Sermons

FILTER BY:

← back to list

    Jan 06, 2019

    Redirection

    Redirection

    Passage: Matthew 2:13-15

    Speaker: Rev. Vivian McCarthy, Pastor

    Series: Faithful

    Redirected. In order to be safe from the murderous rage of Herod, Joseph took his young family in the opposite direction.

    On Christmas Eve we imagined some of Joseph and Mary’s memories of their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Here we are on Epiphany Sunday reading of yet another journey that interrupted the life they had planned.

    Joseph must have wondered if he would ever get a good night’s sleep again when his slumber was again interrupted by a dream – and this one was at least as disturbing as the one telling him to go ahead and take Mary as his wife! “Flee to Egypt?” By this time in the story, you have to wonder – didn’t Mary and Joseph just want to go home?

    Once again, Joseph changed his plans, redirected by an angel of the Lord.

    Redirected. In order to be safe from the murderous rage of Herod, Joseph took his young family in the opposite direction. Matthew’s gospel says they went to Egypt which is over 400 miles in the opposite direction, although it would be reasonable to think that they travelled to a place controlled by Egypt in order to be safe – the closest place would have been 40 miles.

    Travelling in the opposite direction of home was at the very least darned inconvenient. WE grouse and feel aggravated when a flight is redirected and it takes us a couple more hours and we still get home just a little late rather than years later. When the news reported that a drone was responsible for redirecting thousands of travelers on Christmas Eve in England, you would have thought it was a life and death redirection for many of those travelers. Was it inconvenient? Yes. Was it sad that it was messing up people’s holiday plans? Of course. Was the disruption truly all that bad? Not really. Imagine what this redirection meant to Joseph and Mary.

    Once again, Joseph got up and did as the angel said.

    So, the question swimming in my mind is, as we begin a new year, will I continue to do what I’ve always done, or will I truly allow God to direct my paths? Oh – and is any redirection necessary? Really necessary?

    Redirection saved the life of the Son of God. Redirection likely saved the lives of his parents. Redirection allowed the Child to become the Savior of the world. How might redirection – the kind of redirection announced by God’s messengers – offer life to you or through you?

    As we come to the Table of the Lord today, I invite you to come in an attitude of prayer – open to God’s direction.