Rector's Sermon - Sunday, January 27, 2002

First Reading	Psalm	Epistle	Gospel
Isaiah 9:1-4	40:1-12	1 Corinthians 1:10-18	Matthew 4:12-23

      Most of the community among whom the Gospel of Matthew was written still saw themselves as faithful Jews. They honored and treasured the law, the prophets and the sacred writings. The whole Gospel is patterned after the five books of the law with the history of Jesus and the disciples of the early church corresponding to the history of Moses and tribes of Israel. As Israel was protected by Joseph, Jesus is protected by another Joseph, Moses was spared from the slaughter of Pharaoh, Jesus was spared the slaughter of Herod, Moses was called out of Egypt, Jesus was called out of Egypt, Israel is baptized through the Red Sea and is tempted in the desert, Jesus is baptized crossing over the Jordan and is tempted in the desert. Moses delivers the law on the mountain of Sinai, Jesus delivers the sermon of the mount.

      Yet this community seemed to have been under stress. The controversies between Jesus and the Pharisees stand in so sharp relief precisely because this group of Christians was engaged in a losing battle with the Pharisees and rabbis who by this time were becoming the authority in Judaism. Indeed Matthew's community was so caught up in controversy with fellow Jews, that the struggle of Roman oppression was pushed to the background. Matthew realized the community was in transition, and that the mission to the gentiles was going to be the future of the church. Hence the visit of magi became a symbol of legitimizing what would come.

      We will be reading from Matthew a great part of this year, and you will be able to pick up a certain measure of bitterness, sadness, and regret. Yet at the same, Matthew gives us a great gift of a community that nevertheless lives in hope, The early Christians who gave us the Gospels did not live in a world where the scriptures were widely seen as filled with prophetic predictions about Jesus that were obvious to all. Yes, there were numerous stories about how it would be when the Messiah came, but the stories were varied and the interpretation of their meaning and relationship to scripture was anything but obvious. Rather it was as the early Christians read the Biblical record, they realized that many times the chords of their experience of Jesus seemed to resonate with tunes of the past. As they prayed the psalms and read the scriptures, they said Ah Ha ha, we seem to be reliving this again, it is being fulfilled for us in a new way, in the life of Jesus.

      In today's reading from Matthew, the immediate future did not look promising. John the Baptist has been arrested. It looked like John's exciting ministry would wither and come to an end. Then, Jesus began recruiting disciples. It was if a dawn had risen to end the night of darkness and depression of John's disciples. Here was someone with willingness to carry on. Jesus seemed to promise to unite and bring together those who had scattered in fear of Herod's retribution. What had been lost, Jesus would find and build up again.

      Then Matthew remembered another time long ago, when the land of Israel was being nibbled away by foreign invaders. Isaiah captured the mood. Strong leaders were not in abundance. Fear and foreboding gripped the people. Then a crown prince, a descendant to the throne of David was born.. As the announcement made its way from village to village, people's hearts grew lighter, there was joy and hope in their voices as they passed on the news and celebrated. It was if a cloud had been lifted and sun shone upon them.

      That is how it was when people first met Jesus. It was a cruel time. The Romans were hard taskmasters, and peasant life was never easy. Yet Jesus offered hope. Jesus promised something new, not just for the ruling classes, but for people who were merely fishermen, young children and old women and people struggling with disease. Jesus had a kind word for even the outcasts of his society. When people heard Jesus they didn't feel so lost, or abandoned. They sensed that God cared and listened. They sensed good news.

      That's what Matthew wanted his church to remember as they faced plenty of struggles ahead. Remember those times of exhilarating insight and joy when you knew God was present and your life shone with radiance of God's love. Those memories will carry you through until the Holy Spirit breaks through the clouds, and comes again like another dawn. Remember the hope you felt, those of you who need to make long journeys, who travel in darkness, who find themselves living as aliens rather than settlers, and whose neighbors turn out to be mostly strangers. Remember the birth that you have seen and know it is real. That's the gift of the magi, that's the gift of Matthew.

      And I offer this to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen