It’s time to read the Christmas story and I usually read the story from Luke. It’s familiar to us, and it has a real beauty to it. But, check out Joseph’s perspective from the book of Matthew.
Jesus is unexpected. Jesus is not the result of any human initiative. Nobody thought Jesus up. God took the initiative completely to bring about the birth of Jesus Christ to save his people from their sins .Jesus has been surprising people ever since. He was unexpected, and he continues to show up unexpectedly in people’s lives even today. I love when Jesus shows up unexpectedly, as he has in many of our lives. We weren’t looking for him. He hadn’t even crossed our minds. But then, through the strangest of circumstances, God shows up in the middle of our lives. Jesus’ birth was miraculous. God did the impossible, just like he brings about a salvation that we can’t achieve ourselves. Then the angel says that Jesus’ name is Emmanuel, which means God-with-us. You may be tempted to say, “God, you have no idea what I’m going through. You have no idea how bad I’m hurting.” But God can respond, “Yes, I do.” He can point to your wounds and then to his own and say. “I have entered your world, and I know how you feel. I have been there, I am with you now, I care, and I can help.” That is what Christmas is all about.
Jesus is the unexpected, miraculous with-us God.
Pastor Rowena