In the name of Jesus; amen. A sermon based on Matthew 2:13-23
There is no historical basis for this gospel story. Certainly it is possible that it was overlooked by the historians of the time, but there is no actual proof that it happened.
Does this make it any easier to hear?
If it did take place the death toll would have been small. Bethlehem was a little town, just like the Christmas carol claims. There would have only been a handful of boys under the age of 2 living there when this would have taken place.
Does this make it any easier to hear?
And only Matthew tells this story. Luke has the holy family returning home right after the birth so that Jesus could be circumcised when he was 8 days old as was custom, not fleeing to Egypt.
Does this make it any easier to hear?
Matthew may have made the whole thing up in order to connect Jesus with Moses who also escaped a massacre of baby boys when he was born. Matthew may have made it up in order to place Jesus in Egypt at some point in his life because Matthew was concerned with fulfilling the writings of the prophets.
But none of this makes this story any easier to hear.
The slaughter of the innocents inserts a dark cloud into the Christmas story.
“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
If we listen we can still hear her crying throughout the world: in Pakistan, Iraq, Dafur, Afghanistan, New Orleans, New York, and even here in Naugatuck.
It seems it is Rachel’s job to weep and mourn for those who are lost and for those who are no more. Her tears are reminders that pain and sorrow still exist in this world even at this time of year when we celebrate the joy of Jesus’ birth into our world.
As hard as it is to hear, this story, whether or not it actually happened needs to be told. Jesus’ birth did not provide a magical formula that protects us from evil events and evil people. In fact, Matthew wanted people to understand that a life of faith in Jesus would include persecution and suffering. Our faith and our baptism do not protect us from evil or protect us from it happening to us.
But there is good news in this story. Jesus fulfills God’s redemptive plan because he escapes Herod’s evil plan.
An angel warns Joseph in a dream to flee with Mary and the baby causing Joseph to wake and immediately run away with his family as Herod’s secret guard approaches the town with drawn swords. The good news is that Jesus escapes death as a young child so that he can face death as a man.
The good news is that even in the worst moments Jesus fulfills God’s purpose for us.
Rachel weeps, but we can rejoice even in the most tragic of times and circumstances because God’s plan is always accomplished.
That’s the good news. We may not always understand God’s plan and it might even seem at times as if God has no plan at all, but the truth is that God does have a plan and that plan is meant to truly save us because God truly loves us.
God works even in tragedy. God succeeds even in the horrific.
Evil people and evil events cannot stop God or hinder God. Jesus escapes the swords of Herod’s soldiers because God’s plan is that Jesus would make known God’s love for us and then willingly go to the cross and die to prove God’s love for us.
The sadness and sorrow of this story is wiped away by the victory of the resurrection and Rachel is comforted because her children are redeemed and renewed.
The Christmas story always includes the Cross and Resurrection stories otherwise it is incomplete and unfulfilled. And because of that we too are put into this story of a manger, and a massacre, and an escape. Except that it is no longer an escape from evil, but an escape to goodness and grace.
God’s plan is fulfilled and we are able to rejoice.
Amen.
There is no historical basis for this gospel story. Certainly it is possible that it was overlooked by the historians of the time, but there is no actual proof that it happened.
Does this make it any easier to hear?
If it did take place the death toll would have been small. Bethlehem was a little town, just like the Christmas carol claims. There would have only been a handful of boys under the age of 2 living there when this would have taken place.
Does this make it any easier to hear?
And only Matthew tells this story. Luke has the holy family returning home right after the birth so that Jesus could be circumcised when he was 8 days old as was custom, not fleeing to Egypt.
Does this make it any easier to hear?
Matthew may have made the whole thing up in order to connect Jesus with Moses who also escaped a massacre of baby boys when he was born. Matthew may have made it up in order to place Jesus in Egypt at some point in his life because Matthew was concerned with fulfilling the writings of the prophets.
But none of this makes this story any easier to hear.
The slaughter of the innocents inserts a dark cloud into the Christmas story.
“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
If we listen we can still hear her crying throughout the world: in Pakistan, Iraq, Dafur, Afghanistan, New Orleans, New York, and even here in Naugatuck.
It seems it is Rachel’s job to weep and mourn for those who are lost and for those who are no more. Her tears are reminders that pain and sorrow still exist in this world even at this time of year when we celebrate the joy of Jesus’ birth into our world.
As hard as it is to hear, this story, whether or not it actually happened needs to be told. Jesus’ birth did not provide a magical formula that protects us from evil events and evil people. In fact, Matthew wanted people to understand that a life of faith in Jesus would include persecution and suffering. Our faith and our baptism do not protect us from evil or protect us from it happening to us.
But there is good news in this story. Jesus fulfills God’s redemptive plan because he escapes Herod’s evil plan.
An angel warns Joseph in a dream to flee with Mary and the baby causing Joseph to wake and immediately run away with his family as Herod’s secret guard approaches the town with drawn swords. The good news is that Jesus escapes death as a young child so that he can face death as a man.
The good news is that even in the worst moments Jesus fulfills God’s purpose for us.
Rachel weeps, but we can rejoice even in the most tragic of times and circumstances because God’s plan is always accomplished.
That’s the good news. We may not always understand God’s plan and it might even seem at times as if God has no plan at all, but the truth is that God does have a plan and that plan is meant to truly save us because God truly loves us.
God works even in tragedy. God succeeds even in the horrific.
Evil people and evil events cannot stop God or hinder God. Jesus escapes the swords of Herod’s soldiers because God’s plan is that Jesus would make known God’s love for us and then willingly go to the cross and die to prove God’s love for us.
The sadness and sorrow of this story is wiped away by the victory of the resurrection and Rachel is comforted because her children are redeemed and renewed.
The Christmas story always includes the Cross and Resurrection stories otherwise it is incomplete and unfulfilled. And because of that we too are put into this story of a manger, and a massacre, and an escape. Except that it is no longer an escape from evil, but an escape to goodness and grace.
God’s plan is fulfilled and we are able to rejoice.
Amen.
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