[Herod] sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When

you find him, report to me, so that I may also go and worship him.”

Matthew 2:8

Kings and presidents and rulers of this world have no time for the Christ child. Sure, they may

make a pretense of worship once a year by attending a Christmas service in some high profile

church. But a month later, they make the same pretense in a mosque or synagogue or buddhist

temple. The political expediency for a pretense of unity is far more important in their leadership

role than standing for the truths of scripture.

In their minds, Christ is simply an inconvenient truth. Christ does not win them votes. Christ

does not gain them influence with other world leaders. Christ does not make them popular or

powerful. Christ is simply, at best, an afterthought in their day to day lives. They are ashamed of

the gospel and of the One who was bloodied and beaten and crucified for them.

Herod was one such worldly ruler. He made the false pretense of saying he wanted to worship

the Christ child. But Herod had no place for repentance; for confession, contrition, and faith.

The Christ child was a threat to Herod’s position and power. Herod was a common Arab, an

Idumaean, with no blood right to be the King of the Jews. Far from wanting to worship Jesus,

Herod sought to murder Him because He was a legitimate threat to his illegitimate kingship.

Jesus' birth was simply an inconvenient truth for Herod.

This is the world into which we are born. There are no true agnostics sitting on the fence

between belief and unbelief. You either worship the Christ child, or you worship yourself. You

either seek to know His kingdom and His righteousness, or you try to build your own kingdom

apart from Him. You either bow your will to His in this life, or you will be forced to bow to His

Kingship in the life to come.

God places this year this question before us: Are you ashamed of the Gospel? Is there

anything which will come in between you and the peace God wants to bring to you through

Christ? Is there anything which will come between you and sharing that peace with others?

Empowered by the Good News we have in Christ, let us not live a life of shame in this new year.

Let us return to the cross and empty tomb for strength and courage to apply the Gospel to our

own lives and to use it to push back against the darkness of our world. We are God’s

workmanship created anew to do just that. Blessings as you stand for Christ,

Frank Van Brocklin

Principal/Staff Minister

Coming up this week at Immanuel Lutheran School:

❖ Tuesday, January 10 End of Second Quarter

❖ Friday, January 13 AR Ice Skating Field Trip