Flee to the Savior who died so you might live.

 

Sermon for Christmas 2, January 4, 2026

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  Amen.

Matthew 2:16-18  ¹⁶When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Wise Men, he was furious.  He issued orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under.  This was in keeping with the exact time he had learned from the Wise Men.  ¹⁷Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: ^{18 “}A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” (EHV)

The Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill.

What does this mean?  We should fear and love God, so that we do no bodily harm to our neighbor, but help and befriend him in every need.

Flee to the Savior who died so you might live.

Dear fellow redeemed,

Martin Luther began his explanation of each of the Ten Commandments with the same phrase, “We should fear and love God.”  To fear God has two intents.  First, it means to be terrified of God’s justice for God has declared that “The soul who sins is the one who will die.” (Ezekiel 18:20)  Therefore, remaining in that sin, and without trust in the Redeemer and Savior, leads to eternal death in the depths of hell for all eternity, because Jesus plainly explained, “the one who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18)

The second way we should fear God is to marvel at His mercy and have complete confidence in God’s grace.  As believers, we gaze upon God’s majesty and kindness with awe and respect.  In this fear, His Word is “a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105)  “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.  It penetrates even to the point of dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, even being able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

We love God when we live according to His will, when we trust His mercy and grace, and when we demonstrate our love for God with how we serve those around us, both friend and enemy alike.  At the same time, we live with confidence in God’s promises knowing that He is always true to His Word and works all things for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)  Out of confidence in God’s love for us, our love is not limited to mere emotion but is willingly active in doing our best for others.

Now, obviously, Herod had neither type of fear of God nor did He love God.  While Herod may have believed he was acting reasonably since he was protecting his authority as king of Judea, he obviously erred in that as well, for while God gives government the authority of the sword to maintain order in society and to punish those who do evil, that does not at all mean indiscriminate murder is allowed.  Certainly, God’s judgment awaited Herod in the end.

Today, there is much misunderstanding of the Fifth Commandment in our world.  Some want to make it extend to the killing of animals pretending that no animal should be slaughtered for food or made to suffer even the slightest indignity.  Other people boldly pretend that murder is acceptable if the victim is weak, helpless, or a burden to society, parents, or even children.  I suspect Herod fell into this category as he considered his desires justified whatever means he used to achieve his goals.

So, where does this leave us?  I wonder how many people just like us assume they are innocent of murder, because they haven’t actually killed anyone personally?  Perhaps, we too have fallen into that fantasy.  God’s Fifth Commandment certainly is intended to protect the body and life of every person.  Yet, that includes protecting everything about us.  Therefore, if anything is ever done or said that causes another person bodily harm, that is a violation of this command.  Jesus declared that even our anger and hurtful words can make us guilty of murder.  St. John warned in his first epistle, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.” (1 John 3:15)

When we truly understand the depth of God’s command, we see that every hurtful action or word is a violation worthy of judgment.  Thus, if we have ever said or done anything that caused another person to doubt the value of his or her life, if we have ever exposed ourselves to danger or harm through foolish choices, if we have ever desired vengeance for some perceived hurt, if we have supported evil, if we have ever taken a chance that exposed us to danger of losing our life, or if we have ever considered taking our own life, we have broken God’s command.  Left on our own, there so many sins that violate this command and lead us to feeling some horrible guilt.

King Herod brought a terrible hurt upon the people around Bethlehem.  The prophet foretold this slaughter, “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”  Every death causes someone anguish, but every untimely death, and every life wickedly snatched out of God’s mercy gives special grief and sorrow.  Therefore, we should and must Flee to the Savior who died so you might live.

To live boldly in this troubled world, and to be set free from the guilt we all must confess, we need Jesus.  To protect the infant Jesus from Herod’s murderous schemes, God commanded Joseph to take his family and flee to Egypt until Herod was no longer a threat.  Later in life, however, Jesus willingly went to Jerusalem when He knew His enemies there were scheming to kill Him.  He willingly went to the cross without complaint, because it was God’s purpose and Jesus’ will that He should sacrifice His life to save those of us who deserved death.

As the Lord and Giver of Life, Jesus certainly had the authority and the right to sentence every sinner to eternal punishment in hell, but while God is a just God, He does not willingly seek to destroy.  Rather, even though vengeance belongs to the Lord, His mercy and love shine through in Jesus.

When King David was guilty of great sin, including a contract killing of his faithful soldier, Uriah the Hittite, and Nathan, the prophet, exposed David’s guilt, David correctly judged himself worthy of death.  However, with David’s confession of guilt, God provided mercy.  The prophet told the condemned David, “The Lord himself has put away your sin.” (2 Samuel 12:13)  However, God didn’t just ignore David’s guilt, nor did He ignore yours or mine.  Rather, God transferred all the guilt of all our sins, shortcomings, and faults to His own dear Son, Jesus, so that justice would be satisfied, and the guilty ones could be forgiven.

It is so common in our world that, just like David tried at first, people want to hide their guilt and shame so that no one else may see it.  Murderers go to great lengths to try to hide the evidence.  More subtle killers, as in the abortion industry, try to hide the guilt by justifying the actions as needed to help someone out of a complicated situation.  Bullies and abusers try to blame the injured party.  None of this leads to forgiveness and life.  That is why in repentance, we Flee to the Savior who died so you might live.

St. Paul wrote, “We urge you, on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him, who did not know sin, to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)  There is no way for those of us who are guilty to reconcile ourselves to God.  We deserve His condemnation.  But God is more than justice.  He is love and peace and righteousness, and He calls us to repentance.  Through His prophet, Isaiah, we hear God’s invitation, “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord.  “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow.  Though they are as red as crimson, they will be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)  By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah later wrote, “He poured out his life to death, and he let himself be counted with rebellious sinners.  He himself carried the sin of many, and he intercedes for the rebels.” (Isaiah 53:12)

As Jesus was whipped and abused, and as He hung on the cross for your guilt, His scarlet blood was washing away everything that stained your relationship with God.  Therefore, as baptized children, washed clean in the water and Word of Baptism and granted faith by the work of the Holy Spirit there, God now sees you as the righteousness Jesus lived for you.  Through faith in Jesus, God sees you and me as though we have lived the life of holiness Jesus lived all His days on earth, and in that faith in Jesus, the Father has adopted and claimed us as His own beloved children.

Throughout all His years on earth, Jesus never desired vengeance on His enemies.  In fact, when He knew Judas was intending to betray Him, Jesus gave many opportunities to bring the traitor to repentance.  As the devil schemed to steal the disciples from Jesus’ care, The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, pay attention: Satan has asked to have you all, so that he may sift you as wheat.  But I prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have returned to me, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)  Finally, as Jesus was being unjustly nailed to the cross for sins which He did not commit, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)  As much as for the soldiers driving the nails, and the crowds who shouted for His death, Jesus was praying this prayer for me and you.  He has been interceding for us with His Father ever since, and that will continue until all God’s children are safely home in His kingdom of heaven.

Therefore, dear friends, whenever you feel your guilt, or should the devil try to tempt you with despair, or when you have to face death, whether prematurely or at a great age, put your trust and hope in Jesus.  Flee to the Savior who died so you might live.  Amen.

Now to the King eternal, to the immortal, invisible, only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen.