God Who Overcomes Matthew 2:1-15
Matthew 2:15 “Out of Egypt I have called my son”
After the joy of Christmas, after birth of Jesus, after the wise men and Sheppard’s, and after the angels sing, we encounter Herod’s diabolical plot to destroy the baby Jesus.
This aspect of the story is intended to remind and reassure us that in life there will be forces that seek to destroy, deny, and/or deter human and spiritual potential, but the God we serve is the God who overcomes.
As we enter into a new year, it is important to know that in life’s journey, you will encounter four basis forces that seek to thwart God’s plan for your life. A complicated past, cruelty of people, callosity of position, and critical problems, all forces that seek to destroy, that seek to deny or seek to deter your human and spiritual potential.
If it happened to Jesus, be assured it can happen to you.
So, if your past is characterized by never being able to put down roots, always moving from place to place, living life always wondering where you are and where you are going. I want you to know that God overcomes a complicated past.
If you have experienced the dark side of humanity, where the nexus of cruelty is always at your door, the bull eye is always on your back, actions are always taken to steal your joy. I want you to know that God overcomes the cruelty of people.
If the power forces of the day have hardened their hearts to your plight, have refused to listen to your concerns, have placed their feet on your back. I want you to know that God overcomes the callosity of position.
Finally, if life problems presents crises after crises, a never ending litany of bad news, if it not one thing it’s another. I want you to know that God overcomes critical problems.
That’s what this text tells us, that in life there will be forces that seek to destroy, deny, or deter human and spiritual potential, but the good news is that we serve a God who overcomes.
Let’s look closely at the story.
You have Jesus the Christ entering human experience as a baby born in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph. The circumstance of his birth is well known to us. Joseph and Mary are not married but he cares of the child and her with the faith of a father who knows that God is on his side. An angel informs Mary that the child she is carrying has a special and significant purpose in God’s plan. He is God’s beloved son.
Point: I want you to know that it does not matter what the circumstances of your birth may have been, the complication of your past, or the inconsistency of social involvement. This story clearly tells us that even if your where born in a garage, you are not a car. Even if you where born in an oven, you are not a biscuit. The very fact that you where born makes you a child of God, a person with a special and significant purpose in God’s plan.
In Jesus we have the protagonist of the story. In Herod we have the antagonist.
The text makes a point to identify Herod as a person, and then as the King. This distinction is important because the person of Herod is a troubled individual. His mother was Arabian, and therefore, in the eyes of the orthodox Jews, he was not fully a Jew. This aspect of his past always caused Herod to be unsure of himself and dangerous in his dealings with others. No wonder he becomes uneasy when he suspects that the Messiah, the King of the Jews has been born. He reflects that worst of humanity as he demonstrates cruelty to people. He seeks to destroy the baby Jesus.
Point: As hard as you may try to do God’s will God’s way, there will always be forces in opposition. While some will cheer you, there will be those who boo. While some will give you acclaim, there will be those who will profane. While some will pat you on the back, there will be those who will stab you in the back. Unfortunately, in life you will
Encounter cruel people.
Its one thing to be a cruel person, it another thing to have power as a cruel person, therefore, you see Herod acknowledged in the text not only as a person, but also by his position as King. He demonstrates callosity in his position. That’s the hardening of his heart.
Callosity of position is when people who have power to ease life’s burdens, themselves become a burden. That’s what happened to Pharaoh in Exodus. He had the power to let the Hebrew people go, but his heart was hardened and he enacted cruelties on the people because he had the power to do it.
King Herod derived his power from his cozy relationship first with Cesar, then with Mark Anthony, and finally with Octavios of Rome. His willingness to do Rome’s bidding caused the Rulers of Rome to maintain him in power over the interests of the people.
In life you will face, sometimes, the callosity of position.
Last Wednesday, I sat with a group of ministers and listened to the plight of African American Dentists in the State of Maryland. They make up less than 9% of the practicing professionals, but the citations of infractions and the punitive actions by the State Dental Board is over 40% of the total actions they have taken. In other words proportionately it appears that they are being singled out as a group when compared to other groups. Why? It appears only because the State Dental Board has the power to do it. Next Tuesday we intend to meet with the Attorney General and we pray that we do not encounter the callosity of position as we seek to bring a remedy to this matter.
But in life, you will face the callosity of position. That’s what racism is all about. It’s the entrenched way of doings things that eliminates opportunity for segments of our society on the basis of their not having power.
I’m reminded of Rev. Harvey Johnson and the Mutual United Brotherhood of Liberty. Even now when the public discussion is about school closings. Over the objections of then Mayor Latrobe, they caused the first public four year high school for colored students to be built in the country – Douglas High School. If that was not enough to demonstrate that God overcomes callosity of position. They forced Mayor Latrobe to attend the first graduating class and pass out the diplomas.
King Herod because he has the power and the callosity of position issues an edict to have the children of Bethlehem under age two killed. Why, because he has the power to plan it and the hardness of heart to do it.
As the soldiers carry out King Herod’s orders to kill the children of Bethlehem we uncover the fourth force one faces in life, the crises of problems. Mass murder of children is a problem of crises proportions. History shows us over and over again the low regard power has for the life of innocent children. We see it in this story, but we see it all throughout life. Children all over the world are faced with premature death, simply because people with the resources refuse to care. Power interests do not keep count of numbers of children who are killed as it moves through its military conquests.
This story illustrates to us that in life you will be faced with critical problems. How you respond, demonstrates your faith in God. God tells Joseph to moves his family from Bethlehem to avoid Herod’s genocidal attack. Just like Abram in Genesis, God sometime tells you to go and then he shows you the way. We must walk by faith and not by sight.
This story would be a human tragedy, if not for the fact of verse 15 which says that out of Egypt I have called my son.
Egypt is in Africa the mother of civilization. God calls his son out of Africa. The aspect of religious we call spiritual comes from Africa. Healing science that we know as medicine comes from Africa. Engineering systems related to roadways, building, and water systems comes from Africa. Educational academies, library systems, and numbering systems come from Africa. Fine linen, gold and precious metals, come from Africa. Out of Egypt in Africa, God calls his son.
This sentence placed in the text to fulfill prophesy let’s us know that God overcomes all the four forces that seek to destroy human and spiritual potential.
1. The complications of Jesus past was intended to fulfill God’s plan that the Messiah would come out of Africa and Nazareth. While Jesus was born in Bethlehem to fulfill prophesy he had to come through Africa to Nazareth. Can anything good come from Nazareth? Is that Mary’s boy? Baby Jesus moving from place to place was to fulfill God’s plan. It’s good to know that God overcomes the complication of one’s past.
a) Paul says, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new.
2. Jesus overcomes the cruelty of people. Herod’s plot, Herod’s plan could not win. Isaiah says it this way, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall proper.”
3. While Herod’s hard heartedness causes tragedy and trauma, it does not stop God’s plan. It‘s good to know that God overcomes callosity of position. In life you will face people on top attempting to keep you on the bottom. Don’t worry and don’t be afraid, Our God is King of Kings and Lord of Lord. The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our God. Callosity of position does not trump the Love of God. It’s the strongest power on earth, in earth and above earth.
4. Finally, don’t succumb when problems come your way. Don’t give in. I want you to know that God is able to overcome critical problems. How do I know? Baby Jesus grows up. The problems don’t stop. His friends turn on him. The people vote to crucify him. The soldiers march him up a hill with a rugged cross. His problems seem overwhelming. It appears that even God has turned his back on him. My God, My God why has Thou forsaken me? He died and is buried in a borrowed tomb. Three days he lay in that tomb. But early Sunday Morning Jesus overcomes the critical problem of sin and death. Early Sunday Morning Jesus gets up from his tomb. Early Sunday Morning Jesus tells you and me that he has all power in his hands.
5. Jesus overcomes his critical problems. God can overcome the critical problems in our lives.
6. Jesus lets us know that in life we don’t have to give in to the forces that seek to destroy us: complications of your past, cruelty of people, callosity of position, or critical problems.
7. "Be not dismayed what ever be tide. God will take care of you. Beneath his wings of love abide, God will take care of you." No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you.
