Let s Keep Herod in Christmas Isaiah 60:1-9; Matthew 2:1-23 First Sunday after Epiphany, (Jan. 8) 2017 Kyle Childress

Transcription

1 1 Let s Keep Herod in Christmas Isaiah 60:1-9; Matthew 2:1-23 First Sunday after Epiphany, (Jan. 8) 2017 Kyle Childress [Miki has just sung Song of the Magi by Anais Mitchell which puts the Wise Men story in the contemporary context of soldiers, violence, fear, security checkpoints, refugees, etc.] I remember going through a security checkpoint crossing from Bethlehem back into Israel a few years ago when I was on the trip with a group of clergy. We were on a bus, about 20 of us all pastors and had to go through the wall Israel has built along the West Bank. We were instructed by our tour guide to not talk, not engage the troops, don t ask questions, get up and move, and certainly not argue with the soldiers when we were stopped. Guard towers with troops with machine guns topped each side of the gate, barbed-wire along the wall, when we stopped at the road block. Three armed soldiers came on our bus, one stood by the driver watching over all of us clergy while the other two checked each of our passports. Our guide was a Palestinian Christian who was grilled pretty aggressively as the soldiers looked at his papers. But the worst going-over was saved for his seven-year-old daughter who was out of school on a holiday. The soldiers separated her, moved her to the back of the bus and asked her question after question, quickly and aggressively and with hostility. We could do nothing but sit quietly. Her father could only stand and watch with one of the soldiers standing immediately behind him. After about five minutes of harassing questioning, they returned her papers to her, left our bus and waved us through. We

2 2 sat still and quiet until the bus rounded the corner out of sight of the guard towers and wall. Then all of us on the bus erupted with indignation and anger. The six black pastors on the bus exploded with anger knowing all too well the harassment and hostility exhibited by the soldiers. We were angry and shocked. The Palestinian Christian father and his seven-year-old daughter were afraid. Our Gospel lesson this morning is full of fear and security checkpoints, soldiers, and refugees escaping in the middle of the night at the very same place the very same place where I went through the security checkpoint just a few years ago. Herod the Great was afraid and when Herod was afraid, it says that all Jerusalem was afraid too. Who knows what he might do? Who knows who might be rounded up? Who knows who might be interrogated or shot? Herod was obsessed with keeping his power and his privilege and part of that meant that he had to show his bosses, the Romans that he was as cruel and decisive and in charge as they would be. Otherwise, they d march in, kill him, and probably kill everyone else, just like they did several times before and would do again several times. So why is Herod frightened? According to Mathew wise men from the east (probably present day Iraq or Iran), showed up asking Where is he that is born King of the Jews? We ve been following this star and it has led us thus far. Can you help us? Just hearing about a baby born who is referred to, as King of the Jews was enough to frighten Herod and all Jerusalem. He might be afraid but Herod is also smart so he calls in his religious

3 3 advisors and intelligence experts, who know their Bible. They say, The magi from the east know enough that Isaiah 60 and the star has led them to Jerusalem. But we think Micah 5:2-5 is the scripture that tells us what we need to know, But you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah... from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from old... And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace. Biblical scholars debated the contrasting traditions of Micah and Isaiah. The main tradition emphasized Isaiah s interpretation but the alternative, revolutionary tradition in biblical studies that said Micah was closer to the truth of this newborn king. Isaiah speaks of a great city and global economics. Micah speaks of farmers and poor people. Isaiah anticipates a king who will build new towers, and Micah talks about a leader who will bring hope for common folks. Isaiah foretells great urban palaces and a new majestic temple. Micah is about small communities of faith, and everyone having a decent, safe home and enough to eat and kids playing out in the yard. Isaiah talks about Jerusalem and glory. Micah talks about Bethlehem and peace. Well, Herod does not like what he is hearing. If there is anything worse than the birth of a rival king, it is the birth of a rival king with a radically different vision of what the future should look like. News of change is threatening when you re accustomed to being in charge, and immigrants from the east bringing threatening news scares him. But Herod gets what he wants, the name of the place of the birth. Bethlehem. So he tells the wise men that it is Bethlehem they are

4 4 looking for. They were looking in the wrong place. Furthermore, if they will go on ahead and find the newborn king and come back and tell him, he will join them in adoration and celebration of his birth. Of course, you remember what happens. The wise men go and find the infant Jesus and worship him. But they are warned to not return to old Herod and they return home on some back roads, missing Herod s security checkpoints. When Herod discovers that the wise men have slipped through his fingers he becomes enraged. He calls in his chief of security and orders all babies age two and younger to be killed in and around Bethlehem. Helicopters circle over Bethlehem, spotlights are shining all over, troops are kicking in doors, grabbing children. Automatic weapons are firing in the night. You can hear the screams. Jeremiah, another prophet, had foretold, had lamented, A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation. Rachel weeping for her children. She refused to be consoled because they are no more. Those innocent children became the first martyrs of the church. Long before Jesus died for them, they died for Jesus. Matthew says that Joseph had a dream back in chapter 1 about the birth of his son to be named Emmanuel, God with us. Now he has a nightmare. He awakens with a start. Wakes Mary. Together they grab a couple of things, take their still-sleeping baby, and slip out of town by the back-alleys, away to Egypt, to safety. For now.

5 5 So goes the old story. Recently, I saw a house with the three-foot plastic Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus. Standing nearby, looking on is a three-foot high Santa Claus. In and around are plastic camels, donkeys, sheep, and reindeer. I wonder if they ever thought of putting a three-foot Herod there, as well? Maybe some of his assault troops, too? Maybe a sniper-team on the roof? We want a Christmas that is nice and sentimental, full of warm feelings and cheer. But if we want Christ in Christmas then we have to face up to Herod being in Christmas, too. Matthew s version says that Herods still stalk the earth. There is the Star of Bethlehem shining over the birth of the coming Prince of Peace but a dark shadow is lurking just outside. Jesus is the One who will bring peace, but it will be bought with a price. When the Wise Men say they are looking for the King of the Jews it is the same title that will be hung above Jesus head when those in power crucify him. And Matthew s story is clear. If we align ourselves with Jesus, then we are going to have to face-up to the Herods. Let me be clear. We have a story of great joy and peace in Christmas. But it is a deep joy that holds within it lament. The joy of Bethlehem is sung, not instead of the lament of Bethlehem, but in the face of the lament of Bethlehem and with the lament of Bethlehem. Mathew is telling us that lament and suffering, risky faith and refugees

6 6 escaping in the middle of the night, is part of the story too. The American white church prefers a Gnosticized story of glitz, sentimentality, and prosperity preachers preaching success and wealth, all guarded by SWAT teams with their assault rifles at security checkpoints. The Herods don t like it but there is a Prince of Peace for us to proclaim. One humble, born in Bethlehem, who someday will bring justice and peace for all people. Our calling is to point to him and live his peace and practice his justice now. It won t be big and successful. It won t be glitzy and loud and plastic and economically successful. It will be peace proclaimed and justice lived out by small, simple communities of Jesus Christ like Austin Heights Baptist Church. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One True God, Mother of us all. Amen.