INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE#1
• When you talk to people about Jesus, what kind of reaction do you receive? What kind of reception do people today give to Jesus?
• In the NFL right now, Tim Tebow seems to be a lightning rod because of his very public display of his faith in Jesus. Mr. Tebow seems to upset people because he is so willing to talk about his faith.
• Not only is he willing to talk about Jesus, he seems to be a great example of what it means to walk the walk also.
• Whenever Jesus is mentioned in the public arena, there are a whole range of reactions, both positive and negative.
• Over the years, do people really change that much?
• As I read the accounts of the birth of Jesus in Matthew 2 and Luke 2, I am intrigued by the way that different people involved in the narratives received the news of the coming Savior.
• I am intrigued by the initial reaction that the folks of the time had concerning the birth of Jesus.
• It seems to me that after 2000 plus years, the reactions of people to Jesus are the same as those involved in the Gospel narratives.
• I want us to look at the King’s reception today by the various people spoken about in the narratives today.
• As we look at the reception the king received from these people, I hope that we will look at what kind of reception we have given to the King!
• Let us start in Matthew 2:1-2
• SLIDE #2
• Matthew 2:1–2 (ESV) 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, 2 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.”
• Let us begin by looking at…
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. The reception of the King by the wise men.
• Who are the Wise men?
• They were most likely from Persia, or Arabia. They are mentioned in Daniel with Babylonians.
• They were wise men of whom kings would seek for advice; they were astronomers, philosophers and priests.
• These men traveled a long distance, it was not as if they could get in the car and go, it was a long walk.
• When we look at verse 2, we can see why the Wise Men were seeking Jesus. They came to worship Him!
• These men were not seeking just to acknowledge or pay honor to Jesus; they came to worship a deity. This is evident from the gifts that they gave. The gifts they give were of high value.
• They were not seeking an earthly King like Herod; they wanted to worship the REAL king!
• When they found Jesus, they were exceedingly joyful!
• SLIDE #4
• Matthew 2:10–11 (ESV)10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
• The feeling they had was beyond words. These men came looking for the King and they offered Him their worship!
• There are people today who will seek Jesus because they know who He is.
• When they find Him, what gift will they come bearing the King?
• SLIDE #5
• Romans 12:1 (ESV) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
• The Wise Men came to worship. Is that the kind of reception you would give to the King?
• Let us look at verses 3-6 now to see how another person in our narrative received the King.
• SLIDE #6
• Matthew 2:3–5 (ESV) 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
• SLIDE #7
II. The reception of the King by King Herod.
• Herod was also looking for the King; he tells the Wise Men in verse 8 that he too wants to go worship this new King.
• That is awesome! Herod wants to worship the King also! Well not so fast!
• Herod’s reign began in 40 BC.
• He was a skilled politician. Survived many rulers. Killed all who could claim his throne, family members included. Had 10 wives throughout his life.
• Jesus was born about 6 BC, Herod died in 4 BC.
• Herod was a brutal power-hungry ambitious man, he would do whatever it took to get what he wanted.
• Verse 3 says that when Herod heard about this “King of the Jews”, he along with all of Jerusalem were troubled. The people were troubled because of the fear of another blood bath.
• A baby threatened Herod. At this time Herod was 70 years old and in poor health, by the time this child could rule, Herod would probably be dead from old age anyway.
• Herod’s true motives were revealed to Joseph.
• SLIDE #8
• Matthew 2:13 (ESV) 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.”
• After finding that the Wise Men had no intention of reporting back to him, Herod orders the deaths of all male children under the age of 2 hoping to kill the king.
• Herod’s response is in some ways typical of those who know enough to believe there is something to this Jesus stuff, but they will do about anything to keep from submitting to the lordship of Jesus in their life.
• Sometimes in the pursuit of that stubbornness they even damage the lives to those around them.
• Herod did not want anyone siting on his throne. Herod wanted to control his life and the lives of others. Today many people are like Herod, they want think they are the boss, and they want to live under the illusion they are in control of their own life.
• People like Herod are afraid that they will lose some status or power, they are afraid that they may have to give something up. Their pride and arrogance will be their demise.
• Herod gave the King a bitter reception; I pray that you are not following the example of Herod!
• Let us turn back to verse 3.
• SLIDE #9
• Matthew 2:3 (ESV) When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
• Let us look at…
• SLIDE #10
III. The reception of the King by the people of Jerusalem.
• The people of Jerusalem were busy living life. Kind of like the people of the world today.
• The Wise Men traveled from a long distance, but the people of Jerusalem, the religious capitol of the Jews were unwilling to go 8 miles.
• When the people heard the King was about to be born, they were troubles, but much of that was probably from the fear of the reaction of the volatile Herod.
• The religious leaders of the people knew about the coming Messiah, they were expecting His coming.
• Why didn’t the people go and see? It was apathy in part. The leaders even knew when He was coming; they had the prophecies such as Daniel 9:25-27 that would give them a good idea of the year of the coming of the Messiah.
• In verses 5-6 they were even told HE was going to be born in Bethlehem.
• The Jews of Jerusalem are typical of many today. They refuse to seek and worship God. They are too busy living life to go to the effort.
• They were apathetic to the truth concerning the King of Kings!
• It was these same apathetic people of years later would yell CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY HIM.
• These folks were so close to Jesus they could taste it, but they had no desire to seek Him.
• They were in proximity to the truth but not seeking and accepting of it.
• Let us look at Luke 2
• SLIDE #11
• Luke 2:15–17 (ESV) 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.
• SLIDE #12
IV. The reception of the King by the shepherd’s.
• The Shepherds were not well received by the religious people even though their profession was honorable.
• The shepherds were not able to keep all of the meticulous aspects of the ceremonial law.
• The Angels came to the shepherds with the great announcement.
• The shepherds left the fields and made haste to get to the one the angels spoke of.
• Look at verse 15. When the shepherds received their message from the angels, they said let’s go NOW. Verse 16 says they came in a hurry.
• Verse 18 says they shared the good news with Mary and Joseph. Then in verse 20 we find the shepherds going back to their jobs glorifying and praising God for what they had seen.
• The shepherds listened to the angels, they found Jesus and they shared the message. I would bet that the shepherds shared the message from the angels until they day they died.
• The shepherds, the unwanted common people of the day got it right, they heard the message, they responded to the message and then they shared the message!
• Are you like the shepherds are you glorifying and praising God for what you have seen and for what you know?
CONCLUSION
• The will be people who will do whatever they have to in order that they might worship the Messiah as the Wise Men did.
• There will be some who will be hostile to the King until the day that they die, like Herod.
• Others will be too busy or too apathetic toward his coming as the people of Jerusalem seemed to be.
• Others will leave it all and follow Him and tell others like the shepherds did.
• What type of reception will you give to the King?
