“God is with Us”
December 19, 2022 at 4:49 a.m.
Think for a moment about the birth of Jesus. We all know the story, no room at the inn, born in a stable without much fanfare or many people around, with the exception of some shepherds and of course Mary and Joseph. But what about the story before the birth, what do we remember about that and what does it mean?
This weekend as we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent our Gospel reading from Matthew chapter 1 verses 18-24 speaks about the circumstances and story before the birth. The Gospel really focuses on Joseph in these verses and his response to the circumstances he finds himself in.
As we read the Gospel we hear that Mary was to marry Joseph, but before they lived together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Back at this time, according to Jewish law, being pregnant before you were married would find you guilty of adultery and could be punishable by death, not to mention the shame brought on the woman. The Gospel tells us that Joseph being a righteous man and unwilling to have Mary be exposed to shame and the law decides to divorce her quietly. And that was the plan until….
Joseph has a dream, and in that dream an Angel of the Lord appears to him and explains how Mary is with child by the Holy Spirit and that he needs to take Mary as his wife into his home. He explains that the child will be named Jesus and that he will save his people from their sins.
I don’t know about all of you, but I am not sure I would have reacted and acted the way Joseph did, I probably would have been afraid. But Joseph, believes and listens. He wakes up after this dream and does what the angel has commanded.
Joseph is a role model for us all, his faith and obedience and trust in God are second to none. His selflessness and faith and courage to do what is right leads to an infant being born who quite literally changes the world. We are called to be like Joseph, to look beyond our own understanding and knowledge, indeed our own feelings and fears and say yes to our God and accept all that He asks and offers us. We are called to have belief even in what is unsurmountable circumstances. Why? Because God is always with us.I have always believed that it is not enough to say “I believe” we must back that belief up with our actions. This Advent let us all have courage and take a leap of action and move closer to something we may not fully understand. “Emmanuel; God is with us, do not be afraid.”
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Think for a moment about the birth of Jesus. We all know the story, no room at the inn, born in a stable without much fanfare or many people around, with the exception of some shepherds and of course Mary and Joseph. But what about the story before the birth, what do we remember about that and what does it mean?
This weekend as we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent our Gospel reading from Matthew chapter 1 verses 18-24 speaks about the circumstances and story before the birth. The Gospel really focuses on Joseph in these verses and his response to the circumstances he finds himself in.
As we read the Gospel we hear that Mary was to marry Joseph, but before they lived together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Back at this time, according to Jewish law, being pregnant before you were married would find you guilty of adultery and could be punishable by death, not to mention the shame brought on the woman. The Gospel tells us that Joseph being a righteous man and unwilling to have Mary be exposed to shame and the law decides to divorce her quietly. And that was the plan until….
Joseph has a dream, and in that dream an Angel of the Lord appears to him and explains how Mary is with child by the Holy Spirit and that he needs to take Mary as his wife into his home. He explains that the child will be named Jesus and that he will save his people from their sins.
I don’t know about all of you, but I am not sure I would have reacted and acted the way Joseph did, I probably would have been afraid. But Joseph, believes and listens. He wakes up after this dream and does what the angel has commanded.
Joseph is a role model for us all, his faith and obedience and trust in God are second to none. His selflessness and faith and courage to do what is right leads to an infant being born who quite literally changes the world. We are called to be like Joseph, to look beyond our own understanding and knowledge, indeed our own feelings and fears and say yes to our God and accept all that He asks and offers us. We are called to have belief even in what is unsurmountable circumstances. Why? Because God is always with us.I have always believed that it is not enough to say “I believe” we must back that belief up with our actions. This Advent let us all have courage and take a leap of action and move closer to something we may not fully understand. “Emmanuel; God is with us, do not be afraid.”