Christmas 1 – Out of Egypt, Into Hope

Out of Egypt, Into Hope

A Short Reflection based on Matthew 2:13-23 and Isaiah 63:7-9

The Christmas lights have barely dimmed before the gospel reading takes a sharp turn. The baby Jesus, just adored by shepherds and angels, is suddenly a refugee – his family fleeing violence, their future uncertain. This isn't just a twist in the story. It's a statement about who God is.

Isaiah, too, speaks to a broken people. The Israelites have returned from exile expecting joy, only to find ruins. Yet Isaiah reminds them of a deeper truth: “In all their distress, God too was distressed.” God has been with them before. God is still with them now.

This is not the kind of faith that ignores pain. It’s the kind that stares it down and says: God is here.

Matthew weaves the story of Jesus with the history of Israel. Out of Egypt, into Nazareth, Jesus embodies the story of a people shaped by struggle and sustained by hope. He doesn’t avoid suffering – he enters it. And in doing so, he transforms it.

These readings remind us that God is not distant in our hard seasons. God is in the detours, the grief, the waiting, and the rebuilding. We may not always feel it, but we are never alone.

God walks with us through every exile and return.

Our stories of past deliverance fuel our hope for today.

Ngā mihi
Philip

p.s. Worship leaders: You can buy a complete Order of Service and Sermon based on these readings here: https://philipgarsidebooks.com/products/worship-at-hand-christmas-1-28-december-2025