How Far Will You Go?

God’s Kingship challenges all others, and we must submit to Him and relinquish control of our lives.   ~~~ To what lengths do you go to protect your way of life? If someone challenged you or confronted sin in your life, how defensive would you become? How fiercely would you guard your sin? You see, lots of people are fine with the idea of a savior until it comes to their submission to him as king. At that point, they will do all they can to protect their own kingdom. Look with me at Matthew 2 Matthew 2:2 “Wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, “Where is he who has been born the king of the Jew? When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him” Someone once said of Herod that it was better to be a pig in Herod’s kingdom than his son. Herod was a fiercely jealous and suspicious man who would do anything to protect his own control, authority, sense of pride and power. So obsessed with himself that he killed his own brother-in-law, mother-in-law, his wife, and his three sons because he saw them as threats to his kingdom. So Herod gathers up the wise men who have come into the city, and notice what he asks, “At what time did you see this star?” In other words, how long ago did you see this star that prompted your journey? What was he doing? He was determining the present day age of this one born king of the Jews. We can understand why Herod would want to know where Jesus was born. Maybe he wants to worship him too? At least that is what he tells the wise men. But why is he concerned about Jesus’ age? When you read verse 16, it all makes sense. He wanted to know the child’s age so he would know whom to kill to insure that this child king would be killed as well. Herod was a man who killed in order to keep His kingdom and his throne intact. Jesus is a king who dies to keep His throne. Well you might not be as cold-blooded as Herod, but do you see what is going on? Herod’s kingdom is being challenged, and he does everything he can to protect his rule. And the question is, when Jesus challenges and confronts the way you live your life, through the Holy Spirit or through His word, what lengths do you go through to retain your rule? Some of you sneer and shake your fist at God and say, “I am the captain of my own fate.” You respect Christmas, but you do not relinquish control. People are all for the message of a Savior until the time comes for submission. All of us are born with this Herod complex. You see, Christmas time is another reminder, not that a baby was born, but that a King was sent to the earth, and his kingdom confronts and challenges every other kingdom. Who is truly your king, and in whose kingdom do you live?