What a Disgrace

What happened at our nation’s Capitol the other day was a disgrace – both what happened outside, when Trump incited a riot, and what happened inside, when leaders of the Senate sedition caucus (Hawley and Cruz) continued to spew lies about the election that Joe Biden clearly and decisively won, and when rioters tried to sack the place.

Even Mitch McConnell called it a “failed insurrection.”

Rudy Guiliani fired up the Trump crowd with such lines as, “Let’s have a trial by combat.” Then Trump announced, “We’re gong to walk to the Capitol.” He didn’t, of course. He watched TV coverage of the mayhem he’d created from the safety of the White House.

Already the right-wing media (the true purveyors of fake news) are saying that the rioters weren’t Trump supporters at all. Why, they were all antifa! Betcha the arrest records will show otherwise. But better to blame a largely mythical organization than to admit that it was a Trump mob that tried to sack the Capitol building.

These were not “demonstrators.” Demonstrators don’t show up at a rally with firearms, clear plastic shields and ropes with grappling hooks. These people were looking to create trouble.

These terrorists achieved what the Confederacy never could – raising the flag of sedition inside the Capitol. Meanwhile, there were lots of American flags with the name “Trump” pasted onto them. That’s a clear violation of the flag code. But these phony patriots don’t care about things like that. Like their TV reality show master, to them it’s all about the show.

Trump still has two weeks to achieve his goal of making America a shithole nation. God helps us in the meantime.

He won’t disappear, alas. So maybe it’s time to look at some Trump “tells.”

I have no idea how good a poker player he is, but he has several “tells” that you can see all the time.

For example, you can tell if he’s lying: he’s either speaking or Twittering. He appears to be incapable of speaking the truth about almost everything.

More tells: If he calls something “fake news,” that means it’s 100% accurate but he won’t admit it because it exposes his lies.

“Deep state” is a funny one. Supposedly it’s nefarious people buried deep in government who don’t want him to succeed. But when Pfizer didn’t announce its vaccine breakthrough until after the election, Trump said Pfizer was part of “deep state.” In other words, “deep state” is anyone who doesn’t follow Trump’s orders or displeases him in some way. If you show any sign of honesty or integrity or independence of Trump, you’re part of “deep state.”

“Witch hunt” is another Trump favorite. All the investigations into his various shady dealings are “witch hunts.” Of course, that’s because they’re hunting him, and he’s the witch. One of these days, maybe somebody will catch him.

You may note that Trump loves to fire people. Makes you wonder why he hired them in the first place. Usually they show some sign of independence or integrity, and out they go. Trump’s presidency follows the pattern of his TV show, when he fired everybody who was smarter than he was. Eventually, of course, that meant he had to fire everyone else, lest they accidentally reveal how shallow he is.

Trump is an outlaw. He does not believe in the rule of law. He believes only in using the law against others and for himself. His favorite tactic is the lawsuit. Because he has deep pockets, he can keep a case dragging through the courts until his adversaries run out of money. If he threatens to sue you, that means you have done something that cuts close to his chicanery, and he must silence you by falling back on his favorite first- and last-resort tactic: send in the crooked lawyers.

When Trump and his allies talk about election fraud and illegal voting and ballot stuffing and a stolen election, what they really mean is that people of color were allowed to vote. In Trump’s world, black people and Hispanics would not be allowed near the polls.

These are just a few of the Trump “tells.” To parody an old tagline from “The Naked City” TV series: “There are six million lies in Trumpland. These are some of them.”

It’s all about creating a false reality, an information bubble that people can’t break out of once they’re trapped in it. Hawley captured it perfectly when he claimed that he was only trying to answer an outcry from his constituents. But who kept telling the lies that created the outcry? It’s a monster that feeds on its own depravity.

I hope this is the last I have to say about this wretch man. (Trump, I mean. Hawley, sadly, is likely to be around for a long time.)

Glimpses of Glory

On Epiphany Sunday we usually hear the same story year after year. That’s the story of the visit of the magi, or wise men, to the young Jesus. But there are two other stories that need to be told, two other stories we need to hear. These also offer epiphanies, or revelations, of who this child is. These three stories offer glimpses of the glory of Christ.

The two stories that we’re not used to hearing both come from the gospel of Luke, where they immediately follow the story of Jesus’ birth. From Luke, chapter 2, 21 to 38:

Eight days after the child was born, it was time for his circumcision and naming. He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Forty days after his birth, it was time for Mary’s purification according to the law of Moses, and at that time they took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. It is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord.”

For Mary’s purification they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. He was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God.

He said, “Master, now you may dismiss your servant in peace, according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation. You’ve prepared it in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.

Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”

Also there was a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years and then as a widow to the age of 84. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.

At that moment she came upon them. She began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Imagine going off to the biggest city you’ve ever seen and encountering two very strange people who approach you out of the blue and announce that your baby is not only precious to you but precious to the entire world.

I mean, you expect to encounter some strange people in a big city, but this is way over the top! You knew your baby was special. How do these people know? And how do they know so much about him? God must have revealed it to them.

Anna, the old lady, practically lives in the Temple. Seems like she’s always there. But Simeon, the old man, lives in the city. He was guided to the Temple by the Holy Spirit that day. Maybe it was a little nudge: “You ought to go to the Temple.” Maybe it was a big push: “You need to be in the Temple now!”

The Temple is a huge place; it covers 15 acres on several levels. It’s no coincidence that both Samuel and Anna show up at exactly the right place at the right time. They are there to witness two important things happening in the life of the holy family.

First, Mary undergoes ritual purification. She was ceremonially impure for seven days following Jesus’ birth. She has to stay in a kind of ritual quarantine for 40 days afterward. For a girl, it would have been 80 days.

A sacrifice is required. Normally, it’s a sheep. But for poor people, two turtledoves or two pigeons can be substituted. That’s what Mary and Joseph pay. It’s all they can afford.

While they are in the Temple for that ceremony, they also present the baby Jesus to the Lord. This is a serious matter. In the past, it was customary for many pagans to sacrifice their firstborn males to their gods. Many children were slain that way in Jerusalem’s Valley of Hinnom.

The Lord our God also laid claim to all firstborn males. But the Lord simply demanded that they be dedicated to the service of the Lord. God did not claim the blood of the child but the life of the child dedicated to God’s purposes.

That’s why Simeon could declare that Jesus would become a light for revelation to Gentiles and glory for Israel. And given Israel’s poor record of listening to her prophets, Simeon also could see that Jesus would be a source of division among his people, and a source of pain to his mother as well.

In these stories, God reveals something of the nature of Jesus to two old prophets in the Temple. In our third story, the one we’re used to hearing on this day, God shows off Jesus to some foreigners. Matthew, chapter two, verses 1 to 11:

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising at dawn, and we have come to pay him homage.”

When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him.

Calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’ “

Then Herod secretly called for the magi and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared.

Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”

When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.

On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother. And they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

About those three kings: First, we don’t know how many of them there were, only that they brought three gifts to the young Jesus. These were gifts fit for a king – gold and aromatic spices – very expensive. Who knows how many givers had to pool their resources to afford them?

Second, they were not kings. Matthew calls them magi. They are stargazers – yes, even astrologers, but not like those you read in the funny pages or online. They are wise men, scholars who look to the stars and to ancient religious texts for clues to what is happening on earth.

They see a sign in the sky. They call it a star. It might be a rare conjunction of planets, similar to the one visible to us a couple weeks ago. They’re not dummies. They know the difference between a star and a planet, but they’re just like us; when they look up, they see stars.

Some translations say they saw the star in the east. Actually, the text says they saw the star at its morning rising in the eastern sky. The conjunction we saw Dec. 21 was visible to us at its evening setting in the western sky.

Something about this celestial sight leads them to believe that a king has been born in Israel. He must be a special king, because off they go on a long and tiring and expensive and dangerous journey.

When they finally arrive at their destination, they are not just pleased. They are overwhelmed with joy. They are delighted. They are ecstatic. And when they see the child – who is by now a toddler – they fall to their knees and pay him homage. They adore him. They worship him.

Every parent surely adores their two-year-old. But none fall to their knees before him in worship. This is an extraordinary level of veneration.

These men, who have sacrificed so much to come so far, are aware that they are in the presence of supernatural greatness, and they are humbled. They worship the little guy who stands before them, bright-eyed and happy, gurgling and blowing bubbles.

This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing. This, this is Christ the King, the babe, the son of Mary.

“And the Word became flesh and lived with us,” the gospel of John says. “And we have seen his glory” (John 1.14).

These stories offer glimpses of the glory of Christ. Have you glimpsed this glory as well? Have you been called by the Holy Spirit to witness great things? Have you traveled a long and hard way to discover the Lord in your midst?

This, this is Christ the King. Let us haste, haste, to bring him praise. Amen.

This message was delivered online January 3, 2021, Epiphany Sunday, for Edgerton United Methodist Church.

Journey to Bethlehem

We’re still in the Christmas season, so I invite you to view a most interesting video presentation of the birth of Jesus. It comes from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as part of its new Light the World campaign.

“The Christ Child” is a dramatized telling of the story. It helps if you know the story because there’s little dialogue, and what few words are spoken are in Aramaic, the ancient language widely spoken at the time of Jesus.

The music is way over the top and Mary does ride a donkey, but there are some interesting deviations from the standard telling – all supported by the latest scholarship.

When they arrive in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary go to a home of someone in Joseph’s family. It’s crowded because of the census. He wonders if they might not use the guest room, so he climbs a ladder to investigate and finds it full. You wonder how Mary could have gotten up the ladder anyway.

There aren’t just male shepherds in the fields that night. Herding sheep is a family business, so women and children also are gathered around the fire.

The magi remain a mystery. Having seen the star, they set out in a well-guarded caravan. By the time they get to Bethlehem, Jesus is a toddler. When they present their gifts and bow down to worship him, the significance of the act is evident in their faces. They’ve come a long way for this moment, and they find great emotional and spiritual fulfillment in it.

You may find it an affecting experience as well.

The film is about 18 minutes long. Find it on YouTube or at this address: https://www.comeuntochrist.org/light-the-world-2020/the-christ-child.

Incarnation: Light of the World

I don’t like driving at night. I don’t trust my night vision. Especially on narrow country roads, I feel like I’m always driving over my headlights. I need just a little more light. So after dark I either stick to familiar roads, or I avoid getting out at all.

This is a major exception to my acceptance of an idea called “flashlight faith.” You know how a flashlight works. It casts a narrow beam of light for a limited distance. You can see only so far. To see farther ahead, you have to take another step ahead. The flashlight does not show your destination. It only shows the next steps you have to take to reach your destination.

That’s the kind of guidance God provides for us most of the time. God gives us direction one step at a time. We have to trust God one step at a time. And I do – but I’m still leery of country roads at night.

* * * * *

The joyful Jewish thanksgiving festival known as sukkot falls in late September or early October. It’s also known as the Feast of Booths, because celebrants set up temporary booths in memory of the tents their ancestors lived in on the way to the Promised Land.

In the time of Jesus, the festival included an event called the Grand Illumination. Four candelabras more than 70 feet tall were erected in the Temple, and it was said that the light was so bright that it illuminated all of Jerusalem.

The light was a reminder of the pillar of fire that guided Israel through the desert. Now imagine Jesus standing in the Temple during the Grand Illumination and proclaiming: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

On this last Sunday of Advent, when we prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus, we turn to one more title for Jesus: light of the world. He is the light we need to see ourselves as we truly are. In his light we can see the truth of our past, and our present, and our future. Only in his light can we understand where God is leading us, where we have strayed from the path, and how we can get back on track.

* * * * *

Throughout scripture, light shining in the darkness is a symbol of God’s guidance. Remember the creation story in Genesis. God says, “Let there be light,” and there is light (Genesis 1:3). God sees that the light is good, so God separates the light from the darkness. This implies that darkness was the primordial reality, and it was not good.

“The way of the wicked is like deep darkness,” a proverb says (Proverbs 4:19).

The poets of Israel give God thanks for redeeming them from such trouble. Psalm 107 says: “Some sat in darkness and gloom, prisoners in misery and in irons, for they had rebelled against the word of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. … Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and God saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and gloom, and broke their bonds asunder” (Psalm 107: 10-15).

The prophet Isaiah sees our human need for a savior and God’s timely response. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them light has shined. … For to us a child is born, to us a child is given, and the government shall be on his shoulder, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:2, 6).

John’s gospel begins: “In the beginning was the Word. … In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).

In Jesus, John says, “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1:9).

* * * * *

It is no accident that Jesus comes to us this time of year. It is widely believed that the date of Christmas was stolen from the pagans. As I show in my book Keeping Christmas, this is not true at all. When they began to celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25, Christians had every right to believe that the date was correct.

Back then, December 25 was considered the Winter Solstice. The date of the solstice has moved forward four days our calendar drifts over time. Today we consider December 21 as the solstice. We also call it the first day of winter. To my mind, calling it that mutes the hope of the day, because the solstice is actually a day of hope.

The winter solstice occurs when the earth is at a particular point in its yearly circuit of the sun. On this day the sun shines the least number of hours and the night is the longest. But after the solstice, the sun begins to shine longer each day, and each night is shorter than the one before.

We may indeed be entering the deepest part of winter, but there is hope. After this, the days are getting longer and the nights are getting shorter! Light is coming into the world!

That is one of the reasons we will be offering a Blue Christmas worship time on Dec. 21, the longest night of the year.

It’s a recognition that long winter nights may be especially hard on those who have suffered the painful loss of a loved one. Especially in this season of joy, those whose joy is seasoned by sorrow may find it hard to celebrate. Blue Christmas reminds us that the light shines even in this darkness.

* * * * *

“I am the light of the world!” Jesus declares. But he also says, to us, his followers: “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).

And we need to let that light shine. You don’t light a lamp and then cover it up. No, you put the lamp on a lampstand so its light can shine throughout the room. “In the same way,” Jesus says, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:15-16).

The first letter of Peter says we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people – and we are called to proclaim the mighty acts of the one who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining in us, the first letter of John says. “Whoever claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light.” (1 John 2.8-10).

How are we the light of the world? We are the light when we reflect God’s light in acts of kindness and mercy and love.

Let me pass on a couple of timely stories from Martin Thielen, a retired United Methodist pastor.

Some time ago, in a suburb in Pennsylvania, there lived a Jewish family. Where other houses were decorated for Christmas, their house was decorated for Hanukkah. Hanukkah is the festival of lights, so they had a big menorah lighted in their front window.

One night they woke to the sound of shattering glass. Someone had smashed their window and destroyed the menorah. Their grandparents had died in Nazi concentration camps, and they knew what the sound of broken glass meant. They covered the window and went away to speak with family about what had happened.

When they returned that night, they were surprised to see that in the front window of nearly every home in their neighborhood was a large, illuminated menorah.

The second story concerns a family in Little Rock, Arkansas. They had many decorations in their front yard, including an inflatable black Santa Claus. They got an anonymous letter telling them to get rid of the black Santa and go back to where they belonged.

When they shared their story on Facebook, black Santas started appearing throughout their neighborhood.

“We are God’s plan for changing the world.” That’s what Adam Hamilton says in his book Incarnation, the inspiration for this series of Advent messages.

There are many ways of changing the world. Each of us has a unique way to do it. I encourage you to find a way to change the world that best suits your talents and temperament. Then do it. As Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see.”

The prophet Isaiah says this: “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, and the pointing finger and malicious talk, if you share your food with the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness …Your light shall break forth like the dawn” (Isaiah 58:8-10).

A simple act of goodness may not appear to do much to keep the darkness at bay, but it could ignite a flame of love. From simple acts grow larger acts, and movements and revolutions. A revolution of the heart starts with a tiny spark. Be the spark for others. Be the light for others, as Jesus is the light for you.

We are nearing the end of this Advent season. Christmas is only days away. Our celebration this year may be very different from others in recent years. However similar or dissimilar it is, are you ready to celebrate Jesus’ birth one more time? Is Jesus being reborn in you as you prepare for the day? Are you ready for the coming of Jesus?

I pray that you are, and that you have a very Merry Christmas!

This message was delivered online December 20, 2020 for Edgerton United Methodist Church in Edgerton, Kansas.

Incarnation: Emmanuel, God with Us

Your life is good, until something goes way wrong. You’re injured, or flattened by a sudden illness. All the plans you made for a special event go up in smoke, and you don’t know where to begin to start over.

You do something terrible, or people think you did, and you can’t imagine how you’ll face anyone again. You lose confidence in yourself. You feel worthless, not needed by anyone, not wanted by anyone.

In these times, you feel desperately alone. You feel like there is no one you can turn to for help. In these times, what you need is the assurance that, in fact, you are not alone, because God is with you.

That’s what the name Emmanuel means. It means, “God is with us.” It’s one of the titles of Jesus that we are looking at during Advent to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus. To see how God is with us as Emmanuel today, and how God has been with others over the ages, we’re going on a trek through history. This is a bit roundabout, so stay with me.

We begin about 750 years before the birth of Jesus. The kingdom founded by King David has split. The Southern Kingdom, called Judah, has its capital in Jerusalem. The Northern Kingdom, called Israel, has its capital in the city of Samaria. The two small kingdoms are constantly at each other’s throats, and they’re both threatened by the giant kingdom of Assyria.

Here’s a paraphrase of how the prophet Isaiah tells the story in the seventh chapter of the book that bears his name.

In the days when Ahaz was king of Judah, the king of Aram allied with the king of Israel to mount an attack Jerusalem. When word of the alliance got out, the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake in the wind.

Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go to Ahaz and say to him, ‘Do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands. Their plot against you will not succeed. You must stand firm in faith.’ ”

Ahaz wavered, so Isaiah said: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God, any sign you like.” But Ahaz, the pious fraud, said, “I will not put the Lord to the test.”

Then Isaiah said: “Is it too little for you to weary mortals that you must weary God as well? Whether you want it or not, the Lord will give you a sign. See, the young woman is with child. She will give birth to a son, and she will name him Emmanuel. By the time he eats solid food and knows how to refuse evil and choose good, the lands of these two kings whom you dread so much will be a desert” (Isaiah 7:1-16).

The first sign of Emmanuel is to Ahaz, king of Judah. Ahaz is afraid that an alliance of two kings against him spells doom. God offers him a sign that he has nothing to fear from them. The sign is the son of a young woman. Who is she? Probably the wife of Ahaz, or possibly Isaiah himself. Why name him Emmanuel? Because it’s a prophetic sign name. It means “God is with us.”

Isaiah is really into prophetic sign names. At least two of his sons bear them. One is named Shear-jashub. His name means “A remnant will return.” That’s apparently a reference to the future devastation of Israel by Assyria.

Another son is named Maher-shalal-hash-baz. Can you imagine his mother calling him home for dinner? His name means something like “swift to the spoils, swift to the prey.” Here’s the interesting part: When God tells Isaiah to give the boy that jawbreaker of a name, God says, “Before the boy knows how to say ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy,’ the spoil of Aram and Israel will be carried away by Assyria.”

That’s very similar to the sign of Emmanuel, isn’t it? God says that by the time Emmanuel is weaned, the threat that Ahaz fears so much will evaporate. And how does Ahaz react to the sign? Apparently he just shrugs and goes on his way. He is not remembered as one of the brighter lights among Old Testament kings.

One important thing to note here is that the story has no interest in, and says nothing about, the virginity or non-virginity of the mother. The Hebrew word means simply “young woman.” The prophecy assumes that she gets pregnant the usual way. The prophecy is about her son; it’s not about not her.

One more thing to note, before we move on, concerns the nature of prophecy. Biblical prophecy is not about predicting the future. A prophet does not gaze into God’s crystal ball to predict future events in any deterministic way. Rather, inspired by God, a prophet speaks a word “on target” to his time and situation. The prophet says, “This is what God thinks of current events, and this is what God is going to do about it.”

Prophets pronounce a word of judgment or a word of promise. God’s word to Ahaz was a promise that the threat he feared would evaporate. It’s a promise illustrated by the birth of a boy with a name that affirmed the promise: Emmanuel, God is with us.

Fast forward 800 years. Jesus has been dead 40 or 50 years, and the writer we know as Matthew is poring over the scriptures while piecing together the story of Jesus. He’s writing a gospel, and he’s looking for texts that show how Jesus fulfills God’s plans for Israel. But he has a story that has no parallel in the ancient texts.

The story is about a virgin named Mary, who is engaged to a man named Joseph. Before they come together as husband and wife, she gets pregnant. Joseph determines that he will not expose her to public disgrace, but will quietly dissolve the marriage agreement.

Then he has a dream. An angel of the Lord appears to him says, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:18-21).

The Old Testament knows nothing of any virgin birth – at least not in the original Hebrew text. But in the relatively recent Greek translation known as the Septuagint, Matthew finds the solution to his problem. The Greek version of Isaiah chapter 7 reads like this: “Look, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son…”

It’s a bad translation. It’s so bad a translation it even gets the verb tenses wrong. Isaiah says the young woman is already pregnant; the Greek version says the virgin will become pregnant. Matthew surely knows this, but the prophecy fits his story too well to ignore. It implies something special about the manner of Jesus’ birth, but more importantly it foreshadows who Jesus is. Jesus is Emmanuel. Jesus is “God with us.”

So Matthew reports: “All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us” (Matthew 1:24-25).

When Matthew says that Jesus’ birth “fulfills” the prophecy of Isaiah, he’s not saying that Isaiah predicted the birth of Jesus. He’s saying that an ancient prophecy of Isaiah finds new meaning in the birth of Jesus.

He’s saying, “Look, this is just like Isaiah – only better!” A child is conceived in Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit. His name is Jesus, meaning “God saves.” In Jesus, the symbolic name Emmanuel becomes real because Jesus really is “God with us,” and he really will save us.

Again, let me say that Isaiah never predicted a virgin birth. If he had, he would have looked pretty silly when it didn’t happen when he said it would, and wouldn’t happen for another 750 years.

Matthew is reinterpreting an ancient prophecy to make it relevant to his time and situation. He does that a lot in his gospel. Time after time he says that something Jesus does “fulfills” a prophecy. It’s not that any prophet predicted that Jesus would do this. It’s that a prophet pronounced a promise from God, and Jesus fulfills that promise. Jesus gives the promise new meaning. Whatever the prophet’s saying meant in its original context, it finds new meaning in the life and ministry of Jesus.

Here’s another example from Matthew. After Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph flee with the baby to Egypt, fearing the wrath of King Herod. When they hear that Herod has died, they make plans to return home. Matthew comments: “This was done to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son’ ” (Matthew 2:15)

That’s a reference to Hosea 11:1, where the prophet quotes God as saying: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” It’s a reference to God liberating Israel from bondage in Egypt. It’s a reference to the past, not to any future event, and it’s certainly no prediction of the future. But Matthew quotes it, as if to say, “See, just as God once called Israel out of Egypt, now look: God is calling God’s son back home from Egypt.” Matthew quotes it to say, “Just as God was faithful once long ago, God again was faithful here.”

In the same way, we can appreciate stories of God’s faithfulness long ago, and be encouraged by them today. Whatever Isaiah’s prophecy meant in the time of Ahaz, Matthew found new meaning in the prophecy in the time of Jesus. And we today can continue to find new meaning in this and other ancient prophecies. We can find new signs of promise and hope in these words today.

After all, remember Jesus’ last promise to his disciples, as recorded in Matthew 28:20: “Remember, I am with you always.” That’s the promise of Emmanuel. Whatever our circumstance, God is with us, whatever our failing, whatever our need, God is with us.

Now we recognize that this promise is no panacea for everything that ails us. This is not a promise that God will bail us out of every jam or keep us from all harm. It is a promise that God is always there for us. And it does not seem that God intervenes directly in our lives. Most often, God works through other people. They are the angels in our lives.

I am thinking specifically now of a young man who is dear to me. He has had a recurring health problem. Just last week, through the intervention of one doctor, he will get to see another doctor, a specialist who may be able to help him. Surely, God is with him. No flutter of angel wings. No announcements from on high. Just one person doing what is best for another. Isn’t that the way God normally works in our lives? Isn’t that the way God is usually with us?

May you be comforted in knowing that whatever is wrong, God is there, one way or another. Amen.

This message was delivered on line December 13, 2020, for Edgerton United Methodist Church.