MERRY CHRISTMAS: 

Question: What do you and I know to be true, yet refuse to believe?

   This is exactly what was happening at the time of Jesus’ birth in Matthew 2:4-6.  The Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem and asked, “Where the king of the Jews is to be born?”

   King Herod along with Jerusalem’s people got wind of the Magi’s visit and their question. They were dIsturbed enough that they called the priests of the people and teachers of the law and asked them, “Where is the Christ to be born?” The religious Jewish leaders knew the correct answer from reading O.T. prophet Micah 5:2. “In Bethlehem of Judea” was their unanimous answer.  

   These religious men knew THE RIGHT ANSWER, but did not believe it enough to accept the truth.

   This part of the Christmas story ends with the Magi being led by a star to the very house where Jesus and Mary were staying. They worshipped and gave them their gifts and returned home by another way because in a dream they were told not to return to Herod. 

   Then an angel appeared to Joseph who told him to take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. “Stay there until I tell you to return”, said the angel. 

So in this story we see several important things happening connected with Jesus’ birth.  

a)  Magi come to worship being led by God’s star.

b)  Jewish leadersknowing where the Christ was to be born, ignored the obvious and had absolutely no follow-up faith to their knowledge. 

c) Magi are led by God’s star to find the child, 

d) God’s provisionsfor Joseph’s family’s future being supplied by the Magi’s three generous gifts,

e) Magi obeying a command in their dream to avoid evil Herod, 

f) Joseph and Maryobeying God’s instruction from the angel and 

g) Jesus’ life being protected before Herod commands that all boy babies in Bethlehem under age two were to be killed.

So from this Christmas story, whose example will you and I wholeheartedly follow?  

a) The Magi to find Jesus.

b)  Religious leadersknowing the truth and refusing to follow the truth.

c) Herod to destroy Jesus.

d) Magi to listen to God and avoid evil King Herod.

e) Joseph  and Mary to listen to God and follow God’s complete instruction.

   We all know the right answer about where Jesus was born. We have heard Jesus’ words he said while here on earth about making righteous (right) choices. 

   How often do we completely follow his instructions to His followers like:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself,” 

“Take up your cross and follow me”, 

“You cannot follow two masters:

 I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. No one comes to THE FATHER except through me.”

“He that is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe will be condemned.” 

“I am coming back to take you where I am.”

   God gives everyone free-will to believe and trust their chosen master in life. Either THE CHRIST or Satan. 

Joshua 24:15 says it well. Joshua gave this challenge for the Jewish people’s thinking, “YoU will either serve the Gods you left in Egypt or the Gods of the heathen people who we, God’s people, are conquering.  

   Then Joshua made a command decision for himself and his family. “As for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!”

   Men and single mom’s will you also set this example before your family and children? I know you and I know what is right! To know the truth means we need to accept it and not to refuse it, as did the Jewish leaders at Jesus’ birth. 

Know the truth and it will set you free John 8:32.

Merry Christmas

Don G. Hunt II