Of hopes and fears – Matthew 2:13-23

Life changes and yet in so many ways life stays the same. When Phillips Brooks wrote the words to O Little Town of Bethlehem back in the 19^th century, he was expressing not only the hopes and fears of all the years before the birth of Christ but also the hopes and fears of his own time. And yet we are still living today in a time where hopes and fears meet. The words of Brooks are a signal to each generation that the coming of Christ brought great hope to the people of the world but also great fear as any sign of hope for peace and goodwill among the peoples of the world has ever been met by those whose fear of the loss of their power and influence cause them to do whatever in their power to stop such peace and goodwill from becoming a reality.

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by;

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

The drama of what transpired not only on that night so long ago but also the drama that would ensue in the coming months and years not only had a profound effect on the life of the family of Mary and Joseph but led to the pain and suffering of so many innocents and their families.

The incarnation of God heralded a new beginning in the history of this world and its people – a birth that was heralded by angels bringing a message of salvation, hope, peace and good will from God; a birth   marked by a star – a super nova – that took the Magi on a trek from the east leading them to find one they knew was born to be a king.  And so they came - as the shepherds had come that first evening - to see for themselves this child born to be the Saviour of the people. Their journey took many months, but they came to find the child and bring to him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

And that star did lead them to the land of Israel and Judah but to pinpoint the exact location of the child, they needed to help of those leaders of the land who they believed would welcome such a significant event.  Herod’s advisors knew the prophecy, but word of the birth had not been spread abroad throughout the land. The Magi were told that they would find the family in the town of Bethlehem for that is where the new king was to be born.   And so, they followed the star from Jerusalem. It led them right to where the child and the family were living. Kneeling in the presence of the one they knew was to be the king of the Jews, they presented their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The homage of the Magi and the gifts they brought made a deep impression on Mary.  Their words filled her with hope but also fear.  She knew that the birth of Jesus meant great things for the people but she also knew that suffering would also come, And while she pondered all these things in her heart, it held both hope and fear for the life of the babe she cradled.

But it was not only Mary who was experiencing fear. Herod – although appearing to be elated at the knowledge that the promised Messiah and King had been born, his fear was greater. Afraid for what the birth of this child would mean for him and his family’s position as ruler in Judea, he waited anxiously for the return of the Magi with confirmation that the child indeed did live. His own selfish desire to hold on to power led him to make one of the evilest decisions of his life. As he knew no one would reveal the exact place where the child could be found, he instructed his soldiers to go to Bethlehem and to put to death all male children two years of age and younger – an event that has come to be known as the Slaughter of the Innocents.

But Herod is thwarted in his efforts to preserve his future for Joseph receives a warning and takes Mary and the baby to Egypt. Upon hearing of the death of Herod Joseph returns from Egypt with his family but fear of Herod’s son who now sits on the throne in Jerusalem, Joseph takes the family north to the district of Galilee to the town called Nazareth which is also a fulfilment of a prophecy concerning the one born to be the Messiah.

There he hopes for a peaceful life for this child and the others who will become part of their family in the years to come.  And there is peace for several years until the time comes when Mary’s nephew John begins to preach a baptism for the repentance of sins and Jesus goes to be baptized by John. Thus will begin the ministry and mission of Jesus – a ministry that will bring hopes to so many and raise fears for others. While we do not hear much of Jesus’ mother through the record of the gospels, it becomes clear at the end that Mary experiences the pain and sorrow, the fear that was in her mind that night of the Magi visit and that moment when they fled Bethlehem for Egypt as she witnesses the pain of his torture and death on the cross.

But fear does not rule in the end for his death leads to resurrection and the hope for eternity with God, the hope for an eternal peace, an eternal healing with no more tears.

As people of faith, we will ever find ourselves in a place where hope and fear will meet. But what happened in Bethlehem changed this world forever and because of that hope will ever overcome fear. Let us remember the promise of Jesus that he shared with the disciples on the night of his arrest: “Peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you; so, let not your hearts be troubled neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Amen