Matthew 2:13-18

Speaking Truth in Love and Returning to Matthew 2

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 we're 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 I like to be able to pray for you if I can so if I can pray for you, all you have to do is Type me and I'll see that if you watch the video later.

All you have to do is type me. I'll see that. And I'd love to be able to pray for you. You don't have to say what's going on or Any details all you have to do is type me the Lord knows the situation. And I know I've heard and seen prayer requests today, I know of a Person in our community the Husband a father that passed away This morning or last night that we want to remember that family in prayer.

Another another community member Is is in the hospital battling complications with with kovat and I know that I've seen other requests. I received one earlier this evening about a family friend who is Battling kovat and with with being in the hospital in the ventilator.

So we want to remember all those folks our loved ones and our friends and our family That are battling these things. So I want to be able to pray for you. All you have to do is type me and I'm sure Anybody else who watches the this video?

Any other brother and sister in Christ that sees you type me? Just like me. They want to be able to pray for you. So know that When someone sees your request that your your request will be prayed for you will be prayed for and It is what such a wonderful thing that we can do that for each other.

Let us know if we can pray for you if you're watching I'd love to know That you are watching just like Chuck. I'd love to to hear from you. So Let me know that you're watching say hello. Say hi. Ask a question.

I'll stop whatever I'm doing and and Try to discuss your question your topic whatever you want to talk about the floor can always be yours and We'll go whatever direction that you would want to go to but I'd love to know that you're watching and Yeah, just let me know that you're watching say hello, it's so encouraging to me to know that that You're joining with me as we looking to God's Word and I know what I was going to say.

The program that I'm using I'm streaming to three different locations. Live right now on the truth and love page my personal page and then on YouTube. So all the comments are coming to one central location here on the laptop so if you see me reply to Someone's comment it may and but you don't see it.

It may be from a different venue than then what where you're watching. So just keep that in mind let me know that you're watching say hello and love to hear from you or And tackle your questions or your comments.

Politics, Unity, and the Need for Christ

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 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 that has held that office as as long as we've been alive.

I'm sure that you've done that as long as as I have.

Um.

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, um, I.

Want to pray for our. Our leaders and our president our vice president and 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.

Um.

We definitely want to do that. Pray for our nation pray for our neighbors.

Um.

And I guess I can I guess I can go ahead and make um, just a few personal comments. Um, you know, it doesn't matter it doesn't matter who the 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 um.

Any speech that has been made or any speech that's going to be made, uh, we listen to those speeches and um. And it doesn't matter uh, which side they come from which political party they come from, you know, we we listen to their words and um,.

It.

Whatever party they come from or represent they use words. That um, 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.

Um, 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 because it sounds good.

Um.

And despite who it is saying those words and 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 um. And sometimes those words Despite what their true meaning is, um.

They are defined by whomever is is reciting those words.

Um.

Whoever the majority is or um. 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 ask myself the question.

Wait.

What what do they mean by those words? What is the definition? Uh, how are they using that word? What do they what do they mean by that? Um, we we heard we heard words today like unity.

And.

Fight fighting for unity. Oh Um, and i'm not making direct quotes or exact quotes just kind of paraphrasing on kind of what I remembered.

Um.

You know a fight for unity in this nation.

Um.

Headed up by our 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 um This leadership wants to go um. Whether we think we are or whether we Think we should be Categorized a certain way. Um, just because of what we believe in and and what we stand for.

Um.

Which which may have nothing to do with um 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 um in this this proclamation of unity, um. And I don't know. I don't know how how often this is going to come out. I don't know who I was going to say this, but it needs to be said.

That.

Unity and and the 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. Um. It sounds good to our ears and we want to be unified and of course we don't want violence we we want love.

And we want to to come together. And so yes, it sounds wonderful and it sounds good and we we love to hear that language of unity. Um being proclaimed from from our leadership. Because we we don't want violence.

We we don't want harm. We don't want um, we don't want to see uh things being destroyed, um 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.

Um.

Our our new president say. Give some certain examples of things that that we do. Um.

All.

Agree on and 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 a smart comment today that that um. You know. Disagreement and and I can't remember the exact quote but disagreement.

Um.

Does not mean that did he use the word dissent?

Um.

Disagreement does not mean that we have to um, you know have animosity towards one another, you know, that's a beautiful thing about america. We can Um have different opinions and still love one another.

Um, you know, that's the whole reason that we have uh, 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 the better idea the better goal. And and so that's why that is all set up.

Um.

And so this this unity that we want to see in congress or or senate in in government or in america to to some degree we we want to keep.

A.

Form of divisiveness between us so that the better idea comes out in the end. Um. You know, we do want to see them, uh 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 Comes out of it and we move forward with that better idea and better goal.

Um.

But ultimately ultimately That goal is never going to be reached. By that method or or that standard that is that is coming from Um 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 want 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 to.

Get rid of you know violence and hatred that's what we want but ultimately It's not going to happen. It is not going to 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. That is 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 the video from the um, 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.

Um.

The the benediction from the prayer today.

Was.

Wasn't much better when he closed his prayer in um, And I I can't remember the exact quote from him either but he closed his prayer in um in the name of our common faiths. He stood up there and prayed to nobody then.

Because there's only one one true living god and it's the it's the triune god of the bible he's he's the only one true living god and there's no such there's no such god as the the the common.

Um.

Faith.

Our common faith that doesn't exist. So he stood up there and prayed to no one and again, uh Up there praying nationally was supposed to be a a christian minister and so that is so sad that um, jesus's name is not in in vote or or god's name is is not in vote, but it's a It's a unity of our face.

Our common face we 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 going to be considered divisive.

And um, 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 um, 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. Um.

Amen.

Benjamin, uh, thank you for joining me. I appreciate you watching appreciate you chiming in. Um. 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?

Um.

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 form this. Um. Union and call themselves the moral majority. We need god more than ever. Absolutely. Absolutely. Benjamin I need god more than ever. Um, 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 um at the end of jerry falwell's life, I think I you know, this is not I I haven't seen this written so I can't directly quote it from a sorcerer book but I I think I heard.

So I apologize and please forgive me to anybody that.

Uh.

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.

Um 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.

I don't know. 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 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 um 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. Um, they're People that are going to get in the office that are not.

Um.

For our interest and so when when our interest group failed to.

To.

Get enough support have enough Um candidates in there or 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 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 we've got to we've got to get out of this, you know dualistic mindset. Um, Benjamin says we need to display a more sincere effort to show non-believers how Jesus loves. Absolutely Absolutely. Um. And that looks Loose and comes across differently sometimes, you know, um.

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 um. Service ministries, you know, um, there's secular groups out there that You can donate blood to.

There's secular groups out there that build homes for for needy people. There's secular groups. There's all kinds of secular groups that that give blankets to folks that that do.

Um.

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. Um, so there 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. Um, that's my take. Um,.

All right.

And that's kind of how I see it.

Jesus Is King in Matthew 2:13-18

So, uh.

Uh, where was I? Okay. Jesus is king. Jesus is king. Um 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. Um. On 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 um, Jesus is just a spiritual king or jesus is just. Right now he's just the king of the church and one day he's going to 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 uh.

He has all power dominion over it and so we we need to submit to him and so.

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. Um so we need to uh, uh, it seems like for the longest time now that we've had this dualistic mindset that um, We want to evangelize we want to share with with folks the gospel.

And and.

Our role here on this planet is just a a spiritual one. And whatever happens in the government whatever happens with our leadership. You you know, we just have to live with it. Um, and. 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.

Um.

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 of what is preached as our christian duty or role in the political realm.

But if if jesus has kingship and dominion and power over over all things. And he has all authority has been given to him in heaven and on earth go and make disciples of all Nations. And scripture says that he is going to um to shatter all nations.

Only his kingdom is going to stand. Um.

We we.

Need to encourage alongside. We we don't need to give up our gospel effort our evangelistic effort. We we don't need to we need to continue to pursue that with with all of our um heart and soul to to um.

To recall what our new president said today have our whole soul into it.

Um.

Evangelize. Make disciples share the gospel. That's what we need to do. But we need to encourage. More than just be in a special interest group. We need to um 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 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 nations share the gospel and evangelize.

And um. That's that's just my two pennies worth and uh, love to hear your thoughts if you have any about it. Uh, 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 um.

You know that.

Our nation is going to continue to to spiral because as I said earlier It's just going to 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 going to find it apart from christ. It's just not going to happen. Benjamin says people are always afraid of what they don't understand. Or 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'll probably I may mention it. I may not. Uh, but I need to move from that to um looking at scripture tonight we're going to be in Matthew chapter 2 if you have your bibles and you want to uh, Join along benjamin says we can show people how jesus speaks to us.

Absolutely, and that's what I want to do. Uh tonight and 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 um Matthew chapter 2 we're going to look at verses, uh, 13 13 through 18 Matthew chapter 2 13 through 18 and and again, the reason i'm going in matthew and and looking at matthew is because I've used this phrase for a while now at the end of the videos.