“Where are We Going?”
a condensed version of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Sunday, December 26, 2004 at St. Matthew United Church of Christ, Wheaton, Illinois

(Voice simulation of an overhead microphone)

. . . And in the unlikely event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop down from the ceiling. Please secure your oxygen mask first and then help infants and children to put their mask on. Thank you. . . Good morning ladies and gentlemen. This is the captain speaking. We anticipate our arrival time to be as scheduled. When we reach altitude I'll turn off the fasten safety belts light and you'll be able to move about the cabin. But please remember that while in your seat to keep that safety belt fastened. We hope you enjoy your flight to Egypt. This is your captain -- flying with Pontius the Pilot.

Yesterday was the celebration. Jesus is born! The angels announced it. The shepherds came and praised him. The savior is come into the world.

And today everything is different.

Today Mary and Joseph and Jesus have to flee to Egypt of Jesus will be killed by the tricked, angered and "afraid for his title" Herod. The family fled. Herod killed all the children two years or younger in Bethlehem.

Do you know that often this Passage is broken into two when it's listed in church bulletins? It stops after verse 15 and then picks up again at verse 20. The part where Herod kills the children is gone.

Why take it out? Because it takes the joy out of the Christmas story. It's much easier to turn the flight to Egypt into a vacation for the future king.

And the flight to Egypt wasn't a vacation.

The "slaughter of the innocents" reminds us that Jesus didn't enter a world that welcomed him in any way. There is no sparkling tree or family gathering to sing carols. As a matter of fact, even before the flight to Egypt there is rejection. How about the birth of Jesus? It's easy to remember with joy the birth of Jesus in a stable, "because there was no room for them in the inn." But why was there no room. Wasn't this the census? Don't you think Joseph had some family -- everywhere -- in Bethlehem? But no one would take he and his pregnant fiancé in. I think Joseph's family had rejected him because of Mary being pregnant.

Jesus is the outcast. Jesus is the homeless. Jesus is the nobody everyone turns away from.

Jesus is the person voted "least likely to succeed". Jesus is the annoying neighbor who plays their music too loud. Jesus is all those people who make your skin crawl.

Jesus is our savior. Not just the savior of the ones who dress right and who have everything they need. Not just for the ones who regularly attend church and Sunday school. Not just for the ones who keep their yards well-kept and their children's faces clean. Jesus came for everyone. Whenever Jesus seemed to be limiting the good news, it was at the expense of the ones who called themselves followers of God. Jesus reached out to the outcast, the homeless and the nobodies.

But I'm moving too far ahead in Jesus' story.

We're still on the flight to Egypt. Joseph followed where God directed. The Magi followed where God directed and went home without re-visiting Herod. They went where God directed.

So that brings up a new question for us. Where are WE going?

And how do we know where it is we are supposed to go. If someone got up and said "I had a dream last night and God told me that we needed to . . . " I think the rest of us would either start to laugh or pay that person no mind as we got to the discussions about the direction St. Matthew should be headed.

I'm not gonna tell us where to go today. I don’t know any better than anyone else here. But I can offer advice on how to trust that where we are going is where God wants us to go.

Does it make sense with the character of God's teachings?

For instance. Jesus called the two most important commandments this:

"Love the Lord your God with all your soul and strength and mind -- and love your neighbor as yourself."

Does where we are going make sense with that?

Our reading from Psalm 148 this morning is a call for all the inhabitants of the earth to Praise God. It’s a celebration of God.

Does where we are going make sense with that?

In Galatians 3:28 we read There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

Does where we are going make sense with that?

Titus 2:11-13 says ¹¹For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. ¹²And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, ¹³while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.

Does where we are going make sense with that?

Jesus is the outcast. Jesus is the homeless. Jesus is the nobody everyone turns away from.

Jesus is the person voted "least likely to succeed". Jesus is the annoying neighbor who plays their music too loud. Jesus is all those people who make your skin crawl.

Where are we going?