The Weekly Perspective
by Burke Shade, Associate Pastor
“Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” That’s absolutely true. Not just for the reason that the Second Person of the Trinity, the Son, took on human flesh to die in our place and bear God’s wrath on our part, but also because beyond that, Jesus ascended to heaven to rule the world—the whole world! That’s because Christmas leads to his passion, death, resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost.
So “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” Not only for yourself and family and joy in feasting and shopping and giving gifts to one another as God gave the gift of his Son for us (John 3:16), but also for all your relatives and friends and work acquaintances. They need to hear that Jesus not only saves sinners, but is ruling the world, all of it, every square inch. They need to be called by you to worship the true God, not some idolatrous substitute. They also need to understand that “Jesus is Lord,” not just some great teacher or buddy or wise guy.
This fact wasn’t lost on Herod. When he heard the question the Magi asked, “Where is he who was born king of the Jews,” he immediately saw this as a threat to his own governmental power and rulership over Israel and Rome, since he shared both roles. He probably understood Daniel 2 was being fulfilled in his day.
What was his reaction? To try to kill Jesus! By becoming a new Pharaoh, he sought to kill all the new baby boys in Israel two and under! But Just as Pharaoh failed, so did Herod. (Herod’s story is after the birth, but when Gabriel appeared to Mary, he said that Jesus would “be the son of the Most High,” “rule on the throne of his father David… and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1.30-31).)
Jesus is the Reason for the Seaon,” but also “the Ruler of the World’s Season”!