--HEROD'S RESPONSE TO THE MESSIAH~~

"After Jesus was born
in Bethlehem of Judea
in the day of Herod the
king, magi from the east
arrived in Jerusalem."
--(Matthew 2:1)--

---WHEN THE MAGI came to Jerusalem, they said, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the East and have come to worship Him" (Mathew 2:2). Notice Herod's response. "When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him" (2:3). Herod became agitated and asked his chief priests and scribes where this Messiah would be born. They said, "In Bethlehem of Judea" (2:5).

Can I point out something? These religious leaders knew the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, yet they wouldn't walk a couple of miles to see the Son of God. It's not that they were ignorant of Christ' they were just indifferent to the message of Christ.
**You see, the news of a Savior is really no news at all if you don't feel like you need a Savior. Herod was more interested in Jesus than the religious people were. He said to the magi, "Search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him" (2:8). "After hearing the king, they went their way...When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him" (2:9-11).

--PTV/RJ~

--HEROD'S FORMULA FOR SUCCESS~~

-"Then when Herod saw that
he had been tricked by the
magi, he became enraged."
--(Matthew 2:16)--

--Matthew's purpose in his Gospel is to show that Jesus is the Messiah. How do we know He is the Messiah? One evidence is all the fulfilled prophecies. Another evidence is the magi's response. A third evidence of the deity of Christ is Herod's response to the birth of Christ. Think about it: Why would a powerful king like Herod get so upset about the birth of a baby in Bethlehem? Herod's unusual response to the birth of Christ authenticates the Gospel.

Herod's response to the news of Jesus's birth also illustrates the world's philosophy of how to obtain success in life: "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." King Herod--called Herod the great--was the son of Antipater. Antipater had been appointed by Julius Caesar as the governor of Judea. When Antipater died, the Roman Senate voted his son Herod as king of the Jews, or the king of Judea. Herod was not a Jew; He was an Edomite. For that reason, he felt like an outsider. So he did things to try to curry favor with people.

For example, to gain Caesar's favor, Herod built a beautiful portside city called Caesarea by the Sea. He tried to gain favor with the citizens by building racetracks and theaters. He even tried to gain the favor of the Jews by rebuilding their temple. Yet his purpose in doing those things was his own glorification.~~

--PTV/RJ

---THE SPIRIT OF KING HEROD~~

--"[Herod] sent and slew all
the male children who were in
Bethlehem and all its vicinity,
from two years old and under,
according to the time which
he had determined from the magi."
--(Matthew 2:16)---

--KING HEROD'S response to the birth of Christ illustrates a philosophy that guided his life: "Don't get mad; get even." Herod's father was killed by his political enemies, so one evening, Herod invited his political enemies to dinner. When they arrived, Herod's hit men killed them. Historians tell us that night the king slept well.

Another worldly philosophy Herod lived by was this: "Do unto others before they do unto you." Herod was always looking to stamp out any opposition. When he thought his brother-in-law was plotting against him, he had him killed. Then he had his wife, mother-in-law, and two elder sons killed as well. But perhaps Herod's most monstrous act was when he slaughtered all Hebrew children two years of age and under in order to exterminate the Messiah. "When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi" (Matthew 2:16).

Sometimes we might think the way to be successful is to rule over other people, to get revenge, and to put our desires before other people. Yet, Jesus teaches us to put others first. We must always follow the ways of our Master and Lord Jesus Christ. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Also we recall Jesus washed His disciples feet, giving us a significant lesson in servanthood.~~

--PTV/RJ~

--IS JESUS STILL HERE? ~~ YES, INDEED!

--"Nothing in all
creation will ever
be able to separate
us from the love of
God that is revealed
in Christ Jesus our
Lord."-(Romans 8:39)~

---TED ROBERTSON'S HOME in Colorado was one of more than 500 destroyed by the Black Forest Fire in June 2013. When he was allowed to return and sift through the ash and rubble, he was hoping to find a precious family heirloom made by his wife--a tiny ceramic figurine of baby Jesus. As he searched the charred remains of their home, he kept wondering, "Is the baby Jesus still here?"

When our lives are rocked by disappointment and loss, we may wonder if Jesus is still here with us. The Bible's answer is a resounding Yes! "Neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor fears will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).

In a corner of what used to be his garage, Ted Robertson discovered the burned remnants of a nativity scene and there he found the baby Jesus figurine undamaged by the flames. He told KRDO NewsChannel 13, "[We've] gone from apprehension to hope...that we're going to recover some parts of our life that we thought were lost."

-Is Jesus still here? He is indeed, and that is the everlasting wonder of Christmas.~~ If you know Jesus, you'll never walk alone.~~

--ODB/DM

---JESUS WAITS FOR ME...,
...FOR YOU~~

--"The Lord isn't really
being slow about his
promise, as some people
think. No, He is is
being patient for your
sake. He does not want
anyone to be destroyed,
but wants everyone to
repent."--(2 Peter 3:9)~-

--WAITING IN LONG LINES or traffic can 'get to' most of us. We don't like to have to wait.
During the Christmas season we wait. We wait in traffic. We wait in checkout lines to purchase gifts. We wait for family to arrive. We wait to gather around a table filled with our favorite foods. We wait to open presents lovingly chosen.

All of this waiting can be a reminder that Christmas is a celebration of waiting for something much more important than holiday traditions. Like the ancient Israelites, we too are waiting for Jesus. Although He already came as the long-awaited Messiah, He has not yet come as Ruler over all the Earth. So today we wait for Christ's second coming.

Christmas reminds us that God also waits...He waits for people to see His glory, to admit that they are lost without Him, to say yes to His love, to receive His forgiveness, to turn away from sin. While we wait for His second coming, He waits for repentance. What seems to us like God's slowness in coming is instead His patience in waiting (2 Peter 3:9).

The Lord is waiting to have a 'personal relationship' with those He loves. He made the first move when He came as baby Jesus and the sacrificial Lamb. Now He waits for us to welcome Him into our lives as Savior and Lord. The Holy Bible is a Personal Love Letter to Each Person.~~

~~GOD PATIENTLY KEEPS HIS PROMISES. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET ASKED HIM TO BE YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR, HE IS WAITING FOR YOU. JESUS LOVES YOU!
--ODB/JLK~~

---THE REASON FOR THE INCARNATION~~

--"Being found in appearance
as a man, He humbled Himself
by becoming obedient to the
point of death, even death
on a Cross."
--Philippians 2:8)--

--THE INCARNATION, the coming of God in the flesh, means that God understands you. He has walked where you have walked. There is no heartache, no trial, no sadness you face that Jesus Himself has not experienced.

But the primary reason God took human form is the reason Paul mentioned: "being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a Cross" (Philippians 2:8)-

At Christmastime, we try to work up all this sentimentality over a baby being born in a manger. But if we are honest, there is nothing unusual about babies being born. Babies are born all the time. The story of Christmas begins with the manger, but it has to move to the Cross before you understand the significance.

The baby was not any baby; He was God in the flesh. He was a baby who was born to die. And the reason He came to die on a Cross was so that He could take the punishment from God that you and I deserve for our sins.

The Bible says we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And because of that, our deserved payment for sin is eternal death. Every one of us deserves to spend eternity in Hell, separated from God. Because we all are sinners. Jesus came to satisfy the wrath of God that we all deserve. Let us all make room in our hearts for Jesus all year long, not just at Christmas time. ~~
--PTV/RJ~~--"MAKE ROOM" Casting Crowns (feat. Matt Maher)~~<https://youtu.be/iUFSxt7qkNw>
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