IMMIGRANTS-THE WISEMEN

 Immigrants

The wisemen were not at Christ's birth. Matthew 2:1 - Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men "from the east" to Jerusalem. V7 - Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men (after Jesus's birth), required of them diligently what time the star appeared. V8 - And he (Herod) sent them to Bethlehem.... V9 - ...they departed, and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the child was. (The baby was now a child, no longer in the manager.) V11 - And when they were come into the house (not the manger), they saw the young child (not baby) with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshiped him... V12 The wise men were warned of God in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. V13 - And when the wisemen were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Did you ever wonder how Joseph and Mary made out in Egypt? Remember this is the land the Israelites who Joseph and Mary were both descendants of were taken captive to and in slaved. Did they know the language? Did they find a community from Judea that welcomed them? Was Joseph able to find work so that he could support his family? I am sure the LORD provided them with their needs. Joseph and Mary were immigrants in Egypt fleeing danger, unable to return home for fear that they would be killed and, more important, that Jesus would be killed. Thousands of men, women, and children each day are threatened with death, persecution or starvation and flee to other countries hoping to build a better, safer life for themselves and their families. Sometimes they find that they are welcome, but often the are turned back or sent to camps where they hope they will find the help they need.
We are all children of the one true God. We are all called to welcome the stranger as Matthew tells us in chapter 25:35. We are told that if we refuse to help those strangers, even our own brothers and sisters in Christ, we refuse Jesus. We are being asked to welcome the stranger. May we always remember that when we welcome the stranger, we will be welcomed also.

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