Middletown United Methodist Church

Paul ended up in an unexpected place, flat of his back in the middle of the road hearing the voice of God. He never expected to hear Christ calling him to be a follow. Paul had invested his life in stopping The Way by persecuting Christians and now he was called to be one. Sometimes when we end up in an unexpected place we have to change.

Unexpected places causes us to change our attitude, our worldview, and often our commitment to Christ.

Sometimes we end up in unexpected places because of poor decisions on our part. David found himself in an unexpected place after several poor decisions regarding Bathsheba. When we make or are about to make bad decisions, we need a Nathan. We need friend who won’t wag their finger in our face in judgement. We need a friend who doesn’t enjoy telling us we have messed up, but can still look us in the eye and speak truth to us.

Like David, we must take advantage of opportunities.

When life ends up in an unexpected place we must take advantage of the opportunities which are there. Young David thought he was just taking food to his older brothers who were soldiers on the battle front. Israel was in a forty-day standoff with the Philistines because no one would fight Goliath.

David had protected his sheep from wild beast with his sling and a stone. He thought he could defeat Goliath. An opportunity presented itself and David stepped into it. He gained the respect of the King and army and sit himself on the path to becoming king.

Like David, we must take advantage of opportunities.

When life ends up in an unexpected place we must take advantage of the opportunities which are there. Young David thought he was just taking food to his older brothers who were soldiers on the battle front. Israel was in a forty-day standoff with the Philistines because no one would fight Goliath.

David had protected his sheep from wild beast with his sling and a stone. He thought he could defeat Goliath. An opportunity presented itself and David stepped into it. He gained the respect of the King and army and sit himself on the path to becoming king.

When we end up in an unexpected place because of someone else’s actions we can become angry and resentful. Joseph ended up in an unexpected place, actually more than one. First sold into slavery by his brothers. Second in prison after having been wrongly accused by the Potiphar’s wife.

When we end up in unexpected places because of someone’s else’s action we must be willing to forgive. Withholding forgiveness is more dangerous to us than the other person. It will cause our anger and resentment to consume us. Anger and resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die. It has been said, “Anger is the acid than can harm the vessel in which it is stored even more than the person on whom it is poured.”

Forgiveness is about freeing ourselves from the bondage of anger and resentment so we can live our life with joy and a future.

When we end up in an unexpected place because of someone else’s actions we can become angry and resentful. Joseph ended up in an unexpected place, actually more than one. First sold into slavery by his brothers. Second in prison after having been wrongly accused by the Potiphar’s wife.

When we end up in unexpected places because of someone’s else’s action we must be willing to forgive. Withholding forgiveness is more dangerous to us than the other person. It will cause our anger and resentment to consume us. Anger and resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die. It has been said, “Anger is the acid than can harm the vessel in which it is stored even more than the person on whom it is poured.”

Forgiveness is about freeing ourselves from the bondage of anger and resentment so we can live our life with joy and a future.

The Flight into Egypt is a story recounted in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:13–23) and in New Testament apocrypha. Soon after the visit by the Magi, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus since King Herod would seek the child to kill him. The episode is frequently shown in art, as the final episode of the Nativity of Jesus in art, and was a common component in cycles of the Life of the Virgin as well as the Life of Christ. Within the narrative tradition, iconic representation of the “Rest on the Flight into Egypt” developed after the 14th century.

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “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. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:“ Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and they shall name him Emmanuel, ”which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “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. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:“ Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and they shall name him Emmanuel, ”which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Matthew 11:2-11 (NRSV)

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.