This Week's Message

Sermon: 1^st Sunday after Christmas – 12/30/07 Series LSB:A

Text: Matthew 2:13-23

Title: “From Egypt to Nazareth ”

Prayer: As we look upon Jesus help us to see Him as the great fulfillment of prophecy that You gave our first parents.  Help us to put away any human pride and wisdom that obscures Him and His salvation and His title as true King of the world.  Amen.

 “This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet…”  

In the 1993 movie, “The Fugitive” the actor Harrison Ford portrays Dr. Richard Kimble, an innocent but accused and convicted murderer of his wife, , and Tommy Lee Jones portrays a Federal Marshall, Sam Gerard, who pursues him after he escapes from a prison transport bus.  In one of the more important scenes of the movie we find the Federal Marshall confronting face to face for the first time the escaped but innocent convict at the outflow tunnel situated near the top of a large dam.  Kimble declares that he is innocent.  Gerard says in effect that he really doesn’t care if he is innocent or not.  He’s just doing his job.  There is no place for Kimble to go but down the steep sloping surface of the dam probably to his death.  Rather than be re-captured, Kimble takes the dive and plunges into the river below.  He survives and is pursued through the rest of the movie until he is able to prove his innocence and expose the real murderers of his wife.  Kimble’s escape to the icy waters below seem like no escape at all, maybe only an escape to death.  In our Gospel lesson today we are presented with another fugitive, the innocent baby Jesus and His family, fugitives of the hateful fear and pride of a demented earthly king Herod.   We must consider, however, that Jesus becomes a fugitive of much more than Herod’s deadly schemes.  He becomes a fugitive of the schemes of all sinners of all times who wish to destroy the one and only Savior the heavenly Father has sent into the world to redeem it. 

 Jesus on the run!  Seems like an unlikely story, especially considering who this little baby is: the Creator, the Redeemer of human kind; Creator as we are told in the Christmas Gospel of St. John, “by Him all things were made,” and Redeemer as we hear in that same Gospel, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” 

Considering whose Son Jesus is, why doesn’t His Father do something to that evil King Herod to save Jesus, Mary and Joseph from this difficult and dangerous flight to Egypt ?  Why didn’t He just destroy Herod and all those who would stand to harm His own beloved Son?

 God has the power to destroy sinners that stand against Him and His Son, but God so loved the world, the world of Herod and other kings and princes, the world of governments, the world of unbelievers, the world of enemies of the church, the world of sinners, the world of you and me, that He sent His Son into this pride-filled and hate-filled world to redeem it from its own sin and destruction.  Herod’s murderous fear and hate-filled pride turned him into a baby killer to protect his position and power for but a brief few years.  We hear of such fear much later in Jesus’ life after His miraculous raising of Lazarus from 4 days in the tomb cause the Sanhedrin to meet together and decide “It is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish… So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.”  And in this instance Jesus did not flee, but walked right into their plan.  But it is not their plan.  It is God’s plan that “one Man” die for the people.  He came as Savior from sin even that sin of hate and pride that so envelops sinners of every time that they would be blind, except for God’s merciful grace that brings faith to bear in the lives of people so that their eyes, and hearts and lives are open to see Him as Savior.

 Why does Jesus still face such fear and opposition in this world today?  What are people afraid of from One who comes in complete humility and obedience to His Father’s will, who comes as a flesh and blood baby?  Do people still fear that someone will take away their position and their nation?  Do they fear to let God have control of their lives?  In their pride do they create a comfortable and likeable god to take the place of the God of our creation and redemption?  Do sinners today still create a god that is in their control as they drive the true God from their lives?  Jesus’ flight to Egypt is proof of the world’s continual stand against Him.  How fitting that He should find refuge in Egypt and come out of Egypt to bring to all people freedom and the promised land of eternity in heaven.  He comes out of Egypt as the true nation Israel , the perfect Son, the Son that does what the sinful nation, the backsliding nation, the unfaithful son cannot do. 

There are many people in the world who continue to look upon Jesus as a threat to the control they want in their own lives and to control they seek over other people’s lives.  The only way to meet this threat in their minds and in their actions is to destroy Jesus or at least destroy those who hold Him forth as exclusive Savior of the world. 

 Sinners of all time stand against Jesus and would put Him on the run.  But Jesus is no fugitive to all the threats against His life or against the life of His dear bride, the Church.  There are none in the world who have the power to destroy Jesus nor do they have power to destroy His Church.  As they battle against Him it is all in vain. 

 Jesus does not battle against His foes.  Now, on this day, He  stands with mercy flowing from His hands and feet and side, with the certainty of life that greets the world from an empty burial tomb, with grace that comes as a joy-filled song from the mouth of His Word to the world of all King Herods and all pride and fear-filled sinners. 

 Jesus stands in us by gracious God-given faith and He stands before the world through us together in the Church.  We need not fear those who wish to destroy Jesus out of their own controlling fear and pride.  We have a Savior who walked not by the will of man but by the perfect will of God and accomplished all that our heavenly Father promised for His children.  He is the perfect Israel that the sinful Israel could never be. 

 All prophecy has been fulfilled in Him, the perfect Son of God, whom the Father calls from Egypt through the wilderness and into the promised land, who brings hope to the mourning Rachel and her children, the Nazarene who faces the insult of unbelief and unfaithfulness of the sinful children of God by being the perfect faithful Child unto death on the cross. 

If you have questions or would like to talk with Pastor, send your inquiries to:

Pastor Paul Sajban: pastorps@windomnet.com

Stewardship Devotion

Scripture Reading: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Who Are We, Anyway?

     At this time of year, our minds are drawn to thoughts of our Savior, as they should be.  The ages-old story is always fresh and exciting to us as Christians as we rejoice in our Father’s great love for us shown in His sending His own Son for us.  That Son came in the form of a Baby Who was nurtured inside His mother’s body, a “treasure in a jar of clay”

     The angels announced His birth; the shepherds left their sheep and came to worship Him; the Wise Men    traveled many miles to adore Him and bring Him their gifts.  “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). She still had “this treasure in a jar of clay.”

     We, too, have this “treasure … this all –surpassing power … from God and not from us.”   We have the Word dwelling in us!  His great power enables and equips us to be steward who can fulfill any task our Savior lays before us.  He gives us courage to witness of His birth and life and death and resurrection.   He give us gifts to serve His people and to reach out to those still outside His kingdom.  He gives us financial resources to support the mission and ministry of our churches.

     During this time of Advent and Christmas, let us “treasure … these things and ponder them in [our hearts].”  And Let us ask God to use us according to His plan to spread the news of that treasure.

Prayer:

     Oh gracious and loving Father, that You for the love You have shown in giving us Your son, our greatest treasure.  Give us the desire and the courage to avail ourselves of the great power that You have given us through     Jesus. In His name we pray. Amen