The Advent of HOPE – Matthew 1:18-2:2

Lectionary Readings for Nov. 29, 2020        First Sunday Of Advent, Year B
Isaiah 64:1-9   v4 For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you…
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19    v3 Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
1 Corinthians 1:3-9     v9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Mark 13:24-37            v 31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

But this week, we’ll focus on Matthew 1:18-2:2, the story of Jesus’ birth.

Peace Quotes

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” ~ William Arthur Ward

“Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky we are.” ~ Joyce Giraud

When we live in a spirit of gratitude, we can live in peace with ourselves and with others.

Any time I preach or lead a group, regardless of age, I start the same way. I’m going to say three short sentences. Please repeat each sentence, with enthusiasm.
God made me.           God loves me.            God has plans for me.

Preface to Today’s Scripture Reading

Today is the first day of the church season called Advent, a word which means the arrival of something or someone. It can also mean the transition into a new era of history – the 1960s was the advent of the space age. (Click here to learn more about the history and meaning of Advent.)

But today and every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, we Christians await the advent, the arrival, of Jesus, God in the flesh. 300 years ago, churches focused on the advent of Jesus’ second coming. Today, many Christian churches focus on the advent of Jesus’ birth. We believe this was a once-in-forever moment in time that marked a new era of history. We are blessed to live on this side of the Advent of Jesus.

Today, we’ll hear a portion of Matthew’s beautiful story about Jesus’ birth. But before we do that, let’s light a candle. It’s a fairly new tradition that each of the five advent candles represents an aspect of our faith.

This week, we focus on HOPE. Jesus’ followers have always been people of hope. Matthew’s story is filled with hope for a better future, an active future based on God’s loving acceptance and forgiveness.

As we light our candles, silently reflect on what you hope for the future. What do you need from God? Tell Him! No hope is too big or small for God’s embrace.

Prayer: God of boundless hope, help us see a future that meshes with Your desires for us. Nurture the hope we already have within us, and help us share that hope with others, so that they too may have hope for their future and be able to rest in the peace of Your presence. Amen.

Let’s open our ears, minds, and hearts as we read today’s text.

Read Matthew 1:18-2:2.

Looking back on my first half-century on this earth reveals some patterns, one of which is that I seem to have an instinct for questioning norms and being, to put it nicely, contrary. Sometimes I’ll argue in favor of an opposing viewpoint just to see if it stands up to criticism and is thus worthy of serious consideration. I apply this attitude to all of life, including our Christian faith.

At some point during my high school years, my mother once looked at me and asked, “Why can’t you just play ball? Why must you always make waves?” I immediately replied, “If there were no waves, nobody could surf, and that would be sad. Waves are where you find the action and the challenge.” I clearly recall that she did not appreciate my quick wit in the moment.

I share this to prepare you for what may sound like an Advent series of Sunday messages co-written by Ebenezer Scrooge and the Grinch. But stick with me because I sincerely believe that the Christmas story – God becoming flesh among us – holds up to Scrooge’s stinginess and the Grinch’s bitterness.

Before I get into that, just last week someone asked me, “Where in the Bible is the story of Jesus’ birth?” That’s an excellent question with a multiple-choice “all of the above” answer.

Chronologically, Paul offers the first birth story. Yes, you read that correctly; Paul has the first birth story. Written roughly 40 years before the four gospels were written, Paul says in his letter to the Galatians 4:4 “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.” That’s it. That’s Paul’s entire account of Jesus’ birth.

Matthew 1-2 covers Jesus’ genealogy, birth and His time of exile in Egypt.

The Gospel of Mark skips Jesus’ birth entirely and starts with His baptism.

Luke 1-2 includes the birth of both John the Baptist (Jesus’ cousin) and Jesus. Luke then follows Jesus through age 12.

John’s gospel is always the wonderfully mystical odd-man-out. John 1 never mentions a manger, but instead goes back to before the first moment of creation and describes Jesus as the Word and Light of God’s presence. Here’s John’s version of Jesus’ birth v14: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us…”. That’s it!

Notice that none of the Biblical authors mention a date or even a season. That’s because they’re using stories to share the meaning of our faith with future generations. They are not filling out a birth certificate because they don’t care about details that don’t matter. And neither should we.

Here are the details about Jesus’ birth that I believe do matter:
God has always loved humanity so much that the Creator of the Universe chose to become flesh and walk and talk and eat and sleep and laugh and cry and hug among us.

Matthew’s genealogy connecting Jesus to Abraham shows us that, through the person of Jesus, God connects all of humanity together throughout history. We are all God’s children – brothers and sisters regardless of whatever time, distance, or hard feelings separate us.

Matthew’s birth story teaches us that a lack of social status or material wealth are barriers for God’s direct involvement in our lives. For those of us caught in embarrassing situations (like Joseph), humility and inclusion are also lessons here. Furthermore, God will show up when we least expect it and when God does, God tells us to not be afraid and trust Him.

Through Joseph’s obedience, Matthew’s birth story teaches us to listen for God’s voice in even the most upsetting circumstances. Joseph teaches us obedience in the face of confusion, embarrassment, or disappointment.

Through the physical birth of Jesus, Matthew’s story shows us that sometimes God’s promises and plans take time to develop, and sometimes that happens in ways that we may experience as being inconvenient or uncomfortable. Much like natural childbirth, spiritual birthing can be messy and painful at times, nevertheless and for our own benefit, God is with us in and through it all.

Through the wise men, Matthew’s birth story teaches us to look for indications of God’s activity and go after it even if we’re not exactly sure where we’re going or what circumstances we’ll encounter along the way. The wise men also teach us to honor and help those in need, never dismissing God’s presence in unlikely places or people.

Now back to Scrooge and the Grinch – both of which people have accurately accused me of being over the years.

To Scrooge’s stinginess, Matthew’s story illuminates God’s endless, boundless generosity and the idea that no amount of material possessions is as meaningful as personally experiencing God’s presence among us. The story reminds us to share God’s love as much as possible and as often as possible. That’s the greatest investment we can make.

To the Grinch’s bitterness, Joseph’s angst and Mary’s discomfort illuminates God’s co-suffering with us. When we’re able to trust God with our negative emotions and experiences, God can lead us into new places, replacing our bitterness with hope, love, and joy.

To the rejection from society and the loneliness both of these characters felt, Matthew’s story reminds us that we are all God’s children, all God’s family and thus, no matter what we have or have not done with our lives, we are all accepted and loved by the Creator of the Universe.

Today’s story shares the advent of a new era, a new way of understanding the Good News that God’s love, peace, and hope is for everyone. Matthew’s story reminds us that, like Jesus, we can expand the Kingdom of God when we share this gift with ourselves and others, especially people who may be feeling a bit Scroogish or Grinchish this time of year.

Amen? Amen!