Some Troubled
Some joyful
Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-19
The contrast between the reaction of Herod and the Wise Men to the news that Christ had been born couldn’t be starker. For his part, Herod was troubled. He felt threatened by an infant born to peasant parents in a small town about six miles south of Jerusalem. Herod felt so imperiled, he had all the male infants of Bethlehem slaughtered in a vain attempt to eliminate the Messiah. Herod dies soon after. A battle against Christ is one that always ends in defeat.
The wise men, by comparison, were gladdened by the revelation that Christ had come. They were even more joyful when they saw him with their own eyes. They came and worshipped, providing expensive gifts for the child – God’s provision for their unexpected journey down to Egypt.
In some respects, Herod and the Wise Men represent every person. We all stand on one side or the other as it relates to Jesus Christ. We are troubled by Him or joyful in Him. Christ either evokes a response of bowing the back in rebellion to His Lordship or bending the knee in reverent worship toward His rule.
