Sermons

First Sunday of Christmas
Sunday 31 December at 8am

Lesley Ashton
Readings: Matthew 1.18-25

The birth narrative recorded by Matthew is the one that begins with the lineage of Christ and where the focus is on Joseph rather than on Mary. Matthew establishes Christ's origin in Israel's history and continues by introducing the miraculous and moral character of Jesus birth but seen through the perspective of Joseph, the man to whom Mary was betrothed. Whilst Mary has received much attention and honour through the centuries, less emphasis has been given to Joseph, but there is still much about his character that is important and relevant to us today.

Joseph is betrothed to Mary when he discovers that she is to have a child. Betrothal at that time was as binding as marriage and could be ended only by divorce or death. Unfaithfulness was one of the grounds for divorce and Mary's condition was such that Joseph would have had good reason to bring the arrangement to an end. Indeed this is what he plans to do, quietly, because he is a righteous man and he does not want to bring even more disgrace upon Mary. He is more concerned with her honour than his own. However the visit of an angel causes him to change his mind. He is made aware by the angel about the divine purpose underpinning all the recent events and so he chooses to face shame and gossip by continuing to embrace his relationship with Mary.

In today's world the cultural norms, morals and society's expectations are so different that it is quite hard for us to really understand the dilemma that he faced and the consequences of his choices, but perhaps we can understand that what began as one expectation became something different and unexpected to what he had hoped and dreamed about.

New year's Eve is the time when we often look back upon the year that has just passed and quite often what has taken place is not what we expected or planned. The events of the past year whether they have saddened or gladdened our hearts can shift our focus and our priorities for the year ahead. In the story of Joseph we can recognise a number of motifs that might be helpful to us as we reflect upon the year that has passed and as we look forward into 2007. both as individuals and as a Church.

There are the qualities of commitment and compassion shown by Joseph towards Mary and his betrothal to her. Not everything has gone to plan but he has remained steadfast in the face of adversity and of change. Perhaps we might reflect on how well we have matched these qualities in our relationships with each other, with our families and with ourselves.

Sometimes we are able to extend towards others the sort of compassion and understanding that we need but often we fail to offer ourselves and sometimes the reverse is true.

Perhaps we can think a little about what our levels and understandings of commitment might look like in 2007. It may be that we need to reduce or to extend these, or to change the ratios, so that they are more evenly balanced.

Joseph also showed a sense of consecration, he was open and obedient to the voice of God. We might like to reflect upon how God has spoken to us over the past year, what opportunities we have made to listen to his voice and in the light of our thoughts we might think about how we might continue to do this well in the year ahead. The end of the year is a good time to give special thanks for all God's blessings to us and especially for the people and circumstance through which he has spoken to us. Angels come to us in strange guises and we often speak with them, unaware of heaven touching earth, of God pointing us in a new direction, one that we had not planned or even desired. It is often only as we look back that we recognise how God has spoken to us through a particular person or situation.

Joseph also exercised self control, concerned for God's honour rather than his own, he refrained from sexual relations with Mary until after she had given birth to Jesus. Joseph was willing to wait for God's timing and was obedient to all that was requested of him. How often we are in a hurry; wanting to prove ourselves; obedient more to the flesh than to the spirit. We might look back over the past year and wonder if we should have waited more for God's perfect timing, rather than our own. We might consider how obedient we have been to all that God has asked of us.

The thing that strikes me most about Joseph is his willingness to put God first, even though it meant going against the social norms of the time, his quiet surrender to God's plan, his ability to let go of his own expectations and honour in order to fulfil God's purpose for his life. This speaks of a man who had faith and trust in the God he worshipped, a man who listened to God and a man who was willing to change his mind despite what others might say to him or about him. The beginnings of his relationship with Mary were out of the ordinary but out of them came the Saviour of the world.

New years bring fresh beginnings, new opportunities, perhaps a sense of hope stirs in us for what the next 12 months might bring. I pray that in 2007 we might be guided a little by the example of Joseph; that we will meet whatever God places before us with anticipation and obedience; that we will make time to wait upon him so that we know when to make haste and when to ponder and to pray.

May we be alert and watchful for the voice of angels and in all we do may we serve God with joy.

Amen

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