We Are the Ones
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
(This message was pre-recorded and sent to Blue Ocean Columbus congregants via email on Christmas Day, December 25, 2024.)
Merry Christmas, friends! I hope this message finds you warm and around whoever you call family. Today, we once again reflect on the story of the birth of Jesus, this time through the lens of the Gospel according to Matthew. We’ve already discussed Joseph during Advent, but here we encounter him during his struggle with his role in God’s plan of salvation.
While this story is usually viewed as one of obedience—Joseph following God’s call despite his fear and confusion—today, I want us to look at this passage through the lens of an empowering truth: We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. This phrase, popularized by the author Alice Walker and later set to music by Titus Burgess, is a profound reminder of our own agency and responsibility in the work of transformation. It tells us that the change we hope for and the healing we long for are not something that will come from elsewhere. They come from us, from within our communities, from within our very selves.
As progressive Christians, we know that our faith is not passive. It is a faith of action, of partnership with God in the ongoing work of creating a more just, compassionate, and loving world. The story of Joseph and the birth of Jesus invites us into this truth—that we are called to be active participants in the divine story, that we are empowered to be change agents, and that in the face of fear and uncertainty, we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
1. Joseph’s Dilemma: Fear and Uncertainty
Let’s start with Joseph. He’s facing a personal crisis. He’s engaged to Mary, and suddenly, he learns that she’s pregnant and the child isn’t his. According to the customs of the time, Joseph has every right to expose Mary publicly and allow her to be dealt with harshly under both civil and religious law. To divorce her quietly, from his perspective, is a compassionate and reasonable alternative. But in the midst of his doubt and fear, an angel appears to him in a dream, saying: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”
We have the benefit of knowing how the story ends, but from his perspective, Joseph’s world has been turned upside down, and now he’s faced with a choice. He can follow the path of fear, the path of least resistance, or he can embrace the uncertainty, trust the divine promise, and step into a future he cannot fully see. Joseph is being called to be more than he ever imagined he could be. He’s being asked to step into his role in the unfolding of God’s plan.
We know all too well what it feels like to face moments of uncertainty. The work of justice and healing in the world is filled with challenges that can overwhelm us. Whether it’s the fight for racial justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, economic equality, protecting democracy, or combating climate change, the enormity of the task can lead us to feel helpless, but the message Joseph receives is the same message we are given today: “Do not be afraid.”
2. Embracing Our Role: We’re the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For
The phrase “we’re the ones we’ve been waiting for” calls us to recognize our own agency in the world. It reminds us that we are not passive bystanders waiting for someone else to bring about change. Like Joseph, we are called to embrace our role in the story, even when it seems daunting. Joseph’s choice to trust in God’s plan—to take Mary as his wife and to embrace the child who would become the Savior—was not just an act of obedience. It was an act of courage and faith. It was Joseph stepping into the role that had been waiting for him all along.
As progressive Christians, we are often faced with the task of confronting injustice, healing wounds, and creating spaces of radical love and inclusion. We can look around at the world and think, “When will someone step in and fix this? When will things change?” But the truth is, we are the ones we’ve been waiting for. The world doesn’t need someone else to swoop in and save the day. It needs us, here and now, to step into our role as partners with God in the work of transformation.
When we think about the issues of our time—climate change, systemic racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, economic inequality—it’s easy to feel powerless. But what if, like Joseph, we choose to trust that God is working in and through us? What if we believed that, despite our fear and uncertainty, we are the ones God has called to this moment?
3. God With Us: Emmanuel as Empowerment
We’re told in today’s scripture that Jesus, the Messiah, is to be called Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” This name is a promise that God is not distant or removed from the struggles of the world. God is with us, present in our lives, in our communities, and in our work. This is the heart of the Christmas story—the radical truth that God has chosen to dwell among us, to be incarnate in the midst of our messy, complicated, and broken world.
But Emmanuel is not just a promise of comfort. It’s also a call to action. If God is truly with us, then God is with us in the work we do, in the struggles we face, and in the dreams we hold for a better world. God is not waiting for someone else to fix things. God is working through us—through our hands, our voices, our love, and our courage.
When Joseph said “yes” to the angel’s message, he wasn’t just saying yes to taking Mary as his wife. He was saying yes to partnering with God in the great work of salvation, in the story of God’s love for the world. He was stepping into his role as a caretaker and a protector. And in doing so, Joseph reminds us that we, too, are called to say yes to the work that is before us.
4. The Power of Community: We’re in This Together
As we reflect on this call, it’s important to remember that we are not in this alone. We are called to this work together. The transformative power of God is not limited to a few exceptional people; it is present in all of us, in the collective strength of our communities.
The story of Joseph and Mary is a story of partnership. Together, they face the uncertainty of their situation, and together they bring the Christ-child into the world. Their story reminds us that we are stronger when we stand together. In the work of justice, we rely on each other. We uplift one another, hold each other accountable, and draw strength from the collective wisdom and courage of our communities.
In a world that often feels divided and fractured, this reminder is especially important. The work of healing, justice, and love is not something any one of us can do alone. But together, empowered by the presence of God with us, we can be the ones who bring about the change we long to see. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for—not as isolated individuals but as a community bound together by love, justice, and a shared commitment to God’s vision for the world.
5. Hope in the Unfolding Story
Finally, the story of Joseph reminds us that the work we are called to do is part of a larger, unfolding story. Joseph didn’t know how everything would turn out. He couldn’t have imagined the full impact of his decision to take Mary as his wife or to raise Jesus as his son. But he trusted that God was at work in ways he couldn’t yet see.
In the same way, we may not always see the immediate fruits of our labor. The work of justice can be slow, and sometimes it feels like we are taking two steps forward and one step back. But we are part of something bigger than ourselves. We are part of God’s ongoing story of love and redemption in the world. Each act of love, each step toward justice, each moment of courage adds to the unfolding narrative of God’s reign of peace and compassion.
Conclusion: Stepping into Our Call
As we reflect on the story of Joseph and the birth of Jesus, let us hear the call to embrace our role in God’s unfolding story. Let us trust that we are the ones we’ve been waiting for—not because we are perfect, but because God is with us, empowering us, and calling us to act.
In the face of uncertainty, let us remember that we are called to be agents of change, to step into the work of justice and healing with courage and faith. And let us do this work together, as a community bound by love, knowing that God’s presence is with us every step of the way.
Amen.
(Note - Like with most of my messages, the text above might differ a bit from what I said in the recording.)