Speaking Through Silence (Matthew 14:1-12)

John the Baptist or Baptizer is the forerunner to Christ as the messiah.  You would think that John’s place in the Gospels would be prominent.  This is the man who goes before Christ proclaiming Christ’s entrance into history.  However, this is not the case as he preaches, is in prison, and then he ends up dying because Herod cannot see past his own nose.  What is the purpose of this man?  How can this man have a successful ministry when it seems it has never left the ground?

Herod the Horrible (Matthew 2:13-22)

Herod, the king of the jews, is someone who should see that Christ’s entrance into history validates the jewish kingship.    However, Herod does not react in joy, but he acts in a horrific way to the news of Christ.  Herod demonstrates the horror of human depravity. How can the Lord triumph over this tyrannical man?  Is this man able to usurp the Lord’s power? 

The King of kings (Matthew 2:1-12)

Strange star gazers from the east come to worship Christ.  These are men that we would expect to be hostile to the mission of Christ, and do everything possible to destroy Christ.  We would expect that Herod who is the king of the jews embrace the Messiah for the Messiah is God with us.  How can strangers expected to be opposed to the Messiah’s mission show the power of the Messiah’s mission? 

Israel’s Christmas (Matthew 2:13-23)

So, Herod is trying to maintain his power and usurp the living God.  Herod is a wise ruler and has many years of experience.  He knows how to rule by his will to power.  Can he overrule the plan of the Lord?  Can the worldly ruler claim his power and see to it that the the Lord is not able to establish His rule and His kingdom? Is Herod then stronger than the Lord or does the Lord remind us why He is called the King of kings?