Sermon Archives

December 30, 2007
Pastor Judy Bangsund

"What Child IS This?"
Matthew 2:13-23

When I was pastor of our college congregation at Makumira, my students asked me, "Why do we have to preach on this terrible story during the season of Christmas, which is all about love and joy and peace?" And I have to admit, I was stumped. It just doesn't seem right.

Although this text is about children, it is not a children's text. You could make a good argument for moving this text to Lent - or to an evening service where the chances are greater for an all-adult audience. Our Christmas songs of peace strike a discord with this gritty, violent act that reminds us of a world still penetrated by the sword. It is a brutal world. Today its youngest victims are more likely to be in Darfur or Pakistan or Iraq, but the sounds of Rachel weeping are still loud in our ears. We need to hear this lesson today - especially at Christmas time. We need to hear what God has to say about it, and how God is involved in it.

It was indeed an awful thing. King Herod was a cruel man who, over the years, had even killed two of his own sons when they became a threat to his power. So when these strangers from the East came inquiring about a new King, Herod didn't hesitate to kill again. To be really sure that this newborn king would not be a rival to his throne, he gave a terrible order, and innocent young lives were lost.

It makes you think of another king who issued a similar kind of order: Pharaoh, back in the time of Moses. When his wise men counseled him that the Hebrew slaves were becoming numerous and therefore dangerous, he commanded that all the Hebrew boys be drowned. Not a very smart order, you would think - given that Pharaoh needed a lot of strong men to construct his building projects. But that's what Pharaoh did, and it was a cruel order.

We live in a cruel world. Even apart from bad orders issued by threatened leaders, bad things happen. We read about them every day. And tragedies don't really take notice of the season of the year. The season of Christmas is not immune from trouble. It never has been.

Many of you, like us, have experienced hardships at Christmas time. One Christmas in Africa we had a string of difficulties that ended up with Jim flying to the States on Christmas Day for emergency back surgery, and a week later, our son was in Mayo Clinic where the doctors shook their heads, wondering if they could save his life. It was a very hard time. We were fortunate: everyone got well without any after-effects. But it doesn't always work out that way. Another missionary family - friends of ours - had a son the same age as our Peter. We found out later that this young man had also been at Mayo Clinic the same time Peter was there. But for John, the ending was different, losing the battle against cancer about a year later. It was really hard.

We often ask hard questions at times like these. Why me? Why now? Why this child and not that one? And there are no good answers to those questions today, just as there were no good answers to the questions posed by those parents in Egypt, or in Bethlehem.

We don't have all the answers, but there are some things we do know. We might note that the sad event that rocked this little town of Bethlehem is related briefly and with compassion. There is no fanfare or spectacle here; nothing even close to what Hollywood might do if it got ahold of this story. Bad news in Scripture is invariably noted with sorrow and respect. The reference to Rachel and her children brings a personal note of compassion for things that go terribly wrong in a broken world.

There is even a hidden note of hope in this text. Matthew is quoting Jeremiah to demonstrate that a prophecy was fulfilled, but Jeremiah had originally had a different goal. Jeremiah tucks this statement into a larger message of hope, given to a people in exile, a people taken away forcibly from their homes. Here is a larger segment of that message: This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more." This is what the LORD says: "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded," declares the LORD. "They will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope for your future," declares the LORD. "Your children will return to their own land."

Perhaps you noted the repetition of some key phrases: "This is what the Lord says;" this is what the Lord "declares." God has something to say about this, even while we are mute. God has a word of compassion and comfort - but even more: a word of hope; a word for future restoration. How is God involved in bad news? He gives compassion and hope.

Our son is a doctor. This week all our children were with us, and unfortunately, our younger daughter, Sharon, came down with the flu. She was miserable, not only because of chills and fever, but also because she didn't want to miss out on precious family time. Peter knelt by her side and first spoke a word of compassion: "I'm so sorry you're sick." I was struck by the gentleness and kindness in his voice. Even though a doctor, there was not much he could do. The virus had to run its course. But he could show compassion. The next thing he said was a word of hope: "You'll feel better tomorrow." His word of hope had authority behind it, because he knows about these things. And although she was still sick, Sharon felt loved and cared for.

The world as we know it is not the world God intended. Sin entered the world, and infected each person in it with a rebellious, disobedient and self-serving virus. But did God then give up on the patient, and in a disdainful voice say, "I did all I could?" No. Instead He kneels beside you and treats you with compassion and with kindness, and then gives you hope.

We live in a diseased world, and the sickness has to run its course. I do not believe that God sends trouble; I believe He works compassionately in this troubled world. Scripture shows us that in the midst of trouble God sends His mercies, new every morning, to alleviate that distress. You may have noticed that even when tragedy strikes, God sends His mercies: maybe it is the kindness of your friends and neighbors, or the renewal of a friendship, or reconciliation with an estranged family member. In many ways you can see God's mercies, His compassion, even during the most troubled times - if you have the eyes of faith to see it. God is there, and He cares for you. God is compassionate and God has a plan. You may recall that back in Egypt God had caused some very brave midwives to spare some of those children. One child in particular was spared, a child named Moses, who later went back to lead the entire Hebrew nation out of Egypt, out of slavery into the Promised Land. In this morning's Gospel text, another child - like Moses - was spared, this time in a little town of Bethlehem. God - as before - went to great lengths to pull this off: sending a dream to the Magi to thwart the plan of a dangerous and evil king; sending another dream to Joseph to instruct him; and, as this little family took off in the middle of the night for a long journey south, care along the way. It is significant that the baby Jesus was taken to Egypt - and in case we missed the connection, the Gospel writer points out that "out of Egypt I have called my son." Out of slavery; out of the control of a bad king. God is a saving God, and what's more: He has a plan.

God has a plan for saving this troubled world, a theme that is repeated throughout Scripture. Moses: one child saved among the many who were drowned, who was chosen to lead God's people to freedom. Earlier, Joseph: meant to have been killed, but spared in order to keep all of Egypt - and Israel as well - from starving. Later, Esther: one young Jewish girl, chosen out of many young women, to be the queen of Persia. In that unique position, she saved her people from genocide. It was a risky thing to do; approaching the king without being summoned could have meant her death. But her uncle pressed her to take courageous action saying, "...who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" In each case, God had singled out one person to be the instrument of deliverance for a whole nation.

Today in our difficult text from Matthew we see yet another child spared, because God has a plan. God is working on a comprehensive plan that will save this entire broken world, that it might get relief and deliverance; and so that some day, these awful things won't ever happen again. And we know it, because a very special child was born.

What child IS this? This child is another Moses, protected in his infancy, appointed by God to save yet another people - all the people of the world - from the slavery of sin and a world out of control. This child, like Joseph, will rule fairly and justly, providing for the needs of His people. This child, like Esther, was appointed at just the right time, to protect a whole world from self-destructive holocaust.

What child IS this? Not just a Moses or a Joseph or an Esther. This is the child whom Isaiah foretold, saying, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Did you hear that last line? The zeal of the Lord Almighty will do this. We're talking about a passionate God here, who is driving single-mindedly towards a solution. We're talking of a God who cares, who is powerful, and who will accomplish this.

God has his own "no child left behind" plan. God has a history of continually bringing his children out of slavery, out of exile, to a home, into joy and safety. And now He's about to complete His master plan. Someday, Scriptures say, He will wipe away the tears from the eyes of every face, and death will be no more.

What about you and me, in the meantime? What can we know and do, living in a world not yet fully delivered from the effects of sin?

If you are experiencing difficulty, remember that we still live in a broken world, and that these are troubled times. But Jesus fought and won the battle that will bring wholeness to our world, and to each of our own lives. Remember that God is compassionate and He will not forsake you. And nothing, but nothing, can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

God is compassionate and He has a plan. Having become a beneficiary of His plan, being saved by His grace through Christ, you are also called to participate in that plan, to go the next step. You are called to reach out to those in trouble, to show the compassion and love you have received from a God who never bails on anybody. And then, to tell them the good news: that God is ready to give you, me and everyone else a future and a hope. Who knows, but that you have been appointed to spread this news at just the right time?

We live in troubled times; but God is compassionate and He has a plan. At just the right time, a child was born: the Son of God, our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Lord.

Amen.