One of the greatest stories recorded in the Bible has to do with Christmas. It is the story of a Madman, King Herod; Magi, wise men from the East; and the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. The story begins with the account of the Magi and their visit to Jerusalem. They came asking, “Where is the One who is born the King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2)
This title distressed Herod who thought himself to be the “King of the Jews.” Herod had come to power in 40 BC, and his title initially was the King of Judea, but he got involved in a revolt against Octavian and wrongly sided with Mark Antony and Cleopatra. When Antony and Cleopatra were defeated, Herod realized that his life was at stake, so he sailed to Rome, threw himself at Augustus’s feet, and begged for his life. Augustus showed mercy on Herod because he needed an ally in Jerusalem, so he spared his life and gave him the job and the title “King of the Jews.”
So we can see why Herod was so concerned about the question asked by the Magi. Herod was indeed a madman, executing anyone who might have a claim to his so-called throne, including his own wife and son. Because of his madness, he sought to do the same with Jesus, but because God warned the wise men not to return to Herod, he never found the baby Jesus. The Lord also warned Joseph and Mary to flee to Egypt.
The wise men searched for the Christ child, and when they found Him, they bowed down and worshipped Him as the Messiah. The madman Herod on the other hand, searched for him, rejected Him as the Messiah, and sought to destroy Him as competition.
There are many wise men and women who still seek the Savior today, as well as many like the madman Herod who reject Him. C.S. Lewis, the famous Oxford scholar, said that Jesus was “either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord of lords, and King of kings.” You cannot dismiss Him, Lewis said, as a good man or a great teacher. A good man or a great teacher would not say the kinds of things that Jesus said unless He truly was the Son of God.
Will you be like the madman Herod who dismissed Jesus as just another man, or will you be like the Magi who bowed on bended knees to worship Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords?
Would you like to know more? We would love to speak with you. Call us at 425-432-0634, or contact us at www.taylorcreekchurch.org. We invite you to join us for Sunday service: 9:00 AM for Sunday School and 10:15 AM for Worship. We are located at 21110 244th Ave. S.E., Maple Valley.
