Our two texts for December 23rd are Isaiah 7:10-16 and Matthew 1:18-25, which you can read online here and here.
Our place in the church calendar: This Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Advent. We are in lectionary year A, which focuses primarily on the gospel of Matthew. On December 24th, we will shift from Advent to Christmas, as season which (technically starting on the 25th, of course) lasts 12 days, through Epiphany, January 6th.
Text Summary: This week, and through Advent, we're looking at both the reading from the prophets and the gospel lesson, since they work together to comment on complementary themes.
Our passage from Isaiah is another pre-exile text. We, of course, read these words and think of Mary and Jesus. But Ahaz's wife bore a child, a king, in the line of David, Hezekiah. Hezekiah was a good and righteous king, and he restored many traditions of the faith that had been lost. He worked against idol worship, and restored practices of pilgrimage. Hezekiah is king during the time of conquest by the Assyrians, and 'resettlement'. People are being shuffled around, there is war and chaos. But Hezekiah provides courageous, moral leadership in this time. Like Jesus is not actually named Immanuel, neither is Hezekiah, but Isaiah's words indicate the role the child is to fill, not the actual name.
In Matthew, we find the birth narrative. Matthew tells things almost entirely from Joseph's perspective instead of Mary's. Joseph discovers Mary is pregnant, and means to divorce her quietly. He could have charges brought against her, and she could be stoned for adultery, but we're meant to see that Joseph is righteous and therefore spares her. However, he's told in a dream the truth of Mary's situation, and so he takes Mary as his wife. Mary gives birth to the child, and Joseph names the child Jesus.
Sermon Thoughts:
- We're focusing on a theme for the whole season, "Come, Prince of Peace." Each week, the sermon will focus on an aspect of our journey of waiting for the Christ-child to come.
-The sermon title this week is "Come, Prince of Peace: Now and Not Yet" and will focus on our the 'both/and' nature of Advent. We're almost there, but not quite yet - how do we live as people who are waiting for Christmas but have already experienced Christmas?
- "Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also?" This is such a uniquely worded statement - an expression of exasperation from Isaiah, perhaps. I bet we do wear God out sometimes, with all our antics.
- Ahaz doesn't want to put God to the test, which is, I guess, how we might feel in a similar situation. We're afraid of testing God. But who better to withstand the test? We're so afraid of being angry at God, questioning of God, demanding of God. We're so afraid it is as if we don't think God can withstand all of our emotions. That would not make for a very powerful God, would it? So test God, if you need to. Ask for signs and directions. God is up to the test.
- "Immanuel." God with us. So simple, so much meaning. God is trying to get as close to us as possible, and to do so, God becomes human, or God dwells within our hearts.
- "Before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good . . ." Interesting statement if you also take this passage as a prophecy of Jesus' coming. This implies a child who is not born with all the knowledge and perfection of an adult divine-one.
- Matthew - This is the first very explicit Advent text, in that it is clear that we're talking about Jesus' birth. We don't have to read between the lines here. But the straightforward nature of them doesn't mean they have less to say to us. Remember - it is still Advent here, not Christmas. This text has Jesus' birth at the end, but it's not quite Christmas yet. Live into that tension!
- "unwilling to expose her to public disgrace" - Joseph has a lot of competing issues to consider here. He could expose Mary and she would be open to trial and even death. He can divorce her quietly, but still this brings shame to him. Even taking Mary as his wife as directed implies some sinful behavior on his part, having sex with Mary before they are fully husband and wife. Joseph can make no choice that doesn't bring him some shame or humiliation (neither can Mary.) Jesus is born (purposely) into a precarious place and situation.
- "God is with us." Again, Emmanuel, as in Isaiah. God is with us. The people then, and perhaps too much so today, see God as "up there" and very separate from human affairs. But Jesus' coming promises that God is with us. Here. Now. With. Us.
Questions for Discussion:
-Does knowing that Isaiah wrote about a specific king (Hezekiah) in a specific context add or detract to this text for you? Can you still hear it as an Advent text, speaking of Jesus, or does it lose that meaning for you?
-Do you know how to refuse evil and choose the good? Do you carry this out in your actions?
-Have you ever tried to test God or give God an ultimatum of sorts? Make a bargain with God? Do you think God has ever tested you?
-Which birth narrative is your favorite? Mark has none. John talks about the Word. Luke has the 'traditional' story, and Matthew tells it from Joseph's eyes.
-If you knew no details, but heard about Joseph's situation, what would you advise him to do? What would you have done?
-Why do you think God chose to arrive in such a difficult way, with so much question about paternity, decisions, etc., instead of arranging things more 'neatly'?
-When have you most clearly experience "God with us?"
For further reading:
Read Chris Haslam's comments and clippings on this text.
What are your questions about this text? Comments?
Our place in the church calendar: This Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Advent. We are in lectionary year A, which focuses primarily on the gospel of Matthew. On December 24th, we will shift from Advent to Christmas, as season which (technically starting on the 25th, of course) lasts 12 days, through Epiphany, January 6th.
Text Summary: This week, and through Advent, we're looking at both the reading from the prophets and the gospel lesson, since they work together to comment on complementary themes.
Our passage from Isaiah is another pre-exile text. We, of course, read these words and think of Mary and Jesus. But Ahaz's wife bore a child, a king, in the line of David, Hezekiah. Hezekiah was a good and righteous king, and he restored many traditions of the faith that had been lost. He worked against idol worship, and restored practices of pilgrimage. Hezekiah is king during the time of conquest by the Assyrians, and 'resettlement'. People are being shuffled around, there is war and chaos. But Hezekiah provides courageous, moral leadership in this time. Like Jesus is not actually named Immanuel, neither is Hezekiah, but Isaiah's words indicate the role the child is to fill, not the actual name.
In Matthew, we find the birth narrative. Matthew tells things almost entirely from Joseph's perspective instead of Mary's. Joseph discovers Mary is pregnant, and means to divorce her quietly. He could have charges brought against her, and she could be stoned for adultery, but we're meant to see that Joseph is righteous and therefore spares her. However, he's told in a dream the truth of Mary's situation, and so he takes Mary as his wife. Mary gives birth to the child, and Joseph names the child Jesus.
Sermon Thoughts:
- We're focusing on a theme for the whole season, "Come, Prince of Peace." Each week, the sermon will focus on an aspect of our journey of waiting for the Christ-child to come.
-The sermon title this week is "Come, Prince of Peace: Now and Not Yet" and will focus on our the 'both/and' nature of Advent. We're almost there, but not quite yet - how do we live as people who are waiting for Christmas but have already experienced Christmas?
- "Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also?" This is such a uniquely worded statement - an expression of exasperation from Isaiah, perhaps. I bet we do wear God out sometimes, with all our antics.
- Ahaz doesn't want to put God to the test, which is, I guess, how we might feel in a similar situation. We're afraid of testing God. But who better to withstand the test? We're so afraid of being angry at God, questioning of God, demanding of God. We're so afraid it is as if we don't think God can withstand all of our emotions. That would not make for a very powerful God, would it? So test God, if you need to. Ask for signs and directions. God is up to the test.
- "Immanuel." God with us. So simple, so much meaning. God is trying to get as close to us as possible, and to do so, God becomes human, or God dwells within our hearts.
- "Before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good . . ." Interesting statement if you also take this passage as a prophecy of Jesus' coming. This implies a child who is not born with all the knowledge and perfection of an adult divine-one.
- Matthew - This is the first very explicit Advent text, in that it is clear that we're talking about Jesus' birth. We don't have to read between the lines here. But the straightforward nature of them doesn't mean they have less to say to us. Remember - it is still Advent here, not Christmas. This text has Jesus' birth at the end, but it's not quite Christmas yet. Live into that tension!
- "unwilling to expose her to public disgrace" - Joseph has a lot of competing issues to consider here. He could expose Mary and she would be open to trial and even death. He can divorce her quietly, but still this brings shame to him. Even taking Mary as his wife as directed implies some sinful behavior on his part, having sex with Mary before they are fully husband and wife. Joseph can make no choice that doesn't bring him some shame or humiliation (neither can Mary.) Jesus is born (purposely) into a precarious place and situation.
- "God is with us." Again, Emmanuel, as in Isaiah. God is with us. The people then, and perhaps too much so today, see God as "up there" and very separate from human affairs. But Jesus' coming promises that God is with us. Here. Now. With. Us.
Questions for Discussion:
-Does knowing that Isaiah wrote about a specific king (Hezekiah) in a specific context add or detract to this text for you? Can you still hear it as an Advent text, speaking of Jesus, or does it lose that meaning for you?
-Do you know how to refuse evil and choose the good? Do you carry this out in your actions?
-Have you ever tried to test God or give God an ultimatum of sorts? Make a bargain with God? Do you think God has ever tested you?
-Which birth narrative is your favorite? Mark has none. John talks about the Word. Luke has the 'traditional' story, and Matthew tells it from Joseph's eyes.
-If you knew no details, but heard about Joseph's situation, what would you advise him to do? What would you have done?
-Why do you think God chose to arrive in such a difficult way, with so much question about paternity, decisions, etc., instead of arranging things more 'neatly'?
-When have you most clearly experience "God with us?"
For further reading:
Read Chris Haslam's comments and clippings on this text.
What are your questions about this text? Comments?
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