WEBVTT

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 Matthew 2, 1-12, the visit of the wise man. There's a lot of tradition isn't there about this episode?

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! There's a lot of tradition which necessarily the Bible doesn't tell us. We don't know for sure that there were three Magi.

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 I like to think there were about 300 of them. It's just an inference isn't it from the three gifts of gold, incense and myrrh from verse 11.

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 We don't know that they came on camels like it is on your Christmas card. They certainly didn't come to the manger.

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 You might think they came to the manger but verse 11 tells you they came to the house.

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 And if the star first appeared to them at Jesus' birth it would seem that it took them a number of months to make the trip.

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 And it's likely that it was a year to a year and a half after Jesus had been born.

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 So they arrive in Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary are apparently still living in Bethlehem.

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 And they go to the house. Not the manger. Probably a toddler by that time.

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 And of course they don't have names. Casper, whatever the other two are called.

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 That started in the 6th century.

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 And it came into vogue then.

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 And we're not sure that they were kings or not.

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 So there are some things that we know are not true just that they've come to us through tradition.

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 But we have this passage in Matthew's Gospel.

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 And Matthew wouldn't have put it in his Gospel if it was important.

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 And so why is this important?

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 And I think Matthew would say something like this.

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 It is most important.

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 It's a most important visit because of four Ps.

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 First of all the place that's involved.

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 You see that in verse 1.

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 And in verse 2.

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 And in verse 5.

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 And in verse 6.

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 Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Bethlehem.

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 When the Magi come to choose them.

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 They say where is the one who is born king of the Jews?

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 Where?

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 We don't usually pay attention to small towns, do we?

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 Very much.

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 I like Bethlehem.

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 Think of small towns.

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 You haven't thought of them this week, have you?

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 Unless we need something from them.

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 Or we find someone from there.

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 Probably most of us didn't think this week of

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 Gretem.

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 Or Denham.

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 Or Merthyr Tidbert.

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 We don't think of those towns, do we?

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 It doesn't consist.

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 You don't pay attention to small little places.

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 Unless there's someone or something that you need to find out.

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 And so Bethlehem.

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 This little tiny place comes to be on the map.

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 And so when Herod finds out the inquiry that's been made, he calls, doesn't he, the chief priests and the theologians.

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 And he says to those chief priests and theologians, he says to these scholars, where is the Messiah?

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 Where is the one who is to be king of the Jews, to be born?

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 And they say, oh, the scripture tells us, Micah 5 tells us, that it will be Bethlehem in Judea.

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 And then they quote it to him.

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 Bethlehem.

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 That is the birthplace, or at least the hometown of David.

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 1 Samuel chapter 16.

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 And David was the king who'd received that great covenant promise in 2 Samuel chapter 7.

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 That was, your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.

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 God had said, your throne, David, will be established forever.

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 There'll always be someone sitting on your throne from your family.

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 But in the time that Micah prophesied, it's about 700 years before Christ.

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 He was prophesying when the kingship of David, when the line of David, those kings was going to be eclipsed.

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 And there wouldn't be a Davidic king on the throne.

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 And it looked like God's promise was going to be eclipsed.

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 But he prophesied.

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 Micah says, from your hometown, David, there will come a new David.

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 A new Messiah.

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 And he will arise from the very same place where David was from.

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 And so Bethlehem was David's town.

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 A little town of Bethlehem.

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 And the theologians knew that.

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 And they told Herod, it will be in Bethlehem, in Judea.

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 Now why does Matthew bang on about this point?

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 Why does he labour at it?

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 That Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem.

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 A few years later, Matthew didn't write his gospel right at the time this took place.

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 I think he wrote his gospel 20 to 30 years after the time of Jesus.

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 Some people would want to put it later.

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 But I would say 20 to 30 years later.

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 And there was a problem about where Jesus was born.

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 John chapter 7 verses 41 and 42.

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 Some Jews are debating about Jesus.

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 They'd seen some of his works.

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 And some of them made the statement, look at what he's doing.

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 He must be the Messiah.

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 He must be the king of the Jews.

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 And others said, you know nothing.

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 You don't know anything.

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 The Messiah, does he come out of Galilee?

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 No he doesn't.

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 Jesus is from Nazareth in Galilee.

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 The scripture says, he is from the seat of David.

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 He is from the little village of Bethlehem.

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 That's where the Messiah comes from.

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 Don't you know anything?

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 He can't be the Messiah.

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 You don't get a Messiah from Galilee.

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 You don't get a Messiah from Nazareth.

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 The Messiah will be from Bethlehem.

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 And there were misconceptions.

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 Some people knew that Jesus was from Nazareth.

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 And they never searched any further.

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 He is Jesus the Nazarene, isn't he?

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 And the logic went like this.

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 A Messiah will come from Bethlehem.

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 The king of the Jews will be born in Bethlehem.

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 But Jesus is not from Bethlehem.

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 He is from Nazareth.

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 He is from Galilee.

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 Therefore Jesus cannot be the Messiah.

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 But they were wrong.

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 And so there is a reason why Matthew in the writing of his gospel

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 wants to realise that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

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 Just like Micah, the prophet, had said he would be born 700 years before.

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 It's important to know that.

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 And what Matthew is implying here, and it's saying to you and I,

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 he's saying don't take a superficial view of Jesus.

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 Especially in this matter of his birth.

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 Don't say, oh he came from Nazareth.

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 Search a little deeper.

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 Check out the details.

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 He was born in Bethlehem.

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 The place of David's birth.

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 The place is important.

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 Don't take a superficial view of Jesus.

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 There are some people, they do that, don't they?

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 Some people have problems with the accounts about Jesus.

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 The virgin birth.

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 Or the miracles he did.

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 Or his resurrection.

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 And so lots of people have problems with Jesus.

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 And yet they've never looked at the evidence.

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 They haven't even looked at the source documents.

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 They've not taken one of the four gospels

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 and read them through slowly and carefully.

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 And asked, what do the sources say?

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 About this Jesus.

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 Let me look at the data.

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 Let me expose myself.

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 And sometimes we as Christians,

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 we can very easily take a superficial view.

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 And when we do that,

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 we are bound to get a wrong perception.

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 That's why I think it's important,

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 even though you may have no problem

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 in believing what the New Testament says about Jesus,

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 we can still have a very superficial knowledge of him.

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 That's why it's such a good exercise, isn't it,

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 for Christians to take the four gospels paragraph by paragraph

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 and read it through slowly.

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 And as you walk your way through, at each point say,

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 what is this telling me about the sort of Lord I have?

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 What is this teaching me about Jesus here?

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 What does it encourage me to believe?

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 What does it shock me?

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 How does this disturb me?

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 Try to hear him.

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 Don't let the familiarity with you throw you off.

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 Ask yourself, what does he mean?

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 How close is he striking?

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 Do I really believe that about Jesus?

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 And so on.

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 Don't take a superficial view about Jesus.

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 That's why you mentioned the place.

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 Now secondly, Matthew says to us,

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 this visit is important to us

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 because of the people involved.

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 You see the people in verses 1 and 2?

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 There's one set of them.

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 There are wise men, magi, we used to call them.

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 We don't know where they came from.

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 They are from the east somewhere.

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 May have been from Babylon.

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 May have been from Persia.

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 May have been from Iran.

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 Perhaps.

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 All we know is that they are Gentiles.

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 They are pagans.

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 And they may well have been pagan astrologers.

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 And they are coming to worship the king.

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 Whom they believe has been born.

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 So on the one hand, you've got pagan Gentiles

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 who've got no light at all.

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 Or very little from the Jewish scriptures.

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 And then you've got another group in verses 4-6.

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 You have the chief priests and the theologians.

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 The scribes of the people.

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 And they are the ones that have the scriptures.

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 They know the prophecy.

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 And they are the ones that answer the question

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 that Herod pops to them.

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 And you see something of a contrast.

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 And Matthew is deliberately contrasting.

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 On the one hand, you have pagan Gentiles

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 who have very little knowledge of God's truth.

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 And yet they are here to worship God's king.

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 And on the other hand, you have God's professing people.

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 The clergy.

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 The Bible students.

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 The people that know the answers.

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 And what does the scripture say?

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 They don't go to worship him.

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 Or at least they don't seem to have any inclination to do it.

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 It's interesting, isn't it?

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 In Matthew's Gospel in chapter 2, verse 4

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 you have this group of priests and theologians

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 who answer the Bible's questions

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 about Jesus' birth and the place of it.

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 You have the same group at the end of Matthew's Gospel.

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 Chapter 27, verse 41 and 42.

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 And they mock.

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 And they scorn.

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 The Saviour has been born.

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 So you have these two groups.

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 Do you see the contrast?

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 On the one hand,

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 you have some who knew

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 the facts about Jesus.

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 And you have the others

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 who adore him.

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 You have some who study about Jesus.

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 You have others who bend the knee to Jesus.

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 It doesn't mean that you can't have both.

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 But it is interesting, isn't it?

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 That the contrast is here very deliberately.

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 It's quite interesting.

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 The Magi, the wise men,

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 did not get connected with Jesus

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 apart from the scriptures.

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 The Magi needed the Bible

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 to lead them

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 to worship the king.

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 But Matthew also shows us

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 a group of people

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 that have the light of scriptures

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 and yet it didn't lead them

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 to worship the king.

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 And that is a great warning

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 for you and for me.

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 Because we immediately

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 put ourselves into the shoes

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 or the sandals

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 of the Magi, don't we?

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 But actually, by analogy,

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 we are the ones who stand

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 in the sandals

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 of the chief priests and the scribes.

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 We are the ones we meet today

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 as the professing people of God.

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 Like the Jewish nation was

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 at that time.

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 And here is the warning.

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 You can have a certain amount

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 of knowledge about God,

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 can't you?

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 You can have a certain amount

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 of knowledge about God's truth.

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 You can have the scriptures.

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 You can answer questions

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 about the scriptures.

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 And somehow your sensibilities

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 have become dull.

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 And it doesn't move you.

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 They don't bring you

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 the rest of the way

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 to fall down

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 and worship

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 the one of whom

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 the scriptures speak.

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 Somehow it's like

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 we can get almost

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 overexposed to Jesus.

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 We know a lot about him,

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 but it doesn't lead us

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 to know him.

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 Let me give you

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 a stupid illustration.

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 I don't think,

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 I'm the first one

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 to think of it,

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 but I can't word out

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 who the author was.

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 Suppose you came in

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 to this building

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 this morning

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 and sitting on the

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 back left hand side

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 was a polar bear.

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 It's a different

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 kind of polar bear.

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 It was a massive polar bear.

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 It had orange stripes

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 all over it.

00:13:16.200 --> 00:13:16.800
 It was wearing

00:13:16.800 --> 00:13:18.260
 Adidas trainers

00:13:18.260 --> 00:13:19.140
 on its back feet

00:13:19.140 --> 00:13:20.820
 and it was eating

00:13:20.820 --> 00:13:21.780
 a massive ice cream.

00:13:23.100 --> 00:13:24.160
 It was a great polar bear

00:13:24.160 --> 00:13:25.120
 sitting at the back.

00:13:26.420 --> 00:13:27.380
 When you came in

00:13:27.380 --> 00:13:28.580
 you took your service sheet,

00:13:28.680 --> 00:13:29.580
 you picked up a Bible

00:13:29.580 --> 00:13:31.540
 and you looked across

00:13:31.540 --> 00:13:32.420
 and you jumped

00:13:32.420 --> 00:13:33.220
 out of your skin

00:13:33.220 --> 00:13:35.320
 and you went to grab

00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:36.180
 one of the deacons

00:13:36.180 --> 00:13:38.060
 or one of the leaders.

00:13:38.780 --> 00:13:39.860
 What is going on?

00:13:39.900 --> 00:13:40.300
 He shouted.

00:13:40.520 --> 00:13:41.420
 But the bear

00:13:41.420 --> 00:13:43.440
 just sits there

00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:44.580
 eating his ice cream

00:13:44.580 --> 00:13:46.379
 and he doesn't sit.

00:13:46.820 --> 00:13:47.540
 He doesn't move.

00:13:47.980 --> 00:13:48.680
 Doesn't stir.

00:13:49.280 --> 00:13:50.180
 He just sat there

00:13:50.180 --> 00:13:51.120
 as bears do.

00:13:52.120 --> 00:13:53.040
 Stood for the hymns,

00:13:53.580 --> 00:13:54.520
 opened the Bible reading,

00:13:55.540 --> 00:13:56.080
 sat down.

00:13:57.160 --> 00:13:58.080
 Didn't bother you.

00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:00.020
 You were all a little bit

00:14:00.020 --> 00:14:01.200
 nervous during the service

00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:02.920
 but the bear

00:14:02.920 --> 00:14:04.680
 didn't inflict any harm.

00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:05.560
 It just sat there

00:14:05.560 --> 00:14:06.420
 licking its ice cream.

00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:09.020
 You would have

00:14:09.020 --> 00:14:10.080
 all sorts of problems

00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:10.639
 with that.

00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:12.520
 And all of you

00:14:12.520 --> 00:14:13.220
 would crowd

00:14:13.220 --> 00:14:14.259
 into the front rows

00:14:14.259 --> 00:14:15.560
 although you have

00:14:15.560 --> 00:14:16.800
 vowed as Presbyterians

00:14:16.800 --> 00:14:17.900
 never ever do that.

00:14:22.040 --> 00:14:23.080
 But you would leave

00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:23.980
 very tentatively.

00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:26.320
 Come back the next week.

00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:27.040
 You walk in.

00:14:27.300 --> 00:14:28.180
 The bear is there.

00:14:28.260 --> 00:14:28.900
 The polar bear.

00:14:30.060 --> 00:14:31.340
 And you've got problems.

00:14:31.660 --> 00:14:32.000
 Again.

00:14:32.800 --> 00:14:33.900
 You nervously go

00:14:33.900 --> 00:14:34.600
 through the service.

00:14:34.760 --> 00:14:35.700
 The following week

00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:37.020
 you come again.

00:14:38.420 --> 00:14:39.200
 You might tremble

00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:39.740
 a little bit

00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:40.660
 but gradually

00:14:40.660 --> 00:14:41.640
 you get used to it.

00:14:41.940 --> 00:14:42.720
 And if the bear

00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:43.540
 kept coming for

00:14:43.540 --> 00:14:44.140
 four weeks,

00:14:44.260 --> 00:14:44.720
 six weeks,

00:14:44.820 --> 00:14:45.320
 ten weeks,

00:14:45.420 --> 00:14:46.180
 eighteen weeks,

00:14:46.620 --> 00:14:47.340
 six months,

00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:48.100
 eight months

00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:49.320
 and that bear

00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:50.500
 was still there

00:14:50.500 --> 00:14:52.500
 and never harmed anyone.

00:14:52.600 --> 00:14:53.500
 He was just always

00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:54.700
 there at eleven a.m.

00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:56.340
 And when he left

00:14:56.340 --> 00:14:57.000
 he just quietly

00:14:57.000 --> 00:14:57.840
 shook my hand

00:14:57.840 --> 00:14:58.519
 on the way out.

00:14:59.460 --> 00:15:00.159
 In the end

00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:00.679
 you wouldn't give it

00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:01.220
 any thought.

00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:03.679
 That is until you

00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:05.019
 brought your friends

00:15:05.019 --> 00:15:05.600
 to church.

00:15:07.139 --> 00:15:07.980
 And as they came

00:15:07.980 --> 00:15:08.539
 into Drake Manor

00:15:08.539 --> 00:15:09.100
 High School

00:15:09.100 --> 00:15:10.039
 they're a bit nervous

00:15:10.039 --> 00:15:10.700
 coming into church

00:15:10.700 --> 00:15:11.639
 anyway.

00:15:12.179 --> 00:15:12.980
 They enter the hall

00:15:12.980 --> 00:15:13.960
 and they grab your sleeve

00:15:13.960 --> 00:15:14.419
 and they say

00:15:14.419 --> 00:15:15.480
 what is that?

00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:17.519
 And you say

00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:18.080
 don't worry.

00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:19.779
 It's just a polar bear

00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:21.080
 eating ice cream.

00:15:21.659 --> 00:15:22.639
 Comes here all the time.

00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:24.840
 Doesn't bother us at all.

00:15:26.139 --> 00:15:27.340
 Don't give it a second thought.

00:15:27.419 --> 00:15:27.960
 Don't worry about it.

00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:28.980
 Now that is a ridiculous

00:15:28.980 --> 00:15:29.919
 illustration isn't it?

00:15:31.559 --> 00:15:32.720
 But that is the danger

00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:33.440
 sometimes with our

00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:34.039
 knowledge and our

00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:34.779
 relationship to the

00:15:34.779 --> 00:15:35.200
 Lord Jesus.

00:15:37.779 --> 00:15:38.759
 Maybe we've become

00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:39.980
 so familiar with him

00:15:39.980 --> 00:15:42.120
 that it may be

00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:42.899
 difficult to know him.

00:15:44.700 --> 00:15:45.639
 And the edge

00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:46.480
 of Jesus' word

00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:47.580
 the sharp edges

00:15:47.580 --> 00:15:48.840
 of Jesus' word

00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:50.980
 may cease to cut us

00:15:50.980 --> 00:15:51.580
 like they ought.

00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:54.440
 And we need to be

00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:55.039
 aware of that.

00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:55.720
 We can stand

00:15:55.720 --> 00:15:56.679
 in their sandals

00:15:56.679 --> 00:15:57.820
 and we need to ask

00:15:57.820 --> 00:15:58.779
 the Lord Jesus Christ

00:15:58.779 --> 00:15:59.100
 don't we

00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:00.419
 for a soft heart.

00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:03.460
 That all our

00:16:03.460 --> 00:16:04.580
 exposure to his

00:16:04.580 --> 00:16:05.480
 word would not

00:16:05.480 --> 00:16:06.200
 just cause us

00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:06.820
 to have knowledge

00:16:06.820 --> 00:16:07.899
 of him in our heads

00:16:07.899 --> 00:16:09.139
 but we would have

00:16:09.139 --> 00:16:09.820
 leased a bend

00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:10.559
 to adore him

00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:12.080
 because of the

00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:12.639
 word he gives us.

00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:13.159
 Now thirdly

00:16:13.159 --> 00:16:14.019
 this visit was important

00:16:14.019 --> 00:16:14.440
 because of the

00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:15.240
 politics involved.

00:16:15.659 --> 00:16:16.179
 Now you see those

00:16:16.179 --> 00:16:17.259
 politics in verse 3

00:16:17.259 --> 00:16:18.440
 and verse 7

00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:20.059
 and verse 8.

00:16:20.059 --> 00:16:21.959
 It's the trouble

00:16:21.959 --> 00:16:22.699
 of Herod.

00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:25.279
 So look at verse 3

00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:26.179
 it says

00:16:26.179 --> 00:16:27.699
 when Herod the king

00:16:27.699 --> 00:16:28.259
 heard this

00:16:28.259 --> 00:16:29.379
 he was troubled

00:16:29.379 --> 00:16:31.139
 and all Jerusalem

00:16:31.139 --> 00:16:32.539
 with him.

00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:35.819
 King Herod was

00:16:35.819 --> 00:16:36.199
 troubled

00:16:36.199 --> 00:16:37.279
 and all Jerusalem

00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:37.799
 was troubled

00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:38.939
 and all Jerusalem

00:16:38.939 --> 00:16:39.579
 was troubled

00:16:39.579 --> 00:16:40.599
 because Herod

00:16:40.599 --> 00:16:41.219
 was troubled.

00:16:43.139 --> 00:16:43.679
 You see this

00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:44.199
 Herod that is

00:16:44.199 --> 00:16:44.679
 mentioned here

00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:45.479
 is Herod the Great

00:16:45.479 --> 00:16:46.359
 as he's called

00:16:46.359 --> 00:16:47.059
 he began to reign

00:16:47.059 --> 00:16:47.739
 in 40 BC

00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:49.580
 and he was

00:16:49.580 --> 00:16:50.039
 almost at the

00:16:50.039 --> 00:16:50.759
 end of his reign

00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:51.220
 at this point.

00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:51.940
 He was a very

00:16:51.940 --> 00:16:53.680
 very able man

00:16:53.680 --> 00:16:54.779
 a very able king

00:16:54.779 --> 00:16:57.000
 but a very cruel king

00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:59.019
 and especially

00:16:59.019 --> 00:16:59.779
 towards the end

00:16:59.779 --> 00:17:00.100
 of his reign

00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:00.659
 he got more

00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:01.500
 and more suspicious

00:17:01.500 --> 00:17:03.419
 and paranoid.

00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:05.160
 Paranoid of any

00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:06.359
 rivals that might

00:17:06.359 --> 00:17:07.359
 be raised up to him.

00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:08.359
 In fact during

00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:08.759
 his reign

00:17:08.759 --> 00:17:09.440
 he either arranged

00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:10.000
 the murder

00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:10.859
 or had executed

00:17:10.859 --> 00:17:11.920
 three of his

00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:12.700
 brother-in-laws

00:17:12.700 --> 00:17:14.759
 and one wife

00:17:14.759 --> 00:17:15.599
 who was his

00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:16.359
 passionate favourite.

00:17:16.359 --> 00:17:18.339
 One mother-in-law

00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:20.339
 and three sons

00:17:20.339 --> 00:17:21.099
 among others.

00:17:22.699 --> 00:17:23.179
 And that prompted

00:17:23.179 --> 00:17:24.099
 Augustus to remark

00:17:24.099 --> 00:17:24.519
 that it would be

00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:25.079
 better to be

00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:25.939
 Herod's pig

00:17:25.939 --> 00:17:26.779
 than his son.

00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:29.259
 And that is why

00:17:29.259 --> 00:17:29.919
 when Herod was

00:17:29.919 --> 00:17:30.159
 troubled

00:17:30.159 --> 00:17:31.019
 all of Jerusalem

00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:31.500
 was troubled.

00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:36.219
 And Herod was

00:17:36.219 --> 00:17:36.740
 troubled because

00:17:36.740 --> 00:17:37.359
 there is another

00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:37.679
 king.

00:17:38.899 --> 00:17:39.519
 A king of the

00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:40.000
 Jews.

00:17:41.659 --> 00:17:42.459
 Herod was not

00:17:42.459 --> 00:17:42.879
 a king

00:17:42.879 --> 00:17:44.279
 of David's

00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:44.500
 life.

00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:46.220
 He was a

00:17:46.220 --> 00:17:46.579
 Roman

00:17:46.579 --> 00:17:47.680
 appointed king

00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:48.619
 but Herod

00:17:48.619 --> 00:17:49.319
 smells trouble.

00:17:51.619 --> 00:17:52.599
 And some of us

00:17:52.599 --> 00:17:53.079
 think Herod

00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:54.039
 is being irrational.

00:17:55.819 --> 00:17:56.599
 Some Christians

00:17:56.599 --> 00:17:57.700
 think

00:17:57.700 --> 00:17:59.539
 that they think

00:17:59.539 --> 00:18:00.319
 well if only I

00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:00.799
 could have

00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.579
 half an hour

00:18:01.579 --> 00:18:02.180
 with Herod

00:18:02.180 --> 00:18:02.839
 I'm sure I

00:18:02.839 --> 00:18:03.339
 could calm him

00:18:03.339 --> 00:18:03.640
 down.

00:18:04.940 --> 00:18:06.019
 I'm sure I

00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:06.759
 could explain

00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:07.380
 to Herod

00:18:07.380 --> 00:18:08.440
 there's no real

00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:09.619
 conflict here.

00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:11.940
 Some Christians

00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:12.440
 would want to

00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:13.480
 say if only

00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:14.079
 Herod you

00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:14.920
 understood the

00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:15.740
 sort of king

00:18:15.740 --> 00:18:16.700
 Jesus is.

00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:17.920
 And if you

00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:18.620
 just realise

00:18:18.620 --> 00:18:19.339
 the kind of

00:18:19.339 --> 00:18:19.860
 kingdom that

00:18:19.860 --> 00:18:20.599
 Jesus is trying

00:18:20.599 --> 00:18:21.480
 to bring in

00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:23.360
 if I could

00:18:23.360 --> 00:18:23.900
 just tell

00:18:23.900 --> 00:18:24.380
 Jesus

00:18:24.380 --> 00:18:25.339
 if I could

00:18:25.339 --> 00:18:25.740
 tell Herod

00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:26.599
 Jesus isn't

00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:27.319
 interested in

00:18:27.319 --> 00:18:28.180
 establishing an

00:18:28.180 --> 00:18:29.200
 earthly and a

00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.019
 political kingdom

00:18:30.019 --> 00:18:31.380
 but Jesus

00:18:31.380 --> 00:18:32.579
 kingdom is

00:18:32.579 --> 00:18:33.759
 spiritual and

00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:34.339
 heavenly

00:18:34.339 --> 00:18:35.460
 whatever that

00:18:35.460 --> 00:18:35.819
 is.

00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:37.660
 Jesus only

00:18:37.660 --> 00:18:38.099
 wants to

00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:38.500
 change the

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:38.940
 hearts of

00:18:38.940 --> 00:18:39.620
 men Herod

00:18:39.620 --> 00:18:40.240
 and he's

00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:41.019
 got no plan

00:18:41.019 --> 00:18:41.599
 to undermine

00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:43.240
 your regime.

00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:44.319
 Some people

00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:44.859
 would like to

00:18:44.859 --> 00:18:45.500
 say that to

00:18:45.500 --> 00:18:45.879
 Herod.

00:18:45.980 --> 00:18:46.660
 Some Christians.

00:18:48.639 --> 00:18:49.259
 But actually I

00:18:49.259 --> 00:18:49.700
 want to argue

00:18:49.700 --> 00:18:50.160
 with you that

00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:50.579
 Herod is

00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:50.960
 right.

00:18:52.839 --> 00:18:53.539
 That Herod

00:18:53.539 --> 00:18:53.960
 has understood

00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:54.460
 something very

00:18:54.460 --> 00:18:54.920
 profound.

00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:58.339
 Some Christians

00:18:58.339 --> 00:18:59.059
 would be dying

00:18:59.059 --> 00:18:59.660
 to say to

00:18:59.660 --> 00:19:01.160
 Herod there's a

00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:01.759
 lot of truth in

00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:02.160
 what you say

00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:02.660
 but a lot of

00:19:02.660 --> 00:19:02.920
 error.

00:19:06.200 --> 00:19:06.980
 Sometimes when we

00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:07.680
 say Jesus came

00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:08.440
 to establish a

00:19:08.440 --> 00:19:09.379
 spiritual kingdom

00:19:09.379 --> 00:19:10.119
 and a heavenly

00:19:10.119 --> 00:19:10.559
 kingdom.

00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:12.920
 very often

00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:13.839
 those words

00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:14.660
 are used in

00:19:14.660 --> 00:19:15.180
 the sense that

00:19:15.180 --> 00:19:16.059
 Jesus' kingdom

00:19:16.059 --> 00:19:16.639
 doesn't really

00:19:16.639 --> 00:19:17.019
 have any

00:19:17.019 --> 00:19:17.599
 connection with

00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:17.960
 the real

00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:18.559
 world.

00:19:20.259 --> 00:19:20.779
 Where there

00:19:20.779 --> 00:19:21.720
 are despots

00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:22.900
 and tyrants

00:19:22.900 --> 00:19:23.579
 and so on

00:19:23.579 --> 00:19:23.980
 but that is

00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:24.460
 not what we

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:25.000
 believe.

00:19:25.579 --> 00:19:25.900
 Is it?

00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:27.759
 It's not what

00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:28.279
 we pray.

00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:30.019
 It's not what

00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:30.339
 you have

00:19:30.339 --> 00:19:30.559
 prayed.

00:19:32.139 --> 00:19:32.759
 Because we

00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:33.059
 have prayed

00:19:33.059 --> 00:19:33.500
 this morning

00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:33.759
 and said

00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:34.680
 your kingdom

00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:35.319
 come.

00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:36.879
 Your will

00:19:36.879 --> 00:19:38.000
 be done.

00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:40.139
 On earth

00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:41.840
 as it is

00:19:41.840 --> 00:19:42.320
 in heaven.

00:19:44.040 --> 00:19:44.620
 And what

00:19:44.620 --> 00:19:44.880
 does it

00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:45.259
 mean for

00:19:45.259 --> 00:19:45.580
 God's

00:19:45.580 --> 00:19:46.080
 kingdom to

00:19:46.080 --> 00:19:46.380
 come?

00:19:47.780 --> 00:19:48.259
 What does

00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:48.600
 it mean for

00:19:48.600 --> 00:19:48.840
 God's

00:19:48.840 --> 00:19:49.180
 kingdom to

00:19:49.180 --> 00:19:49.480
 come in

00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:50.040
 its fullness?

00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:52.400
 It means

00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:52.740
 what the

00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:53.280
 next phrase

00:19:53.280 --> 00:19:53.580
 is, isn't

00:19:53.580 --> 00:19:53.720
 it?

00:19:53.960 --> 00:19:54.680
 Thy will be

00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:55.320
 done on

00:19:55.320 --> 00:19:55.900
 earth as

00:19:55.900 --> 00:19:56.320
 it is in

00:19:56.320 --> 00:19:56.560
 heaven.

00:20:00.620 --> 00:20:01.340
 It is that

00:20:01.340 --> 00:20:01.860
 spiritual

00:20:01.860 --> 00:20:02.480
 certainty

00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:04.000
 because it

00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:04.980
 is God's

00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:05.280
 kingdom.

00:20:06.040 --> 00:20:06.440
 Is it

00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:06.860
 spiritual?

00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:07.479
 Yes, of

00:20:07.479 --> 00:20:07.740
 course it

00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:07.979
 is.

00:20:09.199 --> 00:20:09.719
 Is it

00:20:09.719 --> 00:20:10.199
 political?

00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:10.939
 You bet

00:20:10.939 --> 00:20:11.339
 it is.

00:20:12.879 --> 00:20:13.319
 Because

00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:14.579
 eventually it

00:20:14.579 --> 00:20:15.139
 is going to

00:20:15.139 --> 00:20:15.439
 come.

00:20:16.619 --> 00:20:17.059
 God's

00:20:17.059 --> 00:20:17.740
 will is

00:20:17.740 --> 00:20:18.079
 going to

00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:18.459
 be done

00:20:18.459 --> 00:20:19.199
 on earth

00:20:19.199 --> 00:20:19.619
 as it

00:20:19.619 --> 00:20:19.959
 is in

00:20:19.959 --> 00:20:20.319
 heaven.

00:20:21.639 --> 00:20:22.000
 And that

00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:22.479
 is very

00:20:22.479 --> 00:20:22.919
 political.

00:20:25.399 --> 00:20:25.979
 And we

00:20:25.979 --> 00:20:26.419
 need to be

00:20:26.419 --> 00:20:26.959
 aware.

00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:28.839
 Because there's

00:20:28.839 --> 00:20:29.559
 a sense in

00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:29.959
 which even

00:20:29.959 --> 00:20:30.459
 reformed

00:20:30.459 --> 00:20:31.699
 Christians can

00:20:31.699 --> 00:20:32.459
 make Jesus

00:20:32.459 --> 00:20:33.599
 a religious

00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:34.359
 figure, a

00:20:34.359 --> 00:20:35.359
 very safe

00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:36.359
 religious figure.

00:20:36.859 --> 00:20:37.759
 And we

00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:38.639
 don't say

00:20:38.639 --> 00:20:40.139
 he is

00:20:40.139 --> 00:20:40.579
 political.

00:20:41.159 --> 00:20:41.579
 But he

00:20:41.579 --> 00:20:41.979
 is.

00:20:44.219 --> 00:20:45.000
 The earth

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:46.079
 shall be

00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:47.479
 filled with

00:20:47.479 --> 00:20:48.079
 the knowledge

00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:48.459
 of the

00:20:48.459 --> 00:20:48.879
 Lord as

00:20:48.879 --> 00:20:49.240
 the waters

00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:49.719
 cover the

00:20:49.719 --> 00:20:50.019
 sea.

00:20:51.199 --> 00:20:51.740
 And if we

00:20:51.740 --> 00:20:52.199
 don't believe

00:20:52.199 --> 00:20:52.619
 that Jesus

00:20:52.619 --> 00:20:54.519
 kingdom is

00:20:54.519 --> 00:20:55.159
 political, then

00:20:55.159 --> 00:20:55.599
 we've got to

00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:55.879
 turn the

00:20:55.879 --> 00:20:56.299
 psalm to him,

00:20:56.339 --> 00:20:56.619
 we've got to

00:20:56.619 --> 00:20:57.019
 rip it out of

00:20:57.019 --> 00:20:57.500
 our Bibles.

00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:00.319
 My concern,

00:21:00.439 --> 00:21:00.859
 and my point

00:21:00.859 --> 00:21:01.259
 is that there

00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:01.779
 is a sense in

00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:02.059
 which Harold

00:21:02.059 --> 00:21:02.719
 is right on

00:21:02.719 --> 00:21:03.119
 target.

00:21:03.319 --> 00:21:04.059
 He's right on

00:21:04.059 --> 00:21:04.500
 target about

00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:04.939
 the political

00:21:04.939 --> 00:21:05.539
 situation.

00:21:05.539 --> 00:21:07.079
 What is

00:21:07.079 --> 00:21:07.379
 that going

00:21:07.379 --> 00:21:07.779
 to be?

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:10.259
 When is

00:21:10.259 --> 00:21:10.519
 that going

00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:10.779
 to be?

00:21:12.119 --> 00:21:12.779
 The point

00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:13.099
 is that

00:21:13.099 --> 00:21:13.579
 Jesus did

00:21:13.579 --> 00:21:13.960
 not come

00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:14.220
 in his

00:21:14.220 --> 00:21:14.859
 first coming

00:21:14.859 --> 00:21:15.940
 to establish

00:21:15.940 --> 00:21:16.519
 that kingdom

00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:17.180
 to be sure

00:21:17.180 --> 00:21:18.460
 that these

00:21:18.460 --> 00:21:18.740
 are not

00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:19.299
 just figures

00:21:19.299 --> 00:21:20.079
 of speech.

00:21:21.500 --> 00:21:22.119
 When the

00:21:22.119 --> 00:21:22.639
 Bible says

00:21:22.639 --> 00:21:23.480
 kings will

00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:24.240
 bow down

00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:24.740
 before him

00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:25.039
 and pay

00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:25.579
 homage to

00:21:25.579 --> 00:21:25.799
 him,

00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:27.279
 when it

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:27.920
 says all

00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:28.779
 nations will

00:21:28.779 --> 00:21:29.579
 serve him,

00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:31.500
 the Bible

00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:31.960
 speaks of

00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:32.240
 that as

00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:32.700
 truth.

00:21:32.700 --> 00:21:35.059
 there is

00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:35.860
 this political

00:21:35.860 --> 00:21:36.400
 aspect.

00:21:36.539 --> 00:21:36.940
 The time

00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:37.620
 will come

00:21:37.620 --> 00:21:39.220
 when Jesus'

00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:39.980
 kingdom will

00:21:39.980 --> 00:21:40.500
 come and

00:21:40.500 --> 00:21:41.180
 his reign

00:21:41.180 --> 00:21:41.680
 has to do

00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:42.160
 with real

00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:42.799
 nations and

00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:43.539
 real kings

00:21:43.539 --> 00:21:45.220
 and real

00:21:45.220 --> 00:21:45.960
 despots.

00:21:47.700 --> 00:21:48.259
 Why do you

00:21:48.259 --> 00:21:49.140
 think political

00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:50.080
 powers persecute

00:21:50.080 --> 00:21:50.539
 the church?

00:21:51.940 --> 00:21:52.680
 They know,

00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:52.980
 don't they?

00:21:53.120 --> 00:21:53.900
 They know

00:21:53.900 --> 00:21:54.680
 that the

00:21:54.680 --> 00:21:55.360
 church is a

00:21:55.360 --> 00:21:55.940
 body that

00:21:55.940 --> 00:21:57.120
 prays subversive

00:21:57.120 --> 00:21:57.740
 prayers.

00:21:57.740 --> 00:21:59.900
 we come

00:21:59.900 --> 00:22:00.900
 and meet

00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:01.900
 subversively

00:22:01.900 --> 00:22:02.559
 this morning.

00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:04.099
 We pray

00:22:04.099 --> 00:22:04.599
 prayers like

00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:05.279
 your kingdom

00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:05.799
 come,

00:22:06.180 --> 00:22:06.680
 your will

00:22:06.680 --> 00:22:07.160
 be done

00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:07.660
 on earth

00:22:07.660 --> 00:22:07.980
 as it

00:22:07.980 --> 00:22:08.259
 is in

00:22:08.259 --> 00:22:08.500
 heaven.

00:22:08.819 --> 00:22:09.059
 So I

00:22:09.059 --> 00:22:09.200
 think

00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:09.539
 Herod has

00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:09.779
 got his

00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:10.220
 words about

00:22:10.220 --> 00:22:10.400
 it.

00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:12.120
 He may

00:22:12.120 --> 00:22:12.420
 not have

00:22:12.420 --> 00:22:12.900
 realised the

00:22:12.900 --> 00:22:13.400
 whole pattern

00:22:13.400 --> 00:22:13.799
 of Jesus'

00:22:13.960 --> 00:22:14.200
 kingdom,

00:22:14.819 --> 00:22:15.720
 but he

00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:16.359
 knew that

00:22:16.359 --> 00:22:16.980
 if there

00:22:16.980 --> 00:22:18.000
 was another

00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:18.519
 king,

00:22:18.859 --> 00:22:19.720
 he himself

00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:20.420
 was not

00:22:20.420 --> 00:22:20.880
 the king.

00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:21.839
 And that

00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:22.299
 troubled him.

00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:24.319
 And that

00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:24.700
 is something

00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:25.339
 that we

00:22:25.339 --> 00:22:26.259
 must continually

00:22:26.259 --> 00:22:27.259
 remind ourselves

00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:27.720
 of.

00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:29.859
 And it's

00:22:29.859 --> 00:22:30.240
 something that

00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:30.579
 we must

00:22:30.579 --> 00:22:31.379
 remind the

00:22:31.379 --> 00:22:31.900
 world's

00:22:31.900 --> 00:22:32.879
 rulers of

00:22:32.879 --> 00:22:33.299
 when we

00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:33.539
 get the

00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:34.019
 opportunity.

00:22:35.379 --> 00:22:35.859
 Whether it's

00:22:35.859 --> 00:22:36.539
 Theresa May

00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:37.039
 or Donald

00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:37.500
 Trump,

00:22:38.299 --> 00:22:38.599
 or Kim

00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:39.019
 Yomain,

00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:39.940
 or Vladimir

00:22:39.940 --> 00:22:40.379
 Putin,

00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:42.460
 whoever it

00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:43.000
 is, they

00:22:43.000 --> 00:22:43.740
 are not

00:22:43.740 --> 00:22:45.140
 the ultimate

00:22:45.140 --> 00:22:45.480
 king.

00:22:47.400 --> 00:22:48.359
 The politics

00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:48.839
 comes home

00:22:48.839 --> 00:22:49.339
 to us.

00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:50.759
 Each of us,

00:22:50.819 --> 00:22:51.240
 doesn't it?

00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:52.920
 Each of us

00:22:52.920 --> 00:22:54.079
 has a

00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:55.180
 Herod nature

00:22:55.180 --> 00:22:57.240
 in ourselves.

00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:59.900
 none of us

00:22:59.900 --> 00:23:01.019
 like the

00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:01.500
 idea of

00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:02.140
 someone else

00:23:02.140 --> 00:23:02.980
 reigning in

00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:03.579
 our place.

00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:04.420
 And when we

00:23:04.420 --> 00:23:04.839
 hear that the

00:23:04.839 --> 00:23:05.299
 Lord Jesus

00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:06.059
 Christ is

00:23:06.059 --> 00:23:06.579
 just that,

00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:07.319
 he is

00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:07.920
 Lord,

00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:08.920
 and he

00:23:08.920 --> 00:23:09.339
 is the

00:23:09.339 --> 00:23:09.740
 king,

00:23:10.299 --> 00:23:10.619
 and that

00:23:10.619 --> 00:23:11.079
 the custom

00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:11.500
 of kings

00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:11.900
 is to

00:23:11.900 --> 00:23:12.240
 rule,

00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:12.900
 and if

00:23:12.900 --> 00:23:13.440
 Jesus is

00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:13.879
 the king,

00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:14.839
 well that

00:23:14.839 --> 00:23:15.220
 means I'm

00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:15.500
 not.

00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:17.000
 And he

00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:17.299
 will rule

00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:17.960
 my life.

00:23:19.420 --> 00:23:19.779
 And that

00:23:19.779 --> 00:23:20.119
 means I

00:23:20.119 --> 00:23:20.599
 don't have

00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:21.279
 sway anymore.

00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:21.359
 more.

00:23:23.639 --> 00:23:24.019
 And that

00:23:24.019 --> 00:23:24.519
 can make me

00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:25.220
 just as

00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:25.599
 troubled.

00:23:27.879 --> 00:23:28.279
 Herod

00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:29.379
 gets Christmas

00:23:29.379 --> 00:23:29.740
 right.

00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:32.059
 Herod

00:23:32.059 --> 00:23:32.500
 realises

00:23:32.500 --> 00:23:32.980
 someone's

00:23:32.980 --> 00:23:33.259
 got to

00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:33.599
 die.

00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:35.639
 Someone's

00:23:35.639 --> 00:23:35.920
 got to

00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:36.259
 die.

00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:39.039
 That's

00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:39.220
 another

00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:39.519
 sermon.

00:23:40.500 --> 00:23:41.079
 These are the

00:23:41.079 --> 00:23:41.599
 politics that are

00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:41.899
 involved.

00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:42.200
 And then

00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:42.720
 Matthew says

00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:43.259
 this visit is

00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:43.839
 important because

00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:44.200
 of the

00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:44.759
 providence

00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:46.460
 that's involved.

00:23:46.619 --> 00:23:46.879
 Do you see

00:23:46.879 --> 00:23:47.039
 that?

00:23:47.099 --> 00:23:47.599
 The providence

00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:48.200
 that's involved.

00:23:48.339 --> 00:23:48.500
 Look at

00:23:48.500 --> 00:23:49.019
 verse 12.

00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:50.980
 Sarat says

00:23:50.980 --> 00:23:51.200
 of his

00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:51.420
 scheme,

00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:52.160
 verse 7

00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:52.440
 and 8.

00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:53.920
 He told

00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:54.480
 those magi,

00:23:55.099 --> 00:23:55.400
 are you

00:23:55.400 --> 00:23:55.839
 sending them

00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:56.420
 to Bethlehem?

00:23:56.460 --> 00:23:56.619
 And he

00:23:56.619 --> 00:23:56.779
 says,

00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:57.220
 you fellas,

00:23:57.299 --> 00:23:57.579
 you come

00:23:57.579 --> 00:23:57.900
 back to

00:23:57.900 --> 00:23:58.059
 me.

00:23:58.519 --> 00:23:58.980
 When you

00:23:58.980 --> 00:23:59.380
 search for

00:23:59.380 --> 00:23:59.839
 this child

00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:00.099
 and you

00:24:00.099 --> 00:24:00.519
 find him,

00:24:00.579 --> 00:24:00.900
 bring him

00:24:00.900 --> 00:24:01.480
 backwards so

00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:01.759
 that I

00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:02.039
 can go

00:24:02.039 --> 00:24:02.380
 and worship

00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:02.859
 him too.

00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:03.920
 It's

00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:04.460
 pious

00:24:04.460 --> 00:24:05.140
 sounding

00:24:05.140 --> 00:24:06.079
 gobbledygook.

00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:06.519
 But that

00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:06.779
 was his

00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:07.059
 plan.

00:24:08.180 --> 00:24:08.799
 His plan

00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:09.180
 was that

00:24:09.180 --> 00:24:09.960
 these men

00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:10.500
 would do

00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:11.220
 his bidding.

00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:12.460
 He schemes,

00:24:12.759 --> 00:24:13.259
 he plots.

00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:16.279
 And when

00:24:16.279 --> 00:24:16.799
 they finally

00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:17.220
 come to

00:24:17.220 --> 00:24:17.880
 report to

00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:18.099
 him the

00:24:18.099 --> 00:24:18.440
 location

00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:18.720
 of the

00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:18.980
 child,

00:24:19.299 --> 00:24:19.559
 he would

00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:20.120
 proceed to

00:24:20.120 --> 00:24:20.759
 go and

00:24:20.759 --> 00:24:21.360
 not worship

00:24:21.360 --> 00:24:22.420
 but liquidate

00:24:22.420 --> 00:24:23.259
 his newest

00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:23.680
 rival.

00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:24.580
 A little

00:24:24.580 --> 00:24:25.220
 mole blood

00:24:25.220 --> 00:24:25.960
 never upset

00:24:25.960 --> 00:24:26.400
 Herod's

00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:26.640
 stomach.

00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:28.820
 So this

00:24:28.820 --> 00:24:29.100
 was his

00:24:29.100 --> 00:24:29.400
 plan.

00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:29.779
 I will

00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:30.220
 wait for

00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:30.799
 these weird

00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:31.920
 astrologers

00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:32.220
 from the

00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:32.920
 east to

00:24:32.920 --> 00:24:33.360
 come back

00:24:33.360 --> 00:24:33.680
 and then I

00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:34.180
 will proceed.

00:24:34.600 --> 00:24:34.860
 And it's

00:24:34.860 --> 00:24:35.240
 interesting,

00:24:35.400 --> 00:24:36.140
 verse 12,

00:24:37.059 --> 00:24:37.480
 it says,

00:24:37.559 --> 00:24:37.799
 doesn't it,

00:24:37.840 --> 00:24:38.120
 I'm being

00:24:38.120 --> 00:24:38.660
 warned in a

00:24:38.660 --> 00:24:39.220
 dream not to

00:24:39.220 --> 00:24:39.620
 return to

00:24:39.620 --> 00:24:39.900
 Herod.

00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:41.740
 They departed

00:24:41.740 --> 00:24:43.460
 to their

00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:44.000
 own country

00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:45.420
 by another

00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:45.759
 way.

00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:48.140
 And it's

00:24:48.140 --> 00:24:48.500
 interesting,

00:24:48.619 --> 00:24:48.819
 isn't it,

00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:49.099
 that the

00:24:49.099 --> 00:24:49.920
 most well

00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:50.720
 laid plans

00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:51.240
 by an

00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:51.660
 earthly

00:24:51.660 --> 00:24:52.279
 tyrant,

00:24:52.779 --> 00:24:53.579
 the most

00:24:53.579 --> 00:24:54.019
 cunning,

00:24:54.220 --> 00:24:54.779
 crafty

00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:55.480
 ways by

00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:55.839
 the rulers

00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:56.200
 of this

00:24:56.200 --> 00:24:56.819
 world are

00:24:56.819 --> 00:24:57.180
 stood on

00:24:57.180 --> 00:24:57.660
 their head

00:24:57.660 --> 00:24:58.759
 by the

00:24:58.759 --> 00:24:59.079
 God of

00:24:59.079 --> 00:24:59.299
 heaven,

00:24:59.819 --> 00:25:00.680
 by a

00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:00.859
 mere

00:25:00.859 --> 00:25:01.379
 dream.

00:25:03.660 --> 00:25:03.980
 And that

00:25:03.980 --> 00:25:04.240
 is what

00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:04.539
 happens,

00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:05.000
 God's

00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:05.440
 providence

00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:06.039
 is operating.

00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:08.559
 this

00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:09.259
 mysterious

00:25:09.259 --> 00:25:10.039
 and yet

00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:10.839
 clear manner

00:25:10.839 --> 00:25:11.299
 of his

00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:11.759
 working,

00:25:12.399 --> 00:25:13.259
 in order

00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:13.940
 to preserve

00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:14.319
 his

00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:14.680
 kingdom

00:25:14.680 --> 00:25:15.579
 and his

00:25:15.579 --> 00:25:15.859
 people.

00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:19.079
 And we

00:25:19.079 --> 00:25:19.240
 know,

00:25:19.299 --> 00:25:19.519
 don't we,

00:25:19.559 --> 00:25:19.879
 we know

00:25:19.879 --> 00:25:20.119
 that it

00:25:20.119 --> 00:25:20.359
 doesn't

00:25:20.359 --> 00:25:20.759
 guarantee

00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:21.960
 each one

00:25:21.960 --> 00:25:22.220
 of us

00:25:22.220 --> 00:25:22.500
 that we

00:25:22.500 --> 00:25:22.779
 will have

00:25:22.779 --> 00:25:23.180
 immunity

00:25:23.180 --> 00:25:23.740
 from every

00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:24.319
 distress.

00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:26.920
 But it

00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:27.399
 does say

00:25:27.399 --> 00:25:27.779
 here,

00:25:27.879 --> 00:25:28.240
 it does

00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:28.779
 imply that

00:25:28.779 --> 00:25:29.500
 no earthly

00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:30.079
 tyrant,

00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:30.599
 no matter

00:25:30.599 --> 00:25:31.319
 how powerful

00:25:31.319 --> 00:25:31.759
 he may

00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:32.099
 seem,

00:25:34.659 --> 00:25:35.220
 can proceed

00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:35.799
 to destroy

00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:36.200
 God's

00:25:36.200 --> 00:25:36.620
 king and

00:25:36.620 --> 00:25:36.900
 God's

00:25:36.900 --> 00:25:37.140
 kingdom.

00:25:39.420 --> 00:25:40.100
 It only

00:25:40.100 --> 00:25:40.700
 takes a

00:25:40.700 --> 00:25:43.960
 dream to

00:25:43.960 --> 00:25:44.660
 upset the

00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:45.100
 leaders of

00:25:45.100 --> 00:25:45.519
 the world.

00:25:47.160 --> 00:25:47.960
 Don't be led

00:25:47.960 --> 00:25:48.519
 away by the

00:25:48.519 --> 00:25:49.059
 quietness in

00:25:49.059 --> 00:25:49.600
 verse 12.

00:25:50.579 --> 00:25:51.019
 Don't be led

00:25:51.019 --> 00:25:51.640
 astray by that.

00:25:51.860 --> 00:25:52.240
 There's no

00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:52.799
 trumpet and

00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:53.200
 fanfare,

00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:53.880
 there's no

00:25:53.880 --> 00:25:54.339
 earthquake,

00:25:54.600 --> 00:25:55.039
 there's just

00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:55.660
 being warned

00:25:55.660 --> 00:25:56.380
 in a dream.

00:25:58.839 --> 00:25:59.539
 And some

00:25:59.539 --> 00:25:59.920
 of us need

00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:00.420
 to learn that

00:26:00.420 --> 00:26:00.680
 in the

00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:01.220
 providence

00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:01.720
 that God

00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:02.240
 works in

00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:02.620
 our lives,

00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:03.519
 it is very,

00:26:03.819 --> 00:26:04.700
 very often

00:26:04.700 --> 00:26:06.019
 undramatic

00:26:06.019 --> 00:26:09.640
 and unspectacular.

00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:12.660
 And so

00:26:12.660 --> 00:26:13.140
 carry this

00:26:13.140 --> 00:26:13.500
 over into

00:26:13.500 --> 00:26:13.860
 your own

00:26:13.860 --> 00:26:14.200
 life,

00:26:14.460 --> 00:26:14.819
 God's

00:26:14.819 --> 00:26:15.400
 providence.

00:26:18.380 --> 00:26:19.120
 That God

00:26:19.120 --> 00:26:20.940
 is only

00:26:20.940 --> 00:26:21.519
 present in

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:21.960
 your life

00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:22.279
 if there

00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:22.759
 is noise

00:26:22.759 --> 00:26:23.039
 that's

00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:23.380
 rubbish.

00:26:24.200 --> 00:26:24.779
 Or if

00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:24.940
 there's

00:26:24.940 --> 00:26:25.180
 something

00:26:25.180 --> 00:26:25.600
 dramatic.

00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:27.640
 God

00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:28.039
 works out

00:26:28.039 --> 00:26:28.440
 his plans

00:26:28.440 --> 00:26:29.140
 very quietly.

00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.360
 And you

00:26:31.360 --> 00:26:31.600
 need to

00:26:31.600 --> 00:26:31.900
 have your

00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:32.279
 ears

00:26:32.279 --> 00:26:32.759
 turned,

00:26:33.080 --> 00:26:33.519
 tuned,

00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:33.960
 and your

00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:34.380
 eyes

00:26:34.380 --> 00:26:35.040
 strange.

00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:36.440
 Or you

00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:36.800
 might miss

00:26:36.800 --> 00:26:37.200
 the quiet

00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:37.720
 working of

00:26:37.720 --> 00:26:38.020
 the God

00:26:38.020 --> 00:26:38.400
 of heaven

00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:38.940
 working on

00:26:38.940 --> 00:26:39.320
 behalf of

00:26:39.320 --> 00:26:39.680
 his people.

00:26:41.800 --> 00:26:42.500
 It is a

00:26:42.500 --> 00:26:43.460
 most important

00:26:43.460 --> 00:26:44.800
 visit because

00:26:44.800 --> 00:26:46.440
 of the

00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:46.800
 place,

00:26:48.040 --> 00:26:48.420
 and because

00:26:48.420 --> 00:26:48.640
 of the

00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:48.940
 people,

00:26:50.200 --> 00:26:50.600
 and because

00:26:50.600 --> 00:26:50.840
 of the

00:26:50.840 --> 00:26:51.400
 politics,

00:26:52.740 --> 00:26:53.360
 and because

00:26:53.360 --> 00:26:53.600
 of the

00:26:53.600 --> 00:26:53.960
 providence

00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:54.400
 of God.

00:26:55.840 --> 00:26:56.300
 And Matthew

00:26:56.300 --> 00:26:56.840
 hopes that you

00:26:56.840 --> 00:26:57.140
 will never

00:26:57.140 --> 00:26:57.600
 forget it.

00:26:58.600 --> 00:26:59.320
 Let's pray.

00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:01.439
 of the

00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.439


00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.439


00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.439


00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.439


00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.439


00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.439


00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.439


00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.439


00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.439


00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.439


00:27:01.439 --> 00:27:01.839
 little

00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:02.119
 of the

00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:02.559
 people.

00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:02.559


00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:03.220
 tell you

00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:03.619
 a

00:27:03.619 --> 00:27:04.240
 little

00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:04.240


00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:04.240


00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:04.980
 Let's

00:27:04.980 --> 00:27:04.980


00:27:04.980 --> 00:27:05.339
 a

00:27:05.339 --> 00:27:05.939
 little

00:27:05.939 --> 00:27:05.939