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
