Isaiah 7:10-16/Matthew 1:18-25
December 18, 2022
There
have been many times in my life when I would have loved to have a sign from
God, telling me what to do. I would have loved to have a clear sign from heaven
pointing me in the right direction. When I reached a crossroads and I wasn’t
sure which way to turn, a sign would have been welcome. Whether it was a
billboard with the words, “Amy, go that way,” or a large flashing arrow or even
a hand reaching down from the heavens turning me toward the way I was supposed
to follow, I know there have been moments when I have longed for a sign from
God. Tell me what to do, God. Show me where to go, God. Give me the answer,
God. I would prefer not to figure this particular problem out by myself, Lord,
so a sign would be appreciated right about now.
Yep,
there are plenty of times in my life when I would have rejoiced at a sign from
God. At least I think I would have liked a sign. I say I would have liked a
sign. Sometimes I wonder if asking for a sign from God is more about me not
wanting to do the hard work of decision making than it is needing wisdom from
the Almighty. I also wonder if there were times when I asked for a sign simply
to confirm a decision I had already made.
This
is what I’m going to do, God, but if you could give me a sign confirming my
choice, I’d appreciate it.
But
I also know that there are plenty of times when I would rather not have a sign
from God because receiving a sign from God means that God is involved. God is
with me. I know that seems counter-intuitive. Isn’t God with us what we pray
for, what we long for, what we profess to want more than anything? Yes. And no.
God with us can mean comfort and solace when we are hurting or grieving or
scared. But God with us can also mean that we are being called to do something
or be something or live something that is going to be hard and messy and scary.
So, while I may hope for a sign from God, I also think that I don’t want a sign
from God. A sign from God does not mean that the path before us will be easy or
smooth or trouble free. More often than not, it means the opposite.
Look
at the situation that is described in our passage from Isaiah. Although King
Ahaz is put into the uncomfortable position of being offered a sign by God.
“Ask
a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But
Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask, and I will not put God to the test.’”
At
first glance, it doesn’t seem to make sense why this is not the right answer
for Ahaz to give because it is a quote from scripture. Jesus basically said the
same thing when he was being tested by Satan in the wilderness. You would think
that the answer to Ahaz would be one of praise and affirmation.
Good
answer! Good answer!
But
that’s not the response that Ahaz receives, is it?
“Hear
then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you
weary my God also?”
But
here’s the thing, while it might seem like Ahaz is being pious and righteous in
his response, the truth is he does not want a sign. Ahaz, the king of the
southern kingdom of Judah is in tough spot. The king of Israel and the King of
Aram are united. They want Ahaz to join them, not as an equal but so they can
take control of Judah and split it between the two of them. If Ahaz won’t join
them, then they’ll take Judah by force. All of Judah which includes Jerusalem
are terrified of the reign of violence that is bearing down upon them. In the
face of this, Ahaz has sought help but not from God. Ahaz has sought help from
the Assyrian empire. But that’s not a true solution either, because Assyria certainly
won’t let Judah remain an independent kingdom either. Under Assyria, Judah will
become a vassal state.
But
Isaiah brings words of assurance from the Lord to Ahaz. These two kings that
are united against him are nothing more than smoking stumps. They may look
dangerous. They may sound dangerous, but they will soon burn out. Ask me for a
sign, the Lord tells Ahaz through Isaiah. Ask me for a sign. You can make it as
high as heaven or as deep as Sheol. Ask me.
The
Lord is not being tested. The Lord wants Ahaz to ask for a sign. But Ahaz does
not want a sign. He doesn’t want it, because I suspect he knows that it will
reveal something that is contrary to what he has already decided to do. He has
sold out to the Assyrians. A sign from God would only show how little faith he has
in God’s providence and power to work good for him and for his kingdom.
But
the Lord won’t be put off. Ahaz might not want a sign, but he’s getting one
anyway.
“Look,
the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel.
He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and
choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose
the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.”
Here’s
your sign, Ahaz. The woman shall bear a child and his name will be Immanuel.
What does Immanuel mean? God with us.
A
sign is provided in our gospel story as well. We don’t know if Joseph prayed
for a sign from God or not. Maybe he did, but I suspect that he didn’t. But he
received a sign anyway.
When
it comes to the two birth stories of Jesus in our gospels, we most often go
with Luke’s version. We will hear Luke’s story on Christmas Eve. In Luke there
are taxes and a difficult journey to Bethlehem. Luke gives us shepherds and
hosts of angels. In Luke’s telling, Mary has a voice. But Matthew is different.
As one scholar put it, when it comes to the birth story in Matthew’s gospel,
don’t blink, you’ll miss it. In Matthew’s gospel, the story begins, “Now the
birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way …” then it immediately moves
to the story of Joseph.
What
do we know about Joseph? We know that he is a carpenter. He is considered to be
a righteous man. As Debie Thomas wrote, he was most likely a quiet man. He
worked hard, did what he was supposed to, tried to live according to the law
and the prophets, and wanted nothing more than to get on with his life quietly.
He was betrothed to a young woman named Mary. Betrothal was much more than an
engagement as we understand it. It was an official relationship. It meant that
they were married, and it was the first step in a two-step process. The second
step of the process was when Mary moved into his home, and they lived as
husband and wife.
However,
Mary turns up pregnant. Pregnant and with a preposterous story about her
carrying the Son of God. Okay. I suspect that Joseph felt like any of us would
have felt – betrayed, angry, hurt, heartbroken. Maybe this was an arranged
marriage, maybe he loved her deeply, maybe it was both. But from all accounts
Mary had been unfaithful. But Joseph was a righteous man. In spite of
everything, he did not want to see Mary publicly disgraced. In truth, she would
have been publicly stoned to death for her sin had it been found out. So,
Joseph decides to divorce her quietly. Let’s be clear, this might have saved
Mary and the baby’s life, but it would not have helped her live happily ever
after either. Even with a quiet divorce, Mary would have been reduced to begging
to survive.
Joseph
goes to sleep convinced of what he must do. But God is going to give him a sign
whether he likes it or not. In a dream an angel comes to Joseph,
“Joseph, son of David, do not be
afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the
Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will
save his people from their sins.”
Here is your sign, Joseph. God is
with you. The child Mary is carrying will literally be God with you. But what
does this sign from God actually mean for Joseph? Again, as Debie Thomas wrote,
it means that he isn’t going to marry Mary and live happily ever after. No,
this quiet, head down, do the right thing, righteous man is being asked by God
to enter into the scandal and shame of this pregnancy. Just because Mary and
Joseph knew the true origins of this child, did not mean that others would
believe or accept it. Joseph is asked by God to raise a child that is not his
own. Joseph is being asked by God to enter into what will be a messy,
complicated, difficult life. Joseph is going to need to trust God more than
ever. Joseph is going to need to have more courage than he believed he had. The
way forward will not be smooth or easy. This child will save, true, but he will
also terrify those in power and terrible death will be the consequence of their
fear. But God is with him. God is with them. Immanuel, Emmanuel, God with us.
God with us is does not make things
easier. It can have the opposite effect. But God with us means that like Joseph
we can do more and be more than we ever believed possible. God with us means
that we are called into lives that are complicated and messy and hard. But
isn’t that what God chose as well? God didn’t flutter down into our lives on a
silver-lined cloud. God was born in the messy way that we are all born. God
came into the world as we all do, tiny and helpless and frail. But that is our
great hope. God is with us in all ways. God is with us at all times. God is
with us. Immanuel. Emmanuel.
Let all of God’s children say,
“Alleluia.” Amen.
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