The Eighth Commandment

Exodus 20:15

Introduction

            I like to plan ahead.  Whether it is with my wife and kids, or with my extended family, or with the staff of our church or other church leaders, we will often look at our calendars together and plan ahead.  Collaborating and syncing calendars and schedules has become a lot easier with the use of computers and smart phones, but back in the day, we would sit down with an actual calendar and write in our plans.  If something was still tentative, you would write it with a pencil in case something changed and you needed to go back and erase it.  But once something was firm, you would write it in pen—signifying it would not change. 

            God has His plans for us too.  And of all His plans, the Ten Commandments must surely be permanent.  The Ten Commandments were written—not with pencil or pen, but—by the very finger of God on stone tablets as a permanent record of God’s instructions.  The Commandments were placed inside the most sacred object in ancient Israel, the famous Ark of the Covenant.  They were given to the Israelites and handed down through the generations to us today to teach us how to live a good life, pleasing to God in a healthy community of faith.

            There has been much debate about the 10 commandments in recent years.  Christians and secularist argue whether the Commandments should be displayed in public places like schools or courthouses.  Lost in all this controversy is the sad fact that most people in our country—including the Christians who are most zealously in favor of displaying the Ten Commandments—don’t even know the commandments.

            All summer, I have been challenging you to memorize the Ten Commandments.  Do you know them yet?  Let’s see how you do.  Can you fill in the blanks in the list below?  Let’s try.

 

The Ten Commandments: 

1.     Do not _______ any God except the Lord.

2.     Do not ____ _____ of any kind.

3.     Do not ______ the ____ of the Lord.

4.     Remember to _______ the _______ ___ and keep it holy.

5.     Honor your ______ and ______.

6.     Do not ______.

7.     Do not commit ________.

8.     Do not _____.

9.     Do not _______ _______ against your neighbor.

10.  Do not _____.

 

Good!  Keep working on it.  You still have a few more weeks to complete the challenge.

Today we will look at the Eighth Commandment as found in Exodus 20:15

¹⁵ “You must not steal.”

A Straight Forward Comamndment

            This commandment is so straight forward it’s hard to imagine anyone can’t understand it.  According to Dictinary.com, to steal is – to take (the property of another or others) without permission or right, especially secretly or by force.  For instance, “A pickpocket stole his watch.”  It could also be to appropriate (ideas, credit, words, etc.) without right or acknowledgment.  So plagiarism is a form of stealing..  I heard that Conan O’Brien was recently accused of stealing jokes he read on twitter and using them in his show.  Don't steal.  It's wrong.

 

Reputations

            What about stealing someone’s reputation?  Well, that’s a great question.  Proverbs 22:1 – "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."

            A person’s reputation is—their good name—is very valuable.  The Bible says it’s more valuable than silver or gold.  Now, unless you are a thief, you probably wouldn’t think of stealing someone’s silver or gold.  However, if you talk bad about someone behind their back you are damaging their reputation.  If you gossip, you are damaging their reputation.   By damaging their reputation, you are stealing one of their most valuable assets.  It’s like you have broken into the home and cracked open their safe and stolen some of the gold or silver jewelry.

            How many have ever gossiped or talked about someone behind their back?  You probable didn’t think of it as stealing, but in a sense that’s what you were doing.  What does that make you?  What do you call someone who steals?  A thief.

            If that seems a little harsh, consider Romans 1:29, where it describes how wicked people are.  It says, “Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.”  Notice it lists gossip in the same company as greed, hate, and murder.  If you gossip or slander or talk badly about people behind their back, you are a thief who steals the most precious asset a person has and you are breaking the Eighth Commandment.  Stop!

 

Stealing from God

Here’s another great question--do we ever steal from God?  Yes.  Sometimes we do.  We steal from God when we money when we do not give a proper offering to God at the church.  Listen to what Malachi 3:8 says, “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!  “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’  “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me.”

            John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, said it this way:  “Do you not know that God entrusted you with that money (all above what buys necessities for your families) to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to help the stranger, the widow, the fatherless; and, indeed, as far as it will go, to relieve the wants of all mankind? How can you, how dare you, defraud the Lord, by applying it to any other purpose?” 

            We must always remember that the money we have is not really ours to do with as we please.  It belongs to God, along with everything we have and even our lives.  The basic financial principle about giving throughout Scripture is that you should give 10% of your income to God through the church.  This is the same principle Jesus taught his disciples to follow.  Really, if we are Christians and have given our lives to God, we have already chosen to give up everything for him.  So we are not giving just 10%, but 100%.  Fortunately, God allows us to keep 90% for ourselves and place 10% in our offerings at the church.

            However, according to research in 2012 by the Barna Group[i], only 12% of born again Christians in America qualify as tithers.  (That is, the total amount they give to the church divided by their household income was 10% or more).  That means out of every 100 Christians, only 12 are actually tithers.  The rest are stealing from God.

            And what is the result of this?  Churches all over America are anemic, weak, underfunded, under maintained, and do not have the resources they need to do all the ministries God wants us to do. 

            And we really have no excuse.  We live in one of the most prosperous nations in the world.  According to UN reports[ii], nearly half the world’s population lives on less than $2 per day.  The median US household income is around $138 per day (or $50,500 per year) and yet we still think we cannot afford to give a proper tithe as God asks.

 

Conclusion

            Now, I command you, in the name of the Lord, to stop stealing!  Ephesians 4:28 says, “If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.”  James 2:10 says, “For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.”

           When we think we are righteous or better than others, the Ten Commandments point out that we are all guilty of breaking God’s law.  In our hearts, we are murderers, adulterous, thieves.  We are sinners.  And Romans 6:23 says, “The consequences of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

            So let me end by inviting you to stop, turn away from your sin, and ask Jesus to forgive and save you.  Take hold of the power of the Holy Spirit that you might live a new life according to God’s will.

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[i] https://www.barna.org/component/content/article/36-homepage-main-promo/606-barna-update-02-19-2013#.VczbIflViko

[ii] www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/.../vitalstats.shtml

The Seventh Commandment - Adultery

Exodus 20:14

Introduction

            The Ten Commandments were written on stone tablets by the very finger of God.  They were the general rules God gave the Israelites about how to be civilized as the newly formed community of God’s people.  Today, they continue to instruct us on how to live godly lives as a community of faith, enjoying the blessings of God’s people.  They also show us how we fall short and need God’s grace and forgiveness.  Do you know the Ten Commandments?  Can you fill in the blanks in the list below?            

The Ten Commandments:

1.     Do not _______ any God except the Lord.

2.     Do not ____ _____ of any kind.

3.     Do not ______ the ____ of the Lord.

4.     Remember to _______ the _______ ___ and keep it holy.

5.     Honor your ______ and ______.

6.     Do not ______.

7.     Do not commit ________.

8.     Do not _____.

9.     Do not _______ _______ against your neighbor.

10.  Do not _____.

How did you do?  Keep working on it until you have the Ten Commandments memorized. 

Today we will look at the Seventh Commandment as found in Exodus 20:14

¹⁴ “You must not commit adultery.”

 

It was about nine o’clock at night. A man dashed into the doctor’s office full of anxiety.  He explained to the doctor that he’d been a nervous wreck all day. The doctor, in his best professional manner, asked if anything had happened to upset him. "Well," the man answered, "there is this letter I received this morning." He showed the doctor a letter, which stated in part, "If you don’t stop running around with my wife, I’m going to blow your head off." The doctor answered, "Well, that’s a fairly simple matter. Why don’t you just stop running around with the man’s wife?”  "But, Doctor, the fool forgot to sign his name!"[i]

            Google defines adultery as voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse.  Sex is a wonderful and powerful gift God gave His creation.  For humanity, it is meant to be enjoyed between a husband and wife within the safe bonds of a committed marriage relationship.  Sex within marriage is very good.  Besides the practical purpose of creating children, sexual union can be a deeply pleasurable experience that cements the bonds of intimacy between a husband and a wife.  In both the Old and New testaments, the Bible indicates sex is a way for two persons to become one.[ii] 

            Genesis 2:1 talks about the marriage union between a husband and wife.  It says, “…a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”  It is a beautiful mystery how God can take a man and a woman and knit them together as one.  Often when I perform a wedding ceremony, couples will light a unity candle to symbolize this sacred union.  The flames of two separate candles are used to light one single flame, symbolizing the uniting of two people into one.  Once the flames of the two candles unite, they cannot be separated.  The light of the candles is combined; the chemical reactions of the flame are comingled.  It would be impossible to divide up the flames once united.  Even if you parted the flames into two separate candles again, each separate flame would contain elements of the other flame.  That is why divorce is so difficult and why Jesus cautioned against it.  You can never truly separate fully from your spouse—parts of them will always be comingled with you.  And sex is an important tool God gave a husband and wife to impart this beautiful and mysterious union.

            But like a river that leaves its banks and brings a devastating flood, sex becomes highly destructive when it leaves the safe boundaries of marriage.  When a spouse commits adultery, they unite themselves with another person besides their spouse.  Now dangerously outside the will of God, they have polluted their body and their marriage.  They have comingled with another outside of God’s plan.  Even if one spouse does not know that the other has cheated, there are now destructive forces loose in the marriage that will cause all kinds of damage to the unity of husband and wife.  Even in Old Testament times—when polygamous marriages with multiple wives and mistresses were common—it was the cause for great trouble and strife.  Why?  Because this is not God’s plan.  You don’t believe me?  Read in your Bible about some of those dysfunctional marriages.  Read about Abraham’s screwed up marriage to Sara and his mistress Hagar.  Read about Jacob and his two jealous wives Rachel and Leah.  Read about the downfall of wisest king in all history—Solomon—who was brought down and strayed from God because of his many wives and concubines.  Adultery will tear you apart, not to mention the destruction it will wreak on your spouse, your children, your family and friends, and even the person with whom you commit adultery.

More Than Just Sex

Somehow, I think everyone knows we should not commit adultery.  And yet surveys show that about 22% of married men and 14% of married women confidentially admit that they have strayed at least once in their marriage.  But…

Adultery is more than just sex.  Obviously, if you look at the statistics, you will notice men are more likely to cheat than women.  This may be because studies show men, in general, find the appeal of a physical, sexual affair more appealing than women.  On the other hand, women are generally more attracted by emotional stimuli.  When a woman cheats, it tends to be more about an emotional bond with another person.  Women tend to go for emotional affairs while men go more for a physical affair.

Whether you are a man or a woman, I must warn you that you can be involved in an emotional affair without ever having “sex.”  An emotional affair is when you bond emotionally with another person other than your spouse—especially a person of the opposite sex—in a way that should be reserved only for your spouse.  WebMD offers 7 signs you may have crossed the line into an emotional affair:[iii]

1.     You spend a lot of emotional energy on the person. “You end up sharing stuff that you don’t even share with your [spouse]--hopes and dreams, things that would actually connect you to your partner.”

2.     You dress up for that person.

3.     You make a point to find ways to spend time together, and that time becomes very important to you.

4.     You’d feel guilty if your [spouse] saw you together; you are doing things and saying things that you would never do or say in front of your spouse.

5.     You share your feelings of marital dissatisfaction.

6.     You’re keeping secret the amount of time you’re spending with the person (including emailing, calling, texting).

7.     You start to feel dependent on the emotional high that comes with the relationship.

You see, you can “commit adultery” without ever having sex.  Emotional adultery may be just dangerous as a sexual fling because it is driven by emotional bonds that are reserved only for one’s spouse.  Whether you are involved in a sexual affair or an emotional affair, I urge you in the name of the Lord to stop now!  Come talk with me about it so we can pray together and ask God to help you and begin the process of healing and accountability. 

Jesus’ Teaching about the Seventh Commandment

            But perhaps the most dangerous form of adultery today is adultery of the eyes.  Sex appeal is a powerful force that can be wielded to manipulate.  Our culture uses sex to sell everything from music to prescription drugs to hamburgers.  It is impossible to live in America without being inundated with sexualized images.

            In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus said, ²⁷ “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

You cannot live in our country without seeing sexual images.  But as I think I heard Sara Brooker say once, “You can stop a bird from landing on your head, but you don’t have to let it make a nest there.”  We can’t help but see tempting sexual images, sexy women, or attractive men, but we don’t have to look twice or fantasize about them.  And yet that’s what most of us do.

The porn industry in the United States generates $13 billion every year.  Since the beginning of 2015, there have been over 1.3 billion internet searches for pornography.  64% of Christian Men and 15% of Christian women say they watch porn at least once per month.  It is no wonder that our ideas about sexuality, marriage, and homosexuality are so off track in America today.)  If you are looking at porn or lusting after women (or men), I urge you in the name of the Lord to stop now!  Come talk with me about it so we can pray together to ask God to help you and begin the process of healing and accountability. 

Invitation

            Clearly, we are an adulterous people according to Christ who said, “…anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  So none of us can boast we are without sin.  Nor should we lie to ourselves and others that we are not as bad as some.  “For,” as James 2:10 says, “the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.”  The Commandments and Jesus’ words prove that we are and adulterous people who desperately need God’s grace and forgiveness.

Sometimes in the church, we like to point the finger at others and say, “They are what’s wrong with the world.”  It feels so much better to point the finger at someone else.  Then we don’t have to look uncomfortably at our own failings.  The Truth is, we are what’s wrong with the world.  We are full of sin.  We need God’s grace and forgiveness.  We are in desperate need of God’s healing.  And lest we ever forget it, the Lord and His Commandments remind us.

That is the Bad News.  But the Good News is that Jesus didn’t come to condemn us.  Jesus came to save us.  For 1 John 1:9 says, "...if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."  Isn't it Good News to know Jesus will forgive us and wash us clean if we ask?

Won’t you come to the Lord today and ask His forgiveness.  Won’t you beg Him to wash you clean.  Won’t you let Him begin to heal your heart today.  Won’t you turn away from your sin and turn to the one who can fulfill your every need and desire.  Come to Jesus today.  He is your only hope.

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[i] http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/no-adultery-joe-bedy-sermon-on-commandments-adultery-51518.asp

[ii] Genesis 2:24, 1 Corinthians 6:15

[iii] http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/emotional-cheating-guilty

The Sixth Commandment

Exodus 20:13

Introduction

            Today, We'll get back on track with the 10 commandments after being on a a break for the past few weeks.  We've already covered commandments 1-5; over the next 5 weeks we will look at 6-10.  I had to giggle as I was preparing because school starts back Friday in Whitfield County, GA and the commandment today says do not murder!  So teachers (and students), remember that this school year!
             I challenge you to memorize all 10 commandments this summer.  How many of the commandments can you name by memory so far.  Here's the whole list:           

The Ten Commandments:

1.     Do not worship any God except the Lord.

2.     Do not make idols of any kind.

3.     Do not misuse the name of the Lord.

4.     Remember to observe the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.

5.     Honor your father and mother.

6.     Do not murder.

7.     Do not commit adultery

8.     Do not steal.

9.     Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.

10.  Do not covet.

Today we will look at the Sixth Commandment as found in Exodus 20:13

¹³ “You must not murder.” 

What is Murder?

            The commandment says, “Do not murder,” and everyone knows that.  Almost every culture throughout history has inherently understood that murder was unacceptable.  Do we really need to be told?  I think everyone can agree you should not murder.  But what is murder?  The Bible also teaches that murderers should be put to death.  Wouldn’t killing a murderer also be murder?  And what about warfare?  Isn’t a soldier sometimes required to kill in the midst of the battle?  Is  that murder?

            Merriam Webster defines murder as “the crime of unlawfully killing a person especially with malice aforethought.”  The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, goes on to elaborate, “Murder is the killing of another person without justification or valid excuse, and it is especially the unlawful killing of another person with malice aforethought.”

            So there seems to be some circumstances that justify the killing of another human being.  The Law of God in the Old Testament spells out some circumstances where killing are justified.  For instance, Exodus 22:2 says, “If a thief is caught in the act of breaking into a house and is struck and killed in the process, the person who killed the thief is not guilty of murder.”  This biblical idea goes along with our modern idea of justifiable homicide, also known as self-defense.  In other words, if someone is attacking you and posing an imminent danger to your life or limb, you may be justified in taking their life in order to protect your own.  That would not be considered murder, but reasonable self-defense.

            In other places in the Bible, God clearly commands soldiers to attack a city or to defend a city during times of warfare and killing is an inevitable part of warfare.  Yet this is not considered murder.  This biblical concept as part of our understanding of the rules of modern warfare; the killing of enemy combatants during warfare according to the rules of war is not considered murder.

            Furthermore, capital punishment—taking the life of someone who has been convicted of a serious crime—is also part of God’s law in the Old Testament.  Such punishments would not be considered “murder” as they are justified by God’s law.  There is much debate about whether capital punishment is acceptable in our world today, but the prevailing thought in America at this time is that execution for convicted criminals is not murder.  It would be considered by law a justification or valid excuse for taking another person’s life.  (Keep in mind, capital punishment is not a punishment an individual meets out on a criminal; it is applied by the state and only after a fair trial and conviction followed by numerous possibilities for appeal by the criminal.)

            Now, I am not a lawyer and my goal today is not to clarify all the inner workings of America's legal system.  I’m simply trying to dig down to a clearer understanding of what murder is.  Murder is willingly and with the deliberate intent to do evil, killing another person unlawfully.  And I think almost everyone can agree murder is wrong. 

Jesus’ Teaching on Murder

            As I have said in previous sermons, the Ten Commandments teach us basic rules for living a good and pure life that is pleasing to God.  However, they do more than just that.  The Commandments also show us how we fail to live justly and thus desperately need God’s grace and forgiveness throughout our life.  And yet some will come to the Sixth Commandment and try to hang on to traces of self-righteousness.  We might try to justify ourself and say, “Yes, it is true that I have not always put God first in my life (so I have broken the First Commandment).  I may have broken other commandments too, but at least I am not a murderer.” 

The implication of this kind of thinking is that we might be bad, but we’re not that bad and God should cut us some slack.  This kind of thinking ignores James 2:10, which says, “For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.”  However, in our human thinking we still try to justify ourselves and make levels of righteousness. 

I think it is helpful to hear what Jesus taught in regards to the Sixth Commandment about murder.  In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus said, “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”

            You see, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Commandments.  His role is never to point out just how far we can go and still get away with “murder.”  Jesus challenges us to live up completely to God’s standards and realize it is impossible.  (For is there really anyone among us who has not become angry with another person?  Is there any among us who has not called someone an idiot (or had a similar thought in our heart)?  There are few—if any—who have not done all of these or worse at some point in our life.)  And Jesus points out—rightly so—that if you have not been completely perfect, as he is completely perfect, you have fallen short.  You are guilty.  You deserve punishment.  You are not worthy of God’s glory.  You have no right to put yourself above anyone else.  We are all sinners.  We are all in the same boat—in desperate need of God’s forgiveness and grace.  Therefore, let us get rid of any notion in our heart that we are good, or “not that bad” or at least “not as bad as some.”  We are all just sinners.  Period. 

The Good News

            Jesus points out that we are sinners.  His perfection illuminates our imperfection.  His purity, our impurity.  But that is not Jesus’ whole purpose.  He did not come to condemn us, but to save us.  He points out our failings only so we will cry out for grace and take hold of his salvation.  The bad news of our sinfulness draws our attention to the Good News of God’s forgiveness in Christ. 

            So Christ comes to us today and he challenges us to see our sin and desperate need of God’s grace and forgiveness.  And Christ himself, offers us God’s grace.  It was purchased by his death on the cross.  Though we were the ones who deserved death, he paid the price for us.  Will you accept his gift?  Will you cry out to God and say, “I am sorry for my sins!  Please forgive me!  Wash me clean and make me new!”  Perhaps that is why God brought you here today. 

            Perhaps you would like to pause for a moment of silent prayer so you can confess your sin and ask God’s forgiveness.  Then, let me offer my own prayer on our behalf. 

Silent prayer…

Directed prayer:

            “Father God in Heaven, please forgive us of our sins.  We know we have failed to live the way you asked—sometimes by what we have done wrong and sometimes because of the right things we have failed to do.  Forgive us for breaking your commandments.  Through Your grace, help us to begin today to be your people by following Your son Jesus, learning his teachings, and living like him as best we can.  Amen.”

Christmas in July

Disturbed, Disinterested, or Devoted
Matthew2:1-12

Introduction
            Sometimes we get so busy in the Christmas season it’s hard to actually enjoy Christmas.  That's why I want to look at the Christmas story in July.  Maybe now, in the middle of summer, you may see/hear Christmas a little differently.
            Last Christmas, I was studying and preparing for a sermon, when I discovered a fascinating insight in William Barclay’s commentary on the Gospel of Matthew.  It did not go with my message at the time, but I set the idea aside specifically for “Christmas in July.”  So this message has been over 8 months in the making and you are reading it today for a reason.  I pray you will listen to what the Lord is saying specifically to you. 

Matthew 2:1-12

2 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.’”

⁷ Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. ⁸ Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

⁹ After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! ¹¹ They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

¹² When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

An Outsider’s View

            Sometimes it takes an outsider to see something everyone else takes for granted.  The Wisemen in our story were outsiders to the Holy Land.  Also known as Magi, these men were probably astrologers from what is now modern day Iran.  They spent their life studying the stars and planets for omens to predict important events on earth.  The Wisemen saw something so phenomenal it inspired them to take a journey of thousands of miles on foot (or camel).  It would have taken months to make the trip to see the child they believed was born King of the Jews. It would have required numerous stops along the way for rest, resupply, bathroom breaks, and maintenance (you know you have to change the oil in the camel every three months!).  All this for a “King” you never met before, but only read about in the stars.  How far would you go to meet Jesus?  Obviously, the Wisemen had high hopes for this new king.

            By the time they arrived in Jerusalem, the Wisemen expected everyone to know about the momentous birth of their “New King.”  And yet, no one seems to know anything about Jesus.  And as the Wisemen tell what they have seen in the stars, the people in the story soon gather into three different groups according to how they respond to the news of Jesus birth.  And ever since Jesus came, people have found themselves in the same three groups according to how they react to Christ--people are either disturbed, disinterested, or deeply devoted. 

Deeply Disturbed

            Some people—like King Herod—are deeply disturbed by Christ because they fear he might interfere with their life.  So they seek to silence or destroy Christ.  King Herod was a ruthless ruler who held onto his power despite the highly fragile political realities in which he governed.  The Roman Empire had conquered Judea, but allowed King Herod to rule autonomously—as long as he remained loyal and kept the volatile people of his kingdom in check.  Herod faced threats from outside from the Roman authorities who could depose him at any time as well as threats from within from political opponents, as well as violent extremists and religious fanatics who rejected Herod’s legitimacy to rule.  Herod maintained his power for decades, despite these obstacles, by ruling with an iron fist.  Not knowing who he could trust, Herod became paranoid that everyone was out to get him.  So he disposed of anyone who made him feel vulnerable or threatened.  The list of people Herod murdered to maintain his power included his wife, his mother-in-law, his eldest son, and two of his other sons.  The Roman Emperor, Augustus, remarked bitterly that it was safer to be Herod’s pig than his son.[i]

            Can you imagine how an insanely suspicious and murderous king like Herod would receive the Wisemen’s news that a “new” King of the Jews had been born?  He was deeply disturbed.  “Herod was afraid that this little child would interfere with his life, his place, his power, his influence, and therefore his first instinct was to destroy him.”[ii]

            William Barclay writes in his commentary on this passage, “There are still those who would gladly destroy Jesus Christ, because they see in him the one who interferes with their lives.  They wish to do what they like, and Jesus will not let them do what they like; and so they would kill him.  The man whose one desire is to do what he likes has never any use for Jesus Christ.  The Christian is the man who has ceased to do what he likes, and has dedicated his life to do as Christ likes.”[iii]

            There is a loud voice crying out in our world today that says we deserve to live as we please—that we have the right to satisfy our desire—even if it goes against God’s Word and natural design.  The same misguided voice proclaims that to deny ourselves is unhealthy, a denial of our individuality, and to be inauthentic and untrue to ourselves.  But Christ says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” In time, as Christ heals our selfish hearts, we may find that we come to love to do what Christ likes.  But it is often not so in the beginning.

            You may be disturbed by Christ because you fear he will interfere with your life.  Are you going to embrace him and let him change you, or are you going to try to destroy and silence him? 

Deeply Disinterested

            Some people are disinterested in Jesus; they don’t care one way or another.  The scribes and chief priests were so engrossed in their politics, their “religious” rituals, and their legal disputes, that they completely disregarded Jesus.  He meant nothing to him—except only to the extent that news of Christ’s birth disturbed their king Herod’s fragile personality which in turn disrupted their own status quo.

            Again, Barclay writes, “There are still those who are so interested in their own affairs that Jesus Christ means nothing to them.”[iv]  There are many who think, “Who has time to worry about ‘religion?’  I don’t need Jesus.  I can do just fine on my own.  I’ll leave all that spiritual nonsense to the religious fanatics, the poor, and the uneducated.  I don’t have time for it.”

            Sadly, it often is not until same terrible tragedy comes in a person’s life that they will become interested in Jesus.  When cancer strikes or a love one dies unexpectedly, then suddenly people begin to cry out to a God they had little interest in before.

            I am a kind person, but I find myself in a strange place sometimes—praying for people who are deeply disinterested in Jesus.  Sometimes I must pray for God to send trials and tribulations that are trying enough to shake people out of their apathy so they will become interested in Jesus before it is too late.

            Are you one of these disinterested people?  What will it take to wake you from your spiritual slumber so you recognize your deep need for the love and power of Christ?  I pray it will not take some terrible tragedy.  Why not turn your thoughts and interests to him today? 

Deeply Devoted

            And finally, there is a third group—those who are deeply devoted to Christ.  Barclay wrote, “There was the reaction of the wise men, the reaction of adoring worship, the desire to lay at the feet of Jesus Christ the noblest gifts which they could bring.  Surely, when any man realizes the love of God in Jesus Christ, he, too, should be lost in wonder, love, and praise.”

            The Wisemen followed the star to the ends of the earth to find the King of kings.  How far are you willing to go?  The Good News is, you don’t have to go far.  Jesus is right here, right now.  He ordained this day long ago as the day you would have the opportunity to bow down and worship Christ—to decide in your heart, “I want to dedicate my life to following Christ—to go where he leads me, to do what he wants of me.” 

Invitation

            The Wisemen presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  But what Christ wants from you is your heart.  Which type of person are you today?  As you react to Jesus, are you deeply disturbed, deeply disinterested, or deeply devoted?  Now is the time to decide.  Now is the time to respond.

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[i] William Barclay – The Daily Study Bible Series, the Gospel of Matthew Volume 1, revised edition; page 29

[ii] Ibid.; page 30

[iii] Ibid.; page 30

[iv] Ibid.; page 30