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“It was the most fun that I ever had in ministry. We were a community of the desperate.” These were the initial words that rolled off of the tongue of church planter pastor Eric while he was recalling fondly the early years of a community of faith that he and his wife had founded in Bangor, Maine back in the 1990s. The core members of this congregation consisted of recent transplants to Bangor, several persons struggling with addictions, some ex-convicts, and many who for a variety of reasons were simply struggling to make their way through the world. What did these persons have in common? To put it simply: They were desperate for the very things that the Gospel alone can truly deliver – they were desperate for God.

Our Psalms for today include four laments (61-64) and a song of praise to God. This is a snapshot of the vicissitudes of life. Psalm 63:1 poignantly prays: O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. The good news is that in God alone life can shift from lament to praise as the LORD works to bring healing, hope, and restoration to and in the midst of the brokenness of our lives. In a psalm of praise, the psalmist reminds us of God’s power to bring renewal: Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed, O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come (Ps 65:1-2).

In what ways has your life mirrored the Psalter’s movement from lament to praise? Are you desperate for what only God can provide? How can you serve as a catalyst for this move in the life of another person?

NIV Matthew 1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

One of the joys of parenthood is the opportunity to gaze upon a newborn child for the first time and dream about what he or she may become. Most parents have high hopes and expectations for their children. Along with dreams, one of the initial acts of parenting involves choosing a name. Many parents go to great links to select just the right ones. Shelves of local libraries and booksellers are always stocked full of books of names. If only each child born into our world were able to embody fully all of the hopes and dreams that inspired the name given at his or her birth! How much more did the birth of Jesus represent incredible possibilities?

The birth of Jesus represents the beginning stage of the climax of God’s mission. The God of the Scriptures is a God of mission. God seeks to bring renewal, hope, and restoration to all people and to all of creation. Amazingly God does not act alone. God calls women and men to serve in God’s ultimate cause. God advances his great work through the lives of faithful people who courageously follow God’s call on their lives.

In our text, Matthew recounts the in utero days of Jesus as well as the report of Jesus’ naming.
Our text covers familiar territory. Most of us have heard about the virgin birth, the appearance of angels, and stories of Mary and Joseph. But many of us miss the scandalous undercurrent of this passage. Jesus’ birth is not penned in the happiest terms. Jesus’ birth involved scandal and intrigue.

A Scandalous Discovery and a Noble Reaction

Our text opens with an unexpected pregnancy. A young woman named Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, a descendant of the line of King David. Yet before the marriage or any sexual contact between the two of them occurred, Mary was discovered to be with child. Our text adds the provocative note, “was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (emphasis added). How can this be? It is so easy for us moderns to assume that ancients were naive and easily bent to accept supernatural explanations for events. Our text does not tell us whether or not Mary had told Joseph the true cause of her pregnancy nor do we even know if Mary herself understood it. Joseph however was no fool. He had loved Mary. But he had been betrayed (or so he thought). Mary had brought shame into his life. Her pregnancy, ostensibly by the seed of another man, brought dishonor to Mary, but it also soiled the reputation of Joseph. He had every right to demand justice and a public accounting. But Joseph was a different sort of man. Verse 19 calls him “righteous.” In other words, Joseph was a person of integrity and compassion who sought to act rightly and justly in his relationships with God and with other people. He was the sort of person who sought to value and serve God and others above his own rights and prerogatives.

Joseph served as a conduit for God’s work. Think about it: How would history have been different if Joseph had made Mary’s pregnancy a public matter? What if Mary had faced open charges of adultery? What would have happened to God’s plans?

Of course, these questions are purely hypothetical because Joseph chose to act righteously. Remember this key fact: Joseph was acting justly apart from any supernatural revelation or insight into the true nature of Mary’s pregnancy. God had not uttered one syllable to Joseph but Joseph was already on board with God’s plan because of his own character. Joseph was one of the unsung heroes of the Scriptures.

God is still looking for modern day Josephs or Josephines–men and women who are fully committed to living lives that embody and reflect the character of God in their everyday dealings with others. As our text demonstrates, such lifestyles can change the course of human history. Never underestimate the importance or power of a God-centered, Christ-formed character. Joseph’s character empowered Joseph to act in accordance with God’s plan on instinct. Joseph had no idea that Mary’s pregnancy was God’s doing. Yet because he was a righteous person, that is, a person who acted justly, wisely, and in accordance with God’s character, he was able to open up the future to the powerful work that God was going to do through the child in Mary’s womb.

How many people would be able to describe you as a righteous man or a righteous woman?
In what ways would your life need to change for such a description to be true?
Are we willing to act faithfully in obscurity in order to advance the mission of God?

An Unbelievable Announcement

Joseph’s decision not to expose Mary to public disgrace opened up the future for God to act decisively. God was not finished with either Mary or Joseph. There was a plan to unleash and a mission to accomplish. Before Joseph broke his engagement with Mary, God sent a messenger to him in a dream. This angel exhorted Joseph to wed Marry despite her pregnancy. Joseph is informed that Mary has conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit. There has been no illicit behavior. God is behind this pregnancy.

The baby that Mary was carrying would be a special boy. The angel then offers two names for the boy that point poignantly to the child’s mission and future.

The child’s name will be Jesus for he will save his people from their sins. Jesus is derived from the Hebrew word for “The LORD saves.” In other words, the name Jesus points to Jesus’ mission. From birth, Jesus’ purpose was to act decisively to usher in the age of salvation.

Second, the angel alludes to a second purpose of Jesus’ coming by quoting from the prophet Isaiah. Jesus would embody the hope of “Immanuel” which means “God is with us.” Jesus manifested the presence of God in the world.

Jesus had quite a name to live up to. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus death and resurrection are in view from the very beginning of Jesus’ earthly existence. There is simply no way of understanding Jesus or his mission apart from the Cross. Jesus is the long awaited savior and king, but he is going to be a different sort of one. Jesus has come to give up his life so that others might live; Jesus will be raised up from the dead to unleash those who follow him to live as the people whom God created them to be.

As we know from the rest of the Gospel story, Jesus lived up to his name. Jesus died on the cross to deliver all who believe from the power of sin. Then he sends those whom he delivers back into the world to share this message with others. But his followers do not enter into this mission alone. The last line of Matthew’s Gospel (28:20) echoes the promise of Immanuel: And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Have you experienced Jesus as the one who brings salvation? Have you experienced Jesus as the who makes God’s presence a living reality in our lives?

The Courage to Act

Joseph was left with a choice. He is in on the secret that Mary has conceived from the Holy Spirit. He will marry her and serve as the father of the child. But don’t ever think for a moment that this was an easy choice for Joseph personally. It cost Joseph something of his reputation to follow God’s will on this. For who would believe such a story? Imagine the whispers as it became clear that Mary was already pregnant before the wedding. Even if Joseph shared with the accusers the truth, who would believe his story? Mary pregnant by the Holy Spirit? Yeah, right! Following Jesus Christ involves learning to live above self. This is the courage to act. Erwin Raphael McManus defines courage this way: Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the absence of self. This is also the essence of discipleship. Just as the baby Jesus would grow into the man who would go to the cross to open up a new future for humanity so too are his followers called to live courageously in full participation with God’s mission in the world. Jesus will later say this to his followers:

If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matt 16:24)

Joseph chose to live above his own reputation in order to act in line with God’s plans. He takes Mary as his wife. He further honors God and baby whom Mary is carrying by refraining from sexual intercourse for the length of the pregnancy. Then as soon as the boy is born, Joseph receives him as his own son and gives him the name Jesus just as the angel had commanded.

How many of us live courageously and boldly in our walk with Jesus Christ? How would our impact on the world be different is we followed the model of Joseph?

Conclusion:
God is looking for heroes and heroines. Each of us was birthed into the world with high hopes and God-given potential. God is seeking women and men through whom He can work to shape a future in line with the character and purposes of God.

What if following Jesus Christ were the way to live a life that demands explanation–one that furthers God’s work and points others to hope and restoration available only through the Gospel?

What do you think?
© 2008 Brian D. Russell

In its first stanza, the ancient hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” captures the essence of the Advent season:

O Come, O Come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Advent is the season in which the Church worships in celebration of the 1st Coming of Jesus Christ and longs for His Final return. The theme of Exile is a poignant one for this time of year. The birth of Jesus Christ was envisioned in the 1st century as a signal to all that the massive disruption of the Babylonian Exile was truly over and that the long awaited savior from God had arrived to renew the Kingdom. In the Bible, this teaching is most explicit in the genealogy found in Matthew 1:1-17. A cursory reading of the genealogy reveals that in the midst of the long list of names there are four that are emphasized: Abraham, David, the exile to Babylon, and Jesus Christ. Abraham stands at the beginning because he is the figurative father of Israel, and he was the recipient of God’s promise that all nations of the earth would be blessed through him (Genesis 12:1-3). David is emphasized because he represents God’s ideal ruler who will extend salvation and reign over a kingdom of justice and peace. Why is Exile mentioned? Because the exile to Babylon in 587 B.C. effectively put an end to the Davidic Kingdom and raised questions about the viability of God’s promises. The Jews had returned home from exile in 538 B.C. and even rebuilt their temple in 516 B.C., but as the 1st century A.D. dawned, they remained under foreign rule and were hardly living in the reality of the Old Testament promises. They longed for a renewal of God’s mighty acts of salvation. Although they were in their homeland, they felt as though they were still living in a spiritual exile.

Matthew’s genealogy announces that Jesus Christ (or better Jesus the Messiah) is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises. This is filled out in Matthew 1:18-25 where Jesus’ two names are described. God will no longer be “far away” because Jesus will embody and fulfill the Scripture from Isaiah 9 by bearing the name “Emmanuel”, which means “God is with us” (Matt 1:23). God’s people will no longer carry the sting of exile because the name Jesus means “the Lord saves [his people from their sins]” (Matt 1:21).

What are the implications for today of these Scriptures?

1) Exile remains a powerful metaphor today.
Persons around the world live with a sense of displacement and longing for a true home. In the most extreme cases, poverty and/or war have driven persons far from their native lands in search of the possibility for a prosperous life. Such persons often face hardships in their new countries as they seek to overcome cultural barriers without the aid of friends or extended family. Many will never or rarely see or hear from those that they left in their homelands. They live as strangers in a strange land. Feelings of Exile are the plight of immigrants around the world.

Many native born citizens of the United States or other countries around the world live in a sort of self-imposed exile within their own countries for economic reasons. For example, as the world economy changes, it is becoming common for Americans to move across the country for employment. Give current uncertainties, Americans may experience this more than previous generations. My own story is not unusual. I grew up in Akron, Ohio. I lived there for my first twenty-two years, even attending the local university. From Akron, I moved to Lexington, Kentucky to attend seminary. Then, I moved to Richmond, Virginia to pursue the PhD. I currently reside just north of Orlando Florida where I teach on Asbury Theological Seminary’s Orlando campus. My family is far from our native Midwest. My closest relative is more than 800 miles away. In our neighborhood, there are very few native Floridians. In fact, with eight years in the state, we are virtual “old-timers” in our neighborhood. My closest neighbors are from Kentucky, Arizona, Canada, Brazil, England, and New York respectively!

Such a reality represents missional opportunities for Christians. Reach out to those around you who are far from family during this Christmas season. Open your home to the lonely and displaced during this season. Embody the reality that Jesus has come to end Exile and to bring the love of God near to all who seek Him.

2) Jesus calls us home and sends us Out.
The Gospel is more than merely an announcement that Exile is over. Salvation is truly come in Jesus. But because salvation has come, many of our common expectations and practices are subverted. Exile is over, but this doesn’t mean a return to a physical homeland or some old status quo. Instead, Jesus’ announcement serves as a call to mission. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus does represent the end of Exile and beginning of God’s long awaited age of salvation, but living as a follower of Jesus Christ means going into the world. If Matthew’s Gospel begins with the announcement that Exile is over, it ends with the announcement of a sort of return to Exile. In the Great Commission (Matt 28:16-20), Jesus sends his disciples to the ends of the earth to “Make disciples of all nations.” However, unlike the experience of Exile, Jesus promises to be present with his followers as they seek to impact the world. “Behold, I will be with you always” is how Matthew’s Gospel ends. The child born Emmanuel “God with us” brings this promise to a reality in His post-resurrection state. The Risen Lord and Savior abides with his Church in its mission. As followers of Jesus Christ, we may find ourselves a long way from the place of our birth, but when we live our lives on mission for God, we are never far from our truest home.

Reflection:
1) How are you participating in God’s mission this Advent season? To whom will you reach out?

4) What future is God calling you to embody in the present?
© 2008 Brian D. Russell

Today’s psalms remind us of our desperate need for God’s presence. Life in our day as in all times is challenging. Active engagement in God’s mission in the world is the life to which we are called, but as we know or will soon learn, such a vocation does not render us immune to hardship. In fact, at times, our very faith in God can seemingly exacerbate our difficulties. If it isn’t enough to experience the struggles that we share with humanity, the person of faith must also integrate the reality of evil and suffering into his or her belief about God. Sometimes we can be tempted to cry out, “Why God? I’ve surrendered my life to you. I’ve sacrificed to answer your call to mission. How can you allow this suffering?”

Our psalms are all poignant laments, but all are founded in a deep trust in God’s ability to deliver and save. Ps 57:1 encapsulates the seasoned counsel and perspective of deep faith: “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by.” The psalmist is a neither a naïve nor hopelessly optimistic. Suffering and hardship are real. They are painful. But there is a way forward. This way forward has a name: The LORD God of the Scriptures.

Who is your refuge during the storms of life?

This quotation is not found in Wesley’s published works but it is attributed to him as a response to a question about what should be done to keep Methodism alive after his death:

Preach our Doctrine, inculcate experience, urge practice, enforce Discipline: If you preaching Doctrines only, the People will be Antinomians; if you preach Experience only, they will become Enthusiasts; if you preach practice only, they will become Pharises; and if you preach all these, and do not enforce Discipline, Methodism will be like a highly cultivated Garden without a fence, exposed to the ravages of the wild boar of the Forest.

A friend sent me this link to a great overview of Ron Heifetz’s of Harvard’s Kennedy School views on adaptive leadership. Heifetz’s ideas have been in print for some time, but they seem particularly timely for today’s world. Many good insights for missional leaders as well.

Read the essay