Matthew 2:3-6 – December 21, 2020
Matthew 2:3-6
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the [a]Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For from you will come forth a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
Herod was troubled! All of Jerusalem was troubled And their not the only ones. I talked to people every day that are troubled. Just look around, there are all kinds of people who are troubled. People who are filling that God shaped hole in all of us with anything other than God. Herod and the religious leaders of the day had some big hints from the prophets of old, that the long awaited Messiah was going to be born in Bethlehem. The had a lot of other hints about who this Messiah was too. And still, they rejected him. They were troubled.
Charles Spurgeon says This trouble is again testimony to the greatness of Jesus, even as a young child. “Jesus of Nazareth is so potent a factor in the world of mind that, no sooner is he there in his utmost weakness, a now-born King, than he begins to reign. Before he mounts the throne, friends bring him presents, and his enemies compass his death.” (Spurgeon)
Today, we see the effects that this one person had on this world, and still, most reject him. We are without excuse. All I can really say is this…Are you troubled? That trouble will only be taken away if you fill that God shaped hole in you with his Son, Jesus Christ. Humble yourself before the creator of the universe and become the best disciple of Jesus Christ that this world has ever known. You have in you to do so.