Scripture Reading: Matthew 2: 13-23

• A Cry for Hope
• Hope for the Oppressed
• Where Do We Stand?

Introduction

Christmas is a time of great joy. As we remember and celebrate the birth of our LORD Jesus Christ, it is an occasion that is celebrated all over the world by not only Christians but also people of different faiths. Children impatiently wait for their gifts, parents rush around to decorate the house and welcome guests, and students and employees pack their bags for vacations returning to meet their family – people close to their hearts. This is truly a time of joy and fellowship, a time for love and hope as we also prepare to begin a new year following the birth of Christ Jesus.

The assigned scripture reading brings us back to the events of the Birth of Jesus. It brings us back to the real gift of Christmas. In this sermon, we are going to reflect on why the world cried for hope, how the oppressed became the safekeepers of hope, and how we can be obedient to God today to become a keeper of God’s hope for the world.

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” – Psalm 19:14 (KJV)

A Cry for Hope

When we think of hope, we often associate its source with an individual possessing authority. It may be a doctor treating a loved one, our superiors at the workplace, or parents (especially for children) – hope is always placed on those with power to help us. In the Gospel we witness the Messiah, the God’s gift of hope for the world, being placed in the hands of Mary and Joseph. When we contextualise the scenario, we witness King Herod the Great ruling the land of Judea- a man of great power. Whereas, Mary and Joseph were powerless, being mere subjects in his land.

(Reflect: Hope is placed on those with power, King Herod was in power, however God entrusted Mary and Joseph with the Gift of Hope even though they were powerless.)

King Herod was greatly renowned for his works of construction, especially the rebuilding of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, the expansion of its base, and Western Wall among the few of his notable contributions. He had become the governor of Galilee when he was around 25-28 years old, and according to many historians, he rose to power through his good relations with Roman Emperor Julius Caesar.

But despite a remarkable life, Herod is remembered as a tyrant. Instead of becoming the hope for the oppressed, he became the oppressor, himself. But why did this happen? How could a king become a source of fear for his people instead of a sense of safety? It is because of a lost spiritual warfare, a submission to the world.

King Herod is remembered as a figure who has zealously protected his throne. He often became suspicious of people desiring his throne – leading to many murders including his own wife, sons, and several members of his family. His greed for power led him to great sins, notably “the massacre of the innocents” where children under the age of two were slain, as Herod tried to kill Jesus after he had learnt of Jesus’ kingship from the magis.

Greed is of the flesh. It is a worldly desire that seeks to feed our material wants beyond reason. Herod’s greed and lust for power led him to resort to sinful means to retain that power. “Anyone who practices sin, is a slave to sin”, and thus Herod, being a slave to sin, was used by his master – Satan, to bring more suffering on the people of God.

When the world and power structures fail, when the oppressors enjoy their fill – it is only the oppressed who cry out to God for justice.

When we replace God with our own desires as our first priority, we secretly begin to feed the flesh that is to enslave us one day.

Hope for the Oppressed

Mary and Joseph would have been expected to put their hopes on Herod as their king. However, instead we witness the expected source of hope being the source of oppression. As the paranoia of Herod grew, Mary and Joseph had to flee to Egypt to protect Jesus. While their king only caused pain and suffering, God stood with the oppressed- even when the people could not comprehend His plan or put faith in Him, placing the gift of hope in their very hands.

Mary and Joseph demonstrated a life that was in stark contrast to King Herod’s. While Herod murdered his family for power, Mary and Joseph gave up on their normal lives to protect Jesus and flee to safety. Instead of their own desires and wisdom they faithfully carried out the will of God, prioritising Him over their own lives.

When we look for God’s providence in the life of Mary and Joseph, we don’t find material riches reflecting conventional notion of wealth. Rather, we find the perseverance and strength of God that blessed them to overcome even the kingly powers of the world. Although oppressed, they themselves became the keepers of the hope for salvation of the world.

(Reflect: while Herod fell to his own desires, Mary and Joseph denied their own desires to remain obedient to God- in turn overcoming even the most powerful forces of the world.)

Where Do We Stand?

Often in life we are at crossroads that force us to choose between what’s convenient for us and what’s required of us. When we pray for things to get easy but it doesn’t, we are likely to blame God. In our lives, convenience takes precedence over God’s will.

When the people of God hoped for liberation from the Roman Empire, instead of liberation they found more oppression- this time, even at the hands of their own people. Mary and Joseph, among the oppressed, were entrusted with the safeguard and upbringing of the Messiah- eventually bringing hope into the world.

Today, if God commanded us to do the same, even with all the modern facilities of transport and communication- we would still find it impossible to muster the faith to move to a different country. In contrast, we see the earthly parents of Jesus being of the utmost obedience to God, sacrificing their comfort and livelihood to bring hope into the world. The hope of a carpenter and his wife, through faith and obedience to God- overcame the powers of a king.

Concluding Emphasis

This Christmas, as we once again celebrate the birth of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ, let us not perceive this period as “holidays”- but rather a reminder of the sacrifices made by Mary and Joseph, the oppressed bringing into the world a wave of liberation.

Let us today, resolve to remain a force that brings about hope to those in need. Let us act not in our own interests, but rather, sacrifice our desires that hold us back from the will of God.

Remembering the “greatest story ever told”, let us become that King Herod who would visit the baby Jesus, to place his crown at His feet. Through sacrificial love and obedience to God, we not only celebrate the radiant and hopeful gift of Christmas, but also receive it to share with the world.