Christmas 2
Matthew 2:13-23
v.14-15 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt an d remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt I called my son."
Dear friends in Christ, this past week we welcomed in the New Year of 2014. I'm sure some of us attended parties or had gatherings with family and friends to celebrate the beginning of another year. It is a momentous thing--the new year--filled with seemingly endless possibilities--from better diet and health and exercise--to new friendships and work opportunities. It seems, at least from this point in the year--that anything is possible! Perhaps we can restore that broken relationship--or maybe drop those 20 extra yuletide pounds--or join that Bible study and get a friend to come to church. The future is wide open.
Well, in our text, the future for our Lord Jesus was looking pretty bleak. Following the visit from the Magi, Joseph was warned by the Lord in a dream that King Herod (who by this time in his life was more than a little bit crazy), was out to kill the infant Jesus who, being King of kings--threatened Herod's sense of security. So Joseph quickly gathers his wife and the Christ Child, and flees...where? To Egypt!
At first this may seem odd to us--for we often remember Egypt as being the place of Israelite slavery and bondage under Pharaoh. But, as we heard in our O.T. reading, Egypt was first a place of refuge for the people of Israel, the place where the first Israel (Jacob) took his whole family during the severe famine. There his family flourished and prospered greatly under his son Joseph.
But there is much more to this story...for it was not only that Egypt was a traditional place of refuge that Joseph went there with his family, but even more importantly, "This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet [Hosea], 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'" We see in this story the sure and steady hand of the Lord behind all things--He is in control. This is done in accordance with the Word of God that had been spoken hundreds of years before. The Word fulfills the event. And this is a running theme throughout the Gospel of Matthew--showing that Jesus and His entire life--all that He does--all that happens to Him--is in fulfillment of His own Word.
Yet it certainly doesn't seem that way does it. It doesn't seem as though the future is firmly set and that God is in control of all things. Even in our text, King Herod acts in great wickedness, for "he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under..." Such was the vicious and cruel response of Herod to the announcement of the birth of the Lord Jesus that he responded with violence and death--seeking to stamp out any threat to his own authority and power.
What's changed dear friends? It seems in our time too that the Lord is not in control, as evil seemingly reigns unchecked. In our own society--the lives of unborn children are treated even more wickedly. The scale of the death of the unborn is a tragedy unequalled in human history--it surpasses the holocaust and all other horrors of human cruelty--for around the world some 40 million unborn children are murdered EACH YEAR in the name of "choice" or "health." Inconvenient children are literally tossed aside to die in a terrible indictment against us all and our callous attitude toward human life.
Yet, even aside from that sad fact, we can see in our own lives that all is not right with the world. Yes, we may have high hopes to begin the New Year, but we know, as much as we may wish otherwise, that this year will also be filled with pain and heartache and sadness--even death. Where is God in the midst of all these things? Where is His Almighty power? Where is His promised help and aid?
St. Peter reminds us in our epistle lesson not to be shocked or surprised when we who are Christ's disciples suffer. "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed." When bad things happen to us, especially on account of our Christian faith--we are to not be ashamed, but glorify God, because "the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." It is a tremendous privilege and honour to be considered worthy by God to share in the sufferings of our Lord--to face persecution, hardship, ridicule, and yes, even death--for confessing the name of Christ Jesus.
It can certainly be easy for us to give up--give in to despair--just roll over to temptation--when all seems to be going to heck in a hand basket. But our Lord says to us not to trust what the world teaches us--not to trust what our eyes seem to be saying to us--but rather to trust our ears--to hear what God says to us in His Word--and to believe and hope. "Let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good," are St. Peter's words to us in our epistle. We give all that we have and are to the Lord God--our lives are literally in His hands and He will bring about our salvation even as He has promised--though all the world and Satan work against us.
For Jesus is the New Israel--the Perfect Israel. The Israel of the O.T. was not what it should have been--it did not keep God's Law perfectly nor did it always serve as a beacon of light and hope to the surrounding nations. Jesus, however, is the New Israel--come out of Egypt in fulfillment of God's prophetic Word--to be what we are not--and to do what we could not. Jesus is the righteous and holy One of God. He alone has kept God's Law perfectly in its entirety. He alone has faced all the temptations of the devil and yet remained faithful. He is the embodiment of the people of God and He offers up His life as a living sacrifice for you and me and all people in place of our own miserable and sinful lives.
The death of Christ--the unjust persecution and suffering that He endured on the cross--was done in order to save us. He willingly submitted Himself to this evil so that we might be given forgiveness and life. Indeed, the death of the innocent male children in our text serve to point ahead, one last time, to the innocent Son of God who would in but a few short years--be unfairly persecuted--unjustly condemned--and sentenced to death. But even before He is ever arrested, Jesus clearly states, "No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I received from my Father." (John 10:18)
Beloved, all that has taken place in the Scriptures, was done according to God's design and plan. A plan to accomplish the salvation of the whole world of sinful humanity. That salvation--that mercy--that forgiveness--is for you. All those who respond in hatred and animosity toward the Christ Child will suffer and perish. Jesus always wins.
Though we may suffer hardship and toil this side of heaven--because of other people's sin--our own sin--or just the broken sinfulness of the world in general--yet we will be comforted--we will rejoice. For all that was spoken by the prophets has been fulfilled. The Christ has come--suffered, died, and was buried--but rose again on the Third Day and has ascended into heaven where even now He sits enthroned at the Right Hand of the Father in all glory and power and might. And He will come again to bring you to His side--having been washed in the blood that He innocently shed for you and all people on the cross of Calvary.
This is Jesus' promise. This is His Word to you. The New Israel has ushered in a new time of everlasting joy and peace in His own crucified and risen body and blood. That all who feast on Him by faith--may be given life and light eternal. Truly, Merry Christmas to all. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Matthew 2:13-23
v.14-15 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt an d remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt I called my son."
Dear friends in Christ, this past week we welcomed in the New Year of 2014. I'm sure some of us attended parties or had gatherings with family and friends to celebrate the beginning of another year. It is a momentous thing--the new year--filled with seemingly endless possibilities--from better diet and health and exercise--to new friendships and work opportunities. It seems, at least from this point in the year--that anything is possible! Perhaps we can restore that broken relationship--or maybe drop those 20 extra yuletide pounds--or join that Bible study and get a friend to come to church. The future is wide open.
Well, in our text, the future for our Lord Jesus was looking pretty bleak. Following the visit from the Magi, Joseph was warned by the Lord in a dream that King Herod (who by this time in his life was more than a little bit crazy), was out to kill the infant Jesus who, being King of kings--threatened Herod's sense of security. So Joseph quickly gathers his wife and the Christ Child, and flees...where? To Egypt!
At first this may seem odd to us--for we often remember Egypt as being the place of Israelite slavery and bondage under Pharaoh. But, as we heard in our O.T. reading, Egypt was first a place of refuge for the people of Israel, the place where the first Israel (Jacob) took his whole family during the severe famine. There his family flourished and prospered greatly under his son Joseph.
But there is much more to this story...for it was not only that Egypt was a traditional place of refuge that Joseph went there with his family, but even more importantly, "This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet [Hosea], 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'" We see in this story the sure and steady hand of the Lord behind all things--He is in control. This is done in accordance with the Word of God that had been spoken hundreds of years before. The Word fulfills the event. And this is a running theme throughout the Gospel of Matthew--showing that Jesus and His entire life--all that He does--all that happens to Him--is in fulfillment of His own Word.
Yet it certainly doesn't seem that way does it. It doesn't seem as though the future is firmly set and that God is in control of all things. Even in our text, King Herod acts in great wickedness, for "he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under..." Such was the vicious and cruel response of Herod to the announcement of the birth of the Lord Jesus that he responded with violence and death--seeking to stamp out any threat to his own authority and power.
What's changed dear friends? It seems in our time too that the Lord is not in control, as evil seemingly reigns unchecked. In our own society--the lives of unborn children are treated even more wickedly. The scale of the death of the unborn is a tragedy unequalled in human history--it surpasses the holocaust and all other horrors of human cruelty--for around the world some 40 million unborn children are murdered EACH YEAR in the name of "choice" or "health." Inconvenient children are literally tossed aside to die in a terrible indictment against us all and our callous attitude toward human life.
Yet, even aside from that sad fact, we can see in our own lives that all is not right with the world. Yes, we may have high hopes to begin the New Year, but we know, as much as we may wish otherwise, that this year will also be filled with pain and heartache and sadness--even death. Where is God in the midst of all these things? Where is His Almighty power? Where is His promised help and aid?
St. Peter reminds us in our epistle lesson not to be shocked or surprised when we who are Christ's disciples suffer. "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed." When bad things happen to us, especially on account of our Christian faith--we are to not be ashamed, but glorify God, because "the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." It is a tremendous privilege and honour to be considered worthy by God to share in the sufferings of our Lord--to face persecution, hardship, ridicule, and yes, even death--for confessing the name of Christ Jesus.
It can certainly be easy for us to give up--give in to despair--just roll over to temptation--when all seems to be going to heck in a hand basket. But our Lord says to us not to trust what the world teaches us--not to trust what our eyes seem to be saying to us--but rather to trust our ears--to hear what God says to us in His Word--and to believe and hope. "Let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good," are St. Peter's words to us in our epistle. We give all that we have and are to the Lord God--our lives are literally in His hands and He will bring about our salvation even as He has promised--though all the world and Satan work against us.
For Jesus is the New Israel--the Perfect Israel. The Israel of the O.T. was not what it should have been--it did not keep God's Law perfectly nor did it always serve as a beacon of light and hope to the surrounding nations. Jesus, however, is the New Israel--come out of Egypt in fulfillment of God's prophetic Word--to be what we are not--and to do what we could not. Jesus is the righteous and holy One of God. He alone has kept God's Law perfectly in its entirety. He alone has faced all the temptations of the devil and yet remained faithful. He is the embodiment of the people of God and He offers up His life as a living sacrifice for you and me and all people in place of our own miserable and sinful lives.
The death of Christ--the unjust persecution and suffering that He endured on the cross--was done in order to save us. He willingly submitted Himself to this evil so that we might be given forgiveness and life. Indeed, the death of the innocent male children in our text serve to point ahead, one last time, to the innocent Son of God who would in but a few short years--be unfairly persecuted--unjustly condemned--and sentenced to death. But even before He is ever arrested, Jesus clearly states, "No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I received from my Father." (John 10:18)
Beloved, all that has taken place in the Scriptures, was done according to God's design and plan. A plan to accomplish the salvation of the whole world of sinful humanity. That salvation--that mercy--that forgiveness--is for you. All those who respond in hatred and animosity toward the Christ Child will suffer and perish. Jesus always wins.
Though we may suffer hardship and toil this side of heaven--because of other people's sin--our own sin--or just the broken sinfulness of the world in general--yet we will be comforted--we will rejoice. For all that was spoken by the prophets has been fulfilled. The Christ has come--suffered, died, and was buried--but rose again on the Third Day and has ascended into heaven where even now He sits enthroned at the Right Hand of the Father in all glory and power and might. And He will come again to bring you to His side--having been washed in the blood that He innocently shed for you and all people on the cross of Calvary.
This is Jesus' promise. This is His Word to you. The New Israel has ushered in a new time of everlasting joy and peace in His own crucified and risen body and blood. That all who feast on Him by faith--may be given life and light eternal. Truly, Merry Christmas to all. Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.