IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME: JOSEPH HAD A DREAM

 Note:  for a video that includes the Advent Candle writing, prayers and this message, click here:  https://youtu.be/OVM1cc_1Qng     The video will be released on Sunday, December 20, at 9:00 am EST.








Matthew 1:18-25


Well everyone needs compassion

A love that's never failing ...

… Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations 

   “Mighty to Save” by Laura Story

 

The marriage contract had been agreed upon by both Mary and Joseph’s family.  The only thing left to do was to publicly take Mary into his home.  Now, though … The law was clear.  He had no choice.  Mary had obviously committed adultery, so there was no recourse but to divorce her.  But how?  Should he publicly charge her with adultery which would lead to her stoning or should he show compassion and quietly end the marriage.  Either way, all their plans for the future were gone.

Have we ever been caught in a situation where no matter what we decided to do, it was going to be unavoidable and painful?  Or maybe we have felt trapped – trapped by the circumstances of our family of origin, held captive by our social status, our financial situation or by our past decisions.  Maybe we have felt imprisoned by the effects of the decisions of others with more power and more authority than we have.

It was no different in the world of Jesus’ birth than it is now.  Conquered by the Roman Empire and ruled by puppet kings who enforced the cruelty of their overlords, people were held captive by injustice, poverty and their own sin.

Everyone needs compassion
A love that's never failing ...
… Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations 

Joseph, being a righteous and compassionate man, chose to quietly divorce her.  That night, God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins.” This would bring the prophecy of Isaiah to full term: Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;  They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for “God is with us”).

The nature of God is love – love that is inclusive and unconditional, self-giving and self-sacrificing, fully-committed and the force behind all of God’s actions.  God’s mission of salvation of all humanity, of deliverance from injustice, sin and death, is a mission of love.

This is how much God loves us all.  In the fullness of time, He offered up his Son to be sacrificed for our sin, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be prisoners of sin and death; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put people’s lives and the brokenness of the world to right again. 

Jesus, the salvation of God.  Jesus, Immanuel, God with us.  Jesus, the author of our salvation.  He rose and conquered the grave.  Savior, he is mighty to save, mighty to deliver us so that we may know life and life abundantly.

Jesus, because God loves us so.  He gave us the ultimate gift of his love.

Everyone needs compassion
A love that's never failing ...
… Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations 

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