Every great story has a villain. And, I would argue, every great story has a great villain (in the sense that they are cunning, powerful and evil). The Christmas story is no different.

We spend a lot of time talking about Mary and Joseph, the wise men, and the shepherds, but what about the villain–Herod? And did you know there are several Herods in the Bible and not just one? In this sermon, I reviewed the historical and Scriptural references to these “Christmas Villains” (the Herods), the key lessons from their lives and how they, in a counterintuitive way, point to the one, true King.

Here’s a list of the important Herods: (1) Herod the Great was the key figure in the Christmas story that killed the babies in Bethlehem, (2) Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great that killed John the Baptist and earned a reprimand from Christ, (3) Herod Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great that arrested Peter and was eaten of worms, and (4) Herod Agrippa II was the great-grandson of Herod the Great that conversed with Paul and almost became a Christian.

Here’s a family tree:

Here’s the Outline:

1. The Monarch in the Manger
2. The Fox and the Lion
3. At Terms with the Worms
4. The Gospel to the Great

And some key takeaways:

• An explanation of the varying levels of government at the time of Christ.
• What Jesus meant when He called Herod Antipas a “fox.”
• The remarkable family history that both Paul and Agrippa knew during Paul’s sermon in Acts 26. This perspective completely changed the way I read that passage.
• Though the Herods were royally messed up, they weren’t the actual Christmas villains. I explain why.