PASTOR’S CORNER, Rev. Jason Toombs, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Liberal
Merry Christmas to you and yours on the eleventh day of Christmas. We have almost reached the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and we hear something different in the world around us. While college bowl games have been played, and while the parade of roses was held in warmer climates, we still have the bleakness of winter settling in upon our land. Not all is solitude and loneliness, as we welcomed family and friends, as we celebrated with kith and kin the joyous celebrations of Christ coming for us.
This is what the Wise Men desired to do as they came to celebrate the Child Who was born King of the Jews. They went to the palace of the reigning king, as that is where a new king should be born, yet it was not of Herod’s line that Christ would deign to come down. He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the offshoot from the Root of Jesse, David’s Son, yet David’s Lord, as He would be born of the Blessed Virgin Mary and was made man for us and for our salvation.
Yet He needed someone to be a guardian, a caretaker, just as Adam was to tend and nourish God’s Garden, to provide earthly protection over Him and His blessed mother. Joseph was an honorable man among the people, and he took Mary to be his betrothed, and was a wonderful guardian of the Offspring of the woman, as he made sure to keep Jesus from harm.
This harm was on his mind as an angel proclaimed to him in a dream that ruthless Herod sought the life of the child. He took the Child, His Mother, and the possessions bestowed upon them by the Wise Men, as he sought to flee from the wrath of Herod.
While Jesus, in due time, would not withdraw His face from those who pluck out the beard, and turned the other cheek when struck, Joseph is not Jesus, and he desires to vouchsafe the young Child. Joseph flees from the great wrath of Herod, yet other children would suffer as they had no proclamation by angels to keep them safe.
Would that the angels, those messengers of God, had told their parents that Herod’s wrath was soon to be fiercely executed upon their children. Many suffer much heartache and loss as their children were put to death because Herod desired that no one would rise up in the hearts of the people to supplant his rule.
This is how ruthless men seek the life of those they oppose. It is the same in each generation; some seek to stamp out the life that God has given. Would that we were more righteous and spoke out boldly, defiantly, and lovingly for those who are the least and the lost. While some prize those who have made their way here, others prize those who are in the womb. We should desire to support all life, yet those who have no voice of their own have few advocates who will come to their defense. We should remain faithful to the Lord’s calling of helping others, just as Joseph was as he listened to the voice of the angel and fled to the land of Egypt.
While they sojourned in the land of Egypt, thus reflecting the reality of God calling His people of Israel from that land, the angel appeared to Joseph in another dream to proclaim that King Herod had died and those who sought His life were no more. Joseph remained faithful to the Lord’s call as he cared for Jesus, seeking to save Him from the wrath of Herod.
As we desire to remain faithful unto the Lord’s calling, we are not told to flee from the wrath of man, but God’s wrath. We hear this in the message of John the Baptist, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” We also hear this in the message of Jesus, echoing John, as He says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).
As we think more about the persecution of God’s elect, we see that all nations of this earth are under the power of God. We hear how God desires to draw all men to Himself. God wants all to be saved, to come to the right understanding of what He has done for us. So, we fear, love, and trust in God as we hear His Word and as we remain faithful unto the Lord’s calling, as we take up the calling, making our election secure as we hold fast to His Word in a sincere heart.
We also have the privilege to carry God’s Word to those who mean much to us. We can speak of Him and His ways as we share our love with one another. We glorify God in name, in truth, in action, and in everything that we do. As we do the works that God has given to us, remain faithful unto God, has He has been faithful to you in showing His love for you.
