Christmas 2
Matthew 2:13-23 & 1 Peter 4:12-19
One commentary I read in preparation for today titled our Gospel reading, “The Greatest Christmas Program Never.”
This Gospel reads more like an action movie or a thriller. But this part of the Christmas story is seldom told or heard.
It’s had me wondering, what if we included all of today’s Gospel in the Christmas pageants of old? Would it have prepared the children of the church more fully for life? Wouldn’t it be more authentic?
I’ll tell you one thing: the church's young men surely would have been more attentive, right? I mean, the angel is coming by night in the dream, the flight and escape into Egypt, and then there’s the horrible and tragic murdering of the young boys by a ruthless Herod before the safe return of the Christ child so the prophecy could be fulfilled, that the Savior of the World would come from Nazareth.
But this side of the story doesn’t warm the heart as much as the image of a sleeping child in a manger does. It’s way too earthy and realistic, and the children—oh, the children—certainly aren’t ready for it.
But this raises another question: How are children not only prepared to hear this side of the Christmas story but also prepared to live on this side of the Christmas story?
Our epistle reading said,
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)
What Peter is saying here is that the life of the Christian will be full of trials and difficulties. The term “Fiery trials” describes a time of severe testing of one’s faith.
But Peter also adds, “But rejoice insofar as you share [in] Christ’s sufferings.”
If you share in the suffering of Christ, where were you joined to His life and death? Where were you joined to this suffering?
At the font.
It’s at the font this life of trial and testing begins.
Martin Luther emphasized the seriousness of Holy Baptism when he said, “Remember, therefore, that it is no joke to take sides against the devil and not only to drive him away from the little child, but to burden the child with such a mighty and lifelong enemy.” (LW 53:102)
The devil only attacks what is not his. And when a child like Helen is brought to the font, it must be done with great care and seriousness because now the child is united with Christ.
Therefore, trials and testing shall come.
So, how can Helen or any child be led safely through this life? In other words, how can any of them or us remain safely in the Christian faith?
Think back again to the Gospel this morning, it said,
Now when [Joseph, Mary, and Jesus] had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” (Matthew 2:13)
Listen to that language: Herod wants to “Destroy” the newborn Jesus, the one in the Christmas pageant that was all snug in the manger; Herod wants to kill Him.
But a little later on in the Gospel, we learned,
But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” (Matthew 2:19-20)
Throughout all of this, God the Father protected His only begotten Son by using Jesus’ earthly adopted father, Joseph.
Joseph was responsible for guarding and protecting the child and mother from all the trials and assaults of evil in this world. God would use Joseph to guard the infant Jesus against the assaults and attacks of Satan.
In Joseph, we are reminded not only how vital fathers are but also how paramount parents are to their children’s faith. God provides for the young, parents to guard, protect, and lead them in the Christian faith.
This remains true today, as children are susceptible to many attacks from Satan, this world, and even the flesh that clothes them.
Reflect on how much time a family spends in the church each week or in the Scriptures and prayer at home. Then, ponder how much time a child spends at school, on television, or online.
It’s staggering, really.
The statistics say that a child spends approximately 6 hours per day at school and another 3 hours on some screen, whether television, tablets, or video games.
Sadly, this research results in children and parents spending an average of only 60-90 minutes a day together.
At the end of the day, how does a parent then know how to protect their child from the dangers of this life? Where is the time to discuss the matters of faith?
Now, school and education are good things. Historically, churches were some of the first and most prolific sources of education and schools.
But as Mary and Joseph were entrusted with the care and protection of the infant Jesus, so mothers and fathers today have been entrusted to protect and lead their children faithfully through a world just as dangerous as the one into which Jesus was born.
In some ways, the technology and lack of time we have today as families have made this world more dangerous because danger no longer needs to pursue a child, but we now invite many evils into our homes.
So then, let us ponder the well-known Proverb,
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
As we’ve discussed before, the words “Train up” here means to initiate, dedicate, set aside, or consecrate.
From this, one can see the font where Helen and all children of God are set aside in the waters of Holy Baptism.
“The way” a child is to go is the Christian faith so that even as they age, grow, and mature, they won’t depart from it but can be counted among the faithful on the last day.
Sadly, too many parents today have seen Confirmation as some form of graduation rather than the public confession of faith and affirmation of Baptism it is meant to be. And with this lens, the result is that our children become led not by faith, the Church, or their parents, but by this world.
We want children to grow, mature, and make wise decisions. However, for children to learn and continue to make wise decisions, we cannot be so eager to hand them over to the world while saying they aren’t ready for this side of the Christmas story.
As it is written in Genesis, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)
Not until marriage does a child see their priorities and the natural order of their families change.
This means that parents are completely and utterly responsible for their children’s lives and faith throughout all stages of adolescence.
I mean, according to God’s gracious will, your Father in heaven gave them to you. You begot them, bore them, and now provide them a home.
All of this leads us back to the font.
The faith a child is given at the font is nurtured in the home and sustained at this altar.
As parents and as a Church, we serve the young of this congregation first by praying for their faith, then by ensuring they are present and equipped with God’s Word so that they are ready to engage the world and this life, and finally, that when danger arises, they know the way they are to go, that they know how to return to their Baptism, where God’s comfort and protection remain for them.
So, let us embrace the work God has given us. Let us prepare the church’s children to live on this side of the Christmas story; let us prepare them for the darkness that surrounds them. Most of all, let us pray for them – that they, as we, would be led by their Savior who, as a child, followed the will of His Heavenly Father, even suffering the fiery trials and tribulations of the cross, to redeem you and them, that all of us might be led to the only thing that truly matters, eternal life. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
