Matthew 1:18-25 (New King James Version)
Christ Born of Mary
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,”[a] which is translated, “God with us.”
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.
Grace and Peace to each of you from our Lord, Savior and Friend, Jesus Christ.
Here’s a simple, a very simple question. Who is tired? Me too! At this time of the year, in Advent just before Christmas, I think, for most people, our hopes and anticipations and expectations are almost overwhelmed by exhaustion. Whether those hopes or anticipation is about Christmas dinner with relatives or worries about presents, or the coming to the world by Jesus, the weeks leading up to Christmas and the pressure to do the right thing by the right people and for the right people seems overwhelming.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve still got shopping to do. Pastor Cathy and Kajsa did 99% of the work with decorating our Christmas tree, so that’s done. We kind of have to watch Abby because she likes tearing the paper off of presents. We’ve got things to do, presents to buy, people to call, packages to mail. We’ve been making progress. On Thursday we went down to Wannamaker’s and saw the light show; it was really fun to see so much decoration in downtown Philadelphia. But, as we look to and anticipate everything in the coming week, we realize there is a lot to do and we, like all of you, will be exhausted come the end of the week.
The gospel today reminds us of another person whose anticipation may have been exhausting. A messenger from God tells Joseph that Mary, his young bride-to-be is going to have a baby, and he is ordered to keep quiet. And the kicker is that Joseph KNOWS he is not the father. If we heard today that Man A was marrying Woman B who was pregnant by Man C, we might scratch our heads a bit, but we’d realize that type of situation isn’t all that uncommon today.
It would have been VERY uncommon in the time of Joseph and Mary. For a first-century Jew, it would have been terribly scandalous. Even if we put aside moral issues and legal issues, Joseph still was faced with the practical matter of just how you go about hiding a teenage pregnancy. And then there was the matter of Joseph’s own feelings. Mary became pregnant AFTER they were engaged, but well before they were to be married. How could she do such a thing? And if the messenger from God was right, and he wasn’t dreaming dreams, the child to be born had GOD himself, the God of Israel, as its father. WOW. What on earth was going on? What would this kid look like? Act like? Be like?
When I lived in Chicago during Seminary I had a roommate named Mike. We’d go out from time to time and walk around the neighborhood where North Park Seminary is located. It’s a very diverse neighborhood; in fact North Park is located in one of the most diverse Zip Codes in the country. Especially in the summer when it was hot, you’d see a lot of men sitting on their front steps and we’d hear them talk as we’d walk by. We didn’t hear English very often because most of the families were first generation immigrants. We’d hear Russian and Polish, Spanish and Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Urdu, Arabic, Greek. Here we were, two guys from Minnesota, living in Chicago, wandering around the world in the span of a couple blocks. Mike and I would talk about our walks and especially about the men we would nod our heads to and smile and get a nod and a smile back. As hard as their lives were and as confusing as America can be for new immigrants, we knew why these guys brought their families to America. They wanted to do right for their wives and kids.
What would we do, what would I do, what would you do if we were in Joseph’s place? Mary is pregnant. That brings dishonor to her, shame to me. These are the realities. Another reality we have to consider is that Joseph was a faithful Jew. He believed in a God who could and did act and then required a response. And now Joseph is faced with a situation….to say the least. Looking back into the history of Israel, he knew the response that God would want from his was a response of obedience. Have you ever laid awake at night when you know a decision, a situation awaits you the next day. Sometimes the situations that await us are complicated. You lay there and wonder, do I make the decision that makes sense, the decision that everyone will understand…..OR do I make the RIGHT decision. How Joseph’s head must have been spinning.
Ours spin too, at this busy time of year, rushing around and worrying if we are getting everything right or wrong. But our decisions about getting toys or gifts or what the seating chart at the Christmas table should be pale in comparison to the decision Joseph had to make. His decision could literally have been life or death. Joseph, if he followed the path that most would understand, the path that he legally could walk, could have led to Mary being put to death. But that didn’t happen, because God acted and Joseph responded. He was going to do, not what was easy, but what was right and in doing so he did right for his family. Joseph walked in faith and expected God to get it right. He put his trust in God, (and where else could he put it?) knowing all the while those whom he trusted and loved might not understand. Humble Joseph calls us to that very same faith and commitment.
Faith and commitment sometimes butt up against the expected and convenient. Joseph probably wanted to, and in that culture probably could have, locked Mary in her room, and then once the baby arrived, divorced her. Culturally and legally, that would have been expected and convenient. He didn’t. He took seriously God’s leading and in faith continued, literally down the road of commitment to and with Mary. He looked after her, loved her, and once Jesus was born and reached his teenage years Joseph just fades away and is mentioned no more.
Friends, we are entering one of the busiest weeks of the year, filled with Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, folks trying to do right for their families as best they know how, stores and malls filled to capacity, lines out the door at the Post Office, weekly planners filled with more to do than there is time, minds that will be seemingly filled with mush and bodies that will be exhausted. We’ll also celebrate the good news that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin to bring each of us new life filled with hope and love.
Glen Wiberg is a retired Covenant Pastor, my all time hero pastor who confirmed me, who I did my Boy Scout religious award with and was one of the pastors that officiated at our marriage. In the latest Covenant Companion he writes about Joseph. I leave you with his words: Dear Friends, please do not forget Joseph. Without Joseph there might have been no Christmas, either then or now. The good news is that Christmas will last as long as God can find in every community on person who says as Joseph said, “I will do what is the right thing to do,” which is to read the Good Book and to see the human condition through the spectacles of the love and grace and kindness of God, then to pursue justice for the weak and oppressed. As long as there is one in every community, it will always be Christmas. The question is, of course, whether or not you will be that person.”
As we prepare for and sing our Closing Hymn, (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) let God’s messenger’s, the angels speak to you and see if you are that one.
AMEN
– Jim Stanley-Erickson and his wife Cathy are Co-Pastors at Christ Covenant Church, Harleysville, PA . They have a twelve year old Golden Retriever and a three year old daughter. You can see alot of pictures of the dog and daughter at www.madcitycat.wordpress.com.
[This sermon was preached for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 19, 2010. The text was Matthew 1:18-25.]
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