We will soon be hearing some very familiar phrases. “A decree went out from Caesar Augustus.” “All were proceeding to register for the census.” “Jesus was born… in the days of Herod the king.” “Where is He… born King of the Jews?” These phrases may all be familiar to us – they are also very political. Hauerwas and Willimon insist that Christianity is mostly a matter of politics. This is nothing new, every year these readings remind us that this is a political situation. Hauerwas and Willimon go on to say that “the challenge of Jesus is the political dilemma of how to be faithful to a strange community, which is shaped by a story of how God is with us.”
Long before Caesar decreed, Isaiah preached. Isaiah’s sermon is as political as Caesar’s decree. This is a war-time sermon. Judah was about to be attacked from three sides. The future of the nation was threatened and his congregation was full of some who trusted the promises of God without regard for their own behavior. And others who had no apparent confidence in the promises of God at all. King Ahaz appeared to be in this second group since he attempted to save Judah by sending an enormous gift to Assyria.
Isaiah preached an alternative response. He believed the promises of God and preached of a child “Immanuel” who would be born as a sign that “God is with us.” It is of interest that by the time the child is old enough to make decisions, the present crisis will no longer be a crisis, the threat will be no more. It is of further interest that the nation survives the threat. What seems to be an overwhelming threat today may not even be a mild concern tomorrow. What would have been impossible by human effort was obviously well within the power of God.
In the Gospel of Matthew, this verse takes on even greater significance. Matthew announces that a child will be born. His name will be called “Immanuel” and he will be a sign that “God is with us.” The message of Isaiah and of Matthew remind us that God is capable of a miracle.
Every Christmas, John Lennon sings “war is over” but it is untrue. Advent may instead be the reminder that war is on. Christmas is less like Lennon’s song for peace and more like Lewis’s campaign of sabotage.
C. S. Lewis claims that the universe is at war. “A civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel. Enemy-occupied territory – that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.”
We find ourselves in the town square singing around a Christmas tree. And we sing words of sabotage. “Glory to the new-born King.” “Let earth receive her King.” “Come adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord the newborn King.” These are political songs, for political times. We are part of a political story. It is not only political – but it is always political. We sing that the rightful King has landed. We participate in sabotage at the square.
Isaiah reminds us that God (not nations, not armies, not politicians) rules the world. And that God is with us. Hauerwas and Willimon remind us that faithfulness is a political challenge. And that God is with us. Lewis reminds us that the rightful King has landed. And we sing glory to the King. For God is with us. And we open Matthew’s Gospel and find “that all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled” For God is with us.
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