In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the significance of Jesus shedding his blood as a proof of his commitment to his words. The sermon references the story of Rachel weeping for her children and the mourning and refusal to be comforted that followed. The preacher also highlights the rejoicing in heaven when the souls of those who died for Jesus came home. The sermon concludes by warning believers about the presence of "herods" or enemies seeking to destroy Jesus and the importance of remaining vigilant against such threats.

Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity once again to gather together around your word. Please, Lord, speak to us through your Holy Word and through your Holy Spirit. Reveal to us, Lord, heavenly mysteries. That we might be a people walking in your ways continually. Amen. Let's read our text from Matthew chapter 2. From the 7th verse. Then Herod... Sorry, that's Matthew 2 verse 7. 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 make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me that I too may go and worship him. After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. When they came to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. He said, Get up, 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. 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. 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. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet Jeremiah. A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because they are no more. Let's end reading there. I don't know what kind of a Christmas you had. How did you celebrate it? Now in Zulu literally they say, you eat Christmas. Now there are things of this world and there are also spiritual things. Is there something good that you have received spiritually? That God has blessed you with these days? I would be so happy if those who hadn't yet found the Lord Jesus and received Him would do so. Or would have done so. And those who had received Him, that they would be newly blessed and in a refreshed way. Now the Magi from the east came to bow down to this child. God had sent a star in the heavens. And the Magi saw that and they said well that indicates that a king has been born. And we can't go into the details as to how they realized that it was a king. The important thing is they left from where they were and they went there. And they brought gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And after they had traveled a long distance on their camels, their mind was distracted or their mind distracted them. They followed their mind. They followed their logic, their mind and their mind told them that this king should be born not in Queenstown or Kingstown but there in Jerusalem. And so they went to King Herod inquiring of him where is the one born king to the Jews. They thought everybody would be overjoyed and as happy as they were. Jesus descended from heaven and entered into that pure young virgin Mary who brought him into this world being a pure virgin. And God had spoken to Mary and she said let it be to me, may it be to me according to the word of my Lord. And may his will be done and so Jesus was conceived in Mary. And so these Magi went to the king, to the palace because when a king is born you expect him to be born in a royal household. Now it's like that with us as well, when heavenly mysteries have been revealed to us. When the Lord has been born in our hearts and we experience that new birth we want everybody to know about it, we want to spread that news and we think everybody will rejoice with us. And we go to everyone sharing this news with them thinking everyone will rejoice together with us. In the meantime it's not like that. They thought Herod would rejoice that it would be like Christmas for him. In the meantime Herod was an utter hypocrite. He was an old fox and they asked of him where is the one born king to the Jews. And so he called together the people's chief priests and teachers of the law asking them where the Christ was to be born. Well they didn't get the answer. He also called some of these other wise men and enchanters and they didn't get the answer. Then he called the chief priests and the teachers of the law. Then he called the chief priests and the teachers of the law. And so these scribes and teachers of the law said that he will be born in Bethlehem. And so Herod said well now I know where he's going to be born. There in Bethlehem not here in Jerusalem. And he said now I'm sending you go and do make a careful search for the child and go and do research and bring me back all the details as to when the star appeared how everything went where the child was born because I too want to go and worship him. In the meantime Herod was nothing else but an old fox. And he said it's so wonderful that you came. Really I'm so happy that you came and you brought me this news because this great event almost went unnoticed so please go and go and find out and then bring back a report to me. And so the Magi left really impressed with the king and the wonderful way in which he had received them and saying oh he's so happy about this and all of Jerusalem. In the meantime they were being deceived. The whole of Jerusalem was troubled. And then as they went on their way God saw that they will get lost again maybe they'll get to Bethlehem and then they'll go and ask of the overseer there or the official there where this king is to be born. Maybe they would go to the posh houses maybe they'd go to the best hotels and see if he was born there but they wouldn't find him there. Do you think they would have fought to go and seek for him there in a stable finding him in a manger amongst the hay? Never. So God said let me send that star ahead of them again. If they would have got to the holiday inn and inquired of him and would have then been told he's down there in the stable they would have said don't play the fool of us. How can a king be born there in a stable? The king of kings amongst the cattle where there's cattle dung and hay etc. Where there's no midwife. Your first child. Mary had no experience as to bringing a child into the world. But God was with her and everything went well. So she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and placed him there in the manger. Joseph had prepared a place made it as comfortable as possible with some hay and placed some clothes on there and then they placed the child in the manger. And the angel went ahead of them and the star led them until it went and it stood still above the stable. Where they found Joseph and Mary and the child in the manger. And they were overjoyed and they brought forth all their treasures and their gifts of gold of incense and of myrrh. And they bowed down to the child. After they had seen the child they wanted to go back again. But then God spoke to these wise men and warned them in a dream and they were truly wise men because they could hear God's voice. And God warned them in a dream and they could discern that this was a dream with a meaning. Don't go back the same way that you came and don't dare go back to Herod but rather return to your country via another route. And when they had gone an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt and remain there until I tell you. For Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him. Now you men pay attention to this. Joseph was an amazing man. He got up right there in the middle of the night. He woke up and he got up. He said, Mary we are leaving immediately. Mary was a pure virgin and she found favour in God's sight and she was loved of Him. didn't get up and say oh Joseph you know you're really inconsiderate now this is the most impotent inopportune time let's rather wait till the morning because you ladies you really know how to twist the men around your fingers and how to speak Joseph didn't either also get up and asked of his wife of Mary saying lovey or darling what do you think about this what should we do now we were visited some time ago quite a while ago by an Afrikaner couple many years ago by an Afrikaner couple and now he would call her Mylamiki he would call him Mylamiki he would call her Mylamiki that's how he would call her now many wives they see their husband just as a little lamb soft little lamb and he said well she's a crocodile now you wives let it come to an end that you're a crocodile and behave like a crocodile and you men as well let it come to an end that you're just a little lamb that your wife can play around with be a real man and wear the trousers in the home Mary immediately got up and obeyed Joseph and what he said she didn't complain and said oh I'm so tired it's dark outside I can't see anything it's cold isn't there maybe any better time than this she said no I'll get up and I'll take the child and I'll go with you now I shouldn't continue without having mentioned this point I feel sorry sometimes for wives that got married to men that are real washouts sometimes I have to say to a wife now don't listen to your husband in that he's a real washout can't you see that he's gone astray and I say he's off the way and he'll lead you astray if you follow him and then if she then says my husband if you want to go your way away from God's will then go that way I won't and I'll say I'll take off my hat to that wife God's word says and commands the children obey your parents obey your parents and then it adds in the Lord now you children obey your parents and submit to them in the Lord there's another word another country uh when it was spoken about children obey your father and your mother your parents they got up in arms right during the service they said stop we can't do that never never listen to our fathers they want to have sex with us they want to sleep with us don't tell us that we should listen and obey our parents you see obey them in the Lord say outside of the Lord you've got no right to obey them you must rather obey God than men even if he is your biological father hey there's so many things abominations in this world and according to the Zulu culture many of the relatives of the father the brothers of the father they're also known as the father their father and then there's the grandfather now just wash your brains be have a sober mind and follow the Lord I must make this clear not only the Zulus I got the figures in Germany you'll be shocked what's going on there England the white countries it's not for naught that the non-white countries call the white men the immoral race wherever you go there's a naked man a woman there is a sexy woman that's whether they sell a car whether advertising something a breed of harlots foreign so the white nation is known by all the other non-white nations as an immoral nation but it doesn't help to point the finger because whilst you're pointing the finger there are three fingers pointing back to you saying you three times as bad and the thumb pointing upwards indicating that God is the witness of that foreign foreign but Mary didn't have lead in her feet she got up quickly and she obeyed for she knew that Joseph was a man of God and if he spoke it was inspired by God and she was obeying God in that tell me you men can your wives obey you knowing that you are inspired by God in all that you say and do country where it's not difficult for a wife to submit to the husband because she knows that I've got to honor and respect him foreign uh there's a white woman that I know that left her husband and I said uh have you left your husband she said how can I stay with a madman because every day he's got some new things some new revelation that God has given him that he's got to do this and then the next month it's something else and then he's got to be a missionary then he's got to go to a farm and every time God gives him something else is it is insane he's not quite well up there and she said I can't live with him it's better than that my children and I leave him and we go our own way like pulpit and he even came here and he said now God has revealed to me this is what you've got to do you've got to come to this place and you've got to start this work here I don't know where I would have been today if I'd listened to him I wouldn't have been here behind this pulpit um and you girls don't you take after Judas selling the Lord Jesus for 30 pieces of silver because you sell the Lord Jesus just to get married you'll turn your back on the faith because of the one you want to get married to but let me tell you that marriage it will that's on your sucker for your work it will deal with you and it'll get rid of all the starch and eventually you'll say blizzard was the one who didn't get married among you is that it's not all gold that glitters yes it's not all gold that glitters you see that pair of trousers and it glitters to you like gold well it's not all gold uh you'll get sick and tired of that and you'll wish it will come to an end see one two three Mary wake up we've got to leave we've got to go to Egypt and Mary didn't say but my Joseph how can we do something like that we traveled all the way from Nazareth to here that was 25 hours worth of traveling but now you say we've got to go to Egypt no nothing of the sort she got up right there she was as light as a feather she got everything together one two three and she said Joseph I'm ready we can go God made no error to wake Joseph up in the middle of the night uh uh uh uh orders to soldiers to immediately go to Bethlehem and to go and seek out that child and destroy it and he said if you don't find it just destroy all the boys kill all the boys two years and younger and the whole vicinity of Bethlehem is and so he sent his soldiers and his police there and they got there some of them were detectives or uh information agents special agents to go and find out do you know where this one is that was said he is king of the Jews for the king wants to bring uh wants to worship him long because after all didn't the shepherds also go around and spread the news and told everybody about what they had seen and heard and how the angel had appeared to him and that brilliant light where it is said it was brighter than the sun in all its brilliance that's what the Norwegians say they say that glory was brighter than that of the sun they got to the manager of the hotel have you seen have you heard about this child that was to be born this special child they said yes right down there in the stable and they immediately rushed there and found no one bongolo of God, that God woke them up in the middle of the night. Had they decided to only leave in the morning, everybody would have seen them as they traveled along, and they wouldn't have been able but to notice them, and with their donkey loaded, and if the soldiers would have come and inquired, they would have said, yes, we saw them traveling down that road, and very soon they would have caught up with them. But now they came, and they said, no, we haven't seen them, we don't know anything, we don't know where they disappeared to. And they were a white nation? A white man? If you say, tell him, tell me the truth, he'll tell you the truth. Most of them are like that, especially the Christians. You can tell him, don't tell anybody. I'm telling you a secret, don't tell anybody. And then they come and ask you a question, what concerning that? No, I'm not allowed to talk. And he presses and presses until you tell him. You see, in the name of truth, they don't know amasu, that's a Zulu word, that's wise, being wise. The Lord Jesus, when he walked this earth, he had that wisdom. When they asked him a question, he would always, he wouldn't tell them, let the cat out of the bag, he would answer with the question. There are non-white nations that say, don't tell a secret to a white man. He can't keep it. They'll come and ask him, and he says, I'm a Christian, I've got to tell them the truth. I dare not lie. And then they come out with the whole thing. And then he'll go to the person who entrusted him with that secret, and they'll tell him, who, how do you know? So-and-so told me. And so-and-so is in trouble now. Never tell them, somebody told me. Then they'll say, but who has been spying on me? Rather say somebody else. You can see God's hand in it and say, God told me. God showed me. But you needn't tell them how he showed you. So there are things where we can act wisely. One man went to a Jew and said, why do you Jews always answer when you are questioned? Always reply with a question. Why do you Jews always, when you are asked a question, reply with a question? Why do you Jews always, when you are asked a question, reply with a question? And he said, do we? Well, the Jews have got their heads screwed on right. Yes, lies are evil and they are from Satan. It's a sin, but there is something as wisdom. And the Bible is full of that. But we don't have time to elaborate on that. So they got there and said, now where is he? Well, we saw them, they were still there last night. And well, where are they now? Well, we didn't see. When he got there in the morning, they gone. We don't know where to. Did they go to Jerusalem or did they go back to Nazareth? Well, we don't know. Do you see how good God is and how he can cause his people to escape? Joseph didn't also go to their neighbor and said, you know, we've got to leave all of a sudden. There's somebody seeking to kill us. Well, who? No, Herod, he wants to kill us. No, he shut his mouth. So you men and you women learn from Joseph. Now, there in France, there is a man and his wife. The man is one of our co-workers. And there wasn't harmony between him and his wife anymore. So the man went off to the service and then came back. So when he got back home, he said, my wife, God has spoken today. God has revealed himself. He has spoken. He said, oh, that again. Oh, I'm so sick and tired of you and hearing you all the time saying that God has spoken and I'm sick and tired of God speaking. It's now many years that you've told me that already. And then she had second thoughts on that. And then she went back to her husband. She was a bit curious and wanted to know. I said, my husband, as you said that God has spoken to you, what did he say? Well, he said, well, God had told me to shut my mouth. And to stop speaking so much. And then she said, oh, well, maybe that might be God. That might be from God. And then she got converted. And today they are together with us. You see, sometimes women can speak very much, but sometimes it's the men that speak too much. That could be of the Lord. That could be God. This time, I believe it is God. Now, this man was super spiritual and really could speak a lot. God said to Joseph, get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt and remain there until I tell you. God said to Joseph, get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt and remain God said to Joseph, get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt and remain there until I tell you. God and not just at the beginning and after that do your own thing but you stay there where you are until God tells you something else and I hope you women and you men have heard and understood that. Till you hear from me. Stay there until you hear from me. There was a white man who got converted who was a total pagan who didn't even know the Lord's Prayer or anything about prayer and when he got converted he was so overjoyed and filled with that first love and zeal and so they had a prayer meeting and a Bible study in Zulu a Bible study and a prayer it's the same. So they asked this newly converted person will you lead us in prayer please and so he prayed a prayer right from the very depths of his heart and was so sweet to him to communicate with God. There are many people that say well they can't pray well don't you know how to talk with God? He prayed a heart moving prayer. They were all blessed by his words how he spoke to the Lord as a child to the parent. Now when he got to the end he didn't know how to stop to say Amen or for your name's sake and then he just said hoping to hear from you soon Lord Amen. That's right if you pray say hoping to hear from you soon and you don't move before you have heard from him. Don't be unkind. While you're waiting upon the Lord there's so many others that will come with their advice and they will say well this is what God wants you to do and they'll say well this is the young girl there's a nice girl that God would like you to get married to or this is a nice young man. Well don't be unkind to them but say thank you very much for your concern. I will still go and pray about it and see what God will tell me. I'll wait upon the Lord and hear whether this what you tell me is the Lord. Watch, watch, watch. We talk a lot about pray, pray, pray. You can pray till doomsday and you go astray. Watch, watch in the first instance otherwise the devil will lead you astray. Go to Egypt and remain there until I tell you or until you hear from me. Now there's so much we could say about this. Stay there or remain there but that will make the service to be too long. Where the Lord Jesus said remain in me and my words in you then you will ask whatever you wish and God will do it for you. Until I tell you or you hear from me. Now I've spoken for a long time I need to draw the service to an end. What did God say to Joseph? He said to him escape, escape not that you just drag your feet along as if you're busy planting potatoes but you've got to escape. Flee, flee, flee. You know what it means to flee. For God saw the wrath and anger of Herod and he knew that the child's life would be taken and that blood would be shed so he said to Joseph flee. And he said Mary bring the child here let me carry him not that the child weighs you down all the way and we were told that we need to flee we need to hurry. We Christians have got to flee as well. If we don't flee just imagine what would have happened if Joseph wouldn't have fled with a child. Joseph just didn't just pull their leg. Herod he didn't play just to fool and play the fool with them. He meant what he said and he proved it by shedding the blood. The blood flowed. There was great mourning, refusing to be comforted because of the blood that was shed of her children. But in heaven there was rejoicing when their souls came home. The souls of those who gave their lives for Jesus and died as heroes of the faith. But here on earth there was great mourning and weeping as their mothers refused to be comforted. Because that is how it is here on earth. There is sadness even though we know a person has gone to heaven but there is a gap. Now before I get to the last words that I would like to speak I would like to ask of you a question. And consider carefully in your heart before you answer me. If Joseph hadn't fled to Egypt what would have happened? Wouldn't the child have died? If he wouldn't have been obedient, listened and done what God had told him, Jesus would have been killed. Where would you have been today? And where would I have been if Jesus would have been murdered and killed? I would have died. I would have been pitch black. If Joseph wouldn't have obeyed in spite of everything, taking nothing else in consideration but just one thing, I've got to do what God tells me. What would have happened to you and what would have happened to me? Thousands and millions would have gone and died in darkness. Never, never getting to know Jesus. Today I say Joseph I'd like to shake your hands. Thank you for your obedience. If it wouldn't have been for your obedience I would have been lost for all eternity. I would have lived without the Savior. I would have carried on in my sin being a slave of sin and I would have died in my sin. Thank you for watching over that son and keeping him from all harm. Today the whole world has got no other name by which to be saved. Only the name of Jesus. Just imagine if he wouldn't have been obedient what would have happened? How many people would have gone to hell and what would the world be like without light, without life, without a Savior? Now at the end of this message we get to the crux of this message. Herod was furious, enraged, seeking to destroy the child and not wanting to rest until he died. Now if you have received Jesus into your life realize that there are many Herods seeking seeking his life to destroy him and those Herods might be even amongst your relatives, even in your church and they are going around dressed in sheep's clothing but inside they are ravenous wolves. Satan goes around like a roaring lion seeking those whom he may devour. Roaring more and being more determined than Herod that King. There are many co-workers of Satan, tools in his hands that he uses. And he's got all these instruments and these people that he can use. He can send his demons, his hordes of demons. He can use young men, young girls, so many that are available and willing to be used of Satan and even fathers and mothers and he'll send them to you. Herod, Satan is enraged today and he is furious seeking to destroy this child whom you have received. When you get back home he'll be ready and waiting for you there. And before the sun sets he might have ambushed and attacked you and he can come in any way using anybody. He might go into a child, enter into a child. He might enter into your wife, your husband or anybody else that he might use to destroy the Christ child in you. If Jesus would have been killed, Mary and Joseph would have remained with all the wonderful promises God had given them. They, Mary always when she heard something she kept those words in her heart. They were precious to her. She would have stayed with all that wonderful promises, wonderful words, but the child would have been dead. You can stay with the Bible, you can stay with your doctrine, you can stay with what you believe, but if your Jesus is killed and you don't know his presence, that's worth nothing to you. You've lost your salvation because you've lost him. How I wish that I could dwell on these points for hours. That you'll register what's being said and that you'll never for the rest of your life forget it again. But I've got to stop. I get to the last point. Flee to Egypt. He had to flee to save Jesus' life. Do you know that you've got to flee as well? To save Jesus, your Jesus' life, in your life. The Bible says, flee youthful lusts. Flee, the same word it was used. Jonathan, take the child and take Mary. Flee to Egypt, the same word. Flee the lusts of the flesh. You may rejoice in your salvation. You may write about it. You may preach about it. But if you don't flee the lusts of the flesh and youthful lusts, your Jesus will be killed. You'll stay with your testimony, you'll stay with your promises that you claim. You'll stay with the word you can quote books and chapters of the Bible. But if the child in you is dead, then you are dead as well because the life is in the child. We accepted that youthful lusts means sexuality. It's not wrong, it's right. But the flesh is not a condescending concern. Only flesh is not a condescending concern. The sexual part, you know the works of the flesh. Go and read Galatians 5 verse 9. The works of the flesh, anger, jealousy, etc, etc, etc. And you, have that lust in you. Flee, otherwise the child will be killed, as sure as anything. You may rejoice in your salvation. You may preach about it. You may write about it. You may preach about it. But if you don't flee the lusts of the flesh and youthful lusts, your Jesus will be killed. You'll stay with your testimony, you'll stay with your promises that you claim. You young boy can say, I'll flee in my thoughts. I visit her now. I draw close to her to be in her company. But I'll flee. I'll flee from youthful lusts. You playing with fire. You are playing with fire. Here it says, flee to Egypt. He shouldn't have just fled with his thoughts. He had to flee physically. And it says, flee the lusts of the flesh. Flee with your body. And don't go and visit the girl. And speak to the girl. Whether it's by phone or by cell phone. Flee. Flee the lusts of the flesh. Flee with your body. And don't go and visit the girl. And speak to the girl. Whether it's by phone or by cell phone. Flee. Flee from youthful lusts. Flee from the lusts of the flesh. Flee physically. Otherwise this child will be killed. And you might continue with your life. But the life of that child would have been extinguished. Flee. May God reveal to you what fleeing means. There was an alcoholic and he had that liquor bondage. Over and over again he fell. He fell. And he come and confess and cry bitter tears. I've sinned. I've fallen again. And the counselor said, tell me, how does it happen that you fall? He says, every time I go into the pub, I say I won't drink. It doesn't take long. My friends come. They buy a drink for me. And off I go. Down the drain. F-double-O-L. What are you doing in the pub? What are you looking for there? Why do you go there? That's why you are a F-double-O-L. The Bible says flee from that place and you go into the place. No wonder that you fall. Unless you repent and don't go that way again, you may be damned and doomed forever. We could go on for hours. I'm just touching the hem of the garment. It could be TV. It could be the newspaper. It could be pro-pornography. A thousand and one things. It may be your internet. That has got to go into the fire. Rather let that thing burn than let you burn in hell. It may be your cell phone. Rather throw it away. Throwing it into a pit toilet is not good enough. Burn it unless you'll burn in hell. I've got a cell phone but I don't know how to use it. I can only phone people but to look for pornography, evil things, evil messages, I don't know. I'm a child in that. I'm foolish and stupid in that. I don't want to know. I hate it. I want to be kept by the power of God. I don't want my Jesus to die. Deuteronomy 16 verse 24 and 25. Write it into your mind. Put it on a chain around your neck. A necklace. Never forget it. Deuteronomy 6 from verse 24. Deuteronomy 6 from verse 24. Keep all its decrees. Always have a godly fear which is the beginning of wisdom so that it may go well with you and that you will be alive spiritually. Listen carefully. And if we are careful to obey all his law before the Lord our God as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. That will be our righteousness. Jesus is my righteousness. Spiritual Hamburg. Only if you keep what he has told us. In doing that, he'll be your righteousness. Shall we stand to our feet and pray together? Lord, we have heard you are able to keep and to save us. And that if we keep your words and your decrees and we fear you always, that that will be our righteousness. Amen.