The Messy, Human Family of Jesus; Matthew 1:1-18

 

Rev. George Miller

Jan 1, 2023

Matthew 1:1-18

 

Last week we welcomed Jesus into the imperfection of our lives.

 

As shepherds we welcomed Jesus into our night, into our loneliness, into our own unique story of revival and grace.

 

As we welcomed Jesus, we heard stories and sung songs about his Mother’s virginity, based on the historic church’s view that the only way Jesus could enter into our world is through a pure vessel.

 

To which our Bible study group asked, “What is pure?”  Does one have to be a virgin to be pure?

 

Is purity a physical state, or can it be a state of the mind, state of the soul, state of intent?

 

For example- are all lies bad?  Are there times in which lying is good?  Is there be such a thing as a pure, or noble lie?

 

We have the command “Don’t bear false witness against your neighbor” but is it Ok to bear false witness for the sake of your neighbor?

 

What is purity?  Who is pure?  Who gets to decide?  Can anyone live a fully realized life and stay completely pure?

 

I wonder if the first group of Christians really worried about these things.

 

I wonder if they were too busy healing, feeding, clothing, visiting to use a moral ruler and decide who was pure and who was not.

 

There’s a good chance that the earliest followers of Jesus were far from what we’d consider pure.

 

There’s a very real chance that the earliest followers of Jesus sparkled- that they just sparkled with every quirky characteristic and walk of life you could imagine.

 

There would have been the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the beggars, unchurched, unclean, the immigrant, the bold and bawdy women and all the folk the Temple had kicked out.

 

I wonder, what if it wasn’t until the followers of Christ started building buildings and having deacons and official meeting times that anyone worried if you were pure or not.

 

When did the church get caught up if the mother of Jesus was a virgin or pure or without sin?

 

Paul, the first missionary, was not.  He never spoke of Mary.

 

Mark and John do not say a word about the birth of Jesus.  Only Matthew and Luke pay any attention to Jesus’ birth and the sexual status of his mother.

 

Why focus on her virginity; why the worry if she was pure or not?

 

As we hear in today’s reading, Jesus came from a long family line in which nearly every person has a shocking story to tell.

 

Nearly all of his relatives had a moment in which they did what they did in order to survive or protect their family.

 

There’s Abraham who took his wife’s advice and slept with her slave so that he could have a child.

 

Look at Tamar who pretended to be a prostitute so that she could have a son by her father-in-law.

 

We have Jacob who tricked his brother, deceived his father, and slept with the wrong woman.

 

Rahab, a brothel worker who hid spies, lied to the authorities, in order to save her family.

 

Ruth, a widow who is directed by her mother-in-law to creep into the bed of Boaz and sleep by his feet so that he will marry her.

 

By the way, both Rahab and Ruth are foreigners and non-Jews who become part of the Israelite story.

 

We have David who broke half of the commandments when he lusted after Bathsheba and forced her to commit adultery.

 

Do any of these people sound practically perfect to you?  Do any of them sound “pure’?

 

They are wonderfully messy.  Human.  REAL. 

 

The beauty of today’s reading is that when you break it down, name by name, story by story-

 

We discover that Jesus comes from a very, very human family.

 

Today’s reading reminds us that Jesus really did experience life as we know it.

 

That includes having a family full of heroes, dreamers, mistake makers, fighters, scandals, black sheep, skeletons, immigrants, bold women.

 

Messy, messy individuals.

 

Sure, we may sing “All is calm all is bright, round yon virgin,” but as I age, that has less meaning to me. 

 

I prefer Mary as the brave woman of faith who said yes, traveled on her own and spoke words of justice to her cousin Elizabeth.

 

The notion of the purity involving Jesus’ birth does not carry the same excitement as knowing about

 

the drama, the intrigue, the excitement of who his ancestors were and what they went through.

 

I like this genealogy that Matthew gives us because it is so messy, so controversial, so human, so real.

 

Because it is so real and relatable, it makes Jesus a Savior I can admire, because clearly he didn’t come from the perfect family.

 

Clearly, he too was raised with family traumas to contend with.

 

Clearly Jesus was also who he was because of those who came before and the legacy they left.

 

For me, this makes Jesus more relatable, more real, more honest.  It makes his story more true.

 

And because it makes him more true, he becomes even more Emmanuel and the one that we can follow.

 

Peace and amen.

Christmas Day Message 2022; Luke 2 8-20

 

Rev. George Miller

Dec 25, 2022

Luke 2: 8-20

 

Our minds are amazing things, made to process information in a way that’s quick and simple.

 

One way they do this is the things we see everyday eventually become almost invisible.  We get used to them, so we no longer have to process them.

 

For instance, the big, beautiful oak in front of my cozy cottage. I see it every day, but it’s not until I go out for a night walk or come back from a vacation that I actually “see” and appreciate how magnificent it is, the limbs, the Spanish moss, the height.

 

Same with the Christmas story.  We’ve heard it so many times, seen so many depictions, that we think we know the story, only to discover that we’re just starting to know the story.

 

We celebrate Jesus’ birth with a tale so familiar, that it feels comforting.

 

Shepherds in the night greeted by a heavenly messenger as the sky lights up with the glory of our Creator.

 

The shepherds receive the Good News and run to the manger where they see Mary, Joseph and the holy child.

 

Such a well-known story.  We think- of course there were shepherds, of course it was night, of course it was a manger.  What else could it be?

 

But since Jesus is revolutionary, so is his birth.  Not only did it involve Joseph making a radical choice and Mary taking a treacherous journey, it involved unexpected people.

 

Think about it.

 

If you were God, and you were fulfilling ancient prophecies, sending your Son to be King of the world to save the people and lead them into glory, who would you send your messenger to?

 

Shouldn’t it be to the highest-ranking priest at the Temple, during Sabbath worship with everyone in attendance?

 

If you were God, giving the best news the world has heard, wouldn’t it be to the King of the country, in the palace with banners, trumpets, and royal decree?

 

If the purpose of sending your Son was to save the people, wouldn’t you send your messenger to the army general with all the troops are in attendance?

 

If it was today, and you were God, how efficient it would be to share your message during the Super Bowl half time show?

 

If Jesus was born today in Highlands County, wouldn’t it make sense to let a church the size of Grace Bable or Bible Fellowship, to first get the news?

 

But that’s not what God does.  God gives the message at night to a few shepherds in a field.

 

This great news is given to the smallest audience possible, to what was seen as the lowest class of people,

 

at the darkest time of day, where they are exposed to the elements and far from any temple, palace, army barracks or community center.

 

To put it this way- more sheep hear the news before people do!

 

If this story took place in 1868 Cuba, the angel would’ve appeared to the enslaved people on the plantation of Carols Manuel.

 

If this story took place in Germany 1938, the angel would have appeared to the Gypsies at their seasonal camp.

 

If this story took place in Florida 1968, the angel would have appeared to the cucumber pickers in Okeechobee.

 

If this story took place in the Dominican Republic, the angel would have appeared to the Haitian community.

 

If the angel was to come to Sebring today, it would not be to Chief Blackman, or Mayor Shoop, or Alan Jay or even me, but to be the migrant workers in the orange groves.

 

When we step outside of our comfort zone, the Christmas story isn’t what we think it is.  It doesn’t make sense in terms of world logic or those who think in terms of “I’m better than you.”

 

But in other ways, it does make sense.

 

It does make sense that God would send a message of hope to folk who the world sees as hopeless.

 

It makes sense that God would bring light to those in literal darkness.

 

It makes sense that new life would enter in when others are asleep.

 

Think about it, think of your own life.

 

When have you felt the most alone?

When were you the outsider?

 

When were you surrounded by darkness?  When have you been vulnerable to the elements of life?

 

When were you up and awake when the rest of the world was asleep?

 

When have you felt the furthest from another, even if they were in the bed beside you or you were in a house filled with family?

 

Looking over my life, the times I felt the loneliest was when I was in a store full of folk, surrounded by smiling faces while shopping for presents.

 

Can it be said that when it comes to feeling like an outsider, feeling like we are alone, feeling like we can’t fall asleep because our minds are racing with worry, we are all shepherds?

 

Is it fair to say that no matter how rich we are, no matter how powerful we are, no matter what role we play, no matter who we are or what we do-

 

We still get cold when it cold?  Lonely when we are away?  Worry when someone gets hurt or sick?  Feel like heck when a loved one dies?

 

Is it fair to say that no matter who we are, we all have moments in which we feel like we are by ourselves, we are in the dark, and we are victim to whatever circumstances that life throws our way?

 

Is it fair to say that we have all been the shepherds, will be the shepherds, and may even be the shepherds right now?

 

And when you are a shepherd, when you feel like a shepherd, that’s when you need the Lord’s light the most.

 

That’s when you need a message from Heaven.  That’s when you need to hear angelic songs to lift up your soul.

 

The Christmas story can seem so comfortable, but it’s not.  It’s not cozy, it’s not neat, it’s not drama free.

 

The Christmas story is about how God enters into our lives via situations that are not ideal, how God enters our lives that are not what we planned.

 

The Christmas story is a reminder that the presence of Jesus often comes to us at the moments we feel the most alone, the most rejected, the most in the dark, and the coldest of heart.

 

The Christmas story isn’t about perfect people having the most perfect life.

 

It’s a validation that life is messy, life is unexpected, life is not what we always hope for…

 

…but there God is, and there God will be. 

 

And when Jesus enters our lives, we can’t help but to move and act in a way we never imagined a few moments before.

 

Amen and amen.

Letter to The Editor- The Increased "Dog Whistles" of Chief Fansler

 This letter concerns the alarming increase of "dog whistles" in the articles written by Lake Placid Chief of Police, James Fansler.  Ever since plans began in 2022 for Sebring PRIDE, Chief Fansler has been crafting numerous articles and social media posts condemning PRIDE, churches who welcome LGBTQ folk, and pastors who do not preach fire/damnation sermons.  More than once, Chief Fansler has made reference to God destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, using it as a thinly veiled warning against our LGBTQ citizens and churches that welcome them.  Chief Fansler is not properly trained to interpret scripture or understand its history.  He offers a skewed view of scripture that fails to realize that the biblical concept of sin deals more with injustice, unkindness, and unethical behavior (often done by those in power).  Many scholars agree that the sin of Sodom/Gomorrah (Gen 19) was their inhospitality to strangers and mistreatment of aliens.  Does Chief Fansler know that there's a similiar story in Judges 19-21 in which a Levite's concubine is gang raped by a mob of men, starting a war with harsh consequences that follow? Genesis 19 does not condemn homosexuality, nor does Judges 19-21 condemn heterosexuality.  Both stories condemn acts of sexual violence and mistreament of visitors.  Yet Chief Fansler continues to use his platform to attack the LGBTQ community.  This is scary, because Chief Fansler is a man in power, with a gun and officers under him, paid to protect all citizens of Lake Placid.  He also has followers who are being stoked by his public comments. What if his hate filled articles/social media posts inspires someone in our community to pick up a weapon and attack the LGBTQ community?  God forbid if he chooses to run again for Sheriff.  When will local leadership for once and for all see that Chief Fansler is a liability to Lake Placid, and Highlands County?  In no just, kind, or humble world would Chief Fansler be allowed to sow such seeds of hate, especially not in the name of Christ.

Revolutionary Love; Matthew 1:18-25

 

Rev. George Miller

Dec 18, 2022

Matthew 1:18-25

 

Love is the candle we light today; one of the greatest forces of the world. 

 

When we know we are loved, we feel joy.  When we know we are loved we experience peace. 

 

When we are loved and love in return there is hope for the world.

 

Hope, peace, joy, and love illuminate us with their light as we await the birth of Christ.

 

When I think of love, I think of an incident that took place when I was 16.  I went to a house party, got drunk for the 1^st time, blacked out; threw up everywhere.  Dad came to get me. 

 

I ranted and raved, sharing deep dark secrets.  I kept saying again and again “I’m not gay, I’m not gay.”  Woke up the next day with Mom and Dad by my side.

 

Later, Dad stepped into my room to process the events.  There was no shame, no punishing  words- the hangover was consequence enough.

 

My Dad, a big, burly, New York City Police officer, Vietnam Vet, Eagle Scout, Troop 100 Leader simply spoke what a concerned father would say.

 

Then he said, “In regard to you being gay, it doesn’t matter to me if you are gay or straight, I love you no matter what.”  He hugged me and kissed me.

 

My Father’s actions bore at least 2 gifts- one, knowing that when I was ready to come out, I would never have to worry about being dismissed, kicked out, or treated as less than.

 

Two, Dad demonstrated to me what God’s love truly looks like.  

 

I never had to wrestle with if in God’s eyes I am unworthy, if I’m an evil degenerate, or if God is displeased with me based on my identity.

 

Something else- though Dad was very traditional, when it came to accepting me, he was a revolutionary.

 

At a time in American History when the topic was still taboo, feared, ridiculed, silenced, “cured” or beat out of you, my Dad chose instead to love.

 

Love. Joy. Peace. Hope- they illuminate us with their revolutionary light as we await the birth of Christ.

 

Revolutionary Love is today’s focus, using the stories of 2 parents who make 2 similar decisions that will forever change it all.  We start in Matthew, then go back to Exodus. 

 

The author of Matthew is excited about Jesus.  He can’t wait to share the Good News, to convince us that Jesus is such an amazing event.

 

With this knowledge, we hear today’s reading.  We have Joseph, a righteous man, a holy man.  He knows the Law; he knows all that scripture says.

 

But he’s in a bit of a quandary- he’s engaged to be married, but his fiancé is already pregnant.

 

And the letter of the Law makes it very clear- she is to be brought to her father’s house where the men of the village will stone her to death.

 

Mary’s pregnancy makes Jospeh very afraid.  He’s afraid to violate the Law, he’s afraid to take her as his wife.

 

He wrestles with his faith.  He decides that it is better to send her away than to have Mary experience death and disgrace.

 

Talk about compassion in action.

 

He is visited by God’s Messenger who invites him to stop being afraid, to wed Mary, that her child will free people from their “bad hearts and broken ways”.

 

Which Joseph does, and it is revolutionary. 

 

Jospeh may not have realized it, but he is showing us how to be righteous in a whole new way.  He shows how to follow the spirit of the Law.

 

For what had seemed to be a moral outrage is really a heavenly disruption.  Mary’s son is not a violation of God’s will, but a sign of Heaven’s love.

 

Joseph could have chosen the way of death.  But instead he opted for life- just like the mother of Moses.

 

1,300 years before Joseph, his ancestors were in Egypt, enslaved.  They were so feared that a decree was sent out that all the Hebrew boys are to be tossed into the river like trash.

 

But a brave woman from the house of Levi has a son; she looks upon him with great love and chooses to hide him for 3 months, breaking the law. 

 

When she could no longer hide him, she put her son in a papyrus basket and placed him in the river’s reeds.

 

In doing so she saved not only his life, but the lives of thousands of people who her son would later set free.

 

She was a revolutionary.  She didn’t need an angel to tell her what was right.  She didn’t need words to face her fear.  This mother boldly, bravely stood against the unjust law of death, choosing instead to say “Yes” to life.

 

Revolutionary Love.

 

One parent wrestles with a law that would’ve meant death to his fiancé and her child; another parent wrestles with a legal decree that would’ve taken away the breath of her boy.

 

Both Joseph and the Mother of Moses had difficult choices to make, choices that had moral and legal ramifications.

 

Somehow, some way, they both chose life, and in doing so they both played a part in changing the course of the world.  In doing so they both played a part in bringing forth salvation.

 

The Revolutionary choice of Moses’s mother was to go against the law of Pharaoh and to keep her son alive.

 

The Revolutionary choice of Jospeh was to stay righteous by following the spirit of the law when it was clear that the letter of the law was inhumane.

 

Revolutionary Love.  It literally changes the world.

 

And we get to see here that God is so amazing, so astounding that even before Moses and Jesus spoke a single word, their very existence was already making things brand new.

 

At a time in which folk are using the Bible as a weapon and faith as a moralistic measuring rod,

 

it is good to be reminded that when Joseph had the chance to hurt, had the chance to harm, had the chance to send away,

 

he opted instead to love.

 

He opted to wrestle with God, wrestle with his faith, wrestle with what was right and what was wrong,

 

He opted to show compassion, and instead he chose life. 

 

He chose hope, peace, joy, and love- illuminating us with the light of Christ.

 

Amen.