Seeking the King v| A Sermon on Matthew 2:1-6

Introduction
Last Sunday, I challenged you to come to the church once a week during Advent and spend some time praying in the newly renovated prayer room.  Have you been doing it?  This is a great challenge to help us draw closer to Christ during Advent.

There are four Sundays in Advent–the four Sundays just prior to Christmas.  Advent is a season of preparation and anticipation for Christmas.  But Advent is a dual purpose season, because it recognizes that just as Jesus came and was born as an infant in a manger, He will come again as a king in the clouds on the day of judgment.  So, we are preparing for Christmas, but we are also preparing for the second coming of Christ.

Perhaps this adds a little incentive to your preparations this Christmas.  Yes, there are presents to buy, decorations to put out, and all kinds of things to prepare for in this busy holiday season.  However, the most important thing we need to be ready for is when Jesus returns.  And I can assure you, Jesus will come for you in your lifetime.  Either he will come in the clouds to bring His Kingdom to all the earth on the last day, or He will come for you personally when you take your last breath.  Either way, you will meet Him face to face.  Will you be ready?

For Advent this year, the Lord led me to study the story of the Wisemen who came from the east.

Matthew 2:1-6
¹ Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, ² “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

³ King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. ⁴ He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

⁶ ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
    are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
    who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

“Where is the newborn king?”
In ancient times, it was common to keep track of the years by relating them to the reigns of different kings.  That’s why Matthew starts out this chapter by saying Jesus was born during the reign of King Herod.  Matthew wrote these words decades after King Herod was dead and gone, but everyone could remember his ruthless reign.

King Herod was known for being ruthless and paranoid, willing to do anything to keep his throne. He even executed members of his own family, including his wife and her two sons, as well as his own son. When Herod felt his authority was challenged, he acted without mercy. He had Israel’s high priest assassinated and ordered the execution of 46 members of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin. Herod ruled with an iron fist and made it clear that no one could stand in his way.

It was during King Herod’s ruthless reign that the Wisemen showed up in Jerusalem seeking a new King: “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

They were talking about Jesus, who is a special kind of King.  Jesus is the kind of King heralded in the Heavens; a brand-new star was added to the sky as a sign of His birth!  And His coming is so profound, Magi traveled thousands of miles from Persia to worship Him!  Jesus is the kind of King Herod could never be.  No matter how merciless and violent Herod was, no one would voluntarily travel from a thousand miles away to adore him.

Who or what is the “king” in your life right now? Are there things like success, fear, or the need for control that you’re holding onto so tightly that they influence your decisions, just like Herod clung to his throne? This Advent season, God might be challenging you to take a closer look at your life and think about the things you’re allowing to rule your heart. Are they drawing you closer to Him, or are they keeping you from fully trusting His plan?

“King Herod was deeply disturbed…”
Verse 3 says, “King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.” Knowing how paranoid Herod was and how far he would go to hold onto power, imagine how upset he must have been when strangers arrived asking about a “new” king. The people in Jerusalem, who were already used to tiptoeing around Herod’s temper, were likely terrified. They must have been panicking, wondering how this shocking news would shake up their lives and what Herod might do in response.

When Jesus comes into your life, it may shake some things up. It changes your values. It changes the way you think, the way you act, and the way you see the world. Suddenly, the things that once seemed so important—like power, wealth, or popularity—don’t hold the same value anymore. Instead, you begin to align your heart with God’s priorities: love, mercy, humility, and faithfulness. But this transformation isn’t always easy. It can create an inner conflict as your old ways of thinking and living clash with the new life Christ is calling you to.

This change can also cause tension with family and friends and a worldly community around you who don’t share your faith or who still follow the "old rulers" of this world, like selfish ambition or materialism. They may not understand your new priorities or why you no longer chase the same goals. Just as Jesus' arrival disturbed King Herod and the people of Jerusalem, your decision to follow Jesus might disturb the people around you. But don’t let that discourage you. God’s ways are always better, and as you walk with Him, you’ll find peace, purpose, and the strength to endure. Transformation is never easy, but the joy of living in Christ’s light is worth every challenge.

“And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.”

This prophecy from Micah was written about 700 years before Jesus was born. At the time, the powerful leaders in Jerusalem didn’t know or expect the Messiah would come from a small town like Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a humble, unimportant village—certainly not the kind of place where anyone would think a king would be born. But God chose it as the birthplace of the greatest ruler in history, showing us that He doesn’t use worldly standards like wealth, power, or status to measure greatness. Instead, God works through the small, the humble, and the overlooked to do extraordinary things.  Do you ever feel small or humble or overwhelemed?

You might feel small, unimportant, or unworthy, but God has a purpose for your life. Just as He chose Bethlehem to bring forth the Savior, He can use your unique story, your gifts, and even your struggles to accomplish His plans. The ruler born in Bethlehem wasn’t just a king—He was also a shepherd, leading and caring for His people with love. Will you trust Him to lead you and allow Him to work through your life in ways greater than you can imagine?

Closing
As we reflect on the story of the Wise Men and their journey to seek the newborn King, we are reminded that following Jesus often requires us to let go of the things that rule our lives. The Wise Men left the comfort of their homes, traveled great distances, and endured hardships, all to worship the true King. Their journey challenges us to ask: are we willing to set aside our own ambitions, our fears, or our distractions to seek Jesus fully?

Jesus came to offer us something far greater than the world’s fleeting treasures. But this journey often shakes us, transforms us, and challenges our relationships and priorities. Yet, the rewards are eternal—peace, purpose, and an eternal relationship with the King who lovingly shepherds His people. Will you seek Him today and let Him be the ruler of your heart and life?

I invite you to take a moment of silence to reflect on what you need to surrender to Jesus today. Take 60 seconds to ask Him to reveal anything holding you back from fully following Him.  Then, we will close with a responsive reading.

A Prayer of Surrender
Leader: Lord, we come before You, recognizing that You are the true King of our lives.
People: We surrender to You, Lord. Be the ruler of our hearts.

Leader: Forgive us for the times we have held onto fear, control, or selfish ambition.
People: We release these things to You, trusting in Your perfect plan.

Leader: Help us to let go of the things that keep us from fully following You.
People: Teach us to seek You with our whole hearts.

Leader: When the journey is hard and the path is unclear, give us the courage to follow You.
People: Strengthen our faith and lead us in Your ways.

Leader: You are our Shepherd, guiding us with love and care.
People: We trust You to lead us, even when it’s hard to see the way.

Leader: Today, we surrender our lives to You. Shape us into who You’ve called us to be.
People: We are Yours, Lord. Use us for Your glory.

Leader: Let our lives reflect Your light, drawing others to know and worship You.
People: We surrender to You, Lord, our King and Shepherd. Amen.

 

Life is a Mist | A Sermon on James 4:13-17

Introduction
I woke up early this morning and decided to get on up and come to church and finish up my sermon on James 4:13-17.  As I drove in through the dark morning air around 5:30, there were a few fingers of thin fog crossing the road in the dips and depressions along the way.  It was pretty.  But it’s so dry, I knew the mist would evaporate before you got up to make your way here. 

But the mist brought to mind this morning’s passage from the Epistle of James for it says our lives are like a morning mist that is here for a short time and then vanishes.

 

James 4:13-17
¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes.  All such boasting is evil.  ¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

 

Proverbs 16:9
It is said, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  I believe that whole heartedly.  I’ve always been a planner.  It’s something my Mom instilled in me at a young age.  

When I was in the 3^rd or 4^th grade.  I was always pestering my mom to buy me those little toy airplanes with the windup propellers powered by a rubber band.  So she said, "I think you can build one of those yourself."  She started saving the Styrofoam trays that came in the meat packages from the grocery store.  She would wash them and then give them to me and I would build airplanes out of them.  I got creative and made all different designs.  It was a lot of fun.

My mom said, “You know, you like building those so much you might like to be an engineer who designs airplanes.”  And I thought she was probably right so I started planning how I could be an engineer one day.  And my mom in her wisdom said, "You know if you want to be an engineer, you'll need to make good grades in school so you can go to college."  And that encouraged me to do beter in school.  So from the time I was only 8 or 9 years old, I was already planning ahead for my future.  I planned to grow up and design airplanes for a living.

 

But God had other plans.  Proverbs 16:9 says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”  When I graduated high school, I didn't have enough money to attend college to be an aerospace engineer.  But a college in Marietta offered a  full scholarship to be a textile engineer.  So, my plans changed.  And as I neared the end of my college degree, God changed my plans again.  I started to feel God calling me to be a pastor instead of an engineer.  Jesus told the fisherman Peter, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  To me, Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you an engineer of me, discipling them to grow closer to God."  So my plans changed again and I started pursuing a life of ministry as a Methodist pastor.

James says very bluntly, it is arrogant, sinful, and presumptuous to make plans without considering the Lord’s will.  More than that, if Jesus is truly our Lord (as Christians say He is), then we ought to be 100% sold out to Lord’s will (as opposed to our own).   So we ought to seek to do the Lord’s will and not just ask Him to bless our own plans. 

I’m still a planner, but I’ve learned some new principles about planning from Jesus over the last 30 years that I want to pass along:

Godly Planning

First – Acknowledge God's Sovereignty.

God is sovereign.  That means God is in control of everything and has the power and the right  to decide what happens.  James 4:15 says, "Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’"

When making plans, consistently acknowledge that God is in control and that His will should take precedence over your own.  Of course, this is an attitude and a state of mind, but it can help become our state of mind when we actually say things like "if it is the Lord’s will" and genuinely mean it.

Second – Seek God's Guidance Through Prayer.
Rather than coming up with your own plans and then asking God to bless them, start by seeking God will from the get-go.  Not only is it more efficient, it actually helps you grow closer to the Lord and practice being in-tune with His Holy Spirit. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Prayer is essential to Christian living.  Regularly pray for wisdom and guidance when making plans.  Ask God to reveal His will for your life and to direct your steps.  And then follow Him in faith.

Third – Be Open to God’s Redirection.
Make your plans with great humility.  Don’t be so set on your plans that you cling to them if God wants to change them.  And God might change your plans for any number of reasons.  
Your plans might not be His plans.  Which plans do you really want to follow?
Your plans might only align partially with God’s plans.  For me, going to college was only partially God's plan.  I needed to go to college to fulfill my calling to be a Methodist minister (Methodist pastors must first get a bachelors degree and then go on to seminary for a masters degree).  Any bachelor's degree would do.  But God had to alter my initial educational plans and I had to be willing to obey and adapt.  

God may change His plans based on something you don’t know about.  He always knows better.  Do you remember what you were doing on the morning of March 12^th, 2020?   I do.  It was a thursday morning and I was preparing to serve as a chaplain (spiritual director) on a Walk to Emmaus spiritual retreat.  We had all heard of COVID-19, but it wasn't something that was really effecting our lives much on Thursday morning, March 12th.  But by the evening that day, my retreat and the whole world was shut down.  Even church that coming Sunday, March 15, was canceled.  Not just my church, but almost every church in the country.  No one was supposed to gather in the sanctuary.  What were we going to do?  But God, in His wisdom, had helped us plan for it without our even knowing it.

Three years earlier (back in 2017), I had had a casual conversation with another pastor in another town who said they had started livestreaming their service on Facebook.  "Yeah, we iust have someone hold up their smart phone and lives stream it."  I though, "Hmmm...  We could do that." So we started doing it in our church.  I got a few volunteers and we had people stream very bad quality recordings of the service.  By January of 2020, we decided if we were going to keep live streaming, we really needed to up our game.  So we installed our first real camera in the church balcony for the purpose. We thought it would be easy--just add the camera, but it caused all kinds of technical problems.  And we experimented through January and February and by March we had all the bugs worked out.  So when March 15th rolled around and we couldn't have in-person church, God had already helped us get everything ready for a full livestream service without our even knowing what He was planning!  God is good!  He sees things you do not.  So stay in touch with His plans.

Proverbs 19:21 – "You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail. "  When it comes to planning, remain flexible and be open to changes in your plans, understanding that God may have different and better plans for you.  Be willing to adapt when circumstances change, trusting that God is guiding you.

Fourth, Involve Wise Counsel.  Proverbs 15:22 says, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."  Christians live in community.  We don’t practice our faith alone.  I don’t care what anyone says, your faith in God is not a private matter.  It is not just something between you and God. Don’t believe that lie.  Faith in Jesus Christ has never been something that was a private thing.

Jesus called 12 disciples and they lived out their faith together.  Christianity in the New Testament was always an interaction between people living together.  Even before God created people or the world, He was not alone because God is a Trinity.  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit live together in a perfectly harmonious relationship.  And we are made in God's image.  Therefore, we are to live in community.

So, when you make plans, you ought to seek the wise counsel of your brothers and sisters in Christ.
One of the biggest mistakes when I answered the call to ministry was trying to figure it out all on my own.  I didn't talk to anyone about it.  I didn't even talk to my wife.  How sad.  It caused unnecessary strife in our marriage and even delayed my calling by three years.  All I had to do was talk to her.  

Humility involves recognizing that you don't have all the answers.  When you plan, seek advice from trusted, godly friends, mentors, or leaders who can provide wisdom and perspective.

 

Life is a Mist
I hope you take to heart James’ sobering reminder that our lives are like a morning mist—brief and fleeting.  Just as the mist evaporates with the rising sun, our time on this earth is short and uncertain.

As I drove to church early this morning and noticed the drifting mist, I thought of the many people I have known—people my own age or even younger—who have already passed on.  I’ve been thinking about that lately.

My youngest daughter will be a senior in high school this coming school year.  Then, Kelly and I will enter a new stage of life.  I sometimes wonder what it will hold.  Will we continue to be happy and healthy?  Will there be a diagnosis of cancer or something worse?  I don’t know.  I hope for the best.  But I also know there are no guarantees.  Life is a mist.  We do not know what tomorrow holds, and we cannot control the future.  But we do know who holds the future, and that is God.

James urges us to live with humility, acknowledging God's sovereignty in all our plans.  We must recognize that while we can make plans, it is the Lord who directs our steps.  This means being open to His guidance and redirection, seeking His will through prayer, involving wise counsel, and being flexible enough to adapt when circumstances change.

Now, in light of the brevity of life, I want to challenge you to respond to this message today.  If you have not yet given your life to Jesus Christ, do not delay.  Accept Him as your Lord and Savior right now.  Don’t put off the most important decision of your life.

For those of you who are already Christians, consider if there is something God is calling you to do that you have been postponing.  Maybe it’s reconciling with a loved one, stepping into a new ministry, or making a significant life change.  Whatever it is, don’t wait.  Take action today.  Remember, James said “it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”

Our lives are but a mist, and we must make the most of the time God has given us.  Let's choose to live each day with purpose, seeking God's will, and trusting in His perfect plan for our lives.

Closing Prayer
Sovereign God, we come with humble hearts, acknowledging Your rightful rule over our lives.  Help us to live with the awareness that our time here is short and to make the most of every moment by seeking Your will.  For those who need to make a decision today, give them the courage to act now.  For those who need to take a step of faith, provide them with Your guidance and strength.  Thank You for being our constant guide and support.  In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.