Flight to Egypt
Matthew 2:13-18
One mother says that she is always sorry when Christmas is over because she knows that after her family has hung up their stockings on Christmas Eve it will be a whole year before any one of them will hang up anything again.
After Christmas, Lucy mutters, "Rats! Phooey! Everything is hopeless! Who cares?”
Charlie Brown asks, "Lucy, what in the world is the matter with you?"
Again she shouts "Rats Phooey!" The last cartoon shows her walking away only to turn and drop a casual comment to the puzzled Charlie Brown. "Of course you realize," she says, "that I'm experiencing my regular post-Christmas letdown."
Most of us are sad to see Christmas pass. I hope this was the best Christmas ever at your house.
Brenda Roberts of Stone Mountain, Georgia is a Sunday School teacher. She was reading the story of Jesus's birth to her day-care children one morning. As usual, she stopped to see if they understood. "What do we call the three wise men?" she asked.
"The three maggots," replied the bright 5-year old. “What gifts did the Magi bring baby Jesus?" the teacher corrected.
"Gold, frankensteins and smurfs!" the same 5-year old replied.
Our Scripture lesson today contains no frankensteins and smurfs, unless you want to associate King Herod with Frankenstein's monster. It would not be an inaccurate association.
Immediately following the visit of the Magi, Joseph was warned in a dream that Herod was about to search for the child, to destroy him. With this warning in mind, Joseph took Mary and the infant Jesus and fled into Egypt while Herod, in a rage of fear and envy, slaughtered all the male children in Bethlehem two years and younger. What a horrible conclusion to this beautiful Christmas story, the slaughter of the innocents. That is the way life is but do believe it can be different?
Questions to Ponder
Do you think everything is hopeless?
Are you having a post Christmas letdown?
Do you believe that life can be different?
In His Service,
Terry Phillips
