This sermon reflects on Matthew 2:13-23, often called the “Massacre of the Innocents,” reminding us that Christ’s coming entered a world already marked by sin, violence, and suffering. While Christmas celebrations often focus on peace and joy, Matthew reveals a harder truth: Jesus is born into a broken world where evil resists God’s reign. Through the flight to Egypt, the massacre of the innocents, and the return to Nazareth, Matthew shows three fulfilled prophecies that reveal God’s sovereign plan at work even amid tragedy. The villain of the story is not God, but human sin, fully displayed in Herod’s brutality. Yet God is not absent or indifferent. He is actively redeeming, guiding, and protecting. Jesus does not avoid the mess of the world but enters it fully, bringing a new Exodus and a greater hope. Even when darkness seems to prevail, God’s purposes cannot be stopped, and His kingdom will ultimately triumph.

((Audio Only))

STUDY GUIDE

1. Why does Matthew’s account of Jesus’ early life feel so different from the traditional Christmas story we often tell?
2. What does Pastor mean by calling Matthew 2:13–23 the “shadow side of Christmas”?
3. How does understanding Christmas as a season (not just a day) shape the way we read difficult passages like this one?
4. Why is it important to recognize that the villain in this passage is human sin rather than God?
5. How can this passage be used to confront the common questions about God’s goodness and the presence of evil?
6. What do the three fulfilled prophecies in this passage reveal about God’s sovereignty and faithfulness?
7. How does this text challenge sanitized or overly sentimental views of Christmas?
8. Where do you see evidence in your own life or world that Jesus enters into the mess rather than avoiding it?
9. How does this passage give hope and “staying strength” as we wait for Christ’s second Advent?

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

Matthew 2:1
Matthew 2:13-23
Genesis 6:5-6
Isaiah 55:8
Hosea 11:1
Jeremiah 31:15-17
Romans 8:28