the

Messiah because not all he came through the line of David and from the line

of Judah, but he also was born in Judea. That made him from

the line of David. It was prophesied in scripture that and we're going to

see that in a minute, that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

So he declares from the very beginning Jesus was what he was born, the

prophecy. He was born in Batthlehem, but he was born from the line

of Judah. And so he goes to the great lengths to explain why he

is the Messiah. But as he begins this passage of scripture, he's showing

you and I the first reaction, and that is a reaction to worship the

first people as they come. They come in this passage scripture, Matthew wants

you see that he is Jesus. He is a messiah because where he came

from. But he is a Messiah because the announcement came forth. And he

gives you imagery of the first the first announcement to the people, to the

Jews. He's writing the Jews. He gives the first announcement, how the

news first came to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. And he tells

the story in verse one you see and after in the days of hearing the

king behold wise men from the east. Matthew does something in this story.

You know in our in our life, we we hear stories, and we

know stories and were reminded of stories when we hear different phrases Matthew. Archie

Francis wrote a commentary on Matthew, and he explained that most of the people

who would have read Matthew or heard Matthew, let's say, heard the Gospel

of Matthew, would have been illiterate. They wouldn't be able to read.

Most scripture earlier, early on was passed down orally has passed down through stories.

And so Matthew, throughout his argument that Jesus and Messiah, he explains

how Jesus fulfilled stories from the past, that there was a story that was

passed down through Israel's time, stories about Jesus, and those stories about Old

Testament characters, and those stories pointed to a greater fulfillment of Jesus to come.

And so he reminds them of stories that the old these Jews would have

known. I give you an example for you, guys. You we do

this, we what we call them illusions but if you hear something the words

are a phrase of a movie. I can tell you a phrase of a

movie, a Christmas movie. And when I tell you just the words of

quotes of the movie, you're gonna know the story. Right. So let's

do a little bit of practice today. If you hear the worst every time

the bell rings, an angel gets his wings, you think of what it's

a wonderful life. Right. If you hear if you're ever worried and you

can't sleep, counter blessings instead of sheep. Then you'll fall asleep counting your

blessings? What's that from a white Christmas? Some of you know these,

some of you don't. If you hear the one that I that we watched

this week, keep the change you feel with the animal, you think of

what you think of home alone? Right? Okay? Some my generation,

right, if you hear that, you'll shoot your out kid. You think

of what a Christmas story? And maybe the last one is one of my

favorite. The best way to spread Christmas chear is singing loud for all to

hear. You think of elf? Right, and so you know that example.

Right? You hear something and it reminds you of story. Matthew in

this pastor of scripture is very important. Matthew is telling the story of Jesus.

And when you tells the story of Jesus, it were to remind them

of a story of the Old Testament, and how Jesus fulfilled that story.

Do you see that? So I want you to see that, because Matthew

wants you and I to see that. The very first thing we see in

this passive scripture is he sees that he's from Bethlehem. He's born in Judea,

so he is from the line of Judah. But listen to what it

says in verse one, in the days of hire King, wise men from

the east came to Jerusalem. So we see this story and we've heard from

the Christians tradition about these wise men. The answer to the word there is

magi. It comes from a priestly term that was talking talking about a group

of people. These people were widely like very learned people. These are educated

men. These are people who many times were priests in a particular field of

some sorts specialized, many of them in austrology, interpreting dreams and so in

some in some cases even specializing in magic. Said that's where they come from

the name Matt and so that is actually when you see wise men, that's

actually the term magi. In the Roman world, these ment these group of

men were associated throughout different particular regions, but most most were found in Babylon.

And so it is believed that these magi, when it says, came

from the east, and most likely most would scholars would argue that these came

from Babylon. We see by the way and Daniels and Daniel and other scripture

where interpreting dreams. You remember Daniel, they were trying to find there was

magi there would help the king Nebukinezer try to interpret his dreams right. And

yet he turned to Daniel. So we understand that there were groups of these

magi in this area. So scripture says these magi. Scripture says in verse

one to wise men, these magi came from the east to Jerusalem. It

is thought that if they came from Babylon. Just think about this for a

minute. If they came that the route that would take them from Babylon to

Jerusalem was eight hundred If they traveled twenty miles per day, it would have

taken them forty days to get from Babylon to where they came to. Scripture

says, so here they did. Here they were. Scriptures says, they

came to Jerusalem. They traveled maybe forty days, eight hundred miles for what.

Well, Scripture tells us in verse two why they traveled, Why they

came? Verse two says they came to Jerusalem, and they said, where

is he who is born? King of the Jews said they come, and

what have they come for? Why did they travel four hundred miles? Why

do they travel? I mean or eight hundred miles forty days? They came

to find the King of the Jews. Now, Matthew was wanting you to

hear that. He said, from the very beginning, Jesus is the Messiah.

Jesus is of Christ Christ. There is the Messiah he's seeing. Jesus

is the Messiah. Now, Matthew says, the very first person who came

into Jerusalem and announced the Messiah was born were wise men who were from eight

hundred miles away, who traveled forty days, and they walked into Jerusalem,

and they declared all the Jews and to the King of the Jews, the

Messiah had been born. They were the one who gave proof that Jesus was

born in Bethlehem, and scripture says they came here. So again, as

they're hearing this. As a first hero of this gospel, Matthew would have

heard the story. It would have reminded them of the stories of the past.

There was a story in the Old Testament of them man named Balem.

Balem was a non as right, he was a holy man, he was

a visionary, and he was from the East, a lot like these magi.

And in scripture in numbers twenty two, it tells us that he came

from the ist East, and a lot like the magi, he came to

speak about Israel. So it would reminded them these magi would remind them of

Balem. But now not only reminded them of the story of Balem, and

it also reminded them of a story in scripture called the Queen, about the

Queen of Sheba and second second, first Kings, and also second chronicles.

We just read this in our Bible reading plan. We read the story of

Queen of Sheba. The Queen of Sheba had heard about all the grandeur and

the greatness of King shop Solomon, and she traveled from the east and she

came to the king, and she wanted to see the greatness of King Solomon,

all his riches, his wisdom, to ask him all these questions,

and that the end of meeting the king, she gave him gifts. And

Second Chronicles tells us this was again. We just read this a week or

so ago in our Bible, reading Second Chronicles nine to five and through nine

says and she said to the king, the report was true that I heard

in my own land of your words and your wisdom. But I did not

believe the reports until I came of my own and my own eyes seen it.

And she said, and behold, how your greatness, your wisdom was

not told to me. You surpassed the report I heard. And happy are

you wise, Happy are your servants who continually stand before you and hear your

wisdom. Blessed be the Lord your God, who's delighted in you, and

it set you on the throne as king, the Lord your God. And

so here there was a story of this queen who traveled the East because she'd

heard of the fame of Solomon and how the power of God that rested upon

him, and she traveled that she might see it for herself. What did

these wise men do they heard the report that the King of Jews had been

born, they didn't just stay there, but they traveled eight hundred miles forty

days. Why because they wanted to see it with their own eyes. And

just as the Jews would have reminded of Balem, who had great wisdom,

they would have heard about remembered about the Queen of Sheba. When they heard

about the magi, it was reminded them of the greatness that was found in

so Baleman is now found in this baby boy named Jesus. And just as

those travel from far to come to see the greatness of Solomon, now these

magi travel far to see the greatness of the King of the Jews, the

king of all kings, and the Lord of all lords. And also would

have reminded them, lastly of the star you know Balem I said, they

would probably reminded of Balem, because Balem was a wise man. He was

a non Jew, he was a gentile, but he came from Afar to

care and lead the Israel and to protect Israel. Actually, but Balem had

a prophecy, and this is what Balem's prophecy said. I'm gonna read it

to you. It's numbers twenty four, seventeen through nineteen if you want to

write it down and read it later. In Balem's prophecy, Balem had a

prophecy, and this is what that said. I see him, but not

now. I behold him, but not near. A star shall come out

of Jacob, and a sceptor shall rise out of Israel, and now shall

crush the foreheave of Moab, and it shall break down. The sons of

sheath Edom shall be disposed. Balem had a prophecy, this wise man who

came from a farm who's nodded Jew and he had a vision, and he

had a prophecy. And the prophecy was a star would rise, and from

that star a sceptor would rule. It was a prophecy most believed was a

prophecy of the Messiah. Matthew is now taking that to his writing and explaining

the ones that you'd heard from the past. Balem, the queen of Sheba.

They're pointing to a greater one that was coming, and he is found

in this baby Jesus. And thus he wants you to see. What did

they how did they respond? They respond to worship he wants you to see

the star that was risen. As you look at verse two, it says,

and he was from the been born the king of the Jews. For

we will listen what scripture says, For we saw what his star when it

rose, and we have come to worship him. Scripture says, they said,

we saw the star, and we've come to worship him. This worship

is the idea of falling down. In verse eleven, you see this imagery

that when they go into Bathleone, which was roughly six or eight miles away

from Jerusalem, they come into and found the baby. And in verse eleven,

the Bible says, and going into the house, they saw the child

with Mary's mother, and listen, and they fell down and worshiped him.

This imagery is is it was recognizing his greatness. Some would say maybe they

didn't recognized whether he was divine, but they saw there was something about him,

and they worshiped him. They came to worship him. The interesting thing

is you come to this passage of scripture is what led them to this Scripture

says they declare, as they come into Jerusalem, and just think, if

you will, if you've never thought about this and never thought about it until

I stood this week. Why did they come into Jerusalem? Because there was

a king named King Herod, and they were coming to find the king that

was born, So naturally they probably thought it was the king's son. So

it came to Jerusalem to King Herod to try to find this king's son.

They'll come to Herod, and Herod hasn't had a child, does it have

a child at this point? And so they come to worship the king.

And what does hair do? And they come to Herod and says, what

we saw the star that was risen? Scripture says, we keep following along,

look at what scripture says in verse seven. He summoned the wise men

and told them that asked them what time the star had appeared, And he

sent them to bethel him to bethle him to search and looqu what scripture says

in verse eight, and going in search diligent for the child. When you

found it, bring me word that I might come to worship. And verse

nine says and after listening to the king, they went on their way,

and behold the star that they had seen when it arose, went before them

until it came to rest over the place where the child was. So the

wise men come to Herod and said, we've seen the star. Star has

risen. They would have understood that pointed to the King of the Jews,

the Messiah. They saw this as a fulfillment of Balen's prophecy. These were

not believers. These were unbelievers. These were people who studied the stars.

Gentiles from Babylon, and they come to the come to the King of Jews

and says, listen, just so you know. I don't know if you

know, but the king has been born, the King of the Jews.

He's here. And I tell you how we know this. It's because we

saw it star arise. And they see that as a fulfillment of prophecy.

And they followed this star, and scripture says as they leave Bethlehem, they

continue to follow the star, and the star literally rests over their home.

Now, many astrologers and different people today we'll try to find out what type

of star is this, How did this scientifically? How is this possible?

And there's three different theories. There's some say it was a comment and they

were following this comment. Some would say that this was a planetary conjunction.

There was a conjunction between Juniper and jue Verter and Saturn that came together.

Some would say this was a nova in a nova, or you ever heard

of a super nova. A nova would would come and it would be burning

out and it could last for months. And they were following that regardless of

the fact of scientifically how it happened. We understand through scripture. Listen to

me today. We understand through scripture that God literally moved the stars that the

announcement of Jesus might go forth through all people. Listen. The announcement about

Jesus went as far as Babylon to unbelievers, and unbelievers saw the star and

recognized Jesus had been born, and the star literally drew them in from eight

hundred miles away and brought them to a place to Jerusalem and then eventually to

beatle him that they may worship him. Matthew is warning you and I to

see that God used the magnificence of his word that you might believe. To

see the beauty of how God, how Christ fulfilled the prophecy of Balem,

how He's fulfilled the beauty that he is liked the story of the Queen of

Sheba that people would travel eight hundred thousand miles away to worship the King of

the Jews. He wants you to see the beauty that God would move the

stars, that people who were far off from God might come and worship Him.

To see that you might hear today that God uses his word, and

God even use nature himself to draw you to worship him. Do you believe

that today that God can move heaven and earth, that you might believe in

Him, that you might believe in Him, and that you might worship him.

God and only moves heaven and earth. But God uses his word that

he might draw you in to worship him today. And when I ask you

today, I don't know how God's been moving things in your life today,

but I really believe there is no mistake that you're here today. There's no

mistake that you're here today, is no mistake that you're watching today and today

God is using his word in some of you today that you might believe and

you might worship him. God is moving some things in some of your lives

today, shaking you up, stirring you up, crushing some things down that

you might worship Him today. Can I tell you God is still in the

work of moving things that people might believe to A few years ago, one

of the missionaries of i m B that we support through light of Mission Offering,

told the story of a partner he worked with named a mod. A

mod was was traveling and he was with the missionary and he just got a

new jacket, and he he was on his motorcycle and he was a little

afraid that as they was traveling that his new jacket was going to get messed

up. So he asked this missionary friends, hey, could you borrow you

let me borrow his shirt. And so he took this big white T shirt.

His missionary give him this big white T shirt that would be big enough

to cover his jacket. And he put his big white T shirt on,

and he traveled on his moticcycle. See would mess up his new jacket As

he got a little way. The ring got so bad that this partner missionary

partner pulled over and gotten under the little owning of a house of a fan

family. And so why he's sitting there is waiting for the storm to stop

braining. He looked at this family and says, you know, he said,

I thought I might as well share the gospel with them, so he

decided to share the gospel with them. He asked them very simple questions,

do you believe in the gospel and do you want to be baptized without hesitation?

The couple said to them, yes, we do. And he was

shocked because they were Muslim. So they brought him into the house and he

began sharing the good news of Jesus. And he says, do you understand

today that if you accept Jesus and you worship him, that you're probably gonna

be shunned from your family and you there may even be worse things that happened

to you by doing this. And the man says, you don't understand.

He says, over the last three nights, I've had a dream and had

a dream of a man wearing white telling me that the news and salvation was

coming. And he said, last night that man appeared to me and again

in a dream, and he told me that a man in white would come

to my house the next day and share the way of salvation. He said,

we saw you standing outside and we knew we needed to invite you in

that we might hear what you have to say. Can I tell you today

that God is in the working business of moving heaven and earth, moving stars,

moving things in your life, letting you hear the truth of the good

News of Gospel, to hear the truth that Jesus is born of Bethel him

he is the King of the Jews. God uses his word to speak to

your heart that verify today that Jesus's Missiah, that today listen, that today

you might worship Him. So can I ask you today as you come here

today, where you are today in your life and what's happening in your life

is no mistake. God is orchestrating moving things that you he listened that He

might draw you to worship Him today by hearing truth and by moving things in

your life. And today I want to ask you today, how are you

responding? How are you worshiping Him? What do you I can I ask

you today? What are you giving sacrificially to worship Him? These magi gave

up forty days of their life. They give up every day traveling to worship

Him. They give up their time, They gave up their gifts. They

gave these different gifts, these frank concense, these different things they gave sacrificially

to the Lord. What are you giving of your life to the Lord.

What are you giving him of your time? What are you giving him of

your talents? What are you giving him of your what God's given to you?

What are you giving in worship to our Lord? Listen today Today,

he's he's drawing you. He's calling you to worship him. He's telling you

to come today. Will you worship him? I want you to see today.

Matthew wants you to see that there are those you hear the good news

that the king is the promised King has been born. And there are those

who come to worship, But they are those who also come to reject.

Scripture says that Herod here in this passage of scripture, here's the king.

And Herod was a king of the ruled for many years. He was he

was a master builder. Herod had built the temple. He'd rebuilt the temple,

and that's what we called Herod's temple. That was last temple that was

built, last that was destroyed. He was the master builder. He built

palaces, he built cities, he built fortresses. He was known for his

building projects and the great greatness of things that he had built. But he

also was known for being ruthless, Herod was known for destroying threats to his

kingdom. He murdered his own wife, He murdered many of his own sons,

and many other relatives that he saw as threat to his kingship. Scripture

says that as this king came in, you can imagine heard very paranoid,

seeing anybody to a threat to him. He comes and hear these magi,

and they come to worship, and they're not coming to worship him the king.

They were coming to worship another king who they were coming to worship,

the king that was born in Bathlehem a baby. So he hears of this.

The Bible says, if you go to this passage of scripture, look

with me. Scripture says in verse three, when heard the king heard this,

he was troubled. He was troubled. He was bothered by this new

king that was coming in. Herod saw him as a threat, a threat

to his power. He was troubled, Scripture says. And not only was

here troubled, but Scripture says that all of Jerusalem was troubled with him.

Matthew, you wants you and I to see the first response of the Jews

who he's writing to the good news of Jesus was not was not worship,

but actually resistance. He's actually also pointing to another picture of scripture that he's

going to say later on if you turn with me to Matthew twenty one.

Matthew twenty one is when Jesus comes writing on the donkey, and he's writing

in for his coming to die. In Matthew twenty one ten through eleven,

it says they were crying out Hoseann and verse nine, the son of David

blessed, he who comes to the name of the Lord Hosannah in the highest

and the Bible says, and when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was

stirred up, saying who is this and the crowd saying this is the prophet.

Again, they're not saying Jesus is the this is They're not saying this

is the Messiah. I know. They're saying, this is just the prophet

from Nazareth of Galilea, not from Bethlehem. From Galilee. They're mocking their

denying in the same imagery, saying that they were stirred up trouble there as

the same imagery in the passage in verse three they are rejecting Jesus as the

Messiah. Listen, they rejecting him at his birth and or rejecting when he

goes to the cross, And Matthew is wanting you to see the response of

his people, the Jews has not been a response of worship, but of

rejection, Hair rejecting and his own people rejecting him. And you would say,

today, why why does the people of Israel? Why today the people

of Israel still reject Jesus as the Messiah. Why did Herod? Why did

these people when the king had come. You would have thought they would have

gone on the bandwagon, they would follow the magi in and they would have

bowed down just worship just as they did. Why did they resist? Why

was Herod at scriptures saying here he calls out these the scholars to find out

where was this child was born? And as we see in verse six,

the scholars would show that he was supposed to be born in Bethlehem. That's

Micah there the prophecy, and Matthew's wanting you to see he was born in

Bethlehem, just says the prophet foretold that he be born in Bethlehem. He

is the Messiah because of where he came from he was. So Matthew has

shown you that, and he tells the wise men that the wise men take

that truth, and they head toward Bethlehem. His scripture says, what did

he say? He says, okay, when you find him, come back

and tell me that I might come and worship him. But we see in

verse sixteen if you're follow him down on Matthew chapter two and where the herod

saw that he'd been tricked by the wise Man and became furious, and he

sent to them. And he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem

and all the region who were two years old and under according to the time

that he ascertained from the wise man. He they asked him, how long

did you seem this are? And well, we've seen them for about two

years now. We've been traveling forty days to come and worship him. And

after hearing this, what here doesn't worship him. He rejects him. The

people visual also too, what here tries to kill Jesus, the ones who

were also troubled later on in the crucifixion, right, they also kill Jesus.

Why did why are those who worship but why are those who reject Jesus.

Reality is the reason why they reject Jesus is because they want to be

king and they don't want another king. You know, today, as we

come to, we come to as I said at the very beginning, why

don't we have these reactions at times where we struggle. I don't know.

When my girls were little, and I used to call them Sunday Morning smack

down. When you come in and you you know, you're trying to get

them dressed, and they don't want to wear out and wear the dress.

And you pick out one dress, they don't want to wear that dress.

You pick out another dress, they don't want to wear that dress. I

mean, it's not like they've been studying the latest fashions of the world,

right, and they know what's best. Right, there are two or three

Why is it that your children doesn't want to eat their Brussels sprouts or their

broccolis. It's not like they've been studying nutritional gods and know that what's best

for them, right. It's not that children at a young age reject wanting

to wear what you want them to wear or eat what they want to eat,

not because they've been studying. Why it's because they want to be their

own king. Right. Why today did we hear this week that there was

a fight at Chipotle? Right people are throwing food at the employees and throwing

cheers. Why because we want to be king and someone doesn't give us what

we want, and so there we react badly. Why do you get mad

when you go shopping at Christmas and you have your turn signal and you're about

to take that parking place and then sometimes somebody drives in and takes your parking

place and you want to tell them that they're number one? Why do you

want to do that? Why because someone is not obeying your rules. You

want what you want for your life. You want what you want to eat,

you want to dress what you want to dress, You want to do

what you want to do. You want to have what you want to have.

It is burger king your way all the time, right away, And

that's the way you want because you want to be king. And why do

we reject Jesus today? Is the same reason that Herod and the people Jerusalem

reject Jesus because they want to be their own king. And you say today

you hear the good news of Jesus today, And why are there those still

today in this room and watching online that's still rejecting Jesus every day? Why

because you want to live by your own rules, you want to be king.

Timothy Keller said these words, if the Son of God was really born

in a manger, then we lost the right to be in charge of our

own lives. Just take that in. If it's really been born in a

manger in Bethlehem, the Son of God was really born, the King had

really has come, then we've lost the right to be in charge of our

own lives. You know, I really believe Billy Graham was right, and

I think that's one thing that bothers me the most today as it come to

this service. He says fifty percent of the people in church today are lost.

I think the saddest thing about that statistic is and I think he's right.

It's because there's most people that are in the sound of my voice today.

Listen, you don't really think you need to be saved. You're really

in charge of your life. You really got everything under control, and you

really don't need Jesus. So yeah, you'll worship him on Sunday morning,

But that's really about it. He really doesn't impact your Mondays, or your

Tuesdays, or your Wednesdays, your Thursdays. He really doesn't act impact the

decisions of your life. Who you're gonna marry, what you're gonna do with

your finances, what the job you're gonna do, and how you're gonna do

your job. Nah, he's just somebody that I worship on Sundays. He's

just somebody worship at Christmas. But he's not really someone that I've made king

of my life. So therefore you reject him. That day's coming, and

Philippian says it that when he comes again, listen, every knee will bow

and every time will confess that Jesus is Lord. You know what Philippians is

telling us that one day, just like the Magi fell and worship, one

day, everybody on this earth will fall and worship the King. That the

King has come, everyone will react in worship. Today, I want to

ask you how you've responded to the good news that the King has heard the

story of a man. And I'll close with this. A man his name

was Brother Lawrence. He was from France. He was converted to eighteen.

He was He worked in the kitchen. He called it servant, a servants

or servant to the servants of God. He just thought about as he worked

in the kitchen. He was just a servant's servant, God's people. He

wrote actually a book under his name, Brother Lawrence, and it's called The

Practice, the Practice of the Presence of God. As he had come to

the end of his life, he was on his deathbed, and he was

he was rapidly dying, he was losing his strength, and his loved ones

were gathered around and he said these words. He says, I'm not dying.

I'm just doing what I I've been doing the last forty years. I'm

doing what I'm expected to do for all eternity. And they leaned in and

said, Brother Lawrence, what are you doing? He says, I'm worshiping

the God I love. I'm going to ask you today, how are you

reacting to the good news that the King has come, the Promised King.

Are you worshiping today or today? Are you reacting with you know, I

just don't I don't know if I really want Jesus to reign in my life.

I don't know that I really want to. Yeah, I'll give him

a little bit, but I just don't know if I want to give him

an all. And today you are just like Herod and you're rejecting because you

want to be your own king. You know, Scripture says, and we

read that. We read this this week too. Listen to the brother Lawrence

is right, Scripture seven, Revelation seven nine through ten. And after this

I looked and behold a great multitude that no one can number, from every

nation, from all tribes, and all people in all languages, standing before

the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches

in their hands, and crying out the with a loud voice. Salvation belongs

to our God, who sits on the throne into the lamb, today in

heaven and one day in eternity. Just as God brought Magi from every nation

from from far off, God's bringing people from every nation, from every tribe,

And one day in heaven, all those nations will be gathered together.

Who God brought in different ways through his word and by moving different things in

people's life, who brought him to worship and in heaven, one day will

all be gathered around his throne. And what will we do? Will worship

him? Every tribe and every tongue and will say, Lord, worthy are

you God, because you have given us salvation today. Today, as God

draws, you give him his worship. He's worthy today, He's worthy of

your worship. Would you pray with me? Lord, I thank you for

your love for us. I thank you for your word today. God,

there's such beauty in your word to see how you fulfilled the prophecy of Balem,

how you fulfilled the prophecy of Micah and God all that that we might

believe, that we might hear and believe God, as you moved the stars,

that you might bring the magi from the east to worship you. Lord.

Today, You're moving things in and through our life today that we might

worship You, that we might behold and see, and that we might respond

in worship with joy. Or I pray that be those today who surrender their

lives to worshiping you, Father, recognizing that you are the King, the

promised King, the King that came to die, the King that came to

save. Lord. I pray they'd be those today that have not done that,

if not put their faith in You for salvation today. It would be

that today that many in this room or watching online, would put their faith

in you for salvation, would recognize today that met today that they are a

sinner. Today, that they would believe that you came as that promised king

to die on a cross for their sins. And today there'd be those who

confess, Lord, you as Lord, and confess they need forgiveness of sin,

repent of sins, and turn to your Father for salvation today. And

Lord, I pray they'd be those today that would say, Lord, I

will give you my life and worship Lord every day of my life, I'll

worship you Father in spirit and in truth. Or I pray you'd lead us

today to respond and pray some need to come to this alter and and pray,

I pray they'd be those who do that. If I could pray for

some that I pray you lead them to come and respond. Lord, how

have you lead us today? Lord? May we give you our worship your

name. We pray, Amen, Jesus pain to