“God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream
and commanded,
‘Get up.
Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt.”

Perhaps you heard the story about the woman who was out shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw, she finally made it to the elevators with her two kids.

The elevator doors opened already crowded with shoppers. She pushed her way into the car dragging her two kids and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn’t take it anymore and said, “Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot.”

From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet calm voice respond, “Don’t worry we already crucified Him.”

Since the birth of Jesus people have been trying to do away with Jesus.  Less than two years after His birth, before all the commercialization that is attached to Christmas ever began, Herod wanted this Christ child dead. He didn’t care what the cost. He didn’t care how many other two year olds had to die with Him. He just wanted Him dead.

Two thousand years later and there are still people attempting to get rid of Jesus. Store owners, municipalities, and school principles to name a few who have ‘Grinch sized hearts’ a heart with no room for God or are afraid to be sued seek to remove Christ from Christmas. The good news is once again their efforts failed like Herod’s failed attempt to do away with Christ. Christmas came this year.

Sadly next year we will have to take a stand again to defend and protect our religious liberty and to assure that Jesus will always be the reason of the season. We are called to be sentries for Christ in the same way Joseph was. “God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream and commanded, ‘Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt.”

Here is a Christmas trivia question for you.  Here’s hoping you did better than I did?  How many times did an angel speak to Joseph?

The answer is four times.

The angel first spoke with Joseph after he had learned that Mary was pregnant.

“God’s angel spoke in the dream: ‘Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. She will bring a son to birth, and when she
does, you, Joseph, will name Him Jesus
– God saves –
because He will save His people from their sins."

The second time the angel spoke was after the visit of the Wise Men. “God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream and commanded, ‘Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt.”

The third time the angel spoke was about two years after their flight to Egypt. After Herod himself had died, “God’s angel appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt: ‘Up take the child and His mother and return to Israel. All those out to murder the child are dead.”

The fourth time and this is most likely the one most people miss comes after they have entered into Israel. It comes after Joseph learned that Herod’s son; Archelaus perhaps the most ruthless of his sons had succeeded his father. Since Archelaus was a ‘chip off the old block Joseph was afraid to go there. “But then Joseph was directed in a dream to go to the hills of Galilee.”

What I love about the gospel of Matthew is that Matthew points out that each of these angelic interventions fulfills Biblical prophecies. I also find that Matthew is unique in the way that he shines the light on Joseph.

Joseph is without a doubt a great example of love and obedience.

We see his love displayed, as he desires to protect Mary from disgrace. Even before he had his first dream, when he was still planning to break off the engagement he was planning to do it in a way that Mary would not be disgraced.

We see his obedience to God. In spite of overwhelming evidence of unfaithfulness Joseph embraces, believes, accepts as true the words of the angel.  He heard God’s voice over his own inner voice that was first telling him to break it off with Mary

We see his obedience to God in the fact that he goes against all the political and religious forces to protect his family. The bond of love for Mary and Jesus is evident because of his obedience to God.

“God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream
and commanded,
‘Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt.”

Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother under the cover of darkness. They were out of town and well on their way by daylight. “God’s angel showed.” Joseph did not delay in his response of obedience. He didn’t throw up excuses. He did say, ‘Let me sleep on this.’ He ignored the voice of logic that says, ‘This is not the best time to pack up and move.’

This response of obedience is what God desires of us. I don’t think that the millions of people who filled His house on Friday night or yesterday morning impressed God. What will impress God is if they heard the good news and are obeying it and living it as Joseph did.

Joseph’s sensitivity to God’s message can be illustrated in the story of a minister who was visiting his children and grandchildren for Christmas. When he walked into their house he saw a beautiful nativity set. He asked his young granddaughter if she knew what it was.

She replied, “Yes… It’s breakable.”

Like that nativity, life is fragile. Life is breakable. We must be careful in how we handle life and the best to it to be obedient. Like Joseph we must tune our ears to God’s voice. It is a voice heard in the scriptures. It is a voice affirmed by the Holy Spirit. It is a voice that needs to be heard and heeded but most importantly lived.

Like earthly parents, I believe that God, our Father often laments saying, “I wish my kids would only listen.”

As we prepare for the beginning of a new year
let us commit ourselves to loving
and obedience to God’s Word.