Blogging toward Sunday

Erin Martin
Matthew 2:13-23
Sunday, December 30

Out of Egypt

Time is being stretched in the gospel narrative. With several allusions to the wise men, we look forward to next Sunday’s celebration of Epiphany. With the several allusions to the Exodus we also look back to the Israelites held in bondage in Egypt. With the future, the present and the past seemingly all at hand, how do we draw out for our congregations a message from the manger?

The echoes tell us everything. When Joseph is warned in a dream to flee to Egypt, we naturally think of next week’s nocturnal warning to the wise men to go home another way. When Herod murders any child two years old or under, we hearken back to Pharaoh and his deadly edict. Danger is everywhere. Even at his birth, Jesus is shadowed by destruction. Sister Margaret Eletta Guider calls it “living in the shadow of the manger.” According to Guider, we see the fragility of Jesus’ life, not only on the cross at Calvary, but also in the stable. From the beginning, Jesus is at risk.

He’s a threat to power, and threats to power almost always result in violent attempts to wipe out those threats. In the manger scene, Jesus is King from day one. Shepherds and wise men alike adore him, but the human authorities don’t want to share their thrones. King Herod forbids the adoration of anyone except him. In the Exodus, Pharaoh refuses to be weakened by the loss of his slave laborers, and, in our contemporary context, the United States government refuses to yield in its War on Terror. Will we ever learn?

Several weeks ago, President Bush announced that the administration’s policy toward Iran would not change despite the release of a U.S. intelligence report indicating that Iran had suspended its atomic weapons program back in 2003. As Yogi Berra said, “This is déjà vu all over again.” History has a way of bending back again and again to violence. But the good news of the gospel is that in the birth of Jesus, the reign of the “Prince of Peace” has been inaugurated. As Christians, we serve an infant king whose life on earth will disrupt the violent pattern of history and reveal to us another way.

Jesus’ exile in infancy and his journey out of Egypt are painful reminders to us in the church that often we are too often part of the violence. For the sake of our security, we pay tribute to the “powers that be,” and the result can be deadly.

A couple of months ago, I went to see the movie, In the Valley of Elah. It’s a complex and powerful movie that doesn’t offer easy answers to the unraveling chaos in Iraq. I was deeply affected by the movie, and by the director’s inscription that came at its close. On the screen was a photograph of an Iraqi child’s dead body (a part of the movie that is crucial to the plot) with the words, “For the children,” beneath it. Rachel still weeps for her children. She refuses to be consoled, and this Christmas, so should we.

Erin Martin is a pastor serving at Wesley United Methodist Church in Eugene, Oregon.

Comments

[Dr. Raymond A. Blacketer]

What an utterly partisan, thoroughly political, smugly self-righteous rant. Where's the gospel? Now wonder mainline churches are empty!

[Rev. James Roth]

Erin, Please don't let this response (Dr. B. 12/26) discourage you! You undoubtedly hit a nerve. His first sentence is his sentence for it is cleary self-descriptive. How else would he have missed the "gospel" in your message. Quote:"But the good news of the gospel is that in the birth of Jesus, the reign of the “Prince of Peace” has been inaugurated."

[Jason Byassee]

Is it partisan when Ron Paul criticizes the war? Is it smugly self-righteous when a proponent of the war apologizes for it? And is it not the gospel when a Christian minister preaches the peace that Jesus Is?
As for a rant--notice the tone in your comment and in Erin's post.

[Andy]

If proclaiming that Jesus is King is not the gospel, then what is?

[Rev. Randy Murray]

Dr. Blacketer finds Mr. Martin's comments partisan, political and self-righteous? Perhaps he hasn't read Magnificat--a heartily partisan and political statement in which the mother of our Lord, in no-holds-barred fashion, condemns the injustice and cruelty of this world. In case he's missed the rest of the book too (a read I highly recommend BTW), her son goes on to fulfill his mum's words.

[rick brand]

My amazement is that for 2000 years we will have not accepted that Jesus is in opposition to all forms of power that are not of God's love. He is always the enemy of those in political power, those in economic power, those in academic power, in scientific power. Jesus is the Lord of a Kingdom not of this world and he opposes all powers of this world that seek to seduce us into obedience and promotion. So rant on Mr. Martin, rant on.

[Monte Asbury]

Beautiful! You might enjoy an exploration of Matthew's dark version of the Christmas story - and the why of the darkness Matthew especially dwells upon - at http://lectionary.wolsblog.com/archives/107. (Disclosing New Worlds). I find his insights truly outstanding, and often feature excerpts of them on my sermons and politics blog. Also, Joy Wallis wrote a piece a few years back - Putting Herod Back in Christmas - http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=news.display_archives&mode=current_opinion&article=CO_041222_carroll_wallis - that makes a point that is quite consistent with yours.
Thanks very much! (and Rick Brand: How true!)

[NanD]

If we as Christians cannot speak the gospel against the power and violence of human government (yes, even when it is our own), then we are surely lost. Partisan? Yes! How could we who follow the Christ be any other way? If we will not recognize that it is Jesus we follow, not any political party, then we are just political patrons who attach a cut-and-paste gospel to ourselves and call it Christianity. Thank you for the blog!

[Flying Sheperd]

Hmmmmmm . . . here we go again . . . I hear "violence" raised up in this full spectrum of liberal to conservative blog; and how "we" are part of the ongoing violence (with emphasis on the US's response to terrorism), yet there is no recognition of the many times God's people were indeed perpetrators of "violence". Of course we never hear it put that way -- they simply overcome the inhabitants and dwelt in the land . . . And you think that wasn't violent?

Indeed, "the good news of the gospel is that in the birth of Jesus, the reign of the “Prince of Peace” has been inaugurated," HOWEVER, that does NOT mean that all automatically bow down on this side of Eternity to God's spoken word from His people! Often times justice is bore out through commitment by those willing to take a very deliberate stand BOTH spiritually AND physically!

Shortly after entereing the Air Force as an aviator, and after studying a number of the then Cold War options, I was sickened by the potential for unfathomable destruction -- what had I gotten myself into! It was certainly an eye-opener! Yet, now retired (and fortunately NOT having to have flown any of those horrendous "atomic" missions), I've come to understand much better God's Call to His people to take a stand that may indeed require "violence" in the name of the Prince of Peace. Nam was not a nice war by anybody's book, nor is the current war against those intent on destroying anyone unwilling to bow to their god!

I can only shake my head to hear Yogi Berra's, “This is déjà vu all over again” comments again -- and prior to that, Pastor Martin's comment, ". . .in our contemporary context, the United States government refuses to yield in its War on Terror. Will we ever learn?" Excuse me?! Ever learn WHAT?! AGAIN, I am most thankful that WE are standing strong against those bent on destroying ANYONE unwilling to bow to their god!

This blog wreaks of "politically correctness" and "tolerance". Was Moses tolerant? Was King David tolerant? Was John the Baptist tolerant? Was Jesus tolerant? Did he say, "Oh, that's OKkkkk . . . you can still enter my kingdom with all your 'possessions' . . ." Many have watered down the Gospel with tolerance! What IS in "contemporary context" Pastor Martin is that with all the politically correctness and tolerance agendas of today "we" are fast becoming a modern day Sodom and Gomorra! When church's refuse to stand firm on Gospel truths -- when those like Lutheran Bishop Hansen contend that "not disciplining" those who have blatantly broken well established Laws of God AND written church law is held up as "good counsel," something is VERY WRONG!

Something is VERY WRONG with Pastor Martin's saying, "For the sake of our security, we pay tribute to the 'powers that be,' and the result can be deadly." What will be very deadly is our unwillingness to stand strong on God's Word -- to be like the 10 who were afraid to claim the Promised Land, when God was Calling them to go in! I ask, "Will we ever learn?" WWII found many succumbed to the "charm" of Hitler . . . until it was nearly too late. Will we ever learn Pastor Martin? Well, guess that depends on whose Gospel you are marching to. The Jesus I know challenges me to stand strong for justice . . . to stand strong against those who deny Jesus as the Son of God AND THEN deny others the freedom to worship and claim Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. I know personally those who have shared their faith and held many a little one in today's war zones AND they have shared time and again the incredible GOOD impact "we" ARE having there in spite of the many tragedies. Sadly, it is the tragedies that today's media and liberal left echo over and over with little coverage of the GOOD.

In closing, I am in NO way condoning violence! HOWEVER, I strongly believe that simply ignoring terrorism is NOT the answer -- pulling out and "hoping and praying" that the evil regimes of today will just go away . . . will truly come back to haunt us and future generations with unimaginable horrors in ways similar to what I feared if I would have ever had to fly just one of those "atomic" missions during the Cold War days! I have traveled all the US and around the world, including places behind the former iron curtain . . . and I've always been glad to return home to the US . . . but these day's my prayers are certainly becoming much more fervent for God's outpouring of wisdom and guidance upon this country's leadership and military and especially for those who "claim to be leaders" in both the US House and Senate!

I've listened to God's calling through many vocations from dairy/beef farmer, teacher, medic, aviator, businessman . . . to ordained Lutheran pastor . . . Yes, I've already been told that I'm not "cookie cutter Lutheran" . . . which I'm glad to hear! Because, I consider myself a follower of Jesus -- not Martin Luther nor any other particular theologian. Satan is blinding many today with soothing words of tolerance, peace and comfort, but it is not the true SHALOM! Untruths are rampant not only in the world but in the churches!

Just a Country Shepherd

[Suzy]

With no disrespect intended toward Flying Shepherd, isn't that the rationalisation of a Herod? "This is what I have to do to maintain the peace in a world such as this!"

[Jason Byassee]

Agreed entirely Suzy, and of despots the world round and through history. It's very hard to articulate clearly a just war argument as a specifically Christian discipline over against no-holds-barred crusade.

[Monte Asbury]

But "ignoring terrorism" is exactly what Shepherd advocates: at least, ignoring what terrorists are saying and thinking, and what their world might be experiencing that makes their case credible to recruits.
War always operates this way: So de-humanize one's opponents that "you can't negotiate with" whomever they may be. And isn't dehumanization of the stranger the very opposite of Jesus?
Tragically, millions of Arabs know more about American and British theft of natural resources from the Middle East than do most Americans. Until we confront our national complicity in creating the poverty and dictatorships of the region our military adventures will simply confirm what Osama bin Laden tells his recruits to expect. For an example, try http://masbury.wordpress.com/2007/03/06/a-brief-history-of-iran-us-relations-part-1-constitution-to-khatami/