December 22, Matthew

MATTHEW 1:18-25

Welcome to the fourth Sunday in Advent.  In just a few short days we will be celebrating the birth of the Christ child.  Today our Scripture lesson is one of the classic texts for the Christmas season, and the book of Matthew tells this part of the Christmas story from Joseph’s perspective.

To help us understand Joseph’s perspective it is helpful to understand some of the background information about Jewish marriages during this time.    In ancient times, men and women did not court and marry for love.  In fact, engagement in this culture was a formal contractual matter or more commonly known to us as an arranged marriage.  Since it was a patriarchal society, the contract would have been decided by the fathers of the young couple.  The reason Matthew says that Joseph had resolved to “divorce” a woman he was only engaged to, is because engagement then was a legally binding contract.  So, whether the actual wedding ceremony had taken place or not, Joseph was legally bound to Mary.

Joseph was a good, upright, pious man, but just like all of us, for him life could be awesome one minute and then happiness tumble to the ground in one split second.  We can imagine Joseph’s feelings when he found out that his finance was expecting a baby and he was not the father; feelings of hurt, anger, and bewilderment.

To truly understand Joseph’s predicament, we have to understand that in his patriarchal culture the birth of the first- born son was extremely important as family lineage and property could only be transferred to the first- born son.  Besides this, the situation would caste great shame on not only him but on his whole family.

Despite this, we are told in verse 10 that “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.”  His decision was one that could also save Mary’s life as it is written in the Deuteronomy 22 that those who played the harlot were punishable by stoning to death.  In the eyes of the community, Mary would have been considered a harlot because she was found pregnant before the official marriage ceremony had taken place and she co-habited with Joseph.

Matthew goes on to tell us that Joseph fell asleep and while he was sleeping dreamed about an angel sent to him by God.  The angel told Joseph not to fear to take Mary as his wife because the baby that she would bear was not from another man but from God.  The child Mary was carrying was the long, awaited messiah that had been prophesized and promised in the Old Testament.

We all know the rest of the Christmas Story, but have we ever stopped to think of the personal characteristics that Joseph possessed; for, without them, the story would have ended in a far different manner. First of all, Joseph possessed a deep desire to do the right thing.  He chose to forgive Mary rather than take revenge, and did not expose her to public shame.  In stead of taking revenge, he protected her even though he felt that he had been wronged.

It is this type of forgiveness that we are all called to as disciples of Christ.  Yet, it is not an easy thing for most of us.  We are also reminded that forgiveness is not a once and done thing.  Sometimes it takes forgiving the person day after day until what the person did no longer matters to us.  As we move into this most wonderful, holy celebration of our savior’s birth, we are reminded to search our hearts and forgive where it is needed.  We are reminded to fill our hearts with love, hope and light rather than hate and darkness.  Forgiving others frees us to feel the love that the birth of the Messiah brings.

Perhaps even more important is that Joseph chose to obey God’s command.  In light of the situation, it would have been easy to follow his hurt heart and pride.  Afterall, he did have a valid reason to expose Mary.  Yet, not only did Joseph forgive but he chose to obey God without hesitation.  This is the type of obedience that we are all called to have as Christians.  Even when things do not seem to make sense to us, we are called to rely on and obey God versus relying on ourselves.  We can be sure that God always has our best interest at heart.

As we leave here this morning, preparing ourselves for the upcoming joyous celebration that is to come on Wednesday, let us contemplate and remember that Christmas was not just the coming of a messiah, a king, but the coming of God into the world. A God that loves us so much that He wanted to be with us to experience what we experience, to feel the good and the bad of human life, and to ultimately die on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven.  As we enjoy all that the holiday season brings, let us not forget that we are beloved children of God and without the birth of the Christ Child, we would still be living in darkness.  Let us celebrate the coming of the light and the hope it brings.  Let us forgive those who have trespassed against us, and trust in our God.

Amen