God at Work for YOU (Matthew 2:7-18)
Gary McManus, 12/27/2020Part of the Christmas series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
The Last Sunday of 2020
December 27, 2020 Matthew 2:7-18
The last Sunday of 2020. The Lord has gotten us all this far.
The church is in the middle of the 12 days of Christmas,
December 25th to January 6th.
The theme for this year’s Christmas Season has been “expectation.”
However, the last Sunday of the year, especially in 2020,
is a time for looking back.
By tradition, this Sunday’s Bible reading is the most dislike
part of the Christmas drama, referred to as the story of,
“The Slaughter of the Innocents.” The Bible reports
King Herod the Great’s treachery in attempting to kill the infant Jesus.
Herod’s problem: the king’s succession/successor.
Anyone related to the king could claim a shot at the throne.
Being top of the heap is not what Americans think it is.
King Herod felt that he had to watch his back all the time.
This part of the Christmas story reminds us that even as the
living God is trying to save us, there is still evil in the world.
God’s promised Messiah is also for Jewish King Herod.
One of the people that God wants to save will try to destroy God’s promised Messiah.
An ancient Christmas hymn sings this story: “The Coventry Carol”;
“Lully, Lullay”.
One reason this horrible story is in the Bible, it confirms Romans 5:8.
But Jesus couldn’t die as an infant.
So, God did do something to protect the infant Messiah.
This report is a reality check: for all of us:
1. People can and will do evil.
2. People can and will do evil even while someone, even God, tries to help them.
3. God will not be put off in God’s desire to save us.
4. God’s plan is going to go forward. Period.
So, question: where are you in God’s plan?
When we look at Herod’s treachery,
we see God at work for us.
So, looking back on 2020, what are you grateful for?
What are your thanksgivings?
Think of things you learned in 2020.
Think of the things you accomplished in 2020.
It is time to actually list your thanksgivings and gratitudes for 2020.
Some people do have trouble being grateful for some changes in their lives.
We might have to stretch our “gratitude muscles”
to MAKE ourselves grateful for some changes that the year 2020 brought.
Make it an offering to the Lord.
In 2020, Jesus followers were never forsaken. (Matthew 28:20).
Amen.
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