Matthew 2:13-18

Hello, good evening. This is truth in love and it is great to be back with you again after my time off last week so many things come up and so many things that you have to get done and sometimes you get tired and and I don't know about you, but sometimes

You sometimes yeah, I have a brain fog you ever have a brain fog and you just You don't feel yourself and and you're so glad when it when it lifts and it's gone and and you can feel almost yourself again

So many things going on and I was I hate to miss spending time Getting into the word and spending time on the videos spending time with you but I'm thankful to be back and Thankful to be able to be in God's Word and and use these tools that he's given us

It's just an amazing thing that that he is he's done for us and and we want to use it with excellence

And we want to do it for his glory. And so I'm thankful that you join me as we look at God's Word together

I'm I know that there's so many other things that are on TV we have so many choices and there's so many other people out there that are that are doing videos that are that have ministries and they are

They're over an abundance Hey Chuck, thank you for joining me. Thank you for speaking out

It's good to know that who's watching and who's joining us, I'm so glad that you're you're with us

But yeah, there's so many people out there that are that are doing videos I just want to use this this tool to reach my community and And to just spend time with those who want to spend time with me looking at God's Word I've changed positions.

So let me know if the video is off Let me know if the the sound is off and I'll try to make some corrections

Since I moved positions moved locations, so I hope everything is okay, but this is truth and love and just something

I come up with when I was looking at Ephesians and Especially Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15 it says but speaking the truth in love

We are to grow up in all aspects into him who was the head even Christ.

So There's a there's a bunch of goals in there that we want to do We want to grow up in every aspect of life into him not into with our own wisdom not according to our own understanding but into him and through his word and we want to To do that with each other and while we're doing that with each other

We want to speak those truths that were to grow up into speak those truths in love

And I hope that I do that hope that that's my goal. I want to do that and I hope You do that as well as you speak truth with with one another

Especially in today's world, you know, we want to speak truth. We want to speak truth and love we don't want to stand down from either one of those from from standing on truth or standing

On love and we want to have a a good balance of both. We don't want to fall in either ditch

Um, let's see here tonight we're gonna look at Matthew Matthew chapter 2 we're going back to Matthew chapter 2 because I've continued

I've started in the theme of looking into One of the phrase that I use at the end of the videos

Jesus is King and Go live in that victory So we want to know how to live in that victory and a great place to go is to Matthew And so we just been going through the book of Matthew and and looking at how

Jesus is King and how we can live in that victory But before we do that, let me say that at the end of each video

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Before we jump into scripture, I wanted to talk about or make a few comments about what today was

And if you have anything to say about that love for you to chime in we don't want to We want to be but we want to be polite we want to be

Loving toward one another but I just thought I would make a few comments about What today was and in some politics

I'm doing the two things that people say don't talk about don't talk about religion and don't talk about politics But we've got to talk about those things because they're there in our world and Jesus Christ is the most important topic that we could talk about so we want to talk about him and we want to discuss him

But today was inauguration day the the newly elected president of the

United States of America was Sworn in today in Washington DC.

And so that was the big event that happened today I don't know if you caught any of it on TV or or on your devices or wherever you watch things like that.

I was able to catch And review Just a small portion of what what happened today.

So I can't really make a whole lot of detailed comments. I Just saw

I just reviewed a little bit of it but Just just a couple

Comments that I wanted to make about it. We do have Whether we whether we like it or not whether we love it or not

We do have a new president today for the next four years. At least we have a new president

So and we have a new vice president We're gonna have a new cabinet. We've got

We've got new Senate and Congress persons So we've got a lot of new faces in leadership today in the

United States of America, and so what do we want to do as Christians who are citizens of the

United States of America. What do we want to do? Well First and foremost, and I'm sure that everyone would agree with me and this has probably already been said, you know a thousand times

Even before this day happened. We want to continue to pray for whoever is in office

We we respect that position. We respect that that office

We respect our leaders and we want to pray for whoever is in office And and all those different roles of leadership

We want to pray for Wisdom, we want to pray for strength. We want to pray for good decisions

We want to pray for protection for blessing we want to pray for our leaders

It doesn't matter who they are. We want to pray for them and lift them up in prayer and pray that God has glorified and We we want to remember them well in our prayers

So that's first and foremost and we want to remember them and keep them in prayer and I'm sure that You along with me are going to do that just like we did with Any other president that has held that office as as long as we've been alive

I'm sure that you've done that as long as I have I've had so many thoughts and so I probably miss miss something that I was thinking earlier

I didn't jot any notes down of things that I wanted to say and I don't have a teleprompter telling me what to say so I want to pray for our our leaders and our president our vice president and all those new

We want to pray for our nation That That God would intervene that that God will be glorified in our nation

We definitely want to do that pray for our nation pray for our neighbors And I guess

I can I guess I can go ahead and make just a few personal comments You know, it doesn't matter it doesn't matter who the person is or which party they come from when when they swear in the office and they make their speech or not just on Inauguration Day, but Any speech that has been made or any speech that's going to be made.

We listen to those speeches and It doesn't matter which side they come from which political party they come from, you know, we listen to their words and Whatever party they come from or represent they use words

That you know, even if it's an opposing party from you Admit it or not

They're going to use words in those speeches that um That sound really good that that that we want to get behind And we want to support and we want to cheer some of those

Ideas and phrases and words that they use we want to get behind that and because it because it sounds good

And despite who it is saying those words and phrases And and I listen to some of those words and phrases today and some of those ideas that that want to be set forth but but we know that that words have meanings and And I'm I'm speaking to whoever is making the speech whatever political party they are we we know that words have meaning and and Sometimes those words

Despite despite what their true meaning is They are defined by whomever is is

Reciting those words Whoever the majority is or Whoever has the most influence at the time

They assign a meaning to that word that may be different than what the actual true definition of that word or phrase is and so It's so important that we remember that words have meanings and words have definitions and so when

I hear a speech and I listen to I Listen to what they say and I listen to the words that they say the words that they use and I want to I want

To cheer them on because those words sound good Before I do that.

I asked myself the question wait What what do they mean by those words

What is the definition? How are they using that word? What do they what do they mean by that?

we heard we heard words today like unity and Fight fighting for unity.

Oh And I'm not making direct quotes or exact quotes just kind of paraphrasing on kind of what

I remembered you know a fight for unity in this nation

Headed up by our new leadership and there are certain groups that this this new leadership pointed out as enemies to that unity that that we want to see in our nation and Those are the words that we need to to Before we cheer

Know what the definition of those? words are how they're using those words how they're using those phrases and what they mean by that because we we may think

They mean one thing in reality It could end up that we

You or I may end up falling under one of those categories of an

Enemy to this unity based on their definition or usage of that word and so some clarity

Some clarity on these words some clarity on these phrases would be so helpful

Because I'm afraid With the direction that This leadership wants to go

Whether We think we are or whether we think we should be categorized a certain way

Just because of what we believe in and and what we stand for Which which may have nothing to do with The accusation

But just because we we have a certain belief or because we are a certain skin color

We are going to be categorized into this certain group. That is going to be an enemy of unity

So we have to be careful In this this proclamation of unity

I Don't know I don't know how often this is gonna come out I don't know who I was gonna say this, but it needs to be said that Unity and the preaching of unity that we heard today and the the promise of or I don't know

There was a promise of unity, but the the the promise to fight for unity It Sounds good to our ears and we want to be unified and of course, we don't want violence

We we won't love and we want to to come together And so yes, it sounds wonderful and it sounds good.

And we we'd love to hear that language of unity Being proclaimed from from our leadership

Because we don't we don't want violence We we don't want harm. We don't want

We don't want to see things being destroyed buildings homes

Businesses people we don't want to see that but what we do want to see is love and unity but the question is the question is

How are we going to arrive at that unity? What are we unifying around and and I think

I did hear Our now our new president say Give some certain examples of things that that we do all

Agree on and some things that we we can unify in but even in those things there's there's going to be disagreement and and he did make a smart comment today that that um

You know disagreement and and I can't remember the exact quote but disagreement

Does not mean that did he use the word dissent? Disagreement does not mean that we have to You know have animosity towards one another, you know, that's a beautiful thing about America.

We can Have different opinions and still love one another, you know, that's the whole reason that we have two different parties a different party system and we have checks and balances is because We we work together sharing our different ideas different opinions

To work toward the better idea the better goal. And so that's why that is all set up And so this this unity that we want to see in Congress or Senate in in government or in America to some degree we we want to keep a

Form of divisiveness between us so that the better idea comes out in the end

You know, we do want to see them unify in in that and the fact that they want to work work out their their disagreements to that better ideal but but to have disagreements is is good and it's okay because we we want to Um Mention them back and forth to one another so that the the better idea

Moot comes out of it and we move forward with that better idea and better goal But ultimately ultimately

That goal is never going to be reached by that method or or that standard that is that is coming from Governmental leadership

It's never going to happen. It's it's very high language

It's very lofty language and it sounds wonderful to our ears And that's what we want to hear because we don't want the violence.

We won't love if we want to hear that type of language coming from our leadership that they're hard for the unity of our nation to Get rid of you know violence and hatred that's what we want but ultimately

It's not gonna happen. It is not gonna happen that way and the reason is because only

True unity is going to come through Jesus Christ That's the only way that it can come.

That's the only way that it will come it is through Jesus Christ It's the only way it's the only possible way and and until Jesus is recognized as Lord and Savior and King Until he's recognized as that and we work towards unity in him and through him

This is just going to play out and repeat itself over and over every four years

We need unity. We need unity. This is my idea for unity This is my idea for unity and it's going to repeat itself over and over and over again

Until we submit to Christ, it's the only way it's to submit to Christ Speaking of religion and inserting religion into the inauguration day

You know, it wasn't it wasn't as As blatant as the the prayer that we heard in a video from the

I think it was Congress the other day from the from the pastor that That had that gave us that special ending to his prayer

The the benediction from the prayer today well Wasn't much better when he closed his prayer in And I can't remember the exact quote from him either but he closed his prayer in in the name of our common faiths

He stood up there and prayed to nobody then Because there's only one it one true living

God and it's the it's the triune God of the Bible he's the only one true living

God and There's no such there's no such God as the the the common

Faith Our common faith that doesn't exist. So he stood up there and prayed to no one and again

Up there praying nationally was supposed to be a Christian minister and so that is so sad that Jesus's name is not in vote or God's name is is not in vote, but it's a

It's a unity of our face Our common face. We don't have a common faith with anyone else

Ours is unique and ours is different Because there's only one and true living

God and and the the rhetoric the the language that I'm using right now is some of that language that When we begin to speak that now in in America We're gonna be considered divisive and it's going to be frowned upon and so we've got to We've got to decide are we going to stand up for truth and do it in love?

And even if we do it in love It's still going to be frowned upon because it is not unifying according to their method their way of bringing unity into America unity into the world.

And so it's it's a it's a shaky time. It's a it's a Can be a scary time to think about What we're going through Amen Benjamin, thank you for joining me.

I appreciate you watching appreciate you chiming in So, so what's the answer

Well, first and foremost we spoke of it. Jesus Christ is the answer, but how do we go about that?

I grew up when I was coming up born and was coming up I come in at the the tail end of What they called it and some of you may remember this the the moral majority where you had some of the nation's leading

Christian leaders, you know formed this Union and call themselves the moral majority.

We need God more than ever. Absolutely. Absolutely Benjamin I need

God more than ever But if you may remember the group called the moral majority and you know

Their their heart I believe was in the right place and and they wanted to see

God honored. They wanted to see Christ honored but We know they admit it's been admitted and we know that that effort to to honor

Christ in America failed And I think I just heard recently that at the end of Jerry Falwell's life,

I think you know, this is not I haven't seen this written so I can't directly quote it from a source or book, but I I think

I heard so I apologize and please forgive me to anybody that May can confirm that I misquote this but I Think I heard recently that at the end of his life

This was one of his regrets that the moral majority failed And I'm sure all those leaders that would that put so much effort into the moral majority you know

Felt really bad because Of the failure the ultimate failure of it to to move

America to where we are more as a whole honoring Christ The question is why did it why did it fail and what do we do that that's different that that won't fail well

Of course, I'm not very smart. I just you know Have some thoughts here there and that there's way smarter people than me that have

Way better ideas than I do But this is just some thoughts that I had the the reason that the moral majority failed is because They acted and and please correct me if you if you have more information, you know more about that situation than I do but it seems to me it come across to me as the reason that the moral majority failed in America is because They Acted like an interest group, you know how you have all these interest groups that that support a candidate and so you you your your interest group supports this candidate and they get in office then they

Are in return going to support your interest, right? I think that's how it works

And so the moral majority acted like and just another interest group we want to get

Ronald Reagan into office because He's our man. And if we get him into office

He's going to in return support our calls support our issues and so That seems to be how that moral majority worked back then is just simply another interest group but the problem is is that There are other interest groups there are people with more money there

People that are going to get in the office that are not For our interest and so when when our interest group failed to to Get enough support have enough

Candidates in there or whatever Whatever it was the the fact of the matter to make it simple

It was the moral majority was just another interest group and it and it worked that way as a group as an interest group and As Christians as the church we we are not just an interest group

We are children of the King We are children we we are brothers and sisters

Jesus is our King God is our Heavenly Father and we are in his kingdom and And scripture speaks of Jesus as King and that's what we've been looking at in scripture

Jesus is King and he has dominion and authority over all of heaven and over all of earth and so How do we how do we do it differently than the the moral majority?

well We've got to we've got to get out of this, you know dualistic mindset

Benjamin says we need to display a more sincere effort to show non -believers how

Jesus loves. Absolutely Absolutely And that looks looks and comes across differently sometimes, you know

We Here's here's the difference and here's the issue that we run into We we can do the same things that the world does as far as Service ministries, you know there's secular groups out there that You can donate blood to there's secular groups out there that build homes for it for needy people

There's secular groups. There's all kinds of secular groups that that give blankets to folks that that do

Research medical research all kinds of secular groups that do service ministry work and and you know we say we we want to we want to show the love of Christ to our neighbor by doing a service ministry type work, but Secular people do service ministries and and Their goal is not to to be the hands and feet of Jesus and to show the love of Jesus so there's got to be a difference and the difference comes in when we alongside of doing those service ministries we

Inform our unbelieving friends and family of the truth of the gospel

That Jesus is the only way and then then comes the animosity the hate the division sometimes

Sometimes it's received but I think that's where the difference comes in because there are secular service ministries and Just doing a service ministry.

It to me is not It's not showing the love of Jesus If we just do a service ministry and leave out the truth of the gospel then

Are we really showing the love of Jesus? we're that's really hatred because we've not informed them of their king and his requirements

So then the service ministry that we thought was love is just plain hate when we leave out the gospel

So absolutely, we need to show non -believers how Jesus loves and doing both

Doing both and not leaving out the gospel. That's my take And that's kind of how

I see it so Where was I okay,

Jesus King Jesus King Scripture tells us he has dominion in all of heaven and all of earth

And so we need to we need to behave like that as Christians that we serve a king who has all dominion all power

And we're going to read a verse about that tonight Okay, all of heaven and all of earth

That's our King. And so we need to you know, remove ourselves from this dualistic mindset that Jesus is just a spiritual

King or Jesus is just at right now He's just the king of the church and one day he's gonna be king over everything

That's not how scripture talks or teaches us. He teaches the scripture teaches us that Jesus is

King over all things all things were created for him by him and through him and He has all power dominion over it.

And so we we need to submit to him and so out our Seems to be our mindset for the longest time now

Benjamin says show more compassion. Yep, bend our ear to people more. Yep. Listen for things

They share that might compare to our testimonies that we can share with them. Yep. Absolutely agree with you absolutely

So we need to It seems like for the longest time now that we've had this dualistic mindset that We Want to evangelize we want to share with with folks the gospel and and our role here on this planet is just a spiritual one and Whatever happens in the government whatever happens with our leadership

You know, we just have to live with it and you the

Christian thing to do is to vote That's it seems to be the the only thing as far as politics goes

That is promoted within the Christian community That is our role as a

Christian in the political realm is just a vote Get out and vote get out and vote

Have you done your Christian duty and voted and that's the limit or end of what is preached as our?

Christian duty or role in the political realm but if Jesus has kingship and dominion and power over over all things and He has all authorities been given to him in heaven and on earth

Go and make disciples of all nations and scripture says that he is going to To shatter all nations only his kingdom is going to stand we we

Need to encourage alongside. We don't need to give up our gospel effort our evangelistic effort

We don't need to we need to continue to pursue that with with all of our heart and soul to To recall what our new president said today have our whole soul into it

Evangelize make disciples share the gospel. That's what we need to do, but we need to encourage

More than just be an a special interest group. We need to Encourage and and raise our children to believe

It's okay to go into politics because you can glorify God and you can love your neighbor by What you can do in that position

You as an adult it is okay for you to have the desire and then to pursue a

Role in politics because you can glorify God and love your neighbor by that position that you hold and also

We continue to evangelize We don't need to see political positions as as an evil career evil job to hold we need

Christians in our public offices in A place where they can glorify

God and love their neighbor in the decisions that they make as we continue to disciple the nation's share the gospel and evangelize and that's that's just my two pennies worth and Love to hear your thoughts if you have any about it

Hey Tim, thanks for watching Tim says hi Robert as my pastor said last

Sunday. We Christians have surrendered to the culture We have to present

Christ as King in all areas of life or the nation will continue to degrade.

Absolutely. Absolutely If we do not submit to Christ and and act as as if Christ is

King and and proclaim that that there is a

King and we must submit to him and You know that our nation is going to continue to spiral because as I said earlier

It's just gonna play itself out over and over again. We want unity. We want unity But this is my idea for unity.

This is my approach. This is my method and then the next four years rolls around We still have a division

We need unity. This is my method. This is my goal We're not gonna

We're not gonna find it apart from Christ. It's just not gonna happen Benjamin says people are always afraid of what they don't understand

What they can't physically see touch or hear. Absolutely Absolutely So if I think of anything else that I was going on in my head earlier,

I may mention it I may not but I need to move from that to Looking at scripture tonight we're gonna be in Matthew chapter 2 if you have your

Bibles and you want to Join along Benjamin says we can show people how Jesus speaks to us

Absolutely, and that's what I want to do tonight and in all of my videos looking at God's Word and show people how

Jesus speaks to us through his word. Absolutely want to do that and Matthew chapter 2 we're going to look at verses 13 13 through 18

Matthew chapter 2 13 through 18 and and again, the reason I'm going in Matthew and looking at Matthew is because I've used this phrase for a while now at the end of the videos.

Jesus is King go live in that victory So we want to know how to do that and we want to see in scripture

How scripture proclaims Jesus as King and how we can live in that victory and so one of the better better places to go in scripture is a book that That its theme is

Jesus is King why would Matthew have have its theme as Jesus is

King if Jesus wasn't King if he was, you know, just gonna be

King later on But, you know Matthew is proclaiming that Jesus is King he has dominion he has all authority and power

He's the he's the promised one. He's he's the fulfillment. And so he he He is fit into that role now

He's fulfilled all those prophecies. And so Jesus is King This is Matthew's theme and we want to pull that out of Matthew And see where he he speaks of that and how we can live in that victory

So let's look at Matthew chapter 2 verses 13 through 18 and Hopefully I can make just a few quick points on on this subject.

So starting in verse 13 God's Word says now when they had departed

Behold an angel the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying arise and take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt and Remain there until I tell you for Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him and He arose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt And was there until the death of Herod That what was spoken of the

Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled saying out of Egypt. Did I call my son?

Verse 16 then when Herod saw That he had been tricked by the Magi or Magi He became very enraged and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its environs

From two years old and under according to the time which he had ascertained from the

Magi Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled saying a voice was heard in Rama Weeping and great mourning

Rachel weeping for her children and she refused to be comforted because they were no more

There were three things that I saw in this passage that I wanted to pull out That speaks of who

Jesus is and I saw these three things that that Jesus is the greater son Jesus is the greater

Israel and Jesus is the greater threat and We're basically going to look at Two different verses we're going to camp out in in verses 15 and 16

So we're first going to look at Jesus is the the greater son Matthew chapter 2 verse 15 that the first part of 15 and it says and there was and was there they went to Egypt and Was there until the death of Herod that what was spoken by the

Lord? Through the prophet might be fulfilled. Okay, I Think it's so important that Matthew Records it this way.

It wasn't just it wasn't just the prophet That spoke and prophesied right?

It wasn't just the prophet Matthew intentionally uses it or uses this phrase or Gives us this information.

He says by the Lord Through the prophet might be fulfilled and you know those of us who believe in the sovereignty of God those of us who believe

You know in God's handiwork God's hand throughout history. God's working throughout the

Old Testament and we We look at Jesus walking with the gentleman on the road to Emmaus and He's teaching them about himself in the

Old Testament We look at this history in the Old Testament And we look at We look at Adam and Eve.

We look at Abraham Isaac and Jacob. We look at Joseph. We look at David Saul Solomon We look at the prophets

Jeremiah Isaac. We look at all of these instrumental folks recorded in the

Old Testament recorded in this history and We could also say with Matthew here as he says by the

Lord through the prophet so by the Lord through Abraham We see

Jesus by the Lord through Joseph. We see Jesus by the Lord through Isaiah through Jeremiah through David through Solomon through Saul By Adam and Eve By the

Lord through these people we see Jesus by the Lord through this prophet

We see Jesus And so that's what he says, you know here in this text that it's by the

Lord and and what specifically In this particular verse is he talking about by the

Lord through the prophet? He's calling out his son God says it's his son that he that he's calling out.

So I I See that Jesus is the greater son through this text and we look at Exodus chapter 4 verses 22 through 23 and it says

Then you shall say to Pharaoh speaking to the Lord speaking to Moses you shall say to Pharaoh This is what the

Lord says Israel is my son my firstborn So I said to you let my son go so that he may serve me

But you have refused to let him go behold I am going to kill your son your firstborn so God is speaking to Pharaoh through Moses again

That Israel is his son his firstborn So I thought I thought that was the role of Jesus that Jesus is

His son that his firstborn. Let's look at a few other verses Psalm 82 27

I will also make him my firstborn the highest of the kings of the earth, so The psalmist is telling us that God is going to make him the

Messiah the prophesied one the highest king of the earth and then

Revelation 1 5 says and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the

Kings Of the earth to him who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood being the firstborn from the dead means that he is he is the prince of life and that God made him according to the psalmist his firstborn and so Jesus Fulfills this prophecy fulfills this role as the the greater

Son Israel Jacob as a representation of a whole nation

God says it's his son. It's his firstborn son, but it's a foreshadowing It is a glimpse of this one to come whom he will make his firstborn

That will be the the greater son the one that doesn't disappoint the one that doesn't fail the father and so There there you have in in Matthew chapter 2 verse 15

The the Lord through the prophet is speaking about the one he's going to call out

Is is the greater son? He's the fulfillment of that role and then

Matthew chapter 2 verse 15 We go on to the second one. Jesus is the the greater

Israel the second part of verse 15 By the

Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled saying out of Egypt. Did I call my son?

And where's that quoted from which which Prophet do we find that we found that in Hosea?

Chapter 11 verse 1. It says when Israel was a youth. I loved him and out of Egypt.

I He is for him like the horns of the wild ox he will

Devour the nations. That's what I was speaking of earlier at Jesus now as king of kings

Who are his adversaries and will crush their bones and smash them with his arrows?

So You have you have Israel as a nation being called out of Egypt They were

God referred to to them and and Jacob as his son as his firstborn but then they also are referred to you know as a nation who had a covenant with God who had

Responsibilities and You know with the covenant if you if you follow and you if you obey, you know

These blessings will happen if you if you disobey if you commend idolatry You know, this is what will happen this was the curses that will happen and if you do this then then

I will I will send other nations to come and and You will go in exile and you know all that happened.

So Israel broke continued to break the covenant over and over over again that they had with God and and Experienced the repercussions the consequences of breaking that covenant with God but As the fulfillment of this prophecy out of Egypt, I will call my son

They are the greater Israel because Jesus fulfilled the law

Jesus fulfilled all the promises all the prophecies everything that that Israel is a nation failed to do

Jesus Completely and perfectly fulfilled everything that they were supposed to do can fulfill the law

Kept it completely perfect. He pleased the Father in in all that he did Colossians 2 16 through 17 says therefore

No one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or new moon or Sabbath Day things which are only a shadow of what is to come but the substance the substance belongs to Christ So Christ is the the fulfillment the fulfillment of the the festivals, why did they celebrate the festivals?

You know, we don't we can we can honor those festivals. We can honor those Holidays that they had and remember them and look at look at what they stood for look at the history behind them

But we don't we don't have to celebrate them As a as a ritual something that we have to do we can look at those festivals and we can look at those days those special days special occasions everything that that Israel did that That they did ritualistically that they did annually that they did year after year after year, which

That should have felt like a burden on them that they couldn't they couldn't lift off their shoulders

We can look at them honor them respect them Study them, but we need to see that Jesus Fulfilled the substance the meaning

That he is the meaning of all those festivals all those special days the Sabbath day the new moon the festivals

When when they eat a drink Jesus is the fulfillment he's the substance he is the meaning of it all

So, yes, we can look celebrate honor all those special occasions But Jesus is the substance he's the greater

Israel Now, let's look at the third one the third and final one Jesus is the greater threat and we kind of we kind of touched on an aspect of this maybe in a different way when we looked at the earlier part in chapter 2 how

Herod was Herod was threatened by this this new king that the Magi were looking for.

Where's this king? King of the Jews Where's he at? We want to find him. We won't worship him

Who was the king of the Jews? Herod was the king of the Jews. And so the the Magi were coming in and spreading this

This rumor around that a a new king of the Jews has been born. So this was of course a threat to Herod and his authority and Then we we also saw that from from numbers

That when we we see the reference to the star that the the Magi Followed and saw in the sky in numbers.

We also saw in that same text that The the one the scepter the one who this star belonged to When he came he was going to pass have a as a possession this nation this nation and destroy this nation and One of those nations was the the nation of the

Edomites And Herod was an Edomite. So what a what a deeper and greater threat

That would have been for Herod and this new king of the Jews but here

We can see that Jesus was a a threat in a different different type of way

The Matthew is quoting of course from the Old Testament taking us to the time when

Israel was Enslaved in Egypt the time of Moses when Moses God used

Moses to to deliver them to bring them out of enslavement in in Egypt. So I thought about that time period as well when

I thought about how Jesus was a a threat and the the type of threat Thinking more of quality here

Thinking more of quality of a threat to that that Jesus is think about it like this

Using using Exodus using Israel and Egypt as a

As a backdrop let's look at Let's look at Exodus chapter 1 verses 9 through 10 and here here's a little bit of the background

You have Egypt you have their king which is called Pharaoh and Israel is enslaved by the

Egyptians by Pharaoh They are his slaves. They are working for him. Of course, they had of course harsh conditions.

I imagine hard to labor But Israel Became a threat to That King as well

Listen what it says in Exodus chapter 1 verses 9 through 10 And he said to his people the

Pharaoh did behold the people of the sons of Israel are too many and too mighty for us

Come let us deal shrewdly with them. Otherwise, they will multiply and in the event of war they will also join those who hate us and fight against us and depart from the land

So in this situation Way back in Egypt way back when

Israel was enslaved about Pharaoh Israel became a threat to Pharaoh Why was he a threat?

Or why were they a threat it says because they are too many and too mighty

The reason they were too mighty of course is because they were too many

Their sheer number of them Intimidated Pharaoh So he needed to do something about it he needed to do something about this people

Israel because the the number of them

Threatened his leadership threatened his authority Now let's jump to the greater

Son the greater Israel That we see in Matthew chapter 2 and this greater

Son this greater Israel is now a

Greater threat than Israel was as a nation to Pharaoh Jesus the greater

Israel is a greater threat to Herod. Why? why can we label him as a greater as in quality a greater threat to Herod is because with Pharaoh Israel was a threat to him because there were so many of him

How many of Israel? Threatened Herod only one only

One man that was the God man Jesus Christ Only one of him it only took one of him to threaten this

King in Exodus it took many to threaten the

Pharaoh took many to threaten the king of Egypt But the fulfillment of the

Son the fulfillment of Israel was a greater threat to Herod When he it was just him and it's because he is the

God man 100 % God 100 % man he is divine and It just took one of him

To be a greater threat to one King and his authority. So Jesus is the greater threat than Israel was as a

Multitude as a nation was to the one King Pharaoh So that's what

I saw and that's how I see Jesus as the the greater threat to Herod Greater threat to all authority over all and so what what are these three things telling us?

We want to look at Colossians Colossians chapter 1 verses 15 through 20 and and this particular passage

It goes along with point 1 and point 2 that Jesus is the greater signs uses greater Israel, but it encompasses everything

It encompasses of what Everything that we're talking about tonight what we want to pull out of of Matthew and what he's teaching us tonight

That Jesus is the fulfillment and the greater of all these things Colossians chapter 1 verses 15 through 20

He tells us he is the speaking of Jesus. He is the image of the invisible

God the firstborn of all creation There's he's the firstborn of all creation

For by him By Jesus all things were created

Both in heaven in the heavens and on earth There we have that Heavens and earth being put together

With Paul doesn't have that dualistic mentality both in the heavens and on earth

Visible and invisible Whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities

Didn't we talk about that earlier? Whether thrones dominions rulers or authorities all have been created

Through him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together he is also the head of the body the church and He is the beginning the firstborn from the dead so that he himself will come to have first place in everything

For it was the father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in him through him to reconcile

All things to himself whether things on earth or things in heaven

Having made peace through the blood of his cross So what do we learn as the fulfillment of the greater

Son the greater Israel the greater threat We learn that Jesus is

Supreme over all things He's before all things.

He is a creator of all things and through him all things hold together He is over all thrones and dominions and rulers and authorities

Jesus has supremacy over all over everything and we need to honor him as such as Our king as our

Savior the king of our kingdom is also our Savior and We should honor him as such

That's how when we say Jesus is King go live in that victory we live in that victory by honoring the supremacy of Christ his position the position that of Who he is by just his nature who he is by what he earned in his life

Fulfillment of prophecy death and resurrection on the cross from the cross and from the grave He is worthy of our honor of that position of his supremacy

Romans 8 29 says for those whom he foreknew He also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son so that he would be the first born among many brothers and sisters

Now To conclude this how does how does it apply to us? Number one we're gonna start with the greater threat

Jesus was a greater threat and also likewise. We are a greater threat a

A greater threat Than the whole nation of Israel to one

King We are a greater threat because we're in Christ and he was the greater threat, but we ask ourself the question

How how are we a greater threat? How are we a great threat to to someone to to a group of people?

how are we a greater threat because Isn't it our goal?

Isn't it our mission to? Love Aren't we just to love

Yes Yes, we we we love everyone we want to Show love give love we want to share the gospel.

We want to share the truth. Yes What should flow from us is love?

but still we are Despite that we are still

The greater threat we are a threat to an unbelieving world's Self -governing to live.

However, they simply choose to Let me repeat that sentence. We are a threat to an unbelieving world's self -governing to live.

However, they simply choose to Jesus told us that the world hated him So it will also hate us when we no matter how much we love and how much we speak the truth in love

What we're saying the message of the cross the message of Scripture that we proclaim and share with everyone

Our faithfulness to his word absolutely and we're when we're faithful to his word and we we share that truth

What we are in essence saying is that yes, the cross represents

God's love for us but the cross also represents our

Rebellion and our sinfulness and someone had to be punished for that either we will

Suffer that punishment that wrath of God or we will receive God's forgiveness because Christ Endured God's wrath for us on our behalf but the message of the cross is offensive to an unbelieving world because it points out our

Our sinfulness and their sinfulness and We need to pray that God would open their eyes that God will be gracious to them to grant them repentance

And in faith so that they may see their sinfulness as God wants us to see it

But it's an offense to an holy God But those who are blinded and hard -hearted

We are a great threat and That's why it's going to be hard to Seek and obtain unity in our nation

Because our message is one of pointing out

That Christ died for sinners and that we are sinners But only through that message can we find true unity

But up but through that message We are a threat to their

Self -governing Life choosing to live whatever sinful way that they choose to live we are a threat to that And it's going to become even more evident

I think in the near future when Certain Maybe some executive orders are passed or certain laws or bills are passed that Won't they won't forbid people from believing certain things and saying certain things from our

Christian pulpits and then Therefore that will lead to arrests

Because we do not comply to Their their laws and their idea of unity

We may see that in The near future. It's highly possible But we are a great threat because we threat we are we are a threat to Living however, you sinfully choose to Number two

On a more positive note We are we as the greater

Israel in him. We have rest as The greater

Israel he fulfilled all of God's commands We do not have to work to earn or sacrifice to satisfy

God Jesus did all Jesus did it all in his life death and resurrection if you are in him if you're born again

You find rest Rest in his kingship in his kingdom.

He is both our Savior and our King So as the greater Israel he is fulfilled all those covenants

He's the fulfillment all that of all those things. He's the substance of all those things

And so when we when we become When we are in him

We find rest and then number three The Son the greater son in him as sons and we are called sons in Him as sons

We have what he has listen to Listen to 2nd

Timothy chapter 2 verse 12. If we endure we will also reign with him if We deny him.

He will also deny us Romans 8 17 and if children heirs also heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him

Ephesians 1 11 in him. We also have obtained an Inheritance having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things in accordance with his with the plan of his will so We reign with him we are heirs with him and we have an

Inheritance because the the firstborn according to Old Testament tradition They were given a double inheritance.

They were They were to take over as held a head of household when when the the father the patriarch

Died and passed away. They would take over his head of household. Jesus is our firstborn and he is a head of the household

And but also we reign with him being in him we reign with him and we have an

Inheritance in him and we are heirs with him. So we as sons of God as children of God We have what he has

And what a blessing that is and so To be in him

We have to hear that message That message of truth from Scripture as Benjamin says being faithful to the word

We've got to say that we have all sinned. We've all fallen short of God's glory. We've all broken his commands

We've all lied. We've all stolen. We've all committed adultery in our heart. We've all

Dishonored God's name. We've not always kept him first all the time We've never

Not always kept the Sabbath day and kept it holy and And honored

Christ as the Lord of the Sabbath We we've all coveted Every law that there is we are transgressors of that law.

We have disobeyed God and we have Not done things that we were supposed to have done

James chapter 2 verse 10 says if we've kept the whole law and yet Stumble at one point it says we're guilty of it all so before God we have disobeyed we are transgressors of his law and there is a punishment for being lawbreakers and Because he is an eternally holy

God the punishment is eternal and Incredibly awful it's an eternity scripture says in hell a lake of fire and if we do not

Submit to Christ Then we will endure that eternal wrath on Ourselves, but the good news of the gospel is that God sent his only begotten

Son Who is God himself Became fully

God and fully man lived the sinless life. He fulfilled all these commandments He kept them all on our behalf and then he died on the cross to take the punishment that we deserve and Then he rose from the dead.

He ascended to the right hand of the Father He came to the ancient of days as Daniel says Where he sits the right hand of God where he has all authority in heaven and on earth and What he commands us to do is to repent of our sins and trust in Jesus Christ repent and trust in him and Scripture says that when we do that We will we will be taken from death to light from darkness death to life from darkness to light

We will be in him and we can experience this rest We can experience true unity and then we can go out and it's share that gospel

Disciple nations and bring true unity into this world that Christ has commanded us to do

And so if you've not turned to Christ, I would encourage you to do that Amen.

Thank you Jesus Praise the Lord. Thank you, Benjamin. If you've not done that I would encourage you to do that As soon as possible before it's too late turn to Christ Turn from your sins and turn to Christ Thank you for watching

Thank you for being with me. Thank you for sharing God's Word with me. I really appreciate it If I can pray for you, all you have to do is type me

Just let me know let me pray for us and then we will wrap it up for tonight father. We thank you so much

For For your son, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for The the fulfillment of all the prophecy.

Thank you for fit the fulfillment of all things This is giving us the substance of all things

Giving us the knowledge of your son the love of your son Thank you for the sacrifice that he endured for us

Father, thank you for Jesus. We praise you and we worship you and we give all glory and honor to the lamb that was slain

And we're just so thankful we give you praise thank you for the time that you've given us in your word tonight

Father we want to pray for All the individuals that that I've seen on Facebook that were mentioned to me that are battling

COVID That have loved ones fathers Mothers Other loved ones that are in the hospital on ventilators that are battling

COVID and Battling other diseases and sicknesses father. We pray and ask for healing.

We pray and ask for strength We pray and ask and lift up these families to you that you will be glorified that you would help them

That Jesus will be honored That your gospel will go forth and father if healing if healing be in your will for these people

That we're thinking of right now we ask for healing and Father we're so we know that you've given us medicine you've given us all good things and Father many of us are skeptical of where some of these medicines come from and we're untrusting and We pray and ask that You would intervene in such a way that you would

Send us medicines that we can trust from people that we can trust that there's clarity that there's openness

Father we help those who are researching for cancer cures and COVID cures and All the other medical research

We're thankful for what the knowledge that you have given us and but father We pray and ask that you would continue to open the eyes of your creation and how you

How your creation works so that we can preserve and honor life because we are made in your image and we want to we want to Honor and bless the lives that you have given us by Treating and healing our bodies and we

We do not want to fail to give you all the credit and honor and glory whether healing comes from a miraculous

Effort on on your part or it comes from Medicine that you have given us.

We give you all the credit and honor and glory because all good things Come from you and you deserve the credit and the glory

So we want to continue to pray for our Emergency workers our firemen our

EMTs our police our Military our soldiers and we lift them up to you.

We ask your blessings on their family Thank you for the courage that you give them. We ask you protect them We keep them safe, and we do want to pray for our new leaders

That you've given us here in America Father will you open their hearts and their minds that they may

Submit to you as King and Therefore Make decisions that glorify you and love their neighbor

And we pray all these things in Jesus name. Amen Thank you guys for watching.

I really really appreciate it Again if I can pray for you at any time, all you have to do is just type me and I'll see that and Love to be able to pray for you.

Hope you have a good night. Remember that Jesus is King Let's go live in that victory and let's continue to get out there and proclaim the gospel together.