The Scope of the Cross’ Shadow.
Hebrews 2: 10 – 18; Matthew 2: 13 – 23
Hebrews 2: 10 – 18; Matthew 2: 13 – 23
A cynical historian once said of Christmas that it was only popular because it was all about the birth of a child, and it meant no more than that. I think the historian was right in one sense. I think our society has taken on board Christmas because it comes across as a happy family life event. It’s easy to accommodate. It isn’t threatening. It leaves us with a good feeling. Christmas gives us a fun time.
On the other hand the historian has got it all wrong. Our society that celebrates Christmas misses entirely the back, front and future story of Christmas. The shadow of the Cross falls across this event. Suffering and death lurk in the shadows. Vulnerability is just around the corner. Power and fear oozes through the cracks of this story.
The Wisemen from the east have come and gone back a different way because they were suspicious and fearful. King Herod, like all dictators, suffered with a measure of paranoia. He heard about this special baby from the wisemen and ordered all the boy children of two years and younger around Bethlehem to be killed. We have no evidence of this massacre outside of the Gospel. Did it take place? William Barclay, famous NT commentator of the early part of 20th Century, noted that massacres have gone unnoticed before. He mentions that a notable Scottish political diarist known for his thoroughness who failed to mention the massacre of Glencoe in 1692. It was quite probable that Herod ordered the deaths of the children. King Herod had killed the members of the Sanhedrin when he came to power. Some time later he had 300 court officials executed. He also murdered his wife Mariamne and her mother Alexander. Herod was no stranger to arbitrary assassinations. This passage leaves us in no doubt that though the birth of Jesus brought great joy for some; it also brought great danger and suffering to others and not least the holy family.
Joseph and Mary’s flight to safety in Egypt is most probable given the political nature of Herod’s reign. And Egypt is the logical place to go to. There they would be beyond the influence of Herod. Equally important they would have been amongst fellow Jews. There were many Jewish communities in Egypt. Jews had often fled to Egypt and many remained. In fact the northern city of Alexandria held the largest group of Jewish people in the world. Yes, there were more Jews in Alexandria than in Jerusalem. (Remember at one time Melbourne held the largest number of Greek speaking Greeks outside of Athens.)
Matthew uses the holy family’s flight to Egypt to show that Jesus stands in the full tradition of Israel. Notice that Matthew has said nothing about the shepherds, angels and the holy family’s quiet return to Nazareth. Instead we have the visit of the wisemen, the warning to Joseph of Herod’s decision to kill baby boys and the flight to Egypt. These are all historically plausible stories. Matthew has presented his material in such a way as to draw parallels with Moses. Moses is hidden in the bulrushes and Jesus in an obscure manger. Pharaoh orders all Jewish boys to be killed and so does Herod. Moses is saved by Pharaoh’s daughter and Jesus by the angels. Moses fled for his life to the land of Midian and Jesus to Egypt. God messages Moses saying that those who wanted him dead have died. Joseph receives the same message that Herod has died and its safe to return. Matthew wants to show that Jesus’ early experience parallels Moses the Great Lawgiver. Matthew writing for a Jewish Christian community wants to make it quite clear that Jesus is fulfilling the Covenant (OT) not replacing it [Mt 5: 17f]
I want to draw out two lessons from this text. The first is that this is a new start. The second is that any new start has its dangers.
The coming of Jesus heralds a new start for Israel. Jesus’ birth came at a time when there was a widespread hope that God would save Israel. They believed God would send the Messiah. Matthew and the first Christians believed that Jesus was this new start. And without doubt Christ Jesus initiated a new start. Jesus radically re-interpreted the Jewish story.
The history of the Israelites is one of fresh starts. The Church’s history shows the same pattern. God is always willing to work with us afresh. Traditionally we have taken the New Year as a time for reflection and a new start. Some take time to reflect on the past year and on the year ahead. Professionally I do that every year.
In one of my pastoral visits this week I was asked whether I had a strategy for growing the church at Leighmoor. I said I didn’t. I do have strategies to build up our faith and for helping us through the transitions of life. Those life changes that lie ahead of us also include, for me, the possibility of this church needing to close down one day. I do work at preparing you to be independent of the minister and embrace change. But the question was a challenge, helpful and vital. It is challenging because our denomination faces major decline. It was helpful because it told me that others are concerned. I can’t work alone at this. We have to do it together. And it was vital because growing the Church is God’s Mission to this world.
I’m not simply passing the buck when I say that the strategy must be ours. So I am calling a meeting to begin a discussion on this matter for Sunday the 15th January after worship. I believe we should be asking ourselves what we should be doing to make this church grow? Or to put the question theologically, what are we doing to allow the Holy Spirit to bring about renewal in our lives so that others are blessed and accept Jesus as Lord? There is a negative side, which is what are we doing that is stopping growth? I want to suggest that the first thing we can do is renew our commitment to Jesus and seek God’s Holy Spirit. I invite you later to take up the covenant pledge. But I want to warn you that I sense God is challenging me to lead us through some changes. We should be open to this based on God’s general faithfulness to us and in particular God’s blessing resting on this church. I was particularly encouraged by the number first time worshippers this Christmas and the return of some once-a-year attenders. God is honouring our Christmas services. Let us make sure we remain awake to God’s wishes and people’s needs.
The second lesson I want us to take home this day is that any fresh start has dangers, any new beginning, any raising of the standards will be met with frustration, failures and opposition. The Christ-child faced real dangers, so has the Church down through the ages. The scope of the Cross’ shadow reached down to the cradle and it crosses our paths as well. Today there are still Christians facing persecution. But remember we are not alone and God will strengthen us in all situations. In my preparation I was reminded of this delightful legend regarding God’s protection of the Christ-child.
‘When Joseph, Mary and Jesus were on their way to Egypt, they stopped in the late evening and sought refuge in a cave. It was very cold, so cold that the ground was white with hoar frost. A little spider saw the little baby Jesus, and he wished that he could do something for Jesus to keep him warm. So he did what he only could do. He spun his web across the entrance of the cave as if his web was a curtain. Not much help you might think. A spider’s web won’t keep you warm. Along the path that night came a platoon of Herod’s soldiers looking for baby boys to kill. They came to the cave and paused at the entrance seeing the spider’s web glistening white with the hoar frost. About to break through and search for baby boys the officer in charge told the soldiers to move on because no one had entered the cave that night, as the web was unbroken. And so the spider doing what it only could do saved the Christ-child. [William Barclay, Matthew 1. p.26]
This legend holds two truths. Firstly, God protects us. God protects us in strange ways. So let us step into 2017 together in faith. Second truth is that let us do what we can do. Then we may see more clearly see what is possible to do and then move on to the impossible with God’s help.
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Peter C Whitaker, Leighmoor UC: 01/01/2017
pgwhitaker@tpg.com.au
/ www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au
pgwhitaker@tpg.com.au
/ www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au
