A sermon by Associate Minister Elsa A. Peters, December 23, 2007
Matthew 1:18-25
This is a rough draft of a sermon involving three other voices. Deb Theriault, Matthew Brucker and Hannah Skeffington provided the voices of Angel Gabrielle, Joseph and Mary. This sermon was preached in conversation to these voices. This rough draft includes thoughts that we shared together before the Fourth Sunday of Advent.
“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.” It began with three different characters — Joseph, Mary and Gabrielle (or whatever the name of the angel of the Lord might have been).
Only one of them speaks. Gabrielle is the only one that has anything to say in this familiar story. Joseph doesn’t say a word. His only action is to marry the girl as “the Lord commanded him.” Mary becomes a wife. But, that’s all we really know about her in this story – other than the important fact that she is going to have a baby. That must have been an interesting moment for her.
Don’t you wonder what she is thinking during all of this? Don’t you wonder what Joseph is thinking? Or maybe even the angel? What might be running through their heads as this holy story begins?
Let’s hear that familiar story again. How does it begin again? “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.” It started with Joseph and his personal struggle because he was a “righteous” man. And yet, this word “righteous” in Matthew’s Gospel is “fraught with ambiguity.” So, I wonder, Joseph. Is this how you feel? Are you “fraught with ambiguity” as this story begins?
(Joseph talks to Mary about what he thinks the right thing to do is given the circumstances of Mary being pregnant before their wedding was finalized.)
Joseph had a lot to fear – even though he is a good man. As a “righteous” man, Joseph follows the rules. He knew what his faith requires of him and does those things. Well, except for this one time. This time Joseph didn’t follow the rules — because if he had followed the rules, he wouldn’t have taken Mary as your wife. But Joseph is not the only one that is struggling with hard decisions.
(Angel Gabrielle tells her side of the story.)
It’s not easy what the Gabrielle has to do. What are the angel’s very first words?
Do not be afraid. This is what she first tells Joseph. But, in order to say these words to him – she must believe them herself. Before she can assure Joseph not to be afraid, she has to be confident that she is not fearful.
Before the story begins, the angel must not be afraid. And yet, we know that this is a very difficult thing to do – because we’re all scared of something. And perhaps this is the question that we should ask at Christmas, as we listen for the angel’s assurance. Maybe this is just the question for our time and place: What are we afraid of?
(Congregation is asked to share their own fears.)
We all have something to fear – and so does Joseph. Joseph’s world was a scary place. There were threats of terrorism then too. There were rulers like Herod who abused power. There was lots of poverty and not enough wealth to share. Just as it for us now, there was a lot to fear. And like us, Joseph needed some assurance that this fear would end. He needed that same promise that there would be light in the darkness of his own fears.
And then, this angel appears to Joseph and tells him not to be afraid. How in the world can he believe what this angel says? (Turning to the congregation) When someone tells you not to be afraid, how do you know when it is safe? What is it about that voice that makes it believable that no danger will come?
(Congregation offers suggestions of what makes it feel safe. Angel Gabrielle attempts to say, “Do not be afraid” in all of the suggested ways.)
And yet, the angel says to all of our fears: Do not be afraid. There is nothing to fear. But, she says more than that. Gabrielle, can you say that again?
(Gabrielle reads Matthew 1:20b-21:
Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for what is conceived in her is through the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.)
So Joseph, who does everything he is told, there are two things that you are supposed to do. The first thing is to take Mary as your wife. We know this choice is hard because according to the Law you shouldn’t marry her. Gabrielle is telling you to break the rules of your faith. And we know that that wasn’t easy for her either. We heard about that. We know that Gabrielle was scared too. But, what is the second thing that you are supposed to do?
You’re supposed to name the baby. And what name are you supposed to give this newborn baby? This is so important that Matthew says it twice – with two different names. What are the two names?
The first name is given by Gabrielle. But, this is so important that when Matthew writes his Gospel, he wants to make sure that we all know why there is nothing to fear. Like Joseph, Matthew plays by the rules. He is very careful to write this story in harmony with tradition. And in that old tradition, Matthew quotes from the Prophet Isaiah to make sure you don’t miss that name. But, it’s a different name in the old tradition. What is that name?
I think it was this name that told Joseph that it was safe. I think it was this name that assured you that you didn’t have to be afraid. No matter how nicely or sweetly or convincing Gabrielle was in her assurance. You knew because of the name. Gabrielle says that this newborn child will “save the people from their sins.” But you knew because of the name that this child has. This isn’t just any name. This is the name that means… well, Matthew explains it. It means salvation. But, there’s a little history there. Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yeshua. And who is Yeshua in the tradition of the Hebrew Scriptures?
No idea? Well, there is a story a lot like this one in the Book of Exodus. In that story, there is a Pharaoh who made the lives of the Israelites “bitter with hard service in every kind of field labor. [This Pharaoh was] ruthless in all of the tasks that [he] imposed upon [the Israelites].” And when Pharaoh is at his worst, a baby is born. And this baby’s name was… Moses. What did this baby say to Pharaoh when he grew up? Maybe you know it in a song.
That’s how the Israelites started on their way to the Promised Land – but as Joseph knew, they didn’t get to the Promised Land with Moses. They got there with someone else. Who was it? It was Yeshua. Joshua was the one that brought the people to the Promised Land.
So, when Joseph hears Gabrielle say that this child will be named after Yeshua, well, there is no way that he can be afraid. Joseph knows his Torah. He knows that Herod is just as ruthless as Pharaoh. And when the angel appears to assure him that there is nothing to fear, Joseph knows that this child is light in the darkness of his days. He knows that this child will lead all of us out of fear and into hope. There is nothing to fear because God is with us. God has come again.