Matthew 2:3-5

³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴ and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

When Herod heard about a newborn king, it troubled him as well as all those who lived in Jerusalem. We can understand why Herod would be troubled. Sounds like his rule is threatened. But why Jerusalem? Because Herod's insecurity and paranoia often manifested itself in violent forms. Earlier in his reign, Herod had members of his own family killed, out of fear that they were seeking to take his throne. Included in that number were a few of his own sons! That's why the emperor Augustine supposedly once quipped, "I'd rather be Herod's pig than his son." This human king was a self-centered, ruthless tyrant. Now compare hiim with King Jesus. He didn't come with a lot of pomp and circumstance. He came simply. Born in a manger in Bethlehem. And waht kind of King is Jesus? He's the kind that lays His life down for His enemies rather than seeking to take theirs. He poured outr His life so that we might have life. I think the old hymn captures it well, "Amazing love, how can it be that thou my King shouldst die for me?" The advent season is about rejoicing in King Jesus. There truly is no one like Him.

• If Jesus is such a good King, how does that help us when we really want to be in control?

• Knowing that Jesus is such a good King, who is a person in your life who needs you to tell him/her about Him?