This morning, we are in the fourth week of an Advent series that will draw its themes from the four Advent candles: Hope, peace, joy, and faith. This morning, we will look at the faith that Jesus gives us. Let’s begin by reading Matthew’s account of the Christmas story.
Matthew 1:18-25 - This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered 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 home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us." 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 2:1-6 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 6 "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"
Next Sunday is Christmas, and Christmas is of course famous for two competing, hard-to-believe narratives that bring a lot of joy and wonder to many. The first narrative is about Santa Claus, a large man who lives year-round at the North Pole with his wife and a number of elves. Every Christmas Eve, so the story goes, he gets on his sleigh, pulled by 8 flying reindeer, and goes around the world delivering toys to boys and girls by sliding down their chimneys. The second narrative is about a baby who, as we just read, was born to a virgin teenager in a stable or cave, surrounded by animals, visited by shepherds and Magi. And oh, did I mention that this baby was God in human form, come to save humanity from their sins and to reconcile them to a right relationship with God.
