Bay Leaf Baptist Church

In this final message of the Advent series, Pastor Billy Driver preaches from Matthew 2:1-12 about how people respond to the coming of Christ. He identifies three distinct responses to Jesus's birth: King Herod responded with hostility because he felt threatened and wanted to maintain his own power and throne; the chief priests and scribes responded with indifference, knowing the Scriptures intellectually but showing no interest in actually seeking the newborn Messiah just five miles away in Bethlehem; and the Magi responded with worship, traveling over a thousand miles to fall down and adore Christ with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Pastor Driver emphasizes that the birth of Christ should shape our worship throughout the entire year, not just during the Christmas season. He challenges the congregation to avoid both hostility and indifference, instead responding like the Magi with faith that results in joyful worship. The sermon concludes with a call to repent and receive Christ as King, believe and