January 2018 Pastor's Letter

" . . . behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said . . . "
Matthew 2:13 NRSV

Epiphany is the season of the church year emphasizing the revealing of the nature of Christ as God's Son and His identity as the Savior of all mankind. The liturgical observance usually centers around the visit of Magi, strange visitors from a faraway country, recorded in Matthew 2:1-12, who occupy a special place at the center of the story of angels and shepherds adoring Mary's child, the Promised One of Israel.

But there is another meaning to epiphany which describes it in personal terms as "a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience." This definition fits well with the portrayal of Joseph in the book of Matthew.

 Joseph is a powerful witness to the nature of Christ who stands in the shadows hovering  protectively over Mary and Jesus. Beyond the glitter of wise men's gold and the kneeling shepherds we see Joseph, the one chosen by God to exert a quiet but profound influence upon Jesus. Joseph doesn't speak in the nativity narratives, he simply adds dignity and honor to the story by his love and commitment to Mary and Jesus. It is easy to ignore him.

Matthew found a way to give depth to Joseph by recording the angelic visits Joseph experienced. Gabriel had met openly with Zechariah in the temple and Mary in her home according to Luke. But the unnamed angel who communed with Joseph invaded his dreams - dreams which certainly reflected his wrestling with the predicament in which he found himself: betrothed to a pregnant fiancé and father to a Child like none other ever born.

The angelic visitations during his dreams highlight Joseph's epiphany - his awareness of God's presence in his life. Zechariah and Mary had Elizabeth to turn to (and Elizabeth is a character also worthy of study), but Joseph was comforted only by the faith he embraced as a devout Jew. When he awoke from his dreams I have no doubt he thought of Genesis 28:10-17 where Jacob dreamed of a ladder stretching from earth to heaven with every rung seemingly occupied by an angel. In that dream Jacob received the promise, "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go . . . " (28:15a). In each instance of angelic visitation Joseph needed and received assurance of God's presence as he faced new and unexpected circumstances. He accepted those promises without hesitation and according to Matthew 1:24 and 2:14 he immediately acted upon them.

The promise of Epiphany is that we can have our own "epiphanies" of God's presence in Christ. We will not be abandoned to our fears or uncertainty. Through the Holy Spirit God still speaks to us to bring courage and consolation and counsel. The Spirit has even been known to be accompanied by angelic activity (Acts 5:19; 8:26; 12:7) and to give direction in dreams (Acts 2:17). There is never a question in Scripture that God is active in the lives of His children. May 2018 be a year of dreams which bless us all. Amen.

Dr. Phil