Christmas Day Message 2010

The Scripture passage Matthew 1:18-25 describes events leading up to the birth of Jesus. It was verse 20 that captured my attention this year, where the angel said to Joseph, “Do not be afraid ...”! This, for me, describes how, through the coming of Jesus to earth, God has addressed human fear.

Feelings of fear occur through a variety of circumstances – fear of the unknown, fear of illness, fear of impending danger.

Christmas casts out at least another three significant fears that affect human beings. These are:
(i) the fear of what others think,
(ii) the fear of death, and,
(iii) the fear of being alone in life

This is so important, because “fear” of any kind is the enemy of faith. Our living and active faith in God will always be limited by any fear we suffer from and allow to persist. If we want our faith to grow and to flourish, then fear needs to be addressed. For fear makes us withdraw, fear makes us neglect the needs of others, fear impedes us getting involved (including being involved in God’s mission in the world), fear stunts our growth as human beings and Jesus’ followers; and fear may also make us doubt ourselves, others and God – when there is really no need to.

“Fear” is when the anxieties and feelings of alarm within us stop us doing what we want to do or know we should be doing. “Fear” stops us taking adventurous risks (which quite often is what the Jesus-following life is actually all about)! “Fear” will also tend to stop us discovering all of what God has for us in life. For example,

(i) If Joseph had let fear control him, being too worried about what others would think, then Mary, at the very least, would have been left destitute and vulnerable and on the margins of society. If Joseph had caved in to the potential sneers of his community, this would have lost Joseph his very important role in history.

(ii) To fear the feeling of being alone in life sets us up to being exploited by every person we come into contact with, because we are so desperate for their approval and company. We need to be so freed from such fear, that when we interact with others, we do so not because we depend upon their approval, but rather because we enjoy a healthy sense of our own value, and know that we can make a strong social contribution. People who are addicted to the approval of others eventually destroy themselves.

(iii) To fear death suffocates life. We would be so concerned with an unknown future that we lose the joy and the possibilities of the present. The reason why we are generally not given glimpses of the future – is that they would lessen our very important focus on the present moment.

God has answered our tendency to fear in each of these areas ... through the gift of Jesus ... the miracle of the first Christmas. How so???

(i) Firstly, the fear of what others think:

The world may seem very chaotic at certain times, and our lives can often seem so out of control. Joseph had one real moment like this. Joseph, who was no doubt planning a fairly normal marriage with Mary, with a normal family life, was suddenly thrown a very major curve-ball that threw everything asunder. Joseph’s great dreams for the future suddenly turn into a nightmare (or so it seemed)!

We can all take a look at the film “The Nativity Story” (Scene 11) on this.

We can only but imagine Joseph’s reaction to finding Mary pregnant. For Mary was betrothed to him, a marriage in waiting, just the formalities to come. Joseph would have initially felt so betrayed, deep in pain and confusion. He wasn’t the father, so who was? What would he do with Mary? Now, this incredible story about the baby being conceived through the Holy Spirit! What was he to do now?

Normally a man who is faced with his betrothed becoming pregnant to another man would publicly shun her as an adulterer (and leave her for dead). But Joseph, showing his caring character, and his strong love for Mary, would just dismiss Mary quietly ... to lessen her public shame and humiliation.

Well ... that was until his nightmare situation was turned completely around by a dream (which was conveying a Divine communication). So, this was not an unwanted pregnancy created through a moment of immorality. This was an intervention of God into human need.

And as God knows what he is doing, we never need to fear (in the sense of being scared of) that which God is doing. Rather we can be in awe of God’s gracefulness (over and over again).

Joseph himself heard from God that, “the child conceived in [Mary] was from the Holy Spirit”. Then Joseph received instructions about naming Jesus which indicated adopting Jesus as his own son.

Joseph is heroic in doing exactly what God called him to do. Joseph decides not to worry what others will think and say, because God has got this covered. Joseph will do the unconventional counter-cultural thing that God requires of him. When confronted by the Divine Word concerning God’s involvement in Mary’s pregnancy, Joseph went ahead and planned to formalise his marriage to Mary (in absolute obedience to God).

Now this would of course have suggested to the gossip-mongers that Joseph himself had inappropriately brought about the pregnancy, and Joseph would have understandably been concerned about such talk, even been afraid whether his reputation and good standing in the community would ever recover. The angel had anticipated in verse 20 that Joseph would have to work through a measure of fear. And this he does! Joseph actually goes on to publicly affirm his role as the human father of the new child through the act of personally naming him ... “and he named him Jesus” [which forms the culmination of this passage – v.25].

There is now no fear in the heart and mind of Joseph. The Holy Spirit has acted and Joseph has followed the Word of God to him. Even if Joseph has to cop a bit of flack along the way, he knows for sure that he is on the victory side.

When God calls us into dangerous territory (which might only mean sharing our faith with our neighbour), God has got the outcome covered. God has got our back, as he had Joseph’s back.

(ii) A human being fears death, because often they don’t know what lies beyond physical death. This is because they have never learnt what lies behind life itself. What lies behind life is God’s desire to have a relationship with each person born. This desire is so strong, and so foundational, that God sent Jesus into the world to bring about salvation for those who had become lost. And this of course, in one way or another, is all of us.

Any fear of death though has been addressed by the promise of forgiveness of sin and eternal life in God’s keeping. This promise is contained in the very name of Jesus, meaning ‘God is salvation’. All Israel’s hopes and all humanity’s need have been addressed at the place of Jesus’ birth – Jesus will do all that is needed for people to be able to reconnect with God. Accept the gift of Jesus and receive salvation.

Death has no power over those who acknowledge the name “Jesus – God is Salvation”. Yes, Jesus lived and died 2000 years ago. Yet Jesus is the Son of God, and was raised by God and lives today to guide all his followers through daily living.

(iii) And, Jesus truly can be our best friend. So, there is no need to fear that feeling of being alone in life when we have Jesus so close. We can still desire human company, but this reality is cushioned somewhat by Jesus' presence; and also through our relationship with Jesus, we have increased opportunities of Christian support.

The prophet Isaiah foresaw that the Messiah that God would send would also be known as Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us”. This is a personal caring comforting God that gives life meaning and purpose. Yet to truly deal with any fear of being alone in life, we will still need to practice a real consciousness of Jesus’ presence.

To do this we will need to picture Jesus with us in the situations we are in ... at the family meal table (where there might be some tension happening), at the work team meeting (where everyone doesn’t agree), in the interview room (where nerves are on edge), at the doctor’s surgery (where concerns are very real). We can also picture Jesus in these places and at these times ... giving us encouragement (‘you’re doing alright!’); and bringing us calm, restraint, fresh clarity, and new ideas.

Being in Jesus’ presence allows his beauty, love and peace to rub off on us.

So if you are often frightened or have a tendency to worry, Christmas has the answer ... an answer that can last all year long. The Gospel of Matthew begins with Jesus – “Emmanuel ... God with us”, and concludes in the same vain – with Jesus promising his disciples that he would be with them always ... right until the end of the age (28:20).

God’s own Holy Spirit has conceived a baby who is Jesus – who will bring grace that addresses guilt and shame, and provide an ongoing presence that guides us into truth and hope. We will also know that the Holy Spirit dwells with us, making us far less likely to worry about the critical and negative judgements of others. There was probably unbelieving whispers around Joseph for the rest of his life, but Joseph knew that with Jesus in his life ... there is nothing left to fear!

Prayer:

Living God, when our dreams turn into a nightmare,
Help us to stay calm.
Lord Jesus, when death seems a reality too much to bear,
Come and rescue us from our sins.
Holy Spirit, when we are suffering a time of desolation,
Speak to us in our dreams.
Blessed Trinity, give us the courage to follow where you are leading;
And give us the grace to cope with the stigmas of being your disciple.