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As we gather
on this the last Sunday of Advent, we come believing
that God is able to use each one of us to advance God’s
mission and Jesus’ ministry in our time and place. God
is able to use each and every one of us. God has a long
history of choosing ordinary people just like us for
extraordinary tasks. In fact, there have been times
when God’s choose what appeared to be the lease likely
candidate to carry forth God’s plan for humanity.
The reason
we celebrate Christmas is that God choose to act in a
way that took the world by surprise. At a time when no
one expected anything out of the ordinary to occur God
invaded our world by sending Jesus. Not every one was
privileged to this information only a select few, Mary
and Joseph, some nobody shepherds and later foreign
magi. The people you might have thought would have
known about Jesus’ birth were quite literally left in
the dark. They missed out on the miracle of Jesus’
birth. We come this day to seize the opportunity to be
part of God’s plan. We do not want to miss out because
we are preoccupied with other matters.
Joseph was
an average--ordinary man, a carpenter by trade. He took
pride in his work, and enjoyed working with his hands.
Joseph was the strong silent type, who went about his
business day in and day out without much fanfare. He
was a good, solid, hard working man. If you were
looking for someone exciting to liven up your Christmas
party Joseph would probably be overlooked. More
importantly Joseph was a person of great faith, who
sought God’s will for his life. The Bible labels him as
a righteous man. When you think of Joseph who do you
see? Do you know anyone who fits Joseph’s description?
A wedding
would soon take place. Joseph was engaged to a young
woman named Mary. I’ve always pictured Mary and Joseph
being very much in love. Maybe in the back of Joseph’s
carpenter shop was a scrap of wood where he etched the
number of days until they would be married. Usually I
can sense the anticipation and excitement as couples
plan their wedding. It would be a cause for alarm if
couples were not looking forward to the day they will
tie the knot. Everything was going as planned for Mary
and Joseph that is until God intervened.
One day
Mary had something very important to tell Joseph—that
she was with child. This news would turn his world
upside down. While she knew she had to tell him, she
might have been unsure exactly how to tell him. She
might have hoped or expected that Joseph would believe
what she told him, that God chose her to be the mother
of Jesus, but she also knew it was certainly out of the
ordinary. Mary told of being visited by an angel and
being told that her baby would be special—would be the
Son of God. Mary hoped that her beloved would believe
her and that everything would be all right. She waited
for Joseph’s reaction to her news. How might you have
reacted?
Besides being hard working Joseph was also a realist,
who viewed the world in black and white terms. Mary’s
news seemed both improbable and impossible. Who had
ever heard of such a thing? What Mary told him broke
his heart and he had trouble accepting her story. Mary
might have left with tears running down her cheeks. It
would not be an exaggeration to say that there
relationship and pending marriage was in serious
jeopardy.
Joseph
would need some time to think things through; he
probably was not good at making snap decisions. He did
not want to make a decision too quickly that could have
serious consequences on Mary. Physical harm could come
to her. After much thought Joseph decided to quietly
break their engagement to save Mary from public
disgrace. In his heart he felt that was the best thing
to do considering the situation. Joseph might have
experienced a couple of sleepless nights to arrive at
his decision. He could not get Mary’s words out of his
mind. How could she do such a thing? Having made up
his mind Joseph was finally able to sleep.
While
asleep an angel spoke to Joseph in a dream. “Joseph,
son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take
Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is
from the Holy Spirit.” Further Joseph would have the
responsibility of naming the child, Jesus. When Joseph
woke up the next morning he believed Mary and would do
as he was instructed, he would marry Mary, name the baby
Jesus, and raise him as his own son. Remember that
Joseph was a righteous man.
Early the
next morning after such a vivid dream, Joseph runs over
to Mary’s house. He knocks on the door; Mary’s father
opens the door still half asleep. Joseph tells Mary’s
father that he must speak with her. Mary is standing
behind her father, listening to every word of the
conversation. She takes one look at Joseph and realizes
that everything will be all right. The wedding was back
on--Joseph would marry Mary.
Joseph was able to put aside his pride in order to honor
God. His actions ultimately honored God. Both Mary and
Joseph were obedient, allowing themselves to be used by
God to further God’s plan of salvation.
Joseph had a vital role to play. He would become the
earthy father of the Son of God. Joseph was a son of
Abraham and a descendent of David. He would name the
baby Jesus, which means “God saves” and also “Emmanuel”
which means, God is with us. The message of Jesus’
symbolic name is not that God is everywhere, even though
that is true, but that God is here with us. Joseph was
a good, solid man, a righteous man who sought God’s will
for his life. Joseph was open to the possibilities God
set before him.
When I look at Christmas cards and manger scenes I see
Joseph standing amidst the action, next to Mary. He
stands in amazement of God has done—giving his Son as a
gift to the world. Joseph stands there at a lost for
words, in fact not one word is recorded in scripture of
anything Joseph said. Joseph is the strong, silent type
who opened himself to be used mightily by God.
Late on Christmas Day the Lawder family gathers. There
is one more gift to open, and it’s the one they
anticipate most every year, a plain white envelope. The
daughter-in-law reads the note inside the envelope that
says that their parents have supported a local health
clinic in the children’s honor. Everyone similes, some
with tears streaming down their faces. “It’s the best
part of the holiday,” Ben claims.
“Our parents raised us to believe that giving back is
important,” says another son. “We worked at soup
kitchens and we always had people over for Christmas
dinner who had nowhere else to go.” The children now in
the twenties continue the tradition by supporting Heifer
International, to provide milk for a third-world
village, helped refurbish a Katrina victim’s house, and
bought ornaments for the church, all in honor of their
parents. Of this yearly tradition their mother says,
“My sons love seeing how they can make me cry each
year.” She remembers how her sons helped a single mother
and her children. “They wanted this family to have the
kind of day we have,” she says. (1) Instead of viewing
Christmas in selfish, self centered terms this family
along with others helps people who need it the most.
We do not try to manufacture miracles under our own
power, but rather allow God to use us and be a part of
Gods miracle. That was what Joseph did. Our Advent
journey is coming to an end. We are within sight of our
destination—Bethlehem.
Amen
1. “The Best Gift of
All” Sally Stich, Womenday.com December 4, 2007, pp.
54.57
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