A King that does not rule is no king at all. Now granted in our day and age, being King is more of a governmental status than anything else. More for pomp and circumstance than a real live ruling kind of king. However, back in Jesus day, a King that did not rule was not a king at all.
The wise men arrived in Jerusalem asking questions about one who was born king of the Jews. Upon hearing this news King Herod became very suspicious and it disturbed him very much. Those wise men had some stones going to a king asking for directions to another king born to the Jews! Herod had a terrible history of violence and insecurity and so it followed that the whole city of Jerusalem was very nervous and disturbed not knowing how this insanely jealous King Herod would react.
Herod called two strategic meetings. One a public one were he gathered all the religious leaders together to discern the foretold birthplace of the King born to the Jews. Once finding out the information he called a private meeting with the wise men; telling them of the prophecy that Bethlehem would be the birth place of such a king. Finding out when the star had first appeared he sent them on their way only asking that when they find the child they return and tell him so he could also go and “worship” him too.
After the wise men had found the little king and worshipped him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod but to go home another way. Which they did post haste.
When Herod found out he had been outwitted he went from disturbed to furious. In his uncontrollable rage he issued an order to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and surrounding area under the age of two. He did this based on the intelligence gathered from the wise men regarding when they had first seen the star.
This part of the Christmas story is not often told. We hear of peace on earth and good will toward all people in songs and carols and Christmas readings. But, try and tell that to all the moms and dads of Bethlehem. Try and explain to them that Christmas is the happiest season of all or the most wonderful time of the year.
You see the existence of another king is serious business. A king demands allegiance. A king demands loyalty. A king demands your life. Or more simply a king demands…full stop!
If Jesus really is a King then his demands must be met or the consequences could be very dire! We are not accustom to being told how to live. We humans like to think we are the masters of our own destiny. We all think we are like royalty. Nobody has the right to tell us anything, especially how to live!
But King Jesus is very clear about this. If we try to save our own lives, if we try to rule them and be the masters of our own destiny then we will lose our lives. However, if we lose our lives, if we submit to him, if we give him rulership of our lives, then we will find our lives full and rich and rewarding forever.
This Christmas try and think through how the birth of Jesus was responded to by King Herod. Think of how those families in Bethlehem, for the rest of their lives, were minus one little boy. The pain never went away completely like a not so wonderful Christmas gift that keeps on delivering grief.
Jesus is a king. He makes demands. The question is will we react like Herod trying desperately to hang on to the rulership of our own lives or will we respond differently, handing over our lives to King Jesus and in doing so find true life.
The darker side of Christmas is not often spoken of. But now you know the rest of the story.
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Saturday, December 19, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The Real Unsung Hero of Christmas
Jesus Birth: Through the eyes of Joseph Matt 1:16-24
Have you ever just wondered about Joseph? Who was he? Where did he come from? Talk about a quick entrance and a mostly unnoticed exit in story of the nativity. But what would the Christmas story be like without old Joe? The expressions "second fiddle" and "unsung hero" definitely come to mind when we examine this remarkable man. His short but rich documentary is found mostly in the first chapter of Matthew in the New Testament.
We are introduced to him at the end of a long genealogy where he is uncharacteristically and certainly in ancient Middle Eastern culture, unceremoniously noted as the "husband of Mary". I'm not sure we can fully appreciate this description in our day and age but back then, in a deeply entrenched patriarchal society, was there a more profound insult than to be known as somebody’s husband? This is where he appears on the pages of scripture and then a few verses later he disappears never to be seen or heard from again. Mostly unsung, certainly un-thanked, largely unrecognized, and almost completely unknown in life. I guess in some ways you could say like most of us! And yet, what we do know of Joe is anything but unimportant. He is profoundly faithful, seriously devoted to Mary, meticulously righteous, and wonderfully gracious. Pretty much what every man wants to be like and pretty much what every women wants her man to be like. Good ol' Joe!
But how did the birth of Jesus affect him? A pledge to be married was only broken through death or divorce. A year long waiting period as the couple prepared for married life after the dowry was paid and the transaction was complete. Yet, his bride to be is suddenly found to be pregnant and not just pregnant but apparently loosing her mind becuase she was blaming the pregnancy on God! And just like real life, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, all his dreams are shattered! The little white tent, 3.4 goats, 20 or so sheep, a wood shop to ply his trade and somewhere between 10 and 15 children running around. All of it gone with the wind. Crushed, destroyed, and broken, all his future dreams vanished. He knows he not the father. He believes his beloved Mary has been unfaithful to him. Why else would she run off to her relative Elizabeth's place for 3 months without a word to him. Now he must make the most painful decision of his life. He must divorce her to protect his righteous reputation. To salvage at least his clean name. Yet, his profound commitment to her pushes his broken heart to quietly get this done and save as much face for Mary as could be saved in such a nasty situation.
Exhausted and worn out from his most horrible bad day, his head hits the pillow and the tears begin to flow and he falls into a restless sleep. Thinking he has only two options before him, to stone his bride to death or to simply divorce her.
But God.... those two famous words appear on the page. When those two words appear we can with certainly know that God can make a way when there seems to be no way forward. When all is lost and our dreams are crushed, God steps in, and brings about things that we could never have imagined. And God's way, well, his way is truely astonishing. The child is from God. Mary is not deluted. She will be his again, he will be given the most sacred responsibility of any human father... to raise a son that was not his own, and to bring him up in the fear and admiration of the Lord.
The new dream is so delightful that Joseph wakes, gets dressed and does exactly as the Lord told him without hesitation. Who cares what everybody thinks. I'm going to raise the son of the living God. Who cares about my old dreams... this dream supersedes them all by far!
So, he doesn't mind being known as Mary's husband because Mary was the mother of Jesus. He can handle the scandal this little fella would make because he, Joseph son of Jacob, son of the great King David, is a significant part of a grand play written by the God of the universe.
Joe, a man for all men to model their lives after. Joe. A man that every woman would be proud to marry. What a treasure his man's life is for us to ponder this Christmas. The real unsung hero of Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone
Have you ever just wondered about Joseph? Who was he? Where did he come from? Talk about a quick entrance and a mostly unnoticed exit in story of the nativity. But what would the Christmas story be like without old Joe? The expressions "second fiddle" and "unsung hero" definitely come to mind when we examine this remarkable man. His short but rich documentary is found mostly in the first chapter of Matthew in the New Testament.
We are introduced to him at the end of a long genealogy where he is uncharacteristically and certainly in ancient Middle Eastern culture, unceremoniously noted as the "husband of Mary". I'm not sure we can fully appreciate this description in our day and age but back then, in a deeply entrenched patriarchal society, was there a more profound insult than to be known as somebody’s husband? This is where he appears on the pages of scripture and then a few verses later he disappears never to be seen or heard from again. Mostly unsung, certainly un-thanked, largely unrecognized, and almost completely unknown in life. I guess in some ways you could say like most of us! And yet, what we do know of Joe is anything but unimportant. He is profoundly faithful, seriously devoted to Mary, meticulously righteous, and wonderfully gracious. Pretty much what every man wants to be like and pretty much what every women wants her man to be like. Good ol' Joe!
But how did the birth of Jesus affect him? A pledge to be married was only broken through death or divorce. A year long waiting period as the couple prepared for married life after the dowry was paid and the transaction was complete. Yet, his bride to be is suddenly found to be pregnant and not just pregnant but apparently loosing her mind becuase she was blaming the pregnancy on God! And just like real life, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, all his dreams are shattered! The little white tent, 3.4 goats, 20 or so sheep, a wood shop to ply his trade and somewhere between 10 and 15 children running around. All of it gone with the wind. Crushed, destroyed, and broken, all his future dreams vanished. He knows he not the father. He believes his beloved Mary has been unfaithful to him. Why else would she run off to her relative Elizabeth's place for 3 months without a word to him. Now he must make the most painful decision of his life. He must divorce her to protect his righteous reputation. To salvage at least his clean name. Yet, his profound commitment to her pushes his broken heart to quietly get this done and save as much face for Mary as could be saved in such a nasty situation.
Exhausted and worn out from his most horrible bad day, his head hits the pillow and the tears begin to flow and he falls into a restless sleep. Thinking he has only two options before him, to stone his bride to death or to simply divorce her.
But God.... those two famous words appear on the page. When those two words appear we can with certainly know that God can make a way when there seems to be no way forward. When all is lost and our dreams are crushed, God steps in, and brings about things that we could never have imagined. And God's way, well, his way is truely astonishing. The child is from God. Mary is not deluted. She will be his again, he will be given the most sacred responsibility of any human father... to raise a son that was not his own, and to bring him up in the fear and admiration of the Lord.
The new dream is so delightful that Joseph wakes, gets dressed and does exactly as the Lord told him without hesitation. Who cares what everybody thinks. I'm going to raise the son of the living God. Who cares about my old dreams... this dream supersedes them all by far!
So, he doesn't mind being known as Mary's husband because Mary was the mother of Jesus. He can handle the scandal this little fella would make because he, Joseph son of Jacob, son of the great King David, is a significant part of a grand play written by the God of the universe.
Joe, a man for all men to model their lives after. Joe. A man that every woman would be proud to marry. What a treasure his man's life is for us to ponder this Christmas. The real unsung hero of Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone
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