I. Introduction
A. There was a real grinch. He was known as Herod the Great. He was the villain of the Christmas story. He’s the one who tried to kill the baby Jesus and in doing so slaughtered a number of little children in Bethlehem.
II. Herod’s knowledge of Jesus
A. From the Bible’s record, it seems only a few people knew that this baby Jesus was sent from God.
1. Mary knew from the angel Gabriel. Joseph knew from a dream.
2. Zacharias & Elizabeth knew from Gabriel’s temple visit, John's prenatal leap and from the HS.
3. The unborn baby John the Baptist also found out from the Holy Spirit, as did Simeon and Anna.
4. The shepherds heard about it from the angels on the hills outside Bethlehem.
5. We’re not sure exactly how the magi knew, but they did. But there’s one more.
B. What about King Herod? Did Herod know that Jesus was from God?
1. I think the Scriptures clearly indicate that he did. Let me tell you why.
2. When Herod found out from the magi that a baby had been born who was to be the king of the Jews, he didn’t laugh it off. He was very disturbed. He immediately began making plans to get rid of this newborn. Why would he do that if he didn’t believe the child was from God?
3. Then when Herod wanted to find out where the Child was, where did he go?
a. He went to the "chief priests and scribes of the people."
b. He went to the experts in the Scriptures to find out what the Scriptures taught about where the Messiah was to be born. (Their answer? Bethlehem, as it says in Micah 5:2.)
4. What does this tell us about Herod?
a. It tells us clearly that Herod knew that this was the child that the OT prophets had spoken about! He knew that this child was really from God!
5. And then when Herod was trying to ascertain the exact time that Jesus was born, where did he go to get that information?
a. Matt.2:7 says he "secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared."
6. Herod believed that this new star had been placed in the sky in order to signal the birth of this holy Child. He knew this Child was from God!
C. And yet did all this knowledge change Herod's determination to kill Jesus? Not at all. Did this make Herod want to join the magi in welcoming this child from God? Far from it. He wanted to kill Him.
1. Herod did not dispute the divine origin of Jesus, he only tried to thwart the divine plan.
2. Did it matter to Herod that he was trying to fight against God Himself? Apparently not.
3. How much do you have to hate someone to kill a whole group of innocent people in hopes he will be among the others? That’s why Herod did. A baby, who hadn’t done anything yet! But Herod aimed his irrational fury and loathing at Him.
4. Herod was the beginning of something we read in the Christmas story, when Simeon prophesied about Jesus: “This child is appointed for...a sign to be opposed.” (Luke 2:34)
5. But this was something spoken from the beginning. Genesis 3:15 where God said He would put enmity between the offspring of Satan and promised offspring of the woman.
III. This opposition reached a climax when Jesus grew up. when they trumped up charges and crucified Him, not in spite of who He was but because of who He was.
A. And it continues today, even in our so-called tolerant society. There are many who know the truth, who deep down inside know who Jesus is and know the Bible is true, who are moved by that knowledge not to worship him but to resist Him at best and attack him at worst.
IV. But the Bible doesn’t tell us about Herod the Great so we can believe in grinches.
A. The Bible doesn’t tell us about Herod the Great because it wants us to see his wickedness. It tells us about Herod the Great so we could see his weakness when he dares to attack the Lord’s anointed.
B. The Bible tells us about Herod the Great so we can believe in Jesus the Greater!
C. We read this story and we are frightened of a king who would kill innocent children so heartlessly.
1. But who was frightened in the story? It was Herod, wasn’t it? He was frightened of the child.
2. Was this silly? Not at all. Herod was right. He saw something others didn’t see. He knew that the baby Jesus was the biggest threat to His reign and stature. He was right to be afraid of Jesus.
3. To most folks, the baby Jesus looked like a helpless infant. Why would a mighty king fear a little baby?
4. But Herod knew the child was from God, and that’s why he was so scared. He thought maybe he could dispose of Him while He was little.
V. There are many grinches like Herod the Great in this world, many who would like to thwart the purposes of God, many who try to destroy God’s kingdom, many who try to discredit His holy word. But there is nothing which is going to stop Him from redeeming His people.
A. The LORD of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.” – Isaiah 14:24
B. Job 42:2 No purpose of His can be thwarted.
C. The gates of hell cannot prevail against the church Christ is building! (Matt.16:18)
D. Numbers 23:19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
VI. This attitude of Herod – plotting against God and His Messiah – is described well in Psalm 2.
A. Psalm 2 the kings of the earth all in a hissy fit trying to conspire against the Lord and against His messiah. What does God do?
B. Is God afraid? I mean, they’re conspiring to dethrone Him! The most powerful men on earth were engaging in a full assault on Him.
C. “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.” (v.4)
1. God isn’t hunkered down in the basement shuddering with fear, He’s laughing at them.
2. Those grinches and Herods don’t stand a chance!
D. Eventually, the psalm warns the rulers of the earth: “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.” (v.10-12)
1. God is not concerned about His own safety. He’s concerned about the safety of the attackers.
E. There was one time when He was defeated — or so it appeared. His followers fretting & despaired.
1. But His greatest victory was through that loss. For God’s power was made perfect in His weakness.
F. Brothers and sisters, we need to do less fretting and despairing about the things in this world, and more resting and rejoicing in the things of Christ.
1. We may feel like a persecuted minority, but if God is for us, who can be against us?
2. “He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.” 1John 4:4
3. Our Jesus is the King of all kings, and the Lord of all lords.
4. We’re not the ones who have something to be afraid of. Christ is our Friend and our Savior.
5. The One who rules the world lives in our hearts.
6. Near the end of The Last Battle, Queen Lucy says: “In our world too, a Stable once had something inside it that was bigger than the whole world.”
G. Read “This Little Babe”