Here Comes The Light!

Matthew 2.1-18

We have taken the account of Christ's Birth out of context. I am not talking about the liberty of putting the wise men in the nativity. We have removed the whole event from the historical background.

The Christmas Story is from the first century, Bethlehem. It is also about 21st century America. What was going on in the world at that time was very significant! It speaks of our time too.

The historical context tells us about the leaders, world conditions and political issues. Into this mess, Jesus was born. He was given the title, King of the Jews. Jesus came in a time of frustration and difficulty.


1. The Government was over stretching its authority. v.1
God established government to give order in a sinful wold, not to add to the sin or unrest. It looks like we are about to go over that fiscal cliff; the Treasury Department announced Wednesday that the nation would hit the debt limit on Dec. 31, and would then have to take “extraordinary measures” to avoid exhausting the government’s borrowing limit in the New Year. None of this s good news. We are borrowing to stay afloat. If we can't borrow, we can't keep going. There is great frustration today with our "leaders" in Washington.

Herod was a wicked man, also known as Herod the Great. He was a Roman client king of Judea. His epithet of "the Great" is widely disputed as he is described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis." He is also known for his colossal building projects in Jerusalem and elsewhere, including his expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (sometimes referred to as Herod's Temple) and the construction of the port at Caesarea Maritime. Once he was king, Herod launched this ambitious building program, both in Jerusalem and the spectacular port city of Caesarea, named after the emperor. He restored the magnificent Jerusalem temple, which was later destroyed by the Romans following a rebellion in A.D. 70.

Important details of his biography are gleaned from the works of the 1st century AD Roman-Jewish historian Josephus.
Herod the Great was a schemer who took advantage of Roman political unrest to claw his way to the top. During a civil war in the empire, Herod won the favor of Octavian, who later became the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar, the one who issued the decree for the whole world to be taxed.
These were the men in leadership when Jesus was born.

Herod was a brutal man who killed his father-in-law, several of his ten wives, and two of his sons. He ignored the laws of God to suit himself and chose the favor of Rome over his own people. Herod's heavy taxes to pay for lavish projects forced an unfair burden on the Jewish citizens. He was similar to Saddam Hussein, Iraq's former ruler, who was executed 6 years ago today.

After he heard about Jesus being born by the wise men, Herod was troubled.

to agitate, trouble (a thing, by the movement of its parts to and fro)
to cause one inward commotion, take away his calmness of mind, disturb his equanimity
to disquiet, make restless
to stir up
to strike one's spirit with fear and dread
to render anxious or distressed
to perplex the mind of one by suggesting scruples or doubts

A leader, a governor, a ruler should bring tranquility to the people. He should be the voice of reason. He should be a stabilizing force. He cannot take the luxury of allowing personal preferences rule his emotions. If he does the people will become troubled too.

Herod did not care about his people. He was a narcissistic ego driven self centered man. He was diabolical. He was looking out for himself.
Pity the people whose leader is like that.

2. Herod ordered a violent death to newborn babies and young children.
When this thing happens in a society that society is collapsing. How a society treats its children (including those in the womb) and how it cares for its elderly tells how sacred life is and where the conscience of at nation is.

3. It was into this time Christ was born.
It was the worst of times
It was the best of times.
In America there is:
-- One birth every: 8 seconds
-- One death every: 12 seconds
-- One abortion every: 26 seconds
-- One international migrant (net) every: 40 seconds
Average credit card debt per U.S. household: $15,418
Today we face a barrage of new taxes if we go over that fiscal cliff.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem! Prophesies fulfilled, Hope of the Ages has come! It was Caesar's decree that got Mary and Joseph there. Initial reaction, "Oh no! This could not have happened at a worst time!"
But what we view as the worst many times is God's will being worked out!
Mary pondering, treasuring these things in her heart was in part I am sure of the fact they were in Bethlehem and how they got there!

Many times we are where the LORD wants us. Since it is difficult we assume we should pray to be delivered. That is not always the way God works.

Jesus was born in the time of King Herod.
This king did not care about his people, particularly good men and little children.

The early worshippers of Christ lived in a world of terror and uncertainty but they never said, "Look what the world has come to," rather they exclaimed, "Look What as come to the world!"

Joy to the World! The LORD is come'
Our Christmas season would hardly seem complete without the singing of Joy to the World, the most joyous of the carols. Yet Isaac Watts, its author, never intended it to be a Christmas carol at all. Rather, it was a part of his Psalms of David Imitated, published in 1719, which contained paraphrases of many of the Psalms in New Testament language.

The story of the hymn, Joy to the World, is the story of the author, Isaac Watts (1675-1748), who is universally acknowledged as "The Father of English Hymnody". He has earned the title, not because he was first to write English hymns, but because he gave impetus to hymnody and established its place in the worship of the English church.

For over one hundred years, congregational singing had been strictly limited to the Psalms of the Old Testament in poetic form. Many of these rhymed Psalms were so unnatural that Samuel Wesley, father of the famous brothers Charles and John, called them "scandalous doggerel," and his opinion was shared by many.

The birth of Isaac Watts to a dissenting deacon and the daughter of a Huguenot refugee was followed by fourteen years of persecution and hardships for the entire family. Perhaps this suffering was responsible for Isaac Watts’ ill health, for he grew only to a height of just over five feet and was weak and sickly all his life.

Though weak in body, the boy was strong in mind and spirit and early in life showed promise of poetic capability. After one Sunday morning service, Isaac, then fifteen years old, complained of the atrocious worship in song. One of the deacons challenged him: "Give us something better, young man." His answer was ready for the evening service and was sung that night in the Independents’ meeting, Southampton, where his father was pastor. Perhaps a hint of things to come was contained in this first verse of Isaac Watts:l

Behold the glories of the Lamb
Amidst His Father’s throne;
Prepare new honors for His name,
And songs before unknown.

When Isaac began to preach several years later, his congregation sang the songs that seemed to flow from his pen like a river. In 1707, the accumulation of eighteen years was published under the title, Hymns and Spiritual Songs. The river continued to flow, and in 1719 his "Psalms of David Imitated" was published, not as a new paraphrase of David, but as an imitation of him in New Testament language. It was as though the Psalms burst forth in their fulfillment at last.

Joy to the World is the "imitation" of the last half of Psalm 98. The author transformed the old Jewish psalm of praise for some historic deliverance into a Christian song of rejoicing for the salvation of God that began to be manifested when the Babe of Bethlehem came "to make his blessing flow far as the curse is found." This is one of the most joyous hymns in all Christendom because it makes so real what Christ’s birth means to all mankind.

The tune to which the hymn is sung is attributed to George Frederick Handel and bears resemblance to phrases of his great oratorio, Messiah. Notably the first four tones match the beginning of the chorus, "Lift Up Your Heads."

As we rejoice in the coming to earth of our Savior, we may also be glad for the veritable river of hymns that flowed from the pen of Isaac Watts. His name stands at the head of our most majestic hymns, notably, "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross." In many hymnals more hymns of Isaac Watts are to be found than of any other single author.

4. The Wise Worship.
Professional men, brilliant.
Shepherds are wise. They obeyed the Word of God. They told the good news.

The wise bow at the manger, at the throne of God.

Here Comes the Light! Fiscal cliffs, uncertain times, a world that is changing faster than we can keep up with, in the midst of this followers of Jesus sing with faith and hope, Joy To The World! The LORD is come!
Let earth receive her KING!