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The War on Christmas (Is In Our Hearts)

A juxtaposition is defined as "two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect."

I'm sure there are a few in this weekend’s movie release, Rogue One, which continues the Star Wars franchise. There’s certainly one in this week’s continuation of our Advent series, Home for the Holidays.

On Sunday, we turn our attention to Matthew 2, which begins,

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem.

The following verses detail the good and bad, light and dark in this war on Christmas.

King Herod’s murderous edict as described in Matthew 2 was a war on Christmas, as he sought to take the life of Christ, the true King of the Jews. The Magi’s innocent question got it all started:

Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?

Pastor Tim Keller explains that this juxtaposition, seen in blockbuster movies and Matthew 2, extends to our own hearts:

This dark episode of King Herod’s violent lust for power points to our own natural resistance to, even hatred of, the claims of God on our lives…

'Where is the true King?’ That question is the most disturbing question possible to a human heart, since we want at all costs to remain on the throne of our lives…

You can’t just glide through the Christian life. There is still something in you that fights it.

It’s a difficult pill to swallow, isn’t it? Us being like King Herod? And yet, Scripture reveals this painful truth. For instance, Romans 5.10 says that in our natural state we were “enemies of God”!

But there is another option: We, too, can turn our hearts toward the True King, the one who was born in a manger but is now on the throne. We, too, can take our cue from these Magi who offer generous - even, lavish - gifts to the True King!

As you wrap and place presents under the tree and offer year-end gifts to ministries that extend God’s Kingdom, may we also anoint Jesus, the True King of Heaven, as the King of our hearts as well.

Pastor Curtis

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