Matthew 1:8-25, Isaiah 7:10-16, Romans 1:1-7

 Picture the scene: it’s the local Christmas parade. Dozens of impressive, elaborately decorated floats passing by, with flashing lights, pulsing music, shiny baubles, streamers and smiling, waving characters in colourful costumes. Their commercial sponsors have spared no expense. Towards the end of the convoy trundles a humble flat-back truck, with a simple scene; a few hay bales, a teenage girl sitting, holding a doll wrapped up like a new born baby, and on the side of the truck a hand—painted sign stating, ‘Jesus Is the Reason for the Season’. The local church didn’t have quite the same budget as those other glitzy floats.

 It’s kind of appropriate really. Jesus’ humble entry into the world 2000 years ago was easily overlooked, as well.

 

 As the unassuming scene rumbles past, a child nearby asks, “Mummy, what’s that about … with the baby?”

 You may have your own similar story. The well-known story of Christmas is not nearly as well-known as it used to be. I’ve heard it said that Ad-vent is the time of year when Christians vent about Christmas ads and general commercialisation.

 

 Well, praise God that CBA still takes over Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with thoroughly Christian programming. Encourage people to listen – they could learn a lot – and it is very well-presented. This might be the time to put the radio on full and open the windows so the neighbours can hear. Or it might not.

 

 Praise God, too that at least two parade floats this year were accorded ‘best float in parade’ awards. One was in Timaru and the other was in Devonport.

Who IS the baby? Why is his birth so celebrated?
It’s in all four readings, today.

The Psalm presents the need of God’s help. God’s people are a despised minority. I can identify with that. But Jesus’ mission was broader than a pick-me-up for the Jewish people. Jesus came to heal the whole world since “everyone has sinned and is far away from God’s saving presence. But by the free gift of God’s grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free.” Romans 3:23,24. and again, “Sin pays its wage – death; but God’s free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

 

 Psalm 80 is a community lament – a repentant prayer of a whole lot of people. In verse 18 they say, “We will never turn away from you again.” One wonders if this is the cause of their problem, that they had turned away. It is a tendency we all have.

 Therefore, repent and return to God and let his face shine on us. Just as light enables a plant to grow, so God’s light enables his people to thrive.

 

We need God to make the way, we can’t do it ourselves, and he did that in Jesus the Christ whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.

Isaiah predicted God with us, Matthew spelled out how the prophecy was fulfilled.

 

 Isaiah’s prophecy of the young woman and her child was fulfilled in their day – probably within 3 years of this statement – it had it’s own meaning in its own time. Yet it was not wrong for Matthew to hear Isaiah’s prophecy pointing to Jesus as Immanuel. Because Jesus is literally God with us he fulfills the prophecy in his own way, even though his name is not in the text.

 

 The stories of God’s movement in history invite each generation to enter the story. Maori in the central-eastern North Island read the stories of the Jewish people in exile and related them to their own situation of losing land and sovereignty in the British invasion. They heard themselves in that story and it shaped their relationship with God, one another and the foreigners. These were the Ringatu people originally lead by Te Kooti. Just an example of how every generation enters the pages of scripture with longing and need, expectation and hope. This why we call the Bible a living word. [with acknowledgement to Barbara Lundblad, Union Theological Seminary, New York.]

Isaiah of the 8th century BC foresaw a new day of peace and security for the people of God, and he spoke of the forthcoming birth of a child as a sign of it. Matthew, in turn, saw the birth of Jesus to be the culmination of the hopes of the past, the fulfilllment of the hopes of Israel, and for the sake of the world as a whole. The coming of Jesus into the world is the sign of God’s being with us. There is no greater sign. Other signs can be ambiguous, but this one is not. Jesus came into the world to reveal and to redeem, to show us the true character of God and to ‘save his people from their sins’.” [Arland J. Hultgren, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (alt.)]

 

Paul has his own summary in Romans where he describes Jesus the divine human
“As to his humanity he was born a descendant of David.” (Romans 1:3) This is important in relation to the many prophecies in the Old Testament, a number of which predict that the Messiah – God’s chosen One – would be descended from king David, who is recorded as being ‘a man after God’s own heart.’ God kept David’s line going and, in time, put himself into it.

 

“As to his divine holiness, he was shown with great power to be the Son of God by being raised from death.” (Romans 1:4) Jesus’ divinity was proven by the resurrection.

So, Jesus, Immanuel, puts God and people together, in his own person, in his being here on earth and in the salvation he worked through his death and resurrection.

That’s who the baby is. That’s why he is so celebrated.

 

 The incarnation is the greatest statement, the greatest manifestation of love ever. The name Immanuel – God with us – is a profound and powerful statement of God’s desire to be in intimate communion with human beings. The challenge for us is to recognise God’s presence in all situations and circumstances. We can doubt God’s love in times of grief, pain and trauma, but we find comfort, healing and strength when we are able to experience God’s “with-us-ness” even in such times. And, when we are able to help others to recognise and experience God’s presence and love in their lives – whatever they may be going through – then we really have got it together. May our lives overflow with proclamation and experience of God’s ever-present love this week.