Intro
It all happened so quickly: The trip to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the angels, and the shepherds. Then after a year or so, the Magi visit. Like the shepherds before them, they fall to the ground to worship the infant Jesus, the Lord of all creation, the promised Messiah.
But as we say, “All good things must come to an end.” The angel of the Lord appeared again in a dream. This time he warned the Magi to return to their homes without going back to see Herod.
After the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream. “Get up. Take the child and his mother, and escape to Egypt,” he said. “Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt. He stayed there until Herod died. This fulfilled what was the Lord had declared through the prophet: “I have called my Son out of Egypt.”
Main Body
2,000 years ago, a Jew who heard Matthew’s account of Jesus’ escape into Egypt would have instantly thought of the Book of Exodus and an earlier escape from Egypt. In the memory of man, it wasn’t so long ago when the Lord came to a different Joseph at night in his dreams. In the memory of man, it wasn’t so long ago that another powerful ruler, Pharaoh, sought to kill the baby boys of a nation because he feared that they would challenge him someday. In the memory of man, it wasn’t so long ago when the angel of the Lord came to Moses and sent him to lead a nation out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land.
Now, the Joseph who was receiving dreams in the night was the righteous man who was wed to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The powerful ruler, this time, was King Herod. He ordered the death all the baby boys who might later threaten his reign. And now, the Angel of the Lord–Jesus Christ Himself–had come to lead His people out of their slavery from sin, death, and the devil.
Jesus is the Rescuer who far out-shadowed the earlier rescuer, Moses. Moses’ life was threatened at a tender age, and he had to be hidden in a reed basket to be protected. Jesus’ life was also in danger before He was two years old. He had to be hidden away, so His life would be spared until His time had come. Moses led God’s people out of slavery in Egypt. Now Jesus had come to lead all people out of their spiritual Egypt, a slavery to the Law.
There was about to be another exodus. This time there wouldn’t be plagues, but a cross, thorns, and nails. This time it wasn’t going to be one nation freed from slavery, but every tribe, nation, and people.
Israel’s exodus from Egypt pointed forward to the coming of our Savior the eternal exodus He would bring. With an outstretched arm and a mighty hand, God had delivered His people out of slavery and into the Promised Land. Now, with an outstretched arm and a mighty hand, God is still bringing salvation to His people through His flesh-and-blood Son.
No one can destroy God’s saving work. It’s true, many fight against it and reject God’s saving work for themselves. The Israelites of old did that. They didn’t want to travel through the wilderness of the desert. They, instead, wanted to go back, where at least they had food and shelter. Even after God rescued the Israelites, after He had worked astounding miracles, they still wanted to go back, back into slavery!
Most of the Jews of Jesus’ day also rejected God’s saving work. They didn’t want to leave their traditions and man-made laws, especially by following the man Jesus. They preferred to remain in bondage to the Law, where they were comfortable in their sin, instead of trusting that God had sent His Messiah to free and deliver them. They didn’t trust that what Jesus was doing was far greater than anything they could earn or do for themselves.
Today, people are still rejecting God’s saving work, and the ways He has chosen to bring us His salvation. This even happens in Christ’s own Church! Today, many in the Church rebel against God just like the Israelites of old.
Today, many don’t believe that Baptism is a way through which God saves and gives eternal life. Many follow the tradition of men instead of believing God’s own Word that says “baptism saves” (1 Peter 3:21). Many do not believe that Jesus gives to us His body and blood in His Supper for the forgiveness of sins, as He says He does (Matthew 26:28). Many don’t believe that a man whom God has authorized in His Church can say, “I forgive you your sins” (John 20:23).
Yet, these are the ways God creates faith in Jesus Christ, forgives sins, strengthens faith, and carries out His salvation for us. Rejecting the ways God saves us is the same as rejecting God. It’s no different from the Israelites rejecting Moses or the Jews’ rejecting Jesus Himself! Nonetheless, out of Egypt, at just the right time, God called His Son.
It is easy for us to doubt God’s saving work. It’s also easy for us to question God or blame Him when evil events take place in our world. We are always quick to blame, and quick to ask, “Where was God in all this?”
Our Gospel reading for today is difficult for us to take. For so soon after we celebrate Christmas, we hear about all those baby boys whom King Herod murders.
Herod flew into a rage when he learned that he had been outwitted by the Magi. He ordered the massacre of all the male children in and around Bethlehem, who were two years old and younger, in keeping with the time he had learned from the Magi. This fulfilled the word spoken through the Prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and much grieving. Rachel was weeping for her children, but she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.”
Amid the massive commercialization of Christmas, it’s easy for us to forget that Jesus came to create eternal peace between us and God. But Jesus also said His presence would create division among us and that many would stumble because of Him (Matthew 10:34).
Where Old-Testament Rachel had died giving birth to Benjamin, other children of the promise lost their lives to wicked King Herod’s sword. Their mothers wept and could not be consoled. But we cannot blame God for the death of these infants. Wicked King Herod caused such anguish and death.
No doubt, God was there. He saw what happened. Yet, even amid Herod’s wickedness, God was bringing about His salvation for the world. Even amid our evil, God is always working to turn what was meant for evil into good.
Once Herod heard the words “King of the Jews” from the Magi’s lips, he thought his rule was threatened. It was then that Herod decided that this baby, Jesus, had to die. The irony is that Herod was right. Jesus did have to die–but not because Herod willed it! Jesus had to die, but not on Herod’s schedule. Jesus would only die in the fullness of God’s time, when the time was right.
You see, Jesus had to die for Herod’s sins. He also had to die because of our sins. He had to die because of our doubts, fears, and our unbelief. He had to die because God knew–that on our own–we would never turn to Him, keep His commands, or love Him as we should. It is as the Apostle Paul says. We “were dead in the trespasses and sins” and, by nature, enemies of God (Ephesians 2:1)!
Since it was not yet His time, God intervened to protect the baby Jesus from Herod. Following the angel’s Word, Joseph led his family to safety in Egypt. God was carrying out His salvation in Christ Jesus despite King Herod’s wickedness.
But this isn’t where God exits the picture. He is still active in human history. Today, He continues to bring people into the safety of His Church through the waters of holy Baptism. He continues to feed and nourish His Church with his preached Word. He continues to feed and nourish His Church with the precious body and blood of His Son. Even today, God continues to grant His forgiveness to all who confess their sins and seek His mercy.
Conclusion
God’s saving work began when He created the heavens and the earth. Later, at the proper time, God entered His creation as a man and redeemed and saved His creation with his own blood. The Apostle Paul writes: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5).
And then, out of Egypt, at just the right time, God called His Son for the salvation of the world. That salvation is completed. It is as Jesus said, “Finished.” And one day soon, Jesus will come again and call all believers to Him, to be with Him in paradise forever! God has promised it. And as He has shown, He will do it! Amen.
