Weekly Bible Notes and Worship Resources
Advent 4 Year A, Colour = Purple
Introduction
There was a great deal of controversy a while ago over a
display of the Nativity at Madame Tussaud's. Various politicians and media
celebrities were shown as the shepherds and wise men, Kylie Minogue was an
angel. What seems to have really upset folks was that David and Victoria
Beckham were portrayed as Joseph and Mary. Hopefully not too many people were really offended and
perhaps all the fuss has made people consider the nativity and what it
really does mean. Over the centuries people have dressed up and acted out
the story. They were ordinary people, some of them great and good people and
some of them just ordinary people with no claim to either greatness or
goodness.
Perhaps that is was the nativity really is all about. The Gospels tell us that it was ordinary scruffy folk like the shepherds, as well as celebrities like the Magi, who went to see Jesus. Mary was only a poor young girl and Joseph a carpenter, a small town builder. So perhaps the Madame Tussauds 'episode' will serve to remind us that the birth of Jesus is something to which we are all invited. There are no one's who are too good or too bad to play the parts, it is for everybody. The star shone brightly that night over Bethlehem, because it was something for the whole world to see, sadly only a few came. However we are all called to come and share in the miracle of that night. That includes David and Victoria Beckham, it also includes you and me. But, Jesus doesn't want wax work models of you and me, he wants us to show up in person. So this Christmas will you be sharing in the nativity? Why not visit a church near you and see if you can discover the real meaning of Christmas?
Opening Verse of Scripture Psalm 80:7
Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.
Collect Prayer for the Day — Before we read we pray
God our redeemer,
who prepared the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. CW
Eternal God, as Mary waited for the birth of your Son, so we wait for his coming in glory; bring us through the birth pangs of this present age to see, with her, our great salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. CW
First Bible Reading Isaiah Chapter 7:10-16
The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. NRSV
Second Reading Romans Chapter 1:1-7
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Christ we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. NRSV
Gospel Reading Matthew Chapter 1:18-25
The birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘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.’ All this took place to fulfil 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.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. NRSV
Post Communion Prayer
Heavenly Father,
who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of the promised saviour:
fill us your servants with your grace,
that in all things we may embrace your holy will
and with her rejoice in your salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. CW
Commentary
The Gospel of Matthew begins with the genealogy of Jesus, we lloked at this a few weeks ago in the Jesse Tree. It is not really a genealogy in the sense that we know today when somebody does their family tree. It is not accurate in that sense, it is more of a theological statement. If we look at it carefully we see that Matthew lists 42 generations, which is six blocks of seven names. Numbers were so important, the 7th "age"--the one of completion and wholeness--is about to begin.
The list of names in Matthew's geneaology is important, it includes the names of five women. Matthew likes to do things in "fives." There are five sections of Matthew's gospel, for example, symbolic of the five books of Moses. In Matthew's Christmas story, there are five Old Testament citations, five dreams, five scriptural fulfillments, and five uses of the word "Messiah." Matthew likes "fives" because he is presenting Jesus as the "new Moses, and of course Moses had five books in the Pentateuch, Genesis to Deuteronomy.
Including women in a geneaology was unusual. Yet, Matthew's list includes Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, "the wife of Uriah" (Bathsheba), and Mary. It is a checkered list indeed. Tamar and Rahab were prostitutes, Ruth a seductress, Bathsheba an adulteress. Rahab and Ruth were also foreigners. Mary herself would be accused of sexual impropriety.
In our reading today the first line translated literally is "The genesis of Jesus Christ was this." Matthew is drawing on the name of Moses' first book, drawing a link between the "genesis" of the creation, and the "genesis" of Christ, the new creation. It isn’t just thrown together this Gospel is it!
Mary and Joseph were engaged, it was like marriage but they were not yet living together. Then Mary
turns up pregnant. Of course everybody asks who is the father? Why does Matthew tell us this at all? Luke tells his entire Christmas story without mentioning the questionable paternity of Jesus. Was Matthew dealing with an early rumor, one that asserted Mary was raped by a Roman soldier? The Roman writer, Celsus, later asserted this c. AD 150, and used Matthew's gospel a source. Roman soldiers had likely swept through Nazareth upon the death of Herod in 4 BC. When Herod died, there were uprisings all through the land of Israel. Rome had to bring three Legions from Syria to suppress all the revolts. This would have involved about 20,000 soldiers. (The soldiers were stationed in Syria to counter a major empire to the east, Parthia.) One of the revolts was in Sepphoris, only a few miles from Nazareth. The Roman Army destroyed the city.
Matthew presents Joseph as a "just" man who did not want to expose Mary to public ridicule and decided to release her secretly. It seems unlikely that such a thing could be done secretly in a small town. In any case, the sense of the text seems to be that Joseph was trying to handle the situation with minimal damage to anyone's reputation--his, and Mary's as well. Technically speaking, Mary could have been stoned to death, as could the father of the child, if known. Strict adherence to the law was, in some peoples' minds, the very definition of "justice." Strictly speaking, under the law, Mary dies. But Joseph is portrayed as elevating compassion--concern about disgrace for Mary--above strict adherence to the law. This pre-figures the "new justice"--compassion over "religion"--that will be taught by Jesus himself later in Matthew. Jesus will quote Hosea twice in Matthew, both times the same citation: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" (9:13, 12:7). I desire compassion, in other words, and not the religious act.
As Joseph is struggling with all of this an angel addresses him as Joseph "Son of David." This is the sixth mention of "David" in Matthew's gospel, and we've only gone 20 verses! David was the "messiah" figure par excellance. He was the great king who had defeated Israel's enemies, and ushered in a great "golden age." For Matthew, not only is Jesus the "new Moses." He is also the "new David."
The angel encourages Joseph not to be afraid. Mary will bear a son. The root of the word ‘bear’ means to bring forth fruit from a seed. The idea of "bearing fruit" is of major importance throughout Matthew's gospel. "Beware of false prophets," Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount (7: 16). How will you know if they are a false prophet? "By their fruits"--by what they do, by what they bring forth. Here, Mary brings forth the fruit of Jesus.
The angels tells Joseph that the child is to be named "Jesus"--"Yeshua" actually, which is "Joshua," which means "he will save." The name recalls the great leader, Joshua, who had led the people across the Jordan into the Promised Land. This new Joshua will save "his people" from their sins.
A major theme of Matthew is the problem of unbelief in Israel, the main subject, in fact, of Matthew's third major section of his gospel. Nevertheless, despite their sins, Jesus will save "his people." Matthew follows with the first of five Old Testament citations:
But all this had come to be so that what had been spoken of the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, "Behold, a virgin will be with child and will bring forth a son and they will call his name Emmanuel," which, translated, is, "God with us." Matthew must have been using the Septuagint--the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures. (The Septuagint version of Isaiah 7: 14 uses "virgin," but the original Hebrew does not.) Isaiah was referring to a "young woman" who was already pregnant during the reign of King Ahaz, who was, at the time, dealing with a twin threat from Aram and Remaliah.
"Behold, the young woman is with child," says Isaiah. By the time this child is old enough to know the difference between right and wrong, Isaiah continues, the land in front of the two enemies of Ahaz will be deserted. Isaiah was not predicting the future, in other words, but speaking to the immediate situation facing King Ahaz in the 8th century BC. Isaiah was not actually foretelling the future at all.
In verse 23, Jesus is given another title "Emmanuel" is added to "Joshua." The latter will be the child's personal name, and the former might be thought of as his ruling title: "God with us." When the book of Matthew closes, Jesus will say, "I am with you always" (28:20).
We are told that Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and he took his wife, and he did not know her until of her was brought forth a son and he called his name Jesus.
This then is the first of five dreams in Matthew's Christmas story. In the case of Joseph, it also recalls that earlier dreamer, Joseph, son of Jacob, who interpreted dreams for Pharoah in Egypt. Joseph, the "just" man, does as he was told, married Mary, and named the new baby Jesus. In those days, it was the father's prerogative to name the child. In naming Jesus, Joseph is "owning" the child and accepting responsibility for him.
When Mary discovered that she was pregnant she was betrothed
to Joseph. This was not full marriage but it meant much more than our casual
form of engagement, and it lasted about a year. Betrothal was similar to
marriage except for lack of sexual rights. Mary had entered into a contract
before witnesses which gave the man legal rights over a girl. This could
only be broken by death or a formal process of divorce, perhaps if the girl
was guilty of adultery. Mary would most probably have been 12 or 13 years
old, and we should expect that her parents and the parents of Josephs would
have arranged the marriage, perhaps some years previously.
It was during this engagement period that Mary became pregnant, we are told
’by the Holy Spirit.’ Joseph is shown to be a remarkable man. Even before he
is visited by an angel, he does not seek justice and rightful punishment.
Instead he decides to divorce Mary quietly so that he might not cause her
unnecessary pain. So the Gospel of Matthew starts with an act of kindness
and forgiveness, it is a new era of grace! It was after he had decided upon
his actions that an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
"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." This is
the first of three occasions in which an angel appears to Joseph in a dream
(see also 2:13, 19). In each instance, the angel calls Joseph to action and
Joseph obeys.
The words which the angel uses are all important. The angel calls Joseph,
‘son of David.’ This is important, for it shows Joseph as being of the house
and line of David. Joseph is also told that Mary will give birth to a son
and he is to be named, Jesus. Mary's role is to bear a son, and Joseph's
role is to name him. By naming him, Joseph will make Jesus his son and bring
him into the house of David. The angel declares that the name is important
because it points to the role of Jesus in salvation and forgiveness, ‘for he
will save his people from their sins.’ The name, Jesus, is the Greek form of
the Hebrew Yehosua, which means 'YHWH is salvation.' It is worth remembering
that this was not necessarily what the people wanted. What they wanted was a
Messiah who would kick Roman oppressors out of Israel. They wanted a mighty
warrior, they needed forgiveness from sin. This forgiveness will be
important throughout the gospel of Matthew, Jesus will even be shown to
forgive those who kill him. (Luke 23:34).
We are told that this all took place to fulfil a prophecy of Isaiah 7:14.
"Look, the virgin (Greek: he parthenos) shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Immanuel," which means, "God is with us."
It is helpful to understand what was going on in the passage which Matthew
quotes from Isaiah 7:1-17. Isaiah was speaking to King Ahaz of the southern
kingdom of Judah in the eight century BC. The original passage was written
at a time when Judah was threatened with military invasion. Isaiah tells
King Ahaz God will give him a sign, a young woman, already pregnant will
give her child the symbolic name Immanuel. Immanuel is a phrase meaning ‘God
with us.’ Isaiah then tells King Ahaz that before the child is old enough to
know the difference between right and wrong, the crisis will be over. The
passage therefore promises deliverance to Ahaz and Judah, all will be well.
Matthew takes this passage and he bestows upon it a new meaning in relation
to the birth of Jesus. Matthew uses this prediction - fulfilment formula 13
times. As a Jew he wants to show that Jesus was the fulfilment of Jewish
scripture. Some say that this means Matthew made up various stories to show
Jesus ’fulfilling’ Old Testament scriptures. Christians will always
disagree, but of course it is also true that just because Matthew says that
something fulfilled scripture doesn't mean it didn't happen! Charles Royden
Meditation
Much debate takes place each year about whether the birth
stories found in Matthew and Luke are all literally true. Most probably our
faith would not be affected at all if we had none of these chapters. However
they are true for all of us in different ways. In one of his Christmas
sermons, Meister Eckhart a 13c Christian mystic, theologian and preacher
spoke of the virgin birth as something that happens within us. That is, the
story of the virgin birth is the story of Christ being born within each of
us through the union of the Spirit of God with our flesh. Ultimately, the
story of Jesus' birth is not just about the past, but about the internal
birth in us in the present. The Christmas story challenges our rational
beliefs and asks us that we believe something far more enduring - that an incarnational God had come to be with us.
Hymns
- O come O come Emmanuel 85
- Long ago prophets knew 83
- The angel Gabriel from heaven came 87
- Let all mortal flesh 266
- A messenger named Gabriel
Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead
"Prayer is a plant, the seed of which is sown in the heart of every Christian.
If it is well cultivated and nourished it will produce fruit, but if it is neglected, it will wither and die."
A Prayer for Christmas
Dearest God,
as we contemplate the wonder of your birth,
that you gave up your majesty to
become weak and vulnerable for us;
stir up in us the desire to consider
the needs and feelings of others,
before we think of ourselves.
Help us to be so willing to give of ourselves
that we may be an encouragement
to all whom we meet this Christmas time. Amen.
All-powerful God, let the splendour of your glory rise in our
hearts like the dawn, that the darkness of the night may be scattered and
the coming of your only Son may reveal us as children of the light. We ask
this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Let us rejoice in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of
life. By Him we are born into the family of God, and made members of the
body of Christ; His witness confirms us; His wisdom teaches us; His power
enables us; He will do for us far more than we ask or think. Amen
God of the past, present and the future, of the old covenant and the new,
speak to us today. Amen
Come, O Lord, in much mercy down into my soul and take possession and dwell
there. A poor dwelling, I confess, for so glorious a Person as You. Yet, I
am preparing for a fitting reception of you, by holy and fervent desires of
your own inspiring. Enter then, and adorn my soul, and make it a worthy
place for you to inhabit, since it is the work of your own hands. Give me
yourself, without which, even if you should give me all that you ever have
made, yet this would not satisfy my desires. Let my soul ever seek you, and
let me persist in seeking, until I have found, and am in full possession of
you. Amen. St. Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430)
The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great
shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, make you
perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is
well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen
Additional Resources
Meditation: Joseph
Although she lived with her family, Mary was betrothed to Joseph and was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. In other words, it was not only her discovery; her family knew of her child-bearing. This left Joseph in a dilemma; if he married Mary, either he would admit to being the father (a dishonourable option) or he would be shamed by her suspected "indiscretion." If he divorced her with charges of adultery, he would put Mary's life in danger; adultery was punishable by death. By divorcing without charges, Joseph sought not only to save his reputation but to save Mary's life.
Commentary: Isn’t it strange . . .
that things sometimes don’t turn out the way you expect
them to …
It would be quite easy to imagine Joseph, Mary and their extended families
preparing for the forthcoming marriage. Betrothal was an important social
institution in the ancient world and parents or grandparents arranged
marriage for their children from birth. Since social order in the ancient
world was built upon relationships between extended families, marriage was
a primary means to strengthen political alliances and economic ties
between these families. Normally, women from each clan would propose and
negotiate the nuptial arrangement; the clan leaders would approve the
union. So the proposed marriage of Mary and Joseph would have been common
knowledge in their small community for many months, if not years. And just
as Mary had been betrothed, she became pregnant. This certainly was not in
the wedding plans of the mothers! It probably wasn’t on Joseph’s agenda
either. Suddenly all that seemed to have been under control was thrust
into turmoil. This wasn’t turning out the way it was supposed to – all the
best laid plans seemed to be in tatters.
Because God had other ideas.
But the scope of His plan was mind boggling: a virgin birth. Like Joseph,
we are sometimes challenged by the magnitude of God's plan for our own
lives, especially if it doesn’t necessarily fall in with our own small
designs. God's will and our vision can often differ. Joseph was changed
because of God's plan for his life. Written about 730 BC, the reading from
Isaiah shows the threads of God's plan were laid long before Joseph was
born and affect millions of people 2000 years after his death. And just as
Joseph was changed by God’s plan for his life, so we need to be open to be
changed by his plan for us. As we reflect on the nativity, perhaps
Christmas is a good time to ask ourselves how has God's plan affected each
one of us personally? How has it changed our lives in ways which we’ve
been unable to predict, ways which have surprised us, ways in which we did
not plan?
Culture and experience tell us to take control, to plan for the future,
and trust in our own abilities. A common question asked by management
consultants is, ‘Who is really in Control here?’, shortly followed by,
‘What decisions need to be made and who can make them?’ They would have a
hard time with the Christmas story, because Christmas presents an
alternate view, a view which requires trust in God and the notion of
someone else being in control. Life may get in the way of our plans, but
we will have the strength to survive and thrive because we trust the One
who is really in control. We might not be in control - but God is.
And as we look towards the New Year perhaps its also a good time to ask
ourselves what plans God may have for us in the coming year. Are we open
to Him taking even just a little control? Dare we be as obedient to His
call and plan as Joseph was? Do we believe that God might just want us to
affect others so that His Kingdom comes, on earth, as in heaven? I wish
you all a blessed Christmas and peaceful New Year. The Reverend Dr Sam
Cappleman
Commentary
‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will
call him Emmanuel’, a name which means ‘God with us’, a name which signifies
that two natures are united in this one person. Before time began He was
God, born of the Father - but in the fullness of time he became Emmanuel,
‘God with us’, in the womb of his mother. Without ceasing to be what he had
always been, he began in a wonderful fashion to be what we are, assuming our
nature in such a way that he did not lose his own. But His coming was not
all plain sailing!
By law, on hearing of her pregnancy, Joseph would have been entitled to
return Mary to her father and expose her to death. But Joseph is an
honourable man and determines to divorce her quietly. Perhaps in his sense
of honour he hopes that the rightful father will claim the child and marry
Mary. But even more remarkable is that here, in the first chapter of the
first book of the New Testament, we begin to get the sense that the rules of
the game are changing. That the strictures of the law which had guided the
nations of Israel and Judah were beginning to be seen in a new light, a new
light that demonstrated that the new era of living under grace and not the
law was dawning as Emmanuel was indeed with us. An ‘Emmanuel’ who was not a
product of human evolution, some pinnacle which represented the highest
achievement of humanity to date, but an ‘Emmanuel’, as the name implies, who
was, and is, the intervention of the transcendent God into human history
from outside. Even as He was conceived, the law was beginning to be
fulfilled as Joseph, mindful of the law, decided to believe the Lord that
had spoken to him in a dream.
Unlike Ahaz in the Old Testament reading, Joseph seems to be open to
believing that he might just be hearing the word of God, and acts on that
belief. Ahaz, it would appear, preferred to believe in his own strength and
a treaty with the king of Assyria! Joseph is open to hear the word of the
Lord, even in his dreams. Ahaz, on the other hand, is closed, trusting only
in his treaty. Joseph believes the promise of God and names the child
"Jesus" in obedience to the dream, claiming him as his own. Ahaz refuses the
promise of God, and suffers serious consequences. The king he trusted to
protect him comes and conquers his land. If Joseph had acted like Ahaz, he
would have trusted his own inclination and dismissed Mary quietly. If Ahaz
had acted like Joseph, who knows how the history of God's people would have
been changed?
The Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ is both a mystery and a miracle. It’s
the stuff of Hollywood movies. A young virgin conceives a divine Son, a
quiet boyfriend who believes in angels enough to listen to them, some poor
agricultural labourers working at night going to see what all the fuss and
commotion is about and ending up in a stable of smelly animals. And later,
Eastern mystics turn up on the scene after allegedly following stars to get
there to see what’s happening and leave hugely expensive Christmas presents.
And that’s before the massacre of the innocents, the exile into Egypt, and
the bizarre events of Jesus’ early childhood. It would have been so easy for
Joseph to believe that it had all been just a dream
But it wasn’t just a dream, it wasn’t a story in a Hollywood movie, it was
the reality of an incarnate God coming among us. When we reflect on the
Christmas story do we believe that God can still speak to us and intervene
in the world today as He spoke to Joseph and intervened that first
Christmas? Or do we think it was all just a dream? Sam Cappleman
Hymns
Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead.
Strengthen your Church in the name of Jesus, to know the power of the Saviour, of Emmanuel, of God with us. Hold us fast in the obedience and faith that enabled Joseph and the Holy Family to perform your will in the work of bringing salvation to the world. Amen
Father God, we ask that you would pour your grace into our hearts, that as
at the message of the angel, Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, and
became the mother of Jesus, so we, believing your word, may receive Christ
to dwell in our hearts and by our life make manifest the mystery of His
incarnation; who has exalted our humanity into the glory of the Godhead.
Amen
Loving Father, we thank you for the gift of your Son, whose
birth at Bethlehem we now prepare to celebrate. May our hearts and our homes
always be open to Him, that He may dwell with us forever, and that we may
serve Him gladly all our days, to the honour and glory of your name. Amen
O God our Father, was are preparing to celebrate the birth of your Son Jesus
Christ. While we recall Hs coming as a tiny baby in weakness and humility,
may we be reminded that one day He will come in great power and glory. Amen
Christ the Son of God, born of Mary, fill you with His grace
to trust His promises and obey His will; and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you
always. Amen
Hymn
A messenger named Gabriel
came to the land of Israel;
and he proclaimed that Mary's son
was God's messiah, holy One.
O Jesus Christ, strong Son of God,
once born for us at Bethlehem:
we listen to the angels' song
and worship you for ever.
Angelic hosts of God most high
with radiant glory fill the sky;
enraptured voices joyful sing
to welcome Christ, the new-born king.
In awesome fear and bitter cold
the shepherds huddle in their fold;
then since the message is for them
they make their way to Bethlehem.
Within the sacred stable-shrine
they see the holy child divine;
the manger stands amidst the straw
and humble folk their God adore.
Since then have passed two thousand years
of human misery and tears;
yet Christ alone can bring release:
he loves us still - the prince of peace.
Words MJ Walker
Traditional melody arranged Noel Tredinnick