Message Six: "Reaction To The Redeemer"

By Dr. Michael Guido, D.D.
Matthew 2:3-9


If you’ve read the story of King Arthur you remember how he was discovered and declared King of Britain. When the king died, he left no apparent heir, for his son, Arthur, had been smuggled away at birth and lived in obscurity. The kingdom fell into confusion, and many of the leaders coveted the crown for themselves. Then the Archbishop of Canterbury called all the barons and knights to London on Christmas Eve and conducted a service for them on Christmas Day. When they left the church, they saw a great square stone in the churchyard, and in the midst of the stone, a steel anvil, and stuck into the anvil by its point, a naked and gleaming sword. Written on the sword in gold letters were the words: “Whoso pulleth this sword out of this stone and anvil, the same is rightwise king born of England.” One after another of the famous men pulled and strained, but not one of them was able to pull out the sword. Then one day, Arthur, an unknown knight, pulled out the sword without any strain. Then the people knew their king had been found.


May I use that story to illustrate the coming of the King of kings? He filled to the full all of the prophecies when He was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king. In Him was perfectly fulfilled that which was spoken by the angel, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”


No sooner was He born that we see men gathering together into three groups, and into these groups men gather today. Look–you’ll see yourself in one of these groups.


There was the reaction of Herod. It was the reaction of hatred. Herod was a crafty king. He married ten wives, who spawned an ambitious brood of sinners who turned the palace into a human can of worms in their scheming to succeed him. He was so jealous of his favorite wife that he gave orders on two occasions that she should be killed if he failed to return from a critical mission. Finally he killed her anyway, and her grandfather, her mother, her brother-in-law, and three of his sons, not to mention many other subjects. One night at a swimming party he drowned the high priest. He was jealously disturbed when he heard that Jesus had been born. So he called a meeting of the religious leaders demanding, “Did the prophets tell us where the Messiah would be born?” “Yes,” they answered, “in Bethlehem.” Then he sent soldiers to Bethlehem and ordered them to kill every baby boy two years old and under, both in the town and on the nearby farms. Estimating a town of about two thousand people at that time, about twenty-five male babies would have been slain. Why such slaughter? Herod was afraid the Christ-Child would interfere with his position and pleasure; therefore, his first instinct was to kill Him. And there are those today who’d gladly destroy Christ, because they’re afraid He might interfere with their lives.


There was the reaction of the priests and the scribes. It was the reaction of heedlessness. His coming didn’t make any difference to them. They were so devoted to religion that they disregarded the Redeemer. They were so involved with a performance that they weren’t interested in the Person. They were so attached to their own affairs that they weren’t anxious to become acquainted with the Almighty. There are those today who are more devoted to cash than Christ, to their religion than the Redeemer. The Lord Jesus Christ means nothing to them. It’s to you of this group that the Bible asks, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?”


There was the reaction of the wise men. It was a reaction of homage. The Bible says, “When they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshiped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” Get this. When the wise men came to the house they didn’t stay on the outside, they completed their journey; they came in. Why don’t you, the almost-persuaded, go in all the way to the Savior? The wise men still do this today. Since that day, when the wise men made their pilgrimage to Bethlehem to humbly worship God’s Son, there has been a steady procession of the world’s mightiest intellects coming to Christ to love Him and to let Him lead them on from victory to victory. They are rejoicing in their Redeemer. Without Christ you can never know real joy. O, you can sing, or play, or drink yourself into momentary forgetfulness, but what of the dread awakening to the agony of your transgression? In coming to Christ you can be happy because your sins are forgiven, their punishment paid, their guilt removed, and your new life strengthened to resist temptation. Be wise! Come to Christ.


copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic Association

All Scripture verses are quoted from the New King James Version.

This series of messages on the books of the Bible were originally written for broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The Sower." They are collected and reprinted here for your enjoyment and spiritual edification. Go to the Sower's site for more at www.TheSower.com.