Escape for Family

Faith in Action

The Early Church Proclaims Faith in Christ

Faithful Seekers of the King

Matthew 2:13-18 The Message

13 After the scholars were gone, God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream and commanded, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.”
14-15 Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother under cover of darkness. They were out of town and well on their way by daylight. They lived in Egypt until Herod’s death. This Egyptian exile fulfilled what Hosea had preached: “I called my son out of Egypt.”
16-18 Herod, when he realized that the scholars had tricked him, flew into a rage. He commanded the murder of every little boy two years old and under who lived in Bethlehem and its surrounding hills. (He determined that age from information he’d gotten from the scholars.) That’s when Jeremiah’s sermon was fulfilled:
A sound was heard in Ramah,
    weeping and much lament.
Rachel weeping for her children,
    Rachel refusing all solace,
Her children gone,
    dead and buried.

For Reflection

To what lengths will those who are threatened by the meaning of Christmas go to eradicate the truth?  Here we have played out a major theme of the Gospel. To the Roman conquerors, peace was achieved through violent control of wealth, governance and religion.  To God, the freedom to choose and non-violent compassion of one for another in the likeness of God's love and compassion for humanity was the key to peace. Whom do you choose to follow in a quest for peace?

Pray

Pray so that you will have the promise of God's peace and rest.  Pray for the eternal peace that is illustrated in the life and ministry of Christ.

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