War Stories (Sermon Blog)
Series Recap: In Part 2 of our Christmas Stories series, Pastor Steve reminded us that Christmas is not just a peaceful story filled with lights and traditions—it is also a war story. From the moment Jesus entered the world, He stepped into a cosmic battle between good and evil. Through Matthew 2, we see why Christmas was necessary, costly, and ultimately victorious.
Christmas Was Born in a War-Torn World
When we think of Christmas, we often think of:
Traditions
Decorations
Family gatherings
Beautiful moments
But Pastor Steve challenged us to zoom out—to take a “30,000-foot view” of history. When God looked at the world before Christmas, He didn’t see peace. He saw:
Violence
Injustice
Racism
Broken relationships
Humanity at war with itself and with God
From Genesis onward, the human story is filled with conflict. Sin entered the world early, and it didn’t take long for violence to follow. Christmas happened because something had to be done.
Why Jesus Came
The prophets foretold that a Savior would come—God in the flesh—to rescue humanity from sin, the root of all our problems.
Christmas is about the incarnation:
God stepping into human history
God entering a broken world
God confronting evil head-on
Jesus was not born into calm circumstances. He was born into chaos.
The Wise Men: Everyone Is Searching for a Savior
Matthew tells us that Magi from the east came searching for the newborn King. These men were:
Educated
Wealthy
Influential
Spiritually curious
Yet despite all their knowledge and success, they were still searching.
Pastor Steve reminded us of a powerful truth:
Everyone is looking for God—they just don’t always know it.
People today chase fulfillment through:
Careers
Money
Experiences
Relationships
Pleasure
But none of these can fill the void that only Jesus can. When you find Christ, the chasing stops—because you’ve found what your soul was longing for.
Worship Is Not Optional—It’s Inevitable
The Magi came to worship Jesus, and Pastor Steve reminded us that:
Every human being worships something
Worship is giving our time, energy, affection, and devotion
If it’s not Jesus, it will be something else:
Success
Popularity
Pleasure
Identity
Control
Christmas asks us a confronting question:
What (or who) am I really worshiping?
An Epic Battle Behind the Scenes
When King Herod heard about the birth of Jesus, he was disturbed—and so was all of Jerusalem. Why?
Because Herod saw Jesus as a threat to his power.
Herod’s story reveals how evil operates:
It is threatened by truth
It works through fear and deception
It gathers information secretly
It attacks what God is doing
Herod’s paranoia eventually led him to murder his own family members—and later, innocent children in Bethlehem.
This wasn’t just political tension. It was spiritual warfare.
Our Battle Is Not What We Think
Pastor Steve reminded us of Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:12:
“Our battle is not against flesh and blood.”
Behind the visible conflict in the world is an invisible spiritual battle. The enemy:
Studies human weakness
Exploits distraction
Divides families and churches
Desensitizes hearts to sin
Keeps people too busy to pray, worship, or ask eternal questions
The goal isn’t always to make people worship evil—it’s simply to keep them from worshiping God at all.
Bethlehem: The Battle’s Beachhead
Just as D-Day marked the turning point of World War II, Bethlehem became the beachhead of God’s redemptive plan.
Christmas came at a great cost:
Innocent lives were lost
Families were shattered
Fear and grief filled the region
But that cost marked the beginning of the end for evil.
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” — 1 John 3:8
The war was ultimately won at the cross. The battles still rage—but victory belongs to Jesus.
What Does This Mean for Us Today?
Christmas is a war story—but it’s also a story of hope.
Jesus said:
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” — John 10:10
Because of Jesus:
Sin can be forgiven
Lives can be restored
Purpose can be rediscovered
Hope can be renewed
The question Christmas asks us is simple but profound:
Which side of the story will you be on?
Living in Light of the War
This Christmas season invites us to:
Recognize the spiritual battle around us
Stop chasing what cannot satisfy
Open our hearts to Jesus
Invite others who are searching
Stand on the high ground—where God is
The war has been won—but the invitation remains open.
This Sunday, Pastor Steve will continue our series with Part 3 of Christmas Stories.
Join us as we keep discovering how God brings hope, redemption, and victory into a broken world through the birth of Jesus.