Good morning my dear “Walking with Jesus” friends on this very special weekend of transition.
In these two days we’ll walk to the finish line of the tumultuous year 2022 and we’ll step across the threshold into the new year of 2023. Are you ready? Only God can see the future, so only God knows exactly what this weekend will hold for each of us. Beyond that, of course, only God knows what 2023 will be for you and me!
Yesterday I left you in a precarious moment in history. A Magi caravan was slowly making their way back home to a far distant land east of Israel. Their mission, of following a phenomenon in the sky, had been successful. They had found the newborn King of the Jews, not in Jerusalem in the palace, but in Bethlehem! Joseph and Mary were amazed at the gifts left behind by those Magi and as they settled down for the night, they had no idea that trouble was brewing in Jerusalem, only a few miles to the north. An angry King Herod was beside himself. Those Magi had left town without sending any word back to Herod about what they found in their search for the newborn King. In his panic and paranoia, Herod responded by declaring a horrific slaughter in Bethlehem! Soldiers were being called in and given their bloody, terrible instructions.
In heaven, God was giving instructions to an angel and as Joseph fell asleep that night, that angel left heaven, came to Bethlehem and entered Joseph’s dream. The message the angel delivered shocked Joseph awake, out of his slumber: “Get up! Take the child and His mother and flee, escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill Him.” (Matt. 2:13)
I wonder if you’ve ever had a nightmare so terrifying you awakened in a cold sweat, maybe trembling? That was Joseph’s experience! He wasted no time. He was wide awake! The message was clear and urgent. Joseph awakened Mary, they quickly gathered all their things, including those precious Magi gifts, and in the dark of that night they headed out of Bethlehem, and of course Mary had little Jesus in her arms! Perhaps Joseph led a donkey pulling a small cart that he had made for his carpentry business. I can imagine that cart was piled high with the few belongings Joseph had made or they had acquired over the several months they had lived in Bethlehem.
Once out of town, the road would have been engulfed in the blackness of night. Was there a moon, even a sliver of a moon? As far as I know neither Joseph nor Mary had ever been to Egypt and the journey from Bethlehem, along the coast road of the Mediterranean through the northern part of the Sinai desert, may well have been more than 200 miles!
Sometimes when we read these familiar Bible stories, we minimize the harsh reality of what was really happening, don’t we? 200 miles on foot would take them more than a week’s time. All the while every step was new territory for them, and I wonder if the harshness of that desert road caused them to begin not only to doubt but perhaps even to fear the future?
How often did they pause and turn around to look back toward Israel. Nothing looked familiar no matter which direction they looked. More and more the languages they heard people speaking on the road were unknown to them. I’m sure it impacted them deeply… they were refugees, fleeing a desperate situation. They had no idea what was ahead on this road they traveled. They knew no one in Egypt. They did not know the language or customs or culture of the Egyptians. They knew the history of Israel. Centuries ago, their ancestors had been slaves in Egypt for a very, very long time. Do you suppose they allowed themselves to consider that maybe, just maybe, they too would find themselves living as refugee slaves just to survive in Egypt?
Here we are on the threshold of a new year. As you look around this weekend, no matter where you live, do you sometimes feel like a refugee, an alien, a stranger in your own country? Has the world around you changed so much in recent years that few things seem recognizable or familiar anymore? Honestly now, as you look ahead over the threshold into 2023 are you anxious, worried maybe even fearful about what this next year may bring into your life?
Let’s walk along with Joseph and Mary. Take hold of the bridle of the donkey for a while and lead the donkey as it pulls that overloaded cart. From your life experience, what words of hope and assurance can you give this young couple walking toward the unknown? What words of wisdom can you offer yourself as the hours pass and 2023 approaches with all its unknown?
Friends, I suggest to you that what Joseph and Mary were facing and experiencing is almost identical to what you and I are facing and experiencing. Both they and we have these guarantees from God, the Creator of all things including we human beings:
* Almighty God is Omniscient and knows everything through all time, thus 2023 and beyond is as clear in the mind of God as if it was all happening right this minute! NOTHING about the future is unknown to God, nothing!
* Almighty God is OMNIPOTENT. His power knows no limit, no restriction. NOTHING in 2023 or beyond is a challenge to God’s power, nothing!
* Almighty God is OMNIPRESENT. There is no place in our Universe that God is not there, at all times! (Psalm 139)
* God is SOVEREIGN over all things at all times in all places, and He fits ALL things into His ultimate, eternal Purpose for His glory (Romans 8:28) and the overall accomplishment of His eternal Plan. (Ephesians 1:11,12)
Now, Joseph and Mary were walking a new road into an unknown future only because an angel from God had given them that instruction. But because of that angelic guidance, I believe they were confident God would be with them, watch over them, guide them, provide for them, protect them and when finally, it was safe to return to Israel, God would send them word and lead them back, perhaps on this very same road, toward their future in Israel.
Now, my friends, how does that compare to the confidence you have of God’s Presence with you, God’s watch care over you, God’s provision and protection for you in 2023 which is awaiting you? If you have trusted Jesus Christ to be your Savior, as I have, then you have the Holy Spirit of God living within you, as I do, and that my friends is God’s assurance that He will be with us every moment of every day of 2023.
Do you believe that?
Let’s pause right here… looking down the road into the unknown of the new year ahead of us. Do you FULLY trust Jesus to lead you through this next year? Do you believe God will allow you to face some situations which will stretch your faith, your identity and your life purpose, just as God allowed Joseph and Mary to face? Are you ready for a year of great spiritual growth? I suggest you and I both find some special time this weekend to recommit ourselves to Jesus and His sovereignty in our lives. Then let’s step across into 2023 fully trusting Him and anticipating it’s going to be a great adventure! I look forward to walking the ’23 journey together with you and Jesus!
Here’s a great song to lead us with Jesus into the year 2023 my friends. . .
Today’s Scripture is Matthew 2:12-18.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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