Hail! King Of The Jews (Mt 2:1-12)

Hail!

King

of the JewsMt 2:1-12

Hail! King of the Jews

Because of the

navigator’s pride, five

other people died.


Pride is so very dangerous.



“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the

humble is wisdom” (Prov 11:2, ESV).



“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the

humble is wisdom” (Prov 11:2, ESV).

“Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are

sin” (Prov 21:4).


Herod I was a blood-thirsty tyrant.



He became so enraged with his favorite wife that he

strangled her.




strangled her.

He had two sons executed & another son executed on his

deathbed.




strangled her.


deathbed.

One of Herod‟s brothers-in-law mysteriously drowned in a

shallow pool.




strangled her.


deathbed.


shallow pool.

The Jewish aristocracy “saw how powerful and reckless

Herod was and how much he desired to be a dictator.”




strangled her.


deathbed.


shallow pool.

The Jewish aristocracy “saw how powerful and reckless

Herod was and how much he desired to be a dictator.”

Herod was paranoid of losing power, would quickly

execute ay “threat,” & often acted impulsively.


We want to look at the mad man that history calls Herod

“the Great.”


We want to look at the mad man that history calls Herod

“the Great.”

We shall see Herod as

HEROD THE DISTRESSED.

HEROD THE DUMB.

HEROD THE DECEITFUL.


Herod the Distressedvv 2-3


The magi came to Jerusalem, “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.‟ When

Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all

Jerusalem with him” (vv 2-3, ESV).


The magi ask, “Where is he who has been born king of

the Jews?”



the Jews?”

That wording likely sends Herod into a frenzy.



the Jews?”


He has not been born king of the Jews, but he had been

made king of the Jews.



the Jews?”




One born a king would have a more rightful claim to the throne.



the Jews?”





The term “king” always had political overtones.



the Jews?”






Herod believed that if a new king had been born that his own

demise couldn‟t be far off.



the Jews?”






Herod believed that if a new king had been born that his own

demise couldn‟t be far off. Ironically, he was right—he died

less than two years later.


All Jerusalem was troubled with Herod.



Traditionally, three wise men came to Jerusalem.




However, this was likely a rather large delegation.





It‟s quite unlikely that the magi could have come to

Jerusalem without being noticed.







When the magi are noticed, the people become

distressed.








distressed.

They possibly feared a power struggle.








distressed.


They possibly feared the new king would be even more

ruthless than Herod.








distressed.


They possibly feared the new king would be even more

ruthless than Herod.

Herod likely stands as the reason for the people‟s

distress.


What do we learn

from Herod the

Distressed?


We learn the dangers of power.



Herod became intoxicated with power & he wasn‟t going to

lose it!




lose it!

Herod was quite a talented politician.




lose it!


For the Jews: He rebuilt the temple & put the incense altar on his

coins.




lose it!


For the Jews: He rebuilt the temple & put the incense altar on his

coins.

He built the port of Caesarea, naming it in honor of Caesar

Augustus.


With all that he had

done, how could

Herod allow a child to

take his throne?


With all that he had

done, how could

Herod allow a child to

take his throne?

That wasn‟t going to happen!


The thirst for power is incompatible with the way of the

cross.



cross.

“The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and

those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not

so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as

the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is

the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is

it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as

the one who serves” (Lk 22:25-27, ESV).



cross.

“The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and

those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not

so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as

the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is

the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is

it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as

the one who serves” (Lk 22:25-27, ESV).

Herod had it all backwards!


We also see the problems that come from worry.



Herod was worried over the birth of a new king.




Jesus Christ did not come into the world to be a political king.




Jesus Christ did not come into the world to be a political king. Even

if Jesus did establish an earthly kingdom, he would not have done

so until a quarter of a century after Herod was dead!




Jesus Christ did not come into the world to be a political king. Even

if Jesus did establish an earthly kingdom, he would not have done

so until a quarter of a century after Herod was dead!

Herod was brooding over something that did not take place!


Don’t we often worry

about things that

never take place?


40% Things that will never happen

30% The past that cannot change

12% Criticism of others

10% Health that gets worse with

worry

8% Things that will actually occur

Average Worries


God desires that his people not worry.



“Do not be anxious, saying, „What shall we eat?‟ or „What

shall we drink?‟ or „What shall we wear?‟ For the Gentiles

seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows

that you need them all” (Mt 6:31-32, ESV).



“Do not be anxious, saying, „What shall we eat?‟ or „What

shall we drink?‟ or „What shall we wear?‟ For the Gentiles

seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows

that you need them all” (Mt 6:31-32, ESV).

“Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his

span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as

that, why are you anxious about the rest?” (Lk 12:25-26,

ESV).


Are we hungry for

power?


Do we trust God, or

do we worry?


Herod the Dumbvv 4-6


“Assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the

people, [Herod] inquired of them where the Christ was

to be born. They told him, „In Bethlehem of Judea, for

so it is written by the prophet: “And you, O Bethlehem,

in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the

rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will

shepherd my people Israel”‟” (vv 4-6, ESV).


Herod assembled the chief priests & scribes to find out

where the Christ would be born.




Herod should not have needed to ask!





There was no mystery in Herod‟s day as to where the Christ would

be born.





There was no mystery in Herod‟s day as to where the Christ would

be born.

“When they heard these words, some of the people said, „This really

is the Prophet.‟ Other said, „This is the Christ.‟ But some said, „Is

the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the

Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from

Bethlehem, the village where David was?‟” (Jn 7:40-42, ESV).


Herod just doesn‟t get it.



Pagan astrologers know that the Christ has been born.




Everyone understands something of what God is doing.




Everyone understands something of what God is doing—

everyone except Herod!


Why doesn’t Herod

get it?


Why doesn’t Herod

get it?Because he is dumb!


When Peter & John stood before the Sanhedrin, the

Jews perceived that the apostles “were uneducated,

common men” (Acts 4:13, ESV).


When Peter & John stood before the Sanhedrin, the

Jews perceived that the apostles “were uneducated,

common men” (Acts 4:13, ESV). KJV: “ignorant,” i.e.,

“uneducated.”


We cannot rely on

someone else to know

the Scriptures for us.


If I‟m facing temptation, I can‟t wait on someone else.



When he was tempted, Jesus says, “It is written,” not “Let me

call a preacher.”



When he was tempted, Jesus says, “It is written,” not “Let me

call a preacher.”

“I have stored your word in my heart, that I might not sin

against you” (Ps 119:11, ESV).



When I face my mortality, I don‟t want to rely on

someone else.




someone else.

Jesus relied on Scripture in the face of his mortality: “And

taking the twelve, he said to them, „See, we are going up to

Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of

Man by the prophets may be accomplished” (Lk 18:21, ESV).




someone else.





Our mortality is precisely why Scripture needs proclaiming.




someone else.





Our mortality is precisely why Scripture needs proclaiming: “I

charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who

is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and

his kingdom: preach the word” (2 Tm 4:1-2, ESV).


There is grave danger

in not knowing the

Scriptures!


“From childhood you have been acquainted with the

sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for

salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tm 3:15,

ESV).





ESV). If we do not know the “sacred writings,” we

cannot be wise for salvation.







Not knowing the Scriptures can lead us into error.







Not knowing the Scriptures can lead us into error. “You

are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor

the power of God” (Mt 22:29, ESV).


How ignorant are we

of the Scriptures?


12% of Americans believe that Joan of Arc was Noah‟s

wife.



wife.

50% of high school seniors believed that Sodom &

Gomorrah were husband & wife.



wife.



A large number believe Billy Graham delivered the

Sermon on the Mount.



wife.



A large number believe Billy Graham delivered the

Sermon on the Mount.

Fewer than half of adults could name the four Gospels.


Is it any wonder that

we have such

immorality in this

country?


“„Behold, the days are coming,‟ declares the Lord GOD,

„when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of

bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of

the LORD‟” (Amos 8:11, ESV).


Do we know the

Scriptures?


Herod the Deceitfulvv 7-8


“Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and

ascertained from them what time the star had

appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, „Go

and search diligently for the child, and when you have

found him, bring me word, that I too may come and

worship him” (vv 7-8, ESV).


We know Herod had no intentions of worshiping the

Christ.


We know Herod had no intentions of worshiping the

Christ.

He simply wants to get rid of the competition.


Herod called the magi secretly.



Deceit requires secrecy.




If people knew the magi were coming back, they‟d likely be waiting

to go & worship the Christ.






Herod simply can‟t allow competition.







Sin loves secrecy.







Sin loves secrecy.

“This is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people

loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were

evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does

not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (Jn 3:19-

20, ESV).







Sin loves secrecy.

“This is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people

loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were

evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does

not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (Jn 3:19-

20, ESV).

Speaking of “the sons of disobedience, Paul says, “It is shameful

even to speak of the things that they do in secret”

(Eph 5:11, ESV).


How embarrassed

would we be if

everyone really knew

us?


Herod told the magi a bold-faced lie.



He was never going to worship the Christ.




We must be those who speak the truth.





Satan “was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do

with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he

speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies”

(Jn 8:44, ESV).





Satan “was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do

with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he

speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies”

(Jn 8:44, ESV).

“Having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth

with his neighbor, for we are members one of another” (Eph 4:25,

ESV).


Let us be those who

speak the truth!


Do you need to come

& speak the truth

about Jesus?


For other quality

sermons, check out:http://www.churchofchristsermonsonline.com

Spiritual

Hail! King Of The Jews (Mt 2:1-12)