For those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are four Scriptures readings prior to the Message. Today's assigned Scriptures are: Jeremiah 31:7-14; Psalm 84; Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-19 and Matthew 2:13-23.
Christmas day 2015 ....is over! .... The tree may still be up, .... but it looks mighty empty...... underneath.
Visiting family members.... have left ....to go back home.
The excitement of Christmas.... took weeks to build to a crescendo ... and then ......it was over.
Life .... has almost gotten back ......to normal.
And many people .... suffer from post-Christmas doldrums... a kind of depression .... after all the excitement of Christmas ... in fact here is a song for this season titled... "Post-Christmas Blues".
We spend weeks before Christmas....... preaching about the events ...leading up to ... and including ... the birth .... of Jesus.
We seldom hear a sermon.... about what happened to them .... right after ......that first Christmas. (Pause)
Now some people ......do not consider Joseph ....to be a very important character.... in the Christmas story.
In fact, ... the Scriptures ... do not record anything .... that Joseph ever said.
He is usually .... ignored.
The emphasis at Christmas.... is always on the baby Jesus... Mary, ...the Shepherds, ...and the Wise Men.
But today in our text ... Joseph is the central character.
Joseph & Mary's life .... was going to be turned .... upside down.
Nothing .... Nothing would ever be the same.
Luke simply sums up the next 12 years of Jesus life.... in 2 verses; .... But ... Matthew gives us .... a more detailed.... description.
Our text from Matthew tells us .... that the Wise Men, ...... The Greek Term Is .... MAGOI (MAH-goy) .... which is where we receive the title.... MAGI; .... visited Mary and Joseph ....and presented them .... with their gifts.
When they leave, .... Joseph and Mary go to sleep, ....and Joseph .... has a Dream.
The angel tells Joseph ....in the dream ....to flee to Egypt...... Why? ...because Herod ....is going to try ....to kill their son.
There are several things of interest.... from Matthews account.
(1 Finger) First ... Joseph's Obedience (Matthew 2:14.)
Joseph did not .... waste time.
He did not wait till morning ... he did not wait till next week ......he immediately packed .... that Night ....and headed ....to Egypt.
Immediate Obedience!
In the middle of the night.... God said .... "Move!" (Pause)
Joseph did not argue with God.
Joseph did not ask God for.... Plan B.... for another choice.
He did not wait ....to try to figure it .... "all" out.
He Obeyed...... He Immediately obeyed.
I am convinced ...that is why God chose.... Joseph.
God knew his heart ... that Joseph was sensitive ....to God's will.
(1 Finger) There was Joseph's...immediate obedience. (2 Fingers) The second thing that is apparent in our text is.... God's Provision. (Matthew 2:11)
Beloved, .... When God calls, .... He provides (Repeat) ....... Amen!
God would not have told Mary and Joseph to go to Egypt, ....and then say.... "You're on your own.... Good luck!"
How would Mary, ...Joseph ...and their young child.... survive in a foreign country .... no immediate family .... no immediate source of income?
How.... They have gold, ...They have frankincense ...... they have myrrh.
Gifts of great Value.
A currency .... accepted .... throughout the known world.
Beloved... God will provide ... If ... you walk obediently ... in His will. (Pause)
(1 Finger) Joseph's Obedience (2 Fingers) God's Provision (3 Fingers) and Thirdly .... Herod's Anger .... We need to be aware of Herod's Anger (Matthew 2:13, 2:16)
This is not usually included.... in plays .... about the Christmas story.
We leave .... this part out.
Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus .... are running for their lives ... fleeing .... the country.
Yet many slain children .... are left behind.
It is not part ... of our holiday picture.... is it?
I suppose you could ask.... "If God warned Joseph and Mary about Herod's intention.... why didn't he warn ... those other parents?"
That is a good question, ......and on one level, ...I have no answer.
But remember: ... God always has a bigger plan...... one that we often cannot see ... on this side of eternity.
He preserved his Son.... so that one day .... his Son could die on the cross .... for the sins of the world.
These babies died now, .... the baby Jesus would grow ...... and die later.
Jesus had to escape this time ....so that he would not escape.... the next time.
You might say: .... Jesus escaped the first time ....so that he would not escape ... the second time ....so that we would escape ....... for all time.
Beloved.... In the eyes of the Early Church.... these infants .... came to be regarded ....as the first Christian martyrs.
And in a sense ......these slain.... symbolize the ongoing battle of evil .... against God's people. (Pause)
So.........who is this man.... Herod?
History .... actually has a lot to say .... about Herod.
He was a mean, ....and vicious man.
Caesar Augustus was quoted as saying.... "It would be better to be King Herod's pig ... than his son. Pigs were protected by law ... Herod's family wasn't."
King Herod .... had already killed.... Two of his own sons ... he had them ... strangled.
He also killed one of his 10 wives ... his favorite wife ... because he thought .... she had been unfaithful to him ...... she was not!
He killed his 18-year-old brother-in-law, .... because the Jews liked him better .... than they liked Him.
He also killed his grand-father, ....and an 80-year-old uncle, .... who once .... saved Herod's life.
What are a few babies in Bethlehem ....to King Herod!
This slaughter of the innocent .... was proclaimed by the prophet Jeremiah:
Hear God's Word.... BIBLE "A voice is heard in Ramah, .... lamentation and bitter weeping.... Rachel is weeping for her children; .... she refuses to be comforted for her children, .... because they are.... no more." END (Jeremiah 31:15)
Why does this prophecy speak of "Rachel" ... and "Ramah"?
Remember Rachel, .... the wife of Jacob, .... She was buried in Bethlehem.
So what about Ramah?......Where is "Ramah"?
Bethlehem was about 5 miles South of Jerusalem.
Ramah was about 5 miles North of Jerusalem.
Herod most likely ... drew a circle around Jerusalem, .... probably 10 miles North and South of the great city, ....and declared his edict.... "Kill every boy under 2 years of age."
Egypt ...... why Egypt?
It had been God's plan (Hosea 11:1) for Jesus to come out of Egypt ... just like His children did .... 1,500 years before... under Moses.
And Mary & Joseph ...would not be alone.... in Egypt.
By this time, .... Egypt .... was also under Roman rule ... but Herod .... had no power there.
There were multiplied thousands of Jews.... who had fled there.... to find safety .... from the actions .... of King Herod.
There were Jewish settlements ... with synagogues ....and a great.... Temple.
The land that had once Enslaved the Jews, ... God used to now.... To Protect them.
Well, .... King Herod .... finally dies, .... In fact, not long after Mary & Joseph .... enter Egypt. (Matthew 2:19)
Before Herod's death .... from a very painful and horrible disease ... And ... knowing he was about to die ... Herod ordered .... all the Jewish nobility ....to be horded into the hippodrome...and surrounded by soldiers.
When word came of his death, .... they were to be slaughtered.
He wanted there to be weeping and wailing ....at his death ... for he knew.... they would not be crying .... over His death.
Herod died, .... yet the order... was never carried out!
Joseph has another "dream", ....and the angel speaks to him once again .... He is told... go to...... "The land of Israel" (Matthew 2:20)
And They left...... immediately.
The Scriptures state "And he arose" ... no questions ... no arguing ... no problem.
God had protected them.... and now they could return... to Israel. (Matthew 2:21)
God did not want His Son, Jesus, ....to be brought up in Egypt.
Ah ... yet another "Dream"!
Herod's son was on the throne, ...and Archelaus (Ar-cu-lay-us) .... was worse than his father! (Matthew 2:21)
History tells us .... that there was a riot in Jerusalem, ....and Archelaus stopped it ......by killing everyone ....in the crowd.
Latter in his reign.... Archelaus went into the Temple at Passover, ......and executed.... 3,000 Jews.
But, finally, .... Rome had enough, ....and banished him... to what is now ... France, .... where he died.
Mary & Joseph, ......when they got to Judea...... where Archelaus ruled, ...were afraid to stay in that area.... very long. (Matthew 2:22)
So ... being warned by God in a dream ... they headed north...... again immediately...... to Nazareth.... in Galilee.
This too.... fulfilled ...the prophecy of Isaiah ...in the Old Testament.
He will be called... a Nazarene. (Isaiah 11:1, 53:2-3).
Now......Nazareth was a small town......And it was famous for ...... not being famous.
In fact, ... Nazareth is never mentioned ....in the Old Testament.
Yet.... not far from Nazareth, .... the major highways running North/South ...and East/West .... crossed.
It was so Insignificant, ......that the Apostle Nathanael said ...... "Can anything good .... come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46)
Beloved......There is something special about little towns ...... like Ligonier . ... isn't there?
And that is where God .... wanted His Son ......to be raised.
You too......should feel Blessed ....... that God has placed you ......in a small town.
That is what He did ......for His Son.
God wanted His Son ...to be raised in a place outside of .... the large cities... outside of .... the politics ... in a place where morality ......was an expected value.
He wanted His Son ....to be raised in a simple town, without fame .... or prestige.
There were a number of Gentiles in the area of Nazareth, ....and God wanted Jesus ....to be raised ......in that environment. (Pause)
So......What can we learn...... from all of this?
The Safest Place to Be, .... Is Where God Leads You.
The Wise Men followed a star, ......and it led them ....to the Christ-child.
The Wise Men followed God's instructions, ....and they escaped .... Herod's wrath.
Joseph followed the Angel's instructions ...... immediately....and escaped ....to Egypt.
Joseph followed God's instruction, immediately ......and escaped the wrath ......of Archelaus.
Beloved......The safest place you can be ......is in the center .... of God's will.
God is still in charge!
Beloved .... God is still .... on the Throne.
He is the Lord of Lords; ......He is the Great I am.
He is El Shaddai.
Beloved...... Be Obedient to God... Walk in his ways......Trust in His provision....and Act on his will...immediately.
You are sons and daughters ... of the King of Kings.
You are sons and daughters.... Of El Shaddai......of God ......Almighty.
Amen! Amen!
This Message is based of a Sermon by Ray Scott titled "Post Christmas Blues" and I commend it to you.
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