Discovery

 Matthew 2:1-12

We have a collect prayer by Thomas Cranmer, which reminds us how we are to read scripture. Read God's word and then "mark, learn, and inwardly digest them". This aids us in hearing scripture in a new light. Every time we come to scripture we encounter something new to our ears or different. If we sit and listen we will hear what is new calling us to remember what God is trying to do in us in this world. This is what incarnation is: God with us, God in us, and recognizing it by listening and hearing.

Today we read from Matthew the story of Joseph and how the birth took place through his eyes and even his dreams. The wise men come to visit, following a star, and they also have dreams just as Joseph does. Each writer of the gospels handles the relation of Jesus to someone in different ways. This is the first thing we need to mark. 

Mark's gospel doesn't care about Jesus' origins. All that is important is the good news which has come about and it is in healing hands. Matthew goes through the lens of Joseph. Luke we have Mary's story. In John it doesn't matter because it has always been joined to the beginning of creation and is word made flesh. 

So what is Matthew's point? We are not far into the story here and yet we have something different from all the others. What is the point? 

We start chipping away at what that might be when we sit with this for a while. This year for me it has been this. Matthew gives us a dreaming Joseph. Do we remember another dreaming Joseph? One from the Old Testament who went to Egypt as well? In Genesis we have the story of this Joseph who saves Egypt and his family and people from famine. 

He is a dreamer. One of 12 sons and he dreams that they will all bow to him, even his parents. The other sons are jealous of this dream and plan to kill him, but one brother has mercy and convinces the others to sell him as a slave. Off to Egypt he goes. 

He interprets other people's dreams and one night when no one else can interpret the Pharoah's dream Joseph does. He tells him there will be 7 good years of crops and then 7 years of famine. So he is put in charge of preparing for and distributing during the famine. 

He was meant for death and instead brings life in spite of being among those who are not his own. Same with our Joseph today. He is betrothed to Mary and finds out she is pregnant. He is going to quietly put her away when a dream tells him not to, but everything that is happened is a part of God's bigger plan. Then the wise men come and visit and Herod hears of this new king and is afraid. He wants to kill it, yet God's plans are bigger and Joseph dreams as well as the wise men and they all leave for safety. Then when it is safe and Herod is dead Joseph dreams to come back.

What is the point of tying one story to the other? What is important about Jesus going to Egypt and then coming back out? What does this tell us about God? What does this tell us about this good news, gospel?

When I sit with it the meaning is in the short lived powers of this world thinking they are in control. Every power: Pharoah and Herod only live a short while in comparison with the stories which span thousands of years in the Bible itself. They try to control what is around them, but they only last a while then they are gone and new rulers come in. Sometimes in safety, but never in God's ultimate plan because they believe they control it all.

We have leaders like this in every generation. The thing is the Joseph's of this world stay faithful. They believe God makes a difference and they are willing to be participants in what this is. Even if it is only for a short time. After all once this is over in Matthew we never hear of Joseph again. 

What can we do to be faithful in the long run to God? One thing is not trusting in the powers of this world because we believe in a bigger picture. One that trusts a baby to the care of human parents in a world where rulers kill babies to be the most important. 

Another is in seeing we can make a difference right where we are planted when we are faithful to God's bigger vision. The one which comforts those who are in war torn places. The One who cares that there are those suffering there. The One who cares we have people in our own towns who need care and healing. Once we concentrate on that level all else is only here for a while, a short while. What are you called to do?