Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "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." And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born. And they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet, ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a Ruler, Who will shepherd My people Israel.’" Then Herod secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go, and make careful search for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, that I too may come and worship Him." And having heard the king, they went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshipped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:1-12)
Christmas brings forth many images. We think of Christmas parades, streets lined with Christmas decorations. We see Christmas trees, decked out with beautiful lights and glittering ornaments. We hear Christmas carols and listen to special musicals by Christmas choirs. We think of giving gifts and receiving gifts. Perhaps, weather permitting, we’ll even build a snowman on the front lawn.
Generally, Christmas is thought of as a happy time. It is a time for celebration, a time for joy, a time for good will and good cheer. But not everyone looks at Christmas the same way. For some, Christmas is a terrible time. In fact, for many, Christmas can be one of the most depressing times of the year. Some who cannot spend Christmas with family or friends may not look forward to Christmas at all. Others, who, because of financial considerations, cannot participate in the giving of gifts, may even resent this time of year. Any tragic event such as the death of a family member in December, forever links Christmas with pain and sorrow. So in all our celebrating, we must remember, there are some who are hurting.
Apart from those situations already mentioned, there are other reactions as well. Christians see the birth of Christ as the most significant event, apart from His resurrection, in all of history. It is the incarnation of God. The birth of Christ means that God became a man, one of us, to know us, to experience life in our shoes, to ultimately save us. His birth says many things. And people in general, and many Christians, respond to it differently. People responded in unexpected ways in the time of Christ, and people respond in much the same way today. What is your reaction to Christmas?
You may be on of those who are troubled at Christmas. King Herod was deeply troubled. Consider his response when the magi came and told him about the star of the King of the Jews. In verse 3, it states, "And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him."
What we would come to recognize years later as the first Christmas, was troubling to Herod. It was troubling because, in his view, a potential rival to his throne was born, the one long prophesied to be the King of the Jews. You see, Herod considered himself to be the King of the Jews. So to hear the statement of the magi, that another King of the Jews had been born, posed a very real threat to his control and rule. No doubt, this statement struck a chord of fear in the heart of Herod the King.
We also see from the text that His fear spread to others. Not only was Herod troubled, but "all of Jerusalem with him." What would this mean to their way of life? How would this affect the common man living in land of Palestine at that time? Most of us, in spite of our protests to the contrary, are very reluctant to change our situation in life. There is a certain sense in which we become comfortable with our circumstances as they are, and there is a very real fear of change in all of us. I’m sure that all Jerusalem was troubled because they simply didn’t understand what all of this meant. Herod, as evil as he was, at least was a predictable evil. What would this new King of the Jews be like? What would he do? What changes would he bring?
Herod was a very proud man. I’m sure he had a tremendous personal drive. But now his kingdom was threatened; at least in his own mind. And his fear led eventually to the massacre of the infants as recorded in verse 16 of chapter 2. A tragedy of fear based on pride.
While our life situations may be significantly different than Herod’s, the same forces of pride and fear still motivate people today. Because of pride and fear, many today are troubled at Christmas. Just as Christ was a potential rival to Herod’s throne, so Christ is also a potential rival to our self-centered individuality and independence. We have a situation where man has exalted man, and in a self-centered society, man becomes preeminent while God is quietly pushed out of the picture. The babe in Bethlehem becomes a serious threat in such a mindset. He might look harmless enough, lying in the crib, but any intelligent person knows that He is not content to stay there. Being seen as a baby forevermore was not His objective. One day, He will demand allegiance, and human pride cannot allow that day to happen.
Many people are troubled today, as Herod was, because Christ is a potential rival to the many gods who sit upon the throne of our hearts. Most peole do not want anyone, even Christ, to be in control of their lives. They are deeply troubled by the implications of a Creator to whom they are accountable whether they acknowledge that fact or not. You see, if there is a Creator who made everything that exists— including man — then simple logic tells us that we are responsible and accountable to that Creator. Certainly this is one of the driving forces behind man’s furious tenacity with which some hold to the dubious theories of evolution. When you believe in evolution you can factor God out of the creative process, all but eliminating personal responsibility to a Divine being. And if the creative process simply occurred by "natural" occurrences, then the problem of accountability to a Creator-God is solved. People who want to do their own thing do not want to be troubled by a God to whom they would be accountable.
Others troubled by Christmas fear the implications of discipleship and cross-bearing. Herod was troubled because He did not wish to bow down to any other King. For Jesus to truly be King of Kings and Lord of Lords means that we must bow before Him. That means submission and commitment on every level of life. We must submit to Him and allow Him to be the Lord of our lives. We must commit ourselves to follow Him. For some that can be a very troubling thought indeed. Of course, it is only troubling to those who resist the idea of surrendering their lives to Jesus. But in our self-centered, humanistic society many do not respond with joy to the true meaning of the Christmas story.
Are you troubled at the thought of Christmas? Does the true implications of the birth of the Christ make you uncomfortable?. A nice story about a babe in a manger is not a very threatening concept. But He is not a babe for long. The babe in the manger was none other than the Lord of Glory, the King of Kings. He was God the Son in the personage of Jesus born of woman who grew up in Nazareth.
While the scene in the stable, with the shepherds gathered around, may be a beautiful image, the reality is that the babe will grow to be a man. He will die on a Cross, be raised from the dead, and declared to be the Son of God, with awesome power. He will say that all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth, and He will call all of humanity to total allegiance to Him. Those who respond in obedient faith and live a faithful and obedient live can expect to enjoy eternal life with Him in His Kingdom. But those who reject His free offer of salvation will one day face His wrath in judgment. The prospect of facing the wrath of God is not a pleasant thought. Many people are troubled by that thought.
Many Christians, who have given their lives to God are troubled by the implications of the Christmas season. Are you one them?
The season comes every year and forces us to think about its true meaning and purpose. The birth of Christ and the true purpose of His mission can be very troubling for those who have not really given themselves completely in living obedience to God. The Christmas season is a time to refocus our hearts and minds on Jesus. Every year at Christmas, we get one more chance to submit and commit to let Jesus be the King in our lives. May be this will be your Christmas to renew, refresh and revitalize your relationship with the King of Kings, Lord of Lords... your Savior.
