Matthew 2:13-23

 Matthew 2.13-23

We have no idea what Joseph expected from life. Most likely it was to live the quiet life of a builder/construction worker in the small community of Nazareth. Having a larger gentile population Nazareth was possibly less of a threat to Rome and would have been an unlikely place to face Roman hostility. He would marry the girl he loved have children and Lord willing, see the second generation before he was gathered to his ancestors.

Joseph had no way of expecting what was to come. Without expecting or wanting it he is thrown into the middle of the greatest drama in the history of the universe. Rather than the quiet life he expected, angels visit Joseph in his dreams, so real, so powerful, so vivid that he cannot deny them and he can do nothing other than obey. In a place far from his home Joseph’s stepson is born. First come the shepherds with their own angel stories. Next come the Magi, the mysterious visitors from the East with stories of celestial movements. Another dream, a warning this time to get out of town. They escape the murderous rage of a mad man, but perhaps it was close. However, their escape did not take them home but to Egypt to live with an expat community. Finally, another message-did Joseph ever get used to super natural communications? This was the call to go home.

This is quite the detour from the life Joseph may have expected to the life that he lived. It was a long way from what he expected to what he experienced. Remember Joseph never asked for this. Perhaps the best thing to be said about Joseph was near the beginning of this story. Matthew 1:24: “And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” He was living his life trying to do what was right and when he was confronted with the unexpected he did what the Lord wanted done. We can’t say much about Joseph except that as far as we know he was obedient to God.

That is all I can want.

“Lord, let my faith be simple and my obedience to You complete. It need not be complicated; give me simple faith and simple obedience.” Amen.

Matthew 2:1-12

 Matthew 2.1-12

Missing the point is easier than we might think. In this passage we have Herod deep in darkness and evil. We have the Magi, wise and seeking. But we must not miss the Chief Priest and scribes, people who knew the scriptures. Herod was on bad terms with the Sanhedrin, nevertheless there were at least some leaders he could talk to for answers. They knew the scriptures, but did they recognize the Christ? The religious elites were so infected with the system of power and privilege that even though they could know where the Messiah would be born it made no personal difference for them. All they had was information that was only useful to curry favor and advance their cause. It did not draw them close to God.

From Jerusalem to Bethlehem was less than 5 miles. Verse 6 indicates that they were aware of the predictions, that they had the information concerning the facts of the Messiah’s birth. But they made no effort to find the Christ child for themselves. Were they unaware of Herod’s intent? They certainly knew his character. The religious institution, with its magnetism, pulled them so powerfully that they missed the Messiah. There were functions that had to be performed. There were meetings to attend. There were matters, important and trivial, that did not allow them to see the questions about the Christ as anything more than an academic pursuit.

May God grant us the grace that in our study of the Bible, our work in the faith community, our conversations about God, our frustrations and joys in congregations that we never miss our Lord. In our conversations with the Herods of our world may we never miss the Messiah.