Murder At Chrtistmas Time

Wed Dec. 5, 2007

19-year-old Robert A. Hawkins killed eight people and then himself at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, left a suicide note

Sun., Dec. 9, 2007

Five people — including Matthew Murray, 24— were killed, and five others wounded Sunday in the two eruptions of violence 12 hours and 65 miles apart

2 - Youth With a Mission Denver

2 - New Life Church in Colorado Springs

Evil had it’s day

Christmas time and murder do not go together

’Boxing Day’ or ’St Stephen’s Day’.

’St Stephen’s Day’ — ’Good King Wenceslaus looked out on the feast of Stephen’.

- What happened on St Stephen’s Day?

- Stephen, was murdered! Stoned to death

because he preached Jesus

- Children Murdered by Pharaoh, king of Egypt in Exodus

- In the church’s calendar, the day after Christmas is associated with two significant events – one is the martyrdom of Stephen that we read about in Acts 7.

- The other is the terrible event we read about in our Gospel reading today – the ’murder of the innocents’, where King Herod orders the death of every baby boy in the town of Bethlehem two years old and under!

- Herod knew the prophecies, yet fought against their fulfilment

Murder by a King

a. King Was Disturbed -v. 2

- The news of the wisemen.

- There was not room for another authority!

- Does Christ disturb the authority of your life?

- Living outside of the Lordship of Christ always will disturb us

- Shutting Him out of our lives is committing spiritual murder

b. King Was Demanding.

Demanded from the scribes information about where this King was to be born.

- Be careful to personal demands and selfishness a sure road to scriptural suicide

c. King Was Deceitful.

To the wiseman he said, ".....bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also."

- Living deceitful lives leads to self-destruction

d. King Was Destructive.

Herod ordered the death of all children age 2 and under in the region.

- Herod’s steps away from the Lord are a warning to our own lives

Key for Avoiding Murder

1 Peter 5:8KJV

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

- Wise men Rich & powerful

- Jesus was their Pursuit Passion & Joy

- When under the influence of grace – they gladly gave & surrendered to Jesus

- They come bow down and gave - Result Peace

ANOTHER AUTHORITY

• FOCUS: They have persistent endurance v. 1

• BELIEVE: They are not afraid to follow the star v. 2

- neither should we be afraid to follow the son

• SEEK : They are not afraid to ask for directions

- From all who might know

- Scripture their source of authority - v. 2-6

• PASSION: They came to worship v.2 & 11

- Worship involved humbling themselves

- Worship included giving

Overcoming Results in Unbelievable Joy•

Progressive fulfilment v 10

Joy

Great Joy

Exceeding great joy

We know the Christmas story

Now it is time to surrender to Christ