Matthew 2

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (2:2). The King born in a manger was worshiped by Magi but despised by those in power (7,8,16). In the face of threats from the Roman empire and the disapproval of religious leaders, God did not need armies or weapons to protect his Son. Instead, Jesus’ birth involved angelic hosts and a star, and the Magi were warned about Herod in a dream (12). Joseph had two more angelic dreams (13,19), telling him to take the child Jesus to Egypt and eventually to Nazareth.

“For out of you will come a ruler” (6). Jesus’ kingdom is “not of this world”. To follow him, we must choose God’s way, God’s power, God’s rule.