Of Magis, a Massacre, and the Messiah on the Move

12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:12-15 (ESV)

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,      weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children;      she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” Matthew 2:16-18 (ESV)

We worship a God who came to bear our suffering and then deliver us from it.

We worship a God who came to bear our suffering and then deliver us from it. >> Christmas came to a suffering world.

2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. Isaiah 9:2 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”  John 3:16-17 (ESV)

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.  20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. John 3:19-20 (ESV)

We worship a God who came to bear our suffering and then deliver us from it. >> Christmas came to a suffering world. Jesus came to lead us through darkness and uncertainty.

6 “…though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” Philippians 2:6-7 (ESV)

We worship a God who came to bear our suffering and then deliver us from it. >> Christmas came to a suffering world. Jesus came to lead us through darkness and uncertainty. While there is death in our world, Jesus came to give us life by defeating sin, death, and the grave.

21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

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