CHRISTMAS 2017

Mathew 1:18-25 (Joseph) Luke 1:26-56( Mary and Elizabeth) Both Mary and Joseph it seems were descended from David Joseph, was engaged to Mary and she was pregnant We are told that he was a righteous man. (That is what God said about him) He considered putting her away secretly. This would have been merciful as he could have had her put to death (Remember the woman caught in adultery. She could be stoned to death) Joseph did as he was told and I think that took courage Can you imagine the gossip? Joseph, why are you marrying her? Have her put to death and get a much better righteous wife. I expect he had to bear the jibes as she would. He stood by her I also think Mary would have been afraid of what Joseph would do and what society around her would say and do. We tend to read the story of the angel appearing to Mary and telling her she would bare a child and we have reduced it to a nativity play that is like a Christmas card, it is all sweet and lovely. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TERRIFYING FOR HER. WHAT SHE DID WAS SUBMIT TO GODS WILL All this had been revealed by Isaiah Isaiah7:14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Have you ever felt that you are doing Gods will, but you are afraid? I think that is how both of them were. To put is a good scots way, ABSOLUTELY BRICKING IT. We are not told anything about their families. She went to see her cousin Elizabeth. This would be out of the ordinary because,… • She was a much older woman and her husband was a priest • Elizabeth was legitimately pregnant whereas, by human terms, Mary wasn't • She was the wife of a priest and should disapprove of Mary's state However, this was no casual visit. Mary stayed with her for three months. Can you imagine the conversations they would have had about both of their forth coming children? Elizabeth would say, Zachariah saw an Angel and he could not believe what he was told and now he cannot speak until the baby is born. I am calling him John for the angel told him to call him John even though there is no one else in the family called that. Mary, Oh is that so, well, I saw the angel and I am calling mine Jesus. There is no one else in the family called that, but I am just doing as I am told. At least you can tell people your husband is the boy’s father. I dread going out for they must all be wondering. Both of my nieces were pregnant at the same time and one day as one of them was struggling to get her shoes on she said to her sister, Carolyn, do you find it hard to get your shoes on? These two ladies were in a similar situation as the boys would only have been up to six months apart. So there we have it, four people in extra ordinary situations Zachariah stuck dumb His wife who had been barren (and thus shamed) was pregnant Joseph engaged to a pregnant woman because God told him to. Mary pregnant by the Holy Spirit and probably shunned. What would we do in their shoes, or what if we knew them? Would we welcome them? We like to think we are understanding, and welcoming people, and I trust we strive to be, but how easy is it to JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER. How well do we trust God in frightening situations? I think we become far more dependent on prayer. Desperately looking for answers. I think that it is only when we are in the situation that we find out what our relationship with God is really like. We may be found wanting. It is easy to say that we are willing to be used by God, it is quite another to actually be used by God as it usually comes with a price. Are we willing to pay the price as all of those in the Christmas story did? We are like clay, to be moulded by God in the fashion God wants. Sometimes when we are going through difficult times we may not enjoy what God does. However, like all of them, we have to submit to Gods will. In the end, we will find his way is best. (Do we really have that much confidence in God?) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.