Delivered to Deliver Others!
Well, here we are, on the other side of Christmas. The gifts are opened, the parties are over, and the meals and cookies are consumed. Perhaps even some of the gifts have been returned. I haven’t yet seen my first Christmas tree on the curb, but I’m sure it can’t be very far away. As the Church’s celebration of Christmas moves into full swing, the society around us is ready to pack it in. The Church celebrates, as the song says, the Twelve Days of Christmas, the days between Christmas and Epiphany, the day celebrating the visit of the Magi, bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But society ha been celebrating Christmas while we were observing Advent, and now that we’re ready to make merry, they’re done. The baby has come, the birthday’s over, so it’s time to pack away the lights and the manger scene for another year. But a much-beloved Christmas carol beckons us to ponder the mystery of the Babe in the manger, the mystery of the Word made flesh:
What Child is this who, laid to rest / On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, / While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King, / Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud, / The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Today’s Gospel reading comes from Matthew, immediately following the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. The Magi came, following the star, to seek out the “child who has been born king of the Jews.” The star led them to Jerusalem, where they went to Herod, to inquire the whereabouts of the newborn king. Sneaky Herod sent them to Bethlehem, but with special instructions: “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” (Matthew 2:8) But the Magi, warned in a dream about Herod, returned home by another road. When Herod realized that his game was up, his rage got the better of him. He ordered for the murder of all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the Magi.
Into the joy of the news of the birth of the Savior interrupts the horror of sin. The death of countless innocent children isn’t something we want to associate with the peaceful serenity of the Christmas scene. But there it is. The Christmas decorations haven’t even come down, and we’re already reminded of the need for Christ’s birth among us. We want to sing our Christmas carols, drink our eggnog, and ignore the fact that the baby in the manger must suffer and die. But God’s way wasn’t the easy way. Glory must come through a cross. And so we sing:
Why lies He in such mean estate, / Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here / The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, / The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh, / The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Today we hear of Jesus’ being delivered from the destruction, saved when an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there."
There was another child in Israel’s history who was saved from a slaughter. Baby Moses was spared from the murder of Israelite infants in Egypt. Pharaoh feared that the Israelite slaves were getting too numerous and powerful, so he decreed, "Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live." (Ex. 1:22) So Moses’ mother hid him in a basket in the Nile River, where he was found and taken in by Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses was delivered so that he could save God’s chosen people.
And in the same way, Jesus’ deliverance helped to indicate his role as deliverer. Jesus was taken to Egypt (ironically enough) for safe keeping, so that Herod’s reign of destruction wouldn’t harm the child. Jesus was the new Moses, the savior of God’s people.
Readers of Matthew’s Gospel would have immediately made the connection between Moses and Jesus. Just as Moses was spared so that he could deliver God’s people, so too Jesus was spared so that he could deliver God’s people.
But Jesus life was destined to save more than just the Israelites. Jesus death and resurrection was for all people. We can celebrate Christmas because Jesus died and rose again for us. Christmas can be joyful because it leads to the cross, to the empty tomb.
The world has a difficult time understanding Jesus. They want to celebrate his birth, the happy news, the angel chorus, the animals in the stable, the shepherd’s rejoicing. But when the suffering of Good Friday rolls around, they are nowhere to be found.
And what about us? Do we forget about the suffering of our Lord, choosing instead to simply focus on silver bells and visions of sugarplums dancing in our heads? Are we content to sing our hymns and drink our coffee, forgetting about the suffering that comes with true discipleship? 1 Peter reminds us that the suffering will come for us as well, on account of the Good News born at Christmas. “Beloved,” Peter tells us, “do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13) When we reach out to the hurting and suffering in the world, we reach out with the hands and feet of Christ. When we give of ourselves so that others may know the peace and love of Christ Jesus our Lord, we may experience suffering. But we need not be discouraged, because we will be blessed in our suffering. “If any of you suffers as a Christ-ian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name.” (1 Peter 4:16) Our suffering does not earn us merit in God’s eyes, but it does indicate to us that we are following God’s path to the Kingdom. Later in his life, Jesus taught the crowds, “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven…” (Matthew 5:11-12) We can rejoice in our suffering, because our Lord promises to be with us in the midst of our suffering, supporting and guiding us all the way. We can celebrate Christmas, suffering and all, because we believe in the God who triumphs over the suffering and toil of this world, the God who promises that not even death can separate us from the love of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustained.
So go ahead. Celebrate. Even when the world is putting away the decorations. Dare to live a life of generosity, even in these uncertain times, and know that your efforts do not go unnoticed. Christ our King reigns, and will reign for all eternity.
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh, / Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings, / Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise a song on high, / The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born, / The Babe, the Son of Mary.
(“What Child is This?” by William C. Dix)
Amen. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)
