The people who missed Christmas
Today we are going to look at the first Grinch – His name is Herod

Matthew 2:1-2 “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:3-8 “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
Matthew 2:13-16 “When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.”
Herod was a great politically, but he was a horrible husband:
• He married ten times
• Those he felt threatened by he killed
Who Herod put to death in his family:
• Wife Mariamne
• Mother-in-law Alexandra
• Antipater – First wife’s son (His first son)
• Alexander – Son
• Aristobulus – Son
• Aristobulus – Brother-in-law (High Priest that he appointed) had him drowned
Why did Herod miss Christmas? Fear
He built great palaces

Timeline of Christmas:
• When did December 25 start being celebrated as Christmas? Middle of 4th century
• When did BC/ AD start? Invented in 525 BC, but not widely used until 9th century
• When was the Census of Quirinius? 6 BC
• When did King Herod die? 4 BC
Does fear get in your way of meeting Jesus?
What can we be afraid of losing?
• Comfort
• Selfishness
• Control
• Fun
• Time
• Entertainment