The Story Starts Here
Advent Series
Part 2: Matthew 1 & 2
Introduction:
It’s the second week of December, a bit of snow is on the ground, radio stations are playing Christmas music, Hallmark is showing one schmaltzy Christmas movie after another. If all that’s not enough to convince you that the Christmas season is upon us, then the fact that we’re into the second week of our Advent Sermon series should. And in this series, we’re taking a look at how each of the Gospel writers chose to introduce Jesus to the world.
Last week we led with the question of “Why?” Why keep looking at these stories year after year? Haven’t we told these stories enough? Well, no. We haven’t told these stories “enough”…you can’t tell these stories “enough”. Fact is that outside of the Christmas season, and more specifically, outside of the Church, you’re gonna hear these stories little, if at all.
And keep in mind that the stories you don’t tell will be the stories you forget. The untold stories are the ones that aren’t passed on to succeeding generations. The stories you stop telling represent ideas that are no longer important. The stories you stop telling will no longer frame your worldview, or the worldview of your children, or of their children. Other stories will begin to slip in to fill the empty spaces…and they’ll frame your worldview. So, we keep telling these stories year after year because the stories themselves matter and shouldn’t be forgotten. We keep telling these stories because we want them to continue to frame our worldview.
We’re going to tell these stories yet again because if we don’t do it here, where will it be done? Look…it’s very easy for us to get caught up in all the secularism and practical paganism of the season and miss the point of Christ’s Advent entirely. So, if we’re not reminded of the purpose and significance of Jesus’ arrival here, in this place, then where will we be reminded? If you don’t hear it from this pulpit, then who will you hear it from?
We can’t allow ourselves to join in the world’s chorus that what matters most during the holiday season is giving, being with family, kindness, and good cheer. As good and wonderful as those things are, they’re not what matters most! What matters most is the fact of Christ’s advent and the purpose of his advent. That’s what each of the Gospel writers told the story for; to establish the fact of Jesus’ coming and the reason for Jesus’ coming. So we’re hearing these stories again so that we don’t lose sight of what Christmas is about for us.
I. The Legitimacy of Jesus
Today’s message is drawn from the first two chapters of the Gospel of Matthew, and like all of the Gospels, Matthew was written after the Ascension of Jesus. So, the purpose of the book was to help people who’d never seen Jesus, met Jesus, or heard Jesus, to know Jesus. Specifically, it seems that Matthew was written to Jewish believers in Jesus: it has more references to the Hebrew Scriptures than any of the other Gospels…and there are so many prophetic references that some background in the Hebrew Scriptures would be necessary to understand it.
Matthew begins his Jesus story by establishing the legitimacy of Jesus.
That’s why he starts with genealogy. Genealogy had a lot of traditional importance in Jewish society. Originally, knowledge of tribal origins was used to assign people a place in the marching order of Israel through wilderness. Later it was used in the allotment of lands in Canaan. Then, to determine property rights and ownership. Of course, there was the business of marriages, of inheritances, of loans & liens…all affected in some way by the ability to prove your line of descent.
But Matthew’s use of genealogy speaks to the point of his Gospel. He’s writing to establish that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Messiah-King of Israel’s expectation. That’s why he announces in the very first verse that the genealogy we’re about to hear shows Jesus to be both the “son of David” and the “son of Abraham.” Jesus can claim Kingship because of his descent from King David through his legal father, Joseph. And he can prove his Jewishness without question by tracing a direct line to Abraham.
So, the genealogy is about establishing Jesus’ claims and rights as Messiah-King. It was of critical importance that those Jewish believers in Jesus who’d never known him personally, or who were of the next generation of believers, be able to feel secure, established, certain that Jesus was the Messiah-King. It was important that they feel sure that Jesus was the true Deliverer, the rightful ruler of Israel.
II. The Extraordinary Difference of Jesus
Then, in verses 18-25, Matthew talks about the extraordinary difference of Jesus by highlighting his extraordinary origin and his extraordinary nature.
When we look at Matthew one, we see something we recognize as an Advent story. “Here he is! It’s Baby Jesus, angels, Mary & Joseph! Then in chapter two there are Wise Men!” Jingle those bells and string those lights because Christmas warmth and good cheer are finally on the scene, Pastor Dennis! It’s too bad it took ya two sermons to get to it!” But hang on…there’s something going on here besides glad tidings and good cheer.
In contrast to Mark’s introduction of Jesus…which stressed Jesus’ humanity…Matthew introduces Jesus with a story of extraordinary origins. Jesus origin was different, Matthew tells us. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born to a virgin. This was miraculous! And Matthew doesn’t argue the point or try to justify the unlikelihood of such an event…that was just the very point of the story. It’s as if he’s telling us, “Don’t be surprised that Jesus made such extraordinary claims or that he did such extraordinary things. He was extraordinary from the very beginning!”
Then, as if that story wouldn’t have been mind-boggling enough all by itself, Matthew adds something else. In his quotation of Isaiah 7:14…used to show that Jesus’ miraculous birth was prophetic fulfilment…Matthew makes sure to quote all of the prophecy. You see, the Prophet Isaiah had not only said that Israel’s Deliverer would have a miraculous origin, but also that he’d be called “Immanuel”; which means “God with us.”
To the prophet, and to Matthew, “Immanuel” wasn’t being used as a proper name. Instead, it was being used to describe the Messiah-King’s state of being. “Immanuel” isn’t about who, it’s about what. It’s not about identity, it’s about nature. As it’s used by Isaiah and Matthew, “Immanuel” is about God coming among men. Matthew is telling his audience that Jesus was God-among-men. He’s saying that Jesus is the embodiment of God.
We’re told here, in the very opening paragraphs of Matthew’s edition of the Jesus story, that the way to grasp the character and nature of God is by looking to Jesus. Jesus is “Immanuel”…which means that Jesus shows you what God is like. And by getting to know Jesus, you’re getting to know God! This is what Matthew tells us about Jesus’ birth; that Jesus is extraordinary…he’s the embodiment of God among men! So, listen to what he says! And more importantly, do what he says!
III. The Seriousness of Jesus
Finally, Matthew’s edition of the Jesus story stresses the seriousness of Jesus…and by seriousness I’m not referring to Jesus personality. I’m referring to the seriousness of his claims, of the danger that he posed, and the threat that he was. All is laid out for us in Matthew two.
Typically, when Advent stories & sermons get to Matthew’s second chapter, they tend to focus on the Wise Men following the star. They tend to focus on their finding Jesus, worshipping him, and giving him those wonderful gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Herod, on the other hand, is generally assigned to sort of a bit part in Christmas preaching…and perhaps that’s because what he represents in the story is so unpleasant that it just doesn’t fit without our whole “God rest ye merry gentlemen” approach to Advent. And though the Advent was gospel…good news…for the oppressed, the same story was bad news for Herod…and he took it seriously.
Herod the Great was a powerful, capable, creative, and influential man. He was appointed by Rome to serve as the King of the Jews, and was considered by Rome to be the most efficient and effective king the region ever had…and the Romans were pretty much the masters of efficiency. High praise, then, from them. He beautified Jerusalem, renovating and upgrading the Temple. He constructed ports, fortresses, and palaces. He forged an aristocracy that would last for decades after his death. He was so good at governing the region, at reducing crime, collecting taxes, and suppressing dissent that he was given the title “Friend of Rome”. He wasn’t called Herod the Great for nothing.
Yet he was also egomaniacal, suspicious, and cruel. He was already a murderer as a young man, and as king executed many members of his own family…including his wife. So, the story in Matthew 2:16-18 of the “Slaughter of the Innocents” wasn’t out of character for him. He was, in the truest sense, an absolute ruler, a despot, a tyrant…perfectly at home in the brutal Roman world of the first century. In Matthew 2, Herod isn’t a bit player…he’s the main character.
So…once again…we traditionally focus on the Wise Men...or from Greek, the Magi…who travelled from the east, following a star, and wound up at Jerusalem looking for the infant King of the Jews. And that’s pretty much all we know about them. We don’t know how many there were, or really where they were from…just from someplace “east” of the Holy Land…so perhaps from what we’d call Saudi Arabia, Iraq, or Iran…but we really don’t know. We do know that the Magi were a mysterious caste of learned men who had knowledge of all kinds of things, including astrology, and, apparently, even Hebrew prophecy. They may have travelled for at least a month, probably had a large retinue, and were possibly very rich.
That’s what’s likely, but here’s what’s certain; when they arrived in Jerusalem they caused a great deal of commotion. Not the good kind, either. And the commotion was caused by the question they were asking; “Where’s the newborn King of the Jews?” Now, because of our distance from the world of the story, this sounds to us like a question with religious overtones. And sure…it certainly had a religious quality to it…the Chief Priests and Scribes and Hebrew prophetic texts would all be consulted in the attempt to answer it. However, the question would have been heard as a political question. The “King of the Jews” wasn’t a religious title and position, it was a political title and position.
The role of the “King of the Jews” was that of a bona fide head of state. When the Wise Men enter the capital and begin asking their question, there is already a “King of the Jews”, already a head of state, and he already has heirs to succeed him. More importantly, he has the power of empire behind him. So…there’s another “King of the Jews”? The question of the Wise Men is primarily political because it raises questions about the legitimacy of the current reign, about the morality of the Jewish noble elite that supported it, and about the nature of the empire that insisted on it.
Matthew records that the question “troubled” Herod and the entire city! It agitated them, stirred them up, and created a sense of anxiety…and for good reason! A new king being born throws shade on the current system and opens the door for popular revolt. For Herod, and for those complicit with him…the nobles, the Chief Priests, and scribes…and for the empire, this was certainly not good news.
So when Herod gathers the Chief Priests and scribes together to search the prophecies for where the promised Messiah-King would be born, everybody involved knows what’s coming. They know Herod. And they know the general state of unrest. When the tell him that Bethlehem is where the Messiah-King will be born, they know that some Jewish family is about to suffer horribly. They are all complicit in what Herod is about to do..because the presence of a legitimate king threatens the system they are all part of, and benefit from.
Herod the Great never met Jesus. Jesus was just an infant and little child in the final years of Herod’s reign. The interaction between Jesus and Herod took place through proxies, and in the realm of ideas. It was a massive, bloated system of state versus a toddler. It was power pushing against potential, against promise. It was oppression and darkness trying to smother a spark of hope.
It was well armed, well organized violence against a diminutive Prince of Peace. And as mismatched as this battle seemed to be, and as horrible as was the form it took, we can be certain of this; Herod took Jesus seriously. The Slaughter of the Innocents in Bethlehem was the old, megalomaniacal & narcissistic tyrant lashing out to protect himself, his system, and his heirs from a child whose very existence threatened to topple it all.
Summary:
Again, we discover that we’re being told something a bit different than Advent sermons usually tell us.
Matthew opens by establishing the legitimacy of Jesus…in the sense that Jesus has the legitimate right to claim the Throne of David as his own. Matthew wants his audience to know that Jesus is King, and is King rightfully, by proper descent, without a shadow of doubt. Jesus is the rightful King of the Jews, and though Israel as a political entity may no longer exist due to Roman occupation, Jesus is King of the Jews. That means specifically that Jesus is King to Matthews audience of Jewish believers.
And Jesus isn’t King in a metaphorical, spiritual sense alone. He is actually, fully, and completely, King-in-life. And even though the full implementation of his kingdom hasn’t yet been realized in the global sense, he is still really and truly King, authoritative and mighty, in the lives of his followers.
“So Pastor, are you making a political statement?” I’ve got a one word answer for you; “Yes.” I’m saying that Jesus has a real and actual claim to the actual rulership of the children of Abraham through Isaac. I’m saying that, since we are children of Abraham by faith in Christ, Jesus has a real & actual claim to be our King as well. I’m saying that for his followers, Jesus is King-in-life. I’m saying that Jesus’ edicts and commands have real force in our lives. And I’m saying that King Jesus demands our first loyalty & obedience, above all other loyalties, before all other obedience.
Believer, there’s something you need to know, to grasp, to realize, even if no one’s ever told you this before; when you took Jesus’ forgiveness, you accepted his Lordship. When you, in faith and repentance, took his name in water baptism, you aligned yourself with his rulership and yielded yourself to his authority. Jesus is your King, really & truly. He’s not simply Lord in some titular sense. He’s not simply Lord in some vague spiritual sense. He is Lord in actuality, in reality. If you claim his salvation for your soul, then Jesus is King-in-life…your King. And if Jesus is not your King, then he’s not your Savior.
Then, Matthew stresses the extraordinary difference of Jesus. He’s extraordinary because his origins are divine, and he’s extraordinary because he is the very embodiment of Israel’s God. This means at least two things for us.
One; that Jesus can make extraordinary claims and make extraordinary demands. Jesus claims and demands are legitimized by his genealogy, his miraculous origins, and by his nature as God-with-us. So listen to what he says and do what he says!
Then two; since Jesus is the very embodiment of God, He’s the key to understanding God and knowing God. If you want to know God’s character, holiness, love, and mercy, look to Jesus. As the embodiment of God, Jesus was worthy of worship…the worship of the wise men, his disciples…and our worship, too.
I’m telling you that Jesus is like no one you’ve ever known. I’m telling you that you can look to Jesus and gain understanding…understanding of God, and of how God wants you to live. And I’m telling you that Jesus is worthy of your worship, your devotion, and your life.
Finally, Matthew stresses the seriousness of Jesus…that Herod and those around him understood the claim that Jesus was King of the Jews in a way that most of us cannot. They understood the threat that his existence posed to their systems of power. Matthew knew this, too. Maybe that’s one of the reasons his gospel focuses so much on the Kingdom of God. Matthew took Jesus as King seriously, and he knew that if the followers of Jesus lived the Jesus way, it would have real-life impact on the systems of the real, live world.
I wonder…do we take Jesus as seriously as Herod and Matthew did? Do we really understand what it means for Jesus to be King? Do we grasp the real-life effect to be had when we treat Jesus’ edicts and commands as if they were our laws for living?
If we took Jesus seriously, and his commands were our laws, then we couldn’t be identified as Democrat, Republican, conservative, or liberal. More importantly, we wouldn’t identify as any of these things. Because we’d recognize that the politics of the Kingdom of God promote values that none of earth systems emulate.
We’d not call ourselves capitalist or socialist…we’d have a different way of thinking about and conducting our personal economies. If we took Jesus seriously, we’d not promote capital punishment. Or war. Or abortion. Or euthanasia. Because as Jesus, our default would be mercy. And peace. And life.
If we took Jesus seriously, we’d respect the need for and the integrity of work. We’d understand the need for our work to be in alignment with Christ’s character and Kingdom. And at the same time, we’d be compassionate with those who were in need, and would share what we have with others. If we took Jesus seriously.
65% of Americans claim to be Christian. 65%!! Can you imagine the impact on this nation if that 65% took Jesus seriously? The culture wars would die out. The political climate of hostility would evaporate. If 65% of Americans took Jesus seriously, they would elect a different type of politician because there’d be a different type of politician to elect.
If 65% of Americans took Jesus seriously, more swords would be beaten into plowshares and less iron forged into swords. America would be more interested in conciliation than conflict, if 65% took Jesus seriously. Can you imagine what this country would look like, what it might be, if 65% took Jesus seriously?
But let’s leave the world of dreams for a moment, and imagine what this congregation might be like if we all took Jesus seriously. Imagine what our families could look like, what our ministries could look like, what our individual lives could look like…
I’m telling you that Jesus is King, and that if you’ve received his grace, you’ve embraced his Lordship. I’m telling you that if we at The Refuge decide, this Christmas season, to really take Jesus-as-King seriously, that it’ll be the start of the most revolutionary change in us since initial conversion.
Closing:
So…let’s allow the introduction of Jesus to the world that Matthew provides to remind us, this Christmas season, that Jesus is really and truly Lord. And that we should live our lives in a way that reflects the true-to-life nature of His Lordship.
