HEROD'S CHRISTMAS

Scripture Portion : Matthew 2:1-18

INTRODUCTION:

Christmas brings forth many images. We think of parades, streets lined with decorations (Orchard road), Christmas tree, Crackers, Carols etc. Some think of giving and receiving gifts. Generally Christmas is thought of as a happy time. It's a time for celebration, a time for joy. But not everyone looks at Christmas time in the same way. For some it's a terrible time; it can be a time of most depressing season of the year because they are not able to spend Christmas with their loved ones. Others, because of financial considerations cannot participate in the giving of gifts.  There are many reactions to Christmas.

·         You may be troubled at Christmas like Herod the king.

·         You may be indifferent at Christmas like the religious leaders of Jerusalem.

·         You may be a worshipper at Christmas like the wise men.

In the gospels when we read the birth narratives of Jesus, we see different people had responded or reacted differently to the birth of Christ. Shepherds, Angels, Joseph, Mary, Inn keeper, and the Magi are the ones who responded positively and the rest like the people of Jerusalem, Scribes, Priests and Herod responded negatively.  Today you may be celebrating numerous Christmases, How did you celebrate it so far? How have you prepared for today's celebration? New dresses, Good food, Decoration of home etc… all are external celebration only. Have you ever given thought to celebrate it mentally or spiritually or in Biblical manner? Last sermon we saw how the shepherds’ celebrated the Christmas under the title "Shepherds’ Christmas ". Today let us see how Herod responded to the birth of Christ so that we can compare ourselves with him to correct our perspective of celebrating Christmas in the right attitude.

When Prince William was born to Prince Charles and Diana there was excitement in England and all newspapers flashed it because an heir to the British throne was born. Now when the promised Messiah was born Herod, the priests and the people of Jerusalem were reacted in different way. In this Mt 2: 1-18, though we are amazed by the visit of the Magi who came to worship the Lord, we are appalled by the irrational jealousy of Herod toward an infant born in an obscure village. We are horrified by the cunning and cruelty of Herod who was willing to kill the infants in and around Bethlehem to eliminate the threat of one child.  At the time of Jesus' birth (6-4 BC) Herod would have been around 70 years old and in poor health and destined to die soon (4 BC). Herod had held his throne through fear and bloodshed. He had ruled the nation with sword. He used bribery, deceit and force to achieve his ends. The first Christmas was troubling Herod the King. He ruled 36 years from 40 to 4 BC. Herod was disturbed because in 40 BC the Roman Senate had conferred the title “King of the Jews” on him. The news of that a new king of the Jews had been born was a challenge to him. Herod won't take any challenge to his throne lightly. He felt insecure as king because his claim to the throne was shaken now; it was very shaky because he was not a full Jew. In his security he had killed all potential rivals. He was a half Jew and had no less than 10 wives and 12 sons. He was a proud, selfish, hypocrite and a cruel king.

1. DISTURBED KING (v. 3): The arrival of the Magi and their inquiry disturbed him. Herod was afraid of the Parthians who may attack Palestine at any time. Can you imagine the impact on him when the Magi arrived asking him the whereabouts of the King of the Jews? The thought that the "King of the Jews" had been born was troubling. He considered himself to be the king of the Jews and to hear the statement of the Magi that another king was born posed a real threat to his rule. Based on the prophecy of Micah (5:2) the religious leaders gave the correct answer that Jesus will be born in his own territory at Bethlehem and it disturbed him. The failure of the Magi who were requested to return to him to inform about the newly born king disturbed or troubled his mind. His position and power were a matter of paranoid fear. Imagine a 70 year old king with failing health afraid of a newly born babe.

We also see that his fear spread to others. Not only he was troubled, but "all of Jerusalem was troubled with him"(v. 3). Herod as evil as he was, at last was a predictable evil. His reign was marked by violence and insecurity. He was notorious for killing his own kith and kin that he considered as rival to him. Whenever he was disturbed there would be violent consequences. Now the message of the Magi and the confirmation by the scribes disturbed him. What would Herod do now or what would be his next step was the thought of whole Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem were troubled. Like them you also may be troubled at this Christmas time on account of various reasons and failed to celebrate Christmas with the right attitude. Today some are troubled at heart like Herod because Jesus is a rival to their own will and pleasure. If I accept Christ, I have to follow the teachings of the Bible, I cannot do this, I cannot do that, I cannot see movies or spend time with my friends etc… kind of thinking would dominate the mind. As a result they prefer to push Christ out of their heart. People who want to do their own thing do not want to be troubled by God to whom they are accountable. Some are troubled because of the cost of discipleship and cross bearing. Herod was troubled because he did not want to bow down to any other king. "Trouble not" or in other words "Fear not". Was not this the comforting message announced to Mary and the shepherds at the time of Christmas? Ps 43:1 also reiterates that God's children need not be troubled. Why can't you take that as a personal message for you?

2. SELFISH KING:  Herod should have been happy and excited that the promised Messiah was born during his reign. But that was not the case with him. He considered the birth of Jesus as a threat to his throne. He would not tolerate anyone against him. He wanted to safeguard his position only. As an egocentric man he will do anything to achieve his ends. Yes; selfish people live for themselves and not at all concerned for others like Herod. If God was selfish He would not have spared his only son for you and me. Christmas teaches about giving the Magi gave, the shepherd should have given something, Are we not supposed to give our strength to God?

3. CUNNING KING: There was cunningness and calculation evident in the way Herod acquired information about the birth of Jesus. He first called together all the scribes and priests (v. 4) to carefully ascertain the place of birth. The tense of the verb rendered "to inquire" suggests that there was a meticulous process involved, perhaps questioning each scholar one by one. The conclusion was unanimous that the Messiah must be born in Bethlehem. Herod had now known part of what he needed to know. Secretly he called the Magi and feigning a desire to worship the child, sought to more precisely locate the home of the child. This he expected to ascertain when the Magi would return back to him. Now he needs to know only the age of the child whom he would kill. This he did based on his own calculation of the time from the arrival of the Magi's place and the time of the appearance of the star and to be on the safer side not to miss the killing of Jesus, he ordered all children of the age of two to be killed. If he could kill his own wife, children and relatives, the killing of children of others would be of no great concern for him.

4. RUTHLESS KING: Those who are familiar with history will not be startled with the cruelty of Herod as this was common among the kings in those days. He had killed several people in his own family circle. The cunning and cruelty of Herod killing the children in the vicinity of Bethlehem was not without precedent. He had never hesitated to use his power to destroy anyone who might get on his way. He had killed Aristobulous (his brother-in-law), Antigonus a Hasmonean heir to the throne, Hyrcanus II (Father of his wife Mariamme), Joseph (his Uncle), Sohemus (a servant for alleged illicit affair with his wife Mariamme) wife Mariamme was executed for adultery, and Alexandra (mother of Mariamme). So Herod's response to the arrival of the Magi and killing the children was totally consistent with his style of rule. Now he had ordered to kill all the male children below the age of two in and around Bethlehem (v. 16) which was the fulfillment of Jer 31:15. What a cruel king was he! He will not bother to eradicate anyone whom he considered as a challenge or rival to his position. Now he could not digest the birth of Jesus.

5. HYPOCRITICAL KING: He informed the Magi that he also wanted to worship the new born king (v. 8). But this was not true. Are we celebrating the Christmas in the right perspective? If we follow the external rituals of Christmas is it not hypocritical? Like the wise men and the shepherds are we not supposed to worship Him in reverence and humility? Enormous amount of time had been spent in the preparation of Christmas decoration at your home and in shopping and cooking cookies. How much of time have you spent at the feet of Jesus in this Christmas season?

6. SCRIPTURE-LESS KING: Being a half Jew he should have known about the birth of Jesus. The problem with him was he did not know the Scripture properly. Today the reason for many to be possessed by fear is that they do not know the Bible; the reason for many to lead a confused life is that they do not the Scripture like Herod; today for many to think that they are perfect and blameless is that they are not knowledgeable about the Scripture; today for many to lead a life as they like is that they do not know the Scripture. See the effect of our lives when we miss the Scripture. How far you know the Scripture? Are you like Herod or like the blessed man referred in Ps. l:2?

IGNORED CHRIST:

• The Shepherds were the First ones to visit the baby Jesus. Luke 2: 17 says after seeing Jesus they went and proclaimed the news to everyone. Surely this message would have reached the ears of Herod. He ignored that.
• Secondly the presentation of Jesus in the temple and the proclamation of Simeon and Anna (Lk. 2: 17, 18) could have hardly occurred in secret.
• Thirdly the miraculous birth of John (the Baptist) the forerunner of Jesus could not had been ignored at Jerusalem. His birth was the signal for the arrival of Jesus.
• Fourthly the Magi announced the birth of Jesus and that was ignored by him.
• Fifthly the scribes and the priests confirmed the birth of Jesus and that also was rejected by Herod.

While the shepherds and the Magi from faraway places visited Jesus he did not visit Jesus who was born only five miles away (at the most one hour journey) from Jerusalem. Herod was unwilling to see the promised Messiah and did not go. He quietly pushed God out of the picture. Yes, whenever we fail to attend Sunday services regularly, whenever we fail to read the bible and meditate, whenever we fail to pray, whenever we take decisions purely based on our own thinking and leading a life killing our conscience we are pushing God aside like Herod. There are some who are like Herod who for selfish reasons want to get rid of Jesus from their heart resisting the reign of Christ in their lives. There was no room for Jesus in Herod's heart. Do you have a place for Christ in your heart or is your heart choked with the mundane desires?

At this Christmas, I want you to keep Christ in Christmas. Herod was a failure. Herod's reaction was of animosity and hatred. He wanted to annihilate Jesus but could not succeed. He failed in his attempt to destroy Jesus. But he was outwitted by the Magi. Yes. All endeavors which are done against the will and plan of God cannot succeed. May I ask you very honestly as you celebrate another Christmas in your life: are you in the same boat with Herod? Are you a Herod? Herod's Christmas was a disturbed Christmas. His Christmas was a troubled Christmas. Herod's Christmas was a Christmas without Christ. He ignored Christ and failed to welcome his birth. Do not celebrate Christmas at the cost of ignoring Christ's birth in your heart. It will be another useless Christmas if you do so. At this Christmas, after this service will you go home and focus on the true meaning of Christmas?