Jesus’s life was threatened on more than one occasion. In today’s sermon text of Matthew 2:13-23 we’ll look at the first time it was threatened whereby a jealous King Herod gave the horrendous order to kill all the babies in and around Bethlehem that were two years or under. What do you think the shepherds of the fields of Bethlehem who heard the angelic chorus proclaiming peace thought of this? Maybe a little confused. No doubt they were in grief if it were their own children slaughtered – we don’t know if they had children and they were among the slaughtered innocent, but they may have. One thing is for certain: Jesus’ entry into the world certainly unsettled things. Yet in the wicked cruelty of Herod are we not reminded why we need Christ? And in God’s protection of Jesus, that God is indeed sovereign and will not have his plan thwarted?