Rev. Ho-Ming Tsui
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18
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1. Recognize there is a war always brewing in our hearts
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?
—Genesis 3:1
For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts of lust, theft, murder, adultery, wanting what belongs to others, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and all other folly. All these vile things come from within…
—Mark 7:21-23
For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
—Romans 8:7-8
Christmas is a story about a King coming to:
(1) rescue his people from sin
(2) re-shape their hearts toward God
(3) renew their lives
The human heart has the propensity to create controllable gods (kings) that we like.
The result? Our priorities are out of sequence.
St. Augustine’s prayer: “Set love in order in me.”
See Matthew 11:25-30. Do you see the beauty of what Jesus is offering?
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2. True peace comes when we surrender our hearts to the Prince of Peace
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
—Isaiah 9:6
The Kingship of Jesus is unlike any other.
Those who are saved are those who can see the hidden beauty of God’s ways.
