Advent 4 invites us to respond to the wonder and mystery of God and to acknowledge his plans for us.
Whose agenda are you following? Your own agenda or God’s agenda? Whose will are you doing? Your own will or God’s will? Whose kingdom are you building up? Your own kingdom or God’s kingdom? It is clear they were following God
Above all this week is about signs -
This week Isaiah is the promise of the birth and with the fulfillment in Matthew
In Isaiah God gives to the “house of David” a promise of – Immanuel. “God is with us” both in Isaiah and with in Jesus ‘ generation. Yes, said Simeon to God, he is "a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel" (Luke 2:32), but to Mary he continued, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-and a sword will pierce your own soul too" (Luke 2:34-35).
The Gospel shows the Angel as a sign that Mary’s pregnancy isn’t what Joseph though it was. He is not to divorce her but take her as his wife.
In the context of the Fourth Sunday of Advent Paul provides the "scenery," the space in which we are to understand both the Matthew and the Isaiah texts. It is through Christ that Paul (“we”) has received “grace” (God’s freely given gift of love) and “apostleship” (authority to teach and proclaim the good news. The Gospel is hope and made known to prophets such as Isaiah
The Psalm provides the view of Christ as savior - "Please Lord, look after us! Vv. 17-19 seek deliverance: may you be with our king, “the one at your right hand”, so we will never desert you (v. 18). Give us strength (”life”) to seek favors from you. Be with us, “that we may be saved” (v. 19). Psalm 80 is an idyllic surrounding but one in the middle of war.
The season of advent welcomes the faithful to look at their world with fresh eyes – to correct, to cast anew. The psalmist asks for restoration - save us. That’s one of the role of Jesus we saw in Matthew – redemption.
St. Joseph with Infant Christ in his Arms - Guido Reni (1625)
Matthew 1:18-25, the Birth of Jesus
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "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." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
- "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
- and they shall name him Emmanuel,"
which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
The 4th Sunday of advent features the story Jesus birth according to Matthew and looks at it from Joseph’s perspective . On Christmas Eve we hear Luke’s from Mary. Thus we stress Joseph here What the two narratives have in common is interesting: 1) a birth in Bethlehem, even though the family is from Nazareth and Jesus would be called Jesus of Nazareth; 2) a virginal conception; 3) a pregnancy during the engagement period caused through the agency of the Holy Spirit; and 4) Joseph resolves to accept Jesus into his life and family, as is shown by subsequent events.
This is a narrative of surprising and unexpected events and suggests a God of unexpected actions. Matthew is very concerned about relating the birth back to Isaiah, In Matthew’s Gospel, there are sixteen times when the author says: “This took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet (or by the Old Testament).” In other words, this logic appealed to a Jewish audience. It was said of Jesus that he was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. This logic helped a Jewish audience believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. Luke does not say that Jesus was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy because that reasoning would not have made to sense to his world-wide audience which was not familiar with the Old Testament concepts.
The Matther version of the story is this. Mary is engaged to Joseph. In Jewish custom this includes all the responsibilities of marriage, except that the girl stays in her parents' home for about a year before the marriage and its consummation. Engagement was a legally binding contract. usually decided on by the two fathers in question and was, in fact, the first stage of the marriage itself, to be complete some months hence by the formal wedding ceremony
During this time Mary conceives through the action of the Holy Spirit. So, a divine creative act inaugurates the messianic age through the agency of the Spirit. With these words Matthew defines Jesus' origin. Originally, stoning was the punishment for unfaithfulness, but by this time, public humiliation and divorce was the usual method. Joseph kindly set about to divorce Mary privately. Note Joseph was not punitive. He had been deeply violated, yet he still cared for her and took care of her. Originally, stoning was the punishment for unfaithfulness, but by this time, public humiliation and divorce was the usual method. Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus. He was the legal father.
In typical Old Testament style, God conveys his word to his people through a "messenger (angel) of the Lord." In Joseph's case, God's word comes to him in a dream. Joseph must marry Mary, for the child must be included in the Davidic line. In Jewish custom, for Joseph to acknowledge the child as his, makes the child his, a "son of David". Such acknowledgment fully includes the child in the family.
For Matthew Joseph is a model. He is ‘righteous’ (1:19)
In the Old Testament, the giving of a name, and particularly a name given by God, is full of meaning. The name "Jesus" is Greek for Joshua, and means "God is salvation." The people Jesus will save is Israel, but this does not exclude the Gentiles who will inevitably join with remnant Israel to stand before the presence of God. Although the people of Israel expect the salvation of the nation, this messiah brings a salvation from sin. He does not restore Israel, but rather restores Israel's relationship with God.
Jesus birth is incarnational. The stress is on God's affirmation of the human condition in his coming to us and his taking upon himself human flesh. The word became flesh and elevated the worth of all people because God loved the world so much. So, the incarnation serves as God's endorsement of being human. Christmas is a time to be reminded of our worth in the sight of our Creator.
This is the view of Isaiah 7:14. Originally a promise that Judah would gain relief from the impending threat from the alliance of northern Israel and Syria through the march of the Assyrians, the verse, excised from that context, becomes a promise of God’s presence to bring deliverance in any age and linked with the Mary story fits Jesus well. In Jesus’ ministry God is with us!
It is indeed incarnational, but it is primarily redemptive. Jesus comes to save, and if to save, he must take upon himself human flesh. The big event in Matthew’s time was the disaster of 70 CE, the destruction of the temple, illustrates the consequences of sin.
The birth of Jesus fulfills the "Immanuel" prophecy in that Jesus "saves his people from their sins" and so "God is with us" again. Jesus the messiah restores the relationship of broken humanity with God.
Isaiah 7:10-16
The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, 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 the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. 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."
Assyria is intent on expanding westwards. The kings of “Aram” ( Syria) and of Israel (also called “Ephraim”) have formed a coalition to resist the advances of their common enemy. They have tried to convince “Ahaz” (v. 1), king of Judah and of the “house of David” (v. 2) to join the alliance; he has refused. Now they seek to put a puppet king on Judah’s throne.
God has commanded Isaiah to “meet Ahaz” (v. 3) as he inspects the water supply vital to Jerusalem’s defence. Isaiah tells him: “take heed ... do not fear ... these two smoldering stumps of firebrands” (v. 4) who have “plotted evil against you” (v. 5).
God had warned him (and us) through Isaiah: "If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all" (Isaiah 7:9)-though, of course, the warning is also a promise: in faith, you will indeed stand firm! If you don’t trust in God (“stand firm in faith) but rely on human counsel, you will be defeated. But it seems that Ahaz has already made up his mind (v. 12) and it wasn’t toward God so, through Isaiah, God gives to the “house of David” (v. 13) not a “sign” (v. 11) to convince Ahaz, but one which speaks to future generations.
Rejected by those in power, God would work wonders among the lowly. God will keep the promise he made to David (through Nathan): “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me” (2 Samuel 7:16). “The young woman” (v. 14, most likely Ahaz’s wife) is pregnant; David’s line will continue; she will name her son “Immanuel” (meaning God with us). (This son was Hezekiah.) In a devastated land (paying heavy tribute to Assyria), where only basic food is available (“curds and honey”, v. 15), he will develop moral discrimination – unlike recent kings, who were deemed wicked, ungodly people. By this time, Assyria will have conquered both Syria and Israel (v. 16).
The Word of God is a living word that kills and makes alive in every generation, always needing to be proclaimed anew, always carrying both continuity and surprise: continuity in God's steadfast love and mercy, which never change; surprise in God's enduring penchant to do a new thing (Isaiah 43:19), which always stirs things up. And now, says Matthew, Jesus is that unexpected new thing: Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, even if they didn't get his name right. The details are not the point; the promise is.
God is with us in Jesus but an ambiguous "sign." Yes, said Simeon to God, he is "a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel" (Luke 2:32), but to Mary he continued, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-and a sword will pierce your own soul too" (Luke 2:34-35).
Roman Road
Romans 1:1-70
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This letter is different from the rest of Paul's letters. He is writing not to a church which he founded, but one which probably had its origins in the work of other Christian Jews at least a decade earlier. He wants to write because he plans a visit (1:10) and intends to use Rome as a launching pad from which to move onwards to Spain and the western reaches of the empire (15:23-28). That latter plan did not succeed. Paul would spend his last days in Rome and there face a cruel execution at the hands of Nero.
Faced with such a complex situation Paul takes great care to offer an account of himself, but more especially, of his theology, so that the Romans will welcome him and, more especially, share in his mission.
Paul introduces himself to his readers:
as “servant” (literally slave) of Christ, one under more than the usual obligation Christians have to Jesus.
as an “apostle”, one sent with a special mission of divine origin; and
as “set apart” to spread God’s good news. Paul here defines the gospel as the fulfillment of God's promises revealed through the Old Testament prophets.
But it can also be used, as here and Acts 13:1, to express a notion of separation of people from a community for a special work to which they have been appointed or "called."
In short, being "separated" can justify a great deal of stubbornness, personal willfulness and just plain stupidity. Yet, on the other hand, you really don't get much done in life unless you believe and have discovered a unique angle to apply your gifts to the problems of the world in which you live. In order to discover this unique "angle," you really must have the confidence, almost the chutzpah, to think of yourself as called or "separated." Your energy and focus arises out of this sense of self.
Christ is identified in these 2 short verses as the one who is both human (descended from David) and divine (declared Son of God). The resurrection is the ultimate declaration or seal. This resurrection is God's work, "with power according to the spirit of holiness". The Trinity is present and invoked He then goes on to explain his part in the gospel - God has graciously charged Paul with the task of gathering the Gentile "remnant" into the kingdom.
It is through Christ that Paul (“we”, v. 5) has received “grace” (God’s freely given gift of love) and “apostleship” (authority to teach and proclaim the good news). Grace is nothing other than the unlimited compassion of God which refuses to give up on us and calls to the gift of renewal and hope when God gave them the ministry of apostleship. For Paul and his team, this "grace" consisted of a special authority to preach to the Gentiles.
"Grace and peace" would surely include for Paul the very heart of his gospel and its hope. It is about real wholeness/peace and this news of eternal life with God was “promised beforehand” (v. 2): it has been part of God’s plan since before creation. God made known his promise “through his prophets” (principally Isaiah and Jeremiah) in books held to have authority.
In v. 1, he sees himself as in being in continuity with Moses, Joshua and Abraham - all called servants of God in the Old Testament.) Finally, he wishes the Roman community both God’s “grace” (v. 7) and his “peace”, the Jewish notion of a right relationship with God - partnership in reconciliation of all to him, eternal well-being, and wholeness of life.
Psalm 80:1-7,16-18
- 1
- Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim. - 2
- In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us. - 3
- Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. - 4
- O LORD God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people? - 5
- You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink. - 6
- You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn. - 7
- Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. -
- 16
- Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself. - 17
- And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon your Name. - 18
- Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
This is a prayer for deliverance from Israel’s enemies, calling on God to “shine forth” , be favorably disposed towards his people. God was seen as enthroned invisibly on the “cherubim”, the half-human, half-animal winged creatures on the Ark. Throughout the Old Testament, being enthroned upon the cherubim suggests that God is one who is mobile, coming to his people in time of need, but also as Divine Warrior, prepared to race across the heavens to redeem his people
From the mention of three northern tribes in v. 2 one can guess that this psalm was written shortly before the conquest of the northern kingdom in 721 BC.
The nation’s current plight is seen as due to God’s anger (v. 4). Vv. 5 and 6 tell of the present evils besetting the nation. It is definitely a militaristic scene. Places once deemed sacrosanct have been razed to the ground (80:16) and identities once deemed secure have been shaken by the mocking derision of the enemy (80:6). So great is the anguish that the psalmist can only revert to imagery, to images of people drinking tears by the bowlful (v.5)
In contrast, vv. 8-11 recall God’s gracious hand in the Exodus and the conquest of Canaan. Why, asks v. 12, have you made Israel vulnerable? Please Lord, look after us! Vv. 17-19 seek deliverance: may you be with our king, “the one at your right hand”, so we will never desert you (v. 18). Give us strength (”life”) to seek favors from you. Be with us, “that we may be saved” (v. 19).
The season of advent welcomes the faithful to look at their world with fresh eyes – to correct, to cast anew. The psalmist asks for restore us - save us. That’s one of the role of Jesus we saw in Matthew – redemption. Our hope rests not in what we have done, nor can do, but in all that God is. Vv. 3, 7 and 19 are a refrain: please take us back, God, into the covenant relationship with you! The refrain of restoration builds in intensity each time it occurs, by adding to God's name, moving from the more generic "God" to the more proper and personal "O Lord
God of hosts":
Restore us, O God... (v. 3)
Restore us, O God of hosts... (v. 7)
Restore us, O LORD God of hosts... (v. 19)
This building up of intensity has the effect of turning up the volume on and urgency of the people's desperate cry for help. There is one in V14 outside of the lectionary is a plea for God to change God's will concerning the people's situation. The people cannot change their own circumstances, but God can--simply by willing that the situation be reversed. The hope lies in what God is.
The imagery associated with the people of God is centered on two metaphors, the flock and the vineyard. The people of God are described as a flock whose shepherd is the "Shepherd of Israel" (verse 1). This image, however, is not a pastoral, romantic notion of shepherd ( Jesus as portrayed in John 10 as the “Good Shepherd.”) but a metaphor reinforcing the kingship of God. In the Ancient Near East, kings were often depicted as shepherds because of their divine mandate to protect and care for the people entrusted to them.
Positively, the shepherd image asserts that God has the power to guide Israel through the shadow of the valley of death. Negatively, it asserts that all the other forces trying to claim lordship of God's people (whether emperors, kings, or even religious leaders) are not the true leaders of the people (because they lack both the fidelity and integrity of God).
In 80:8-13 (not in the lectionary), the psalmist recounts Israel's history in an extended allegory about a vine; a vine brought out of Egypt and planted by the God of Israel. Similar to Isaiah's famous parable of the vineyard in Isaiah 5, Psalm 80 recalls God's history of faithful love by making the analogy between that history and a gardener planting a vineyard. But while Isaiah wanted to spur the people repent, the psalmist sought to spur God to repent: "Turn again, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that your right hand planted" (vv. 14-15 outside of the lectionary).
The images in Psalm 80 fall out into one of three categories: images of God; images of the people of God; and images of the world. The images associated with the world around the psalmist suggest that the world is a hostile place, a place that could surely undo the people of God. The previous psalm is a communal lament agonizing over both the ruined city of Jerusalem and the defiled precincts of the temple (79:1-3), as well as the verbal assaults of the nations
The psalm closes with the people vowing to continue to "call on your name." This promise then leads to the last occurrence of the refrain, which as noted above, employs the most personal and intense form of God's name in the psalm: "O LORD God of hosts." God's "name" is a shorthand formula for the relationship between God and God's people. God gave the people the name so they could call upon him in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving, and so that they would bear God's name in their mission to love, bless, and save the nations.