The consequences of Christmas are severe, and they do not stop in the little town of Bethlehem.
So, the big buildup toward Christmas has come and gone. The children’s pageants are complete, new memories have been formed, and families are beginning to return to everyday life. Yet, the incarnation of the Son of God does not allow things to continue as they used to. It is a shame that the Sunday after Christmas is not usually well attended, for this text offers the people of God a unique chance to contemplate the consequences of Christmas.
The text itself is relatively straightforward. Again, like the narrative of Jesus’ birth, Joseph is faithfully responding to the Lord’s direction to care for and protect Mary and the Christ child. This leads him on the flight to Egypt until Herod’s death, and then, ultimately, to Nazareth. From such a lowly and unimportant place, our Lord will grow until He bursts onto the scene at the baptism of John. To be a Nazarene is to be lowly and unexpected. It is also to fulfill the prophetic witness that the Messiah will be “scorned by mankind and despised by the people” (Psalm 22:6). But as Joseph responds to divine intervention, as he moves under the direction of God, there is suffering that flows in his wake. It is this reality which must be addressed in a sermon on this text.
This reading from Matthew features God’s divine action to protect and care for the one who will save us from our sins. But as the plan unfolds, He is carried through a world of opposition and violence, and that violence cannot be ignored as the innocent children of Bethlehem are slaughtered by the rage of Herod. The consequences of Christmas are severe, and they do not stop in the little town of Bethlehem.
A great way to tackle this text is to hold the tension between the purposeful plan of God’s salvation and the reality of suffering in the lives of the people of God, especially when that suffering comes directly from faithfulness. The temptation is to drop one in favor of the other. Either God’s plan will turn back suffering, or suffering will deter God’s work, but we must hold them together.
Likewise, their suffering will not undo the Word of promise. The world will rage against the coming light, but it will not overcome it.
There are plenty of examples regarding the suffering expected for a follower of Christ. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). “Then Jesus told His disciples, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it’” (Matthew 16:24-25). The challenge for your listeners is to see the world’s opposition to the Good News as expected and, in fact, guaranteed. The promises they have in Christ do not remove them from hostility. Their faith has consequences. It is part of what it means to be a Christian.
Likewise, their suffering will not undo the Word of promise. The world will rage against the coming light, but it will not overcome it. A sermon on this text must drive home the assurance of the Word and work of Christ. The God who directed Joseph and kept the holy family safe, the God who grew in Nazareth, the God who was baptized in the Jordan by John, is the same God who gives His gifts to the cross-bearing disciples of our day; and He will not be deterred. He will not be shocked into silence by the world’s violence. He will not recoil from this present evil age.
By holding both these truths together, the hearers learn to expect the trials of faithfulness in a world that does not honor our God. At the same time, they can find comfort and assurance in the promises of Christ which will overcome the darkness.
--------
Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out 1517’s resources on Matthew 2:13–23.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Matthew 2:13–23.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
