Advent 4A

In the Gospel passage from Matthew this morning,

we get to hear one of the most significant moments of the entire Bible,

and it gets 10 words.

"She had borne a son; and he named him Jesus."

Sadly anti-climatic.

For anyone who has had a child,

you know it takes more than 10 words

more than 10 seconds.

More than 10 hours, 10 months, or even 10 years of your life.

Giving birth is not for the faint of heart.

Birth, new life

is such a strong part of our Advent season

an overarching theme of the whole beginning of the church year.

We are waiting

with Mary

for the birth of Jesus.

Which in our world today would mean

packing the go-bag to take to the hospital

preparing the last minute items in the nursery

long hours waiting in the doctor's waiting room

moments of panic and hours of boredom

deep breathing and muscular pain and pushing

And then the last gush of pain, heat, blood, 

and the miracle of new life

a baby.

We don't all give birth like this though.

Some of us bring new life into the world

through adoption or caring for other loved ones.

Some of us bring new life into the world

through art or science or building.

In all the ways we bring new life into the world

there is a time period of waiting, of wondering,

of trying to be patient when you ran out of patience last month,

until the miracle of birth happens

and a whole new world is present.

This is what we are waiting for.

These 10 words,

which completely change the world. 

The birth of Jesus

to Mary in a stable.

Many times in the Christian church we speak of being born again,

or being born in the spirit.

Unfortunately, some churches go a little overboard on this idea,

but there is something about that moment when you realize,

or when you feel your life change or has changed

your whole world is different 

because of God, because of Jesus, because of the Holy Spirit.

It is new life, a new birth,

not a physical one,

but a spiritual one.

Opening up to us a new world of joy and love.

One of my experiences of new birth happened in a dream.

I even saw an angel in that dream.

Amazing experience.

Naturally, it was during one of the worst times in my life.

The angel brought peace, comfort, a knowledge of something new happening in my life.

Even though I wasn't fully sure of what was happening at that point,

my life changed after the dream

I entered a new life and a new world.

Joseph was focused on his old life,

his life full of problems.

Full of other people's standards.

Though I can't imagine life with Baby Jesus

or Jesus as a child didn't present itself without a few problems

but this dream of Joseph's is a birth for him,

a whole new life and world for Joseph.

Before the dream,

Joseph is all focused on his own problems. 

His relationship problems.

His fiancee is pregnant and he is not the father. 

Scandal awaits if he exposes her, 

and his (and his family... and her family's) reputation could be ruined. 

He spent years building up his reputation as a carpenter and running a good business.

He is a good standing Jewish man and he certainly doesn't want this on his honor.

Only when he is sleeping does he let his guard down long enough for God to give him the bigger picture.

He is too focused on the mess in front of him, 

he cannot see the blessing in it.

Yet, God sends the angel to him

to show him new life

to give him a blessing

to create a whole new world

to give the Savior of the world 

a family.

What we await in the season of Advent 

is not simply the coming of a baby.

We await a whole new world,

one of God's recreation

where the sins and brokenness of this world

are washed away

in the light of God's glory.

We await the birth of a new society

one full of people living into the truth and reality of God's kingdom

here on earth.

Those ten words,

Mary had borne a son and they named him Jesus,

are the turning point

the birth space 

the groaning of an entire universe

changing.

Ten words hold so much in them.

Thousands of years have not changed this reality.

The coming of the Birth of the Messiah

is the beginning of a new world.

One in which love is the true force

one in which the light of the world can be seen.

We are here together this morning

giving substance to this reality.

Even if we were not here,

the truth would remain.

But since we are here,

we are the candles which show forth God's light

we are the carriers of this Good News.

We await a baby. 

Yes.

We await the Messiah.

Yes.

We await the coming of God's kingdom.

Yes.

We await a whole new world.

Yes.

And its all already here.

Here and now.

Giving birth is not an easy task.

Not one for the faint of heart.

It wasn't easy for Mary.

It wasn't easy for God 

to give self up to become human

to suffer the way we do.

The blessing God gives to us 

changes everything.

We are blessed with a savior 

who cares about us

who watches out for us

who is with us

all the time.

Emmanuel,

God is with us.

Over and over again later in the Gospel stories,

Jesus tells his disciples to keep watch

because they do not know when Jesus will come again,

they do not know when the world will change.

We do not know when,

but we do know it is coming

and it may happen as simply 

and as momentously as Matthew writes it. 

Mary had borne a son and they named him Jesus.

Wait and watch

for the birth is coming.

Amen.