Can we really believe this story?

Message Title: The First Coming of Christ – The Young Child Lives & Herod Dies!
Message Text: Matthew 2:1-23

• PDF First coming of Christ – the Child Lives and Herod dies Matthew 2-1-23 120813 HANDOUT ONE
• PDF First coming of Christ – the Child Lives and Herod dies Matthew 2-1-23 120813 HANDOUT TWO

Only God could or would do this:

• He decided to come to Earth as a human infant.
• He chose a time when a pagan emperor ruled the world, a troubled king ruled the region of his birth and the dominant religious body of the day was opposed to him.

What was God thinking?

In God’s plan …

• Every powerful political and religious force was being directed and prepared by the rulers of the darkness of this age to stop at all costs the young Child – Jesus Christ – from being born and carrying out his mission on the planet. 
• God’s team to carry out his plan consisted of a teenage virgin named Mary and a young carpenter named Joseph.
• Per the divine plan Mary would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Christ Child.
• However the evil king had inside information by which he planned to use to find and kill the young Christ Child.

The only way we can believe this story is to understand that God is God. Sovereign Lord, God Most High of the universe. All he needed to defeat the forces of darkness both heavenly and earthly were a faithful, believing young woman and a good, just man to stand by her.

What was God thinking? Love. For God so loved … Remember? God was going to bring salvation to humankind as only God can.

The evil king plotted to kill the young Child and everything possible was on his side. Except God. For Mary and Joseph, everything was stacked against them. Except God.

The end of this part of the saga?
The young Child lives and goes on to fulfill his mission. And Herod, the big, bad wolf, evil king, puppet for the devil, is dead.