Matthew 1:18-25
A. INTRODUCTION
XXX more shopping days until Christmas, XXX more sleeps, and probably, for many people, still a lot of preparation to do.
It seems that most of us at Christmas, end up with a list of things to do. And that no sooner is an item crossed off, then there are another five to put on: a present for someone; something you’ve missed for the table; or . . . Well, the list goes on. For many people there’s a need to get things right, to make things perfect, But somehow XXX days before Christmas, you just can’t see how that is possible.
As a consequence, sometimes it’s good to come to Christmas Eve, when it’s night and the shops are closed. You may not have done everything that you wanted or got everything that you needed, but at that stage it’s too late. There’s no more time, and there’s nothing you can do about it. All you can do is wait for Christmas Day to come.
But, unfortunately, that’s not the situation today. Indeed, there’s still much more time to do things, much more time to get things ready.
However, if you’re one who likes to get everything ready, to get everything just right, and things are not going well at the moment, then spare a thought for Joseph and Mary, and the time they had preparing for the first Christmas Day.
B. THE BIRTH OF JESUS (Matthew 1:18-25)
1. Mary (Luke 1:26-38)
Imagine the scene. Mary, a devout believer in God; a girl, probably about twelve or thirteen years of age; engaged to be married—traditionally a twelve-month period of preparation. But then she was visited by an angel and told of her part in a plan to bring a baby into the world.
News which should have been good news. Except for the fact that, in the back of her mind, she would have known full well what the implications were. She knew what God was asking, and becoming pregnant outside of marriage was a recipe, in those days, for living as an outcast. It meant that her future would normally look very bleak, and she might even have to resort to prostitution to survive.
Life would have been far from easy. But she was a young woman who was very strong in her faith. And despite the consequences she was all too willing to do her part.
2. Joseph (Matthew 1:18-19)
Now enter Joseph, husband to be. Well, when he found out that Mary was pregnant, he was faced with a real dilemma. He knew he would be expected to publicly end their relationship, leaving Mary open to face ridicule and shame (or even being stoned for her crime). But that was something that Joseph, a man of God, did not want to do. So, Joseph, we’re told, thought about it, and then he decided to just quietly sign the papers needed to break the engagement and go their separate ways.
You can see where I’m coming from, can’t you? If we think that our preparations aren’t going well, what about Mary and Joseph? Because that’s hardly a way to start a relationship, and it’s definitely not the ideal preparation for the birth of a child, let alone the celebration of the first Christmas
Mary’s faith, her step of obedience, had them put them both in a hole, and it was not something they could easily get out of. So, what were they to do? They needed divine intervention. And that is exactly what they got.
3. Divine Intervention (Matthew 1:20-23)
Mary had accepted her role in bringing the Messiah to the world, no matter where that took her. She had faith that God would see her through. And now it was Joseph’s turn.
And as it turned out, as Joseph deliberated on the hole he was in, he too was visited by an angel. This time, though, it was in a dream, and the angel told him to abandon his traditions, to abandon his cultural sensitivities—no matter how difficult that would be—and he was told to marry Mary, despite everything. And being the man of God that he was, that was exactly what he did. And God blessed them both because of it.
4. Merry Christmas (Matthew 1:24-25)
But if we were to think this rather difficult story of the birth of Jesus ends there, then we would be very much mistaken. Because the more familiar parts of the story now come into play: Mary gave birth in a stable—possibly a cave used as a stable—and three days travel away from home, at that. And Jesus’s bed? Well, it was nothing more than an animal’s feeding trough, because there was nothing more suitable available.
C. COMMENT
Now can you think of any worse start to a relationship than that of Mary and Joseph? Can you think of any worse preparations than the ones they had to face leading up to the first Christmas? Can you think of any less suitable place for a mother to give birth in, let alone lay her baby?
So, at Christmas we may worry about giving presents: what to get, and whether they will be suitable. We may worry about getting in the food, and the drink—and is there enough and will everyone like it. We may worry about the decorations: do we need more and do the old ones look tacky. We may even complain that we’ve got too much to do, or that we’re running out of time, or even that the whole thing has become far too commercial, and it is too expensive. But in comparison to that first Christmas, with all the trials and traumas of Mary and Joseph, our complaints about Christmas are probably quite trivial in comparison.
Mary and Joseph . . . They were an amazing pair. Two people of God who were prepared to face whatever would come their way in order to serve their God. And, as history tells, they were rewarded for their faith.
D. MARY AND JOSEPH
So, what was so special about Mary and Joseph?
Well, the first thing we could say is that they were deeply committed to the Lord their God. God didn’t just pick anyone to give birth and bring up his son. No! He chose two people, a couple, who he could rely on, who would care for his child, protect him, and bring him up in an atmosphere of love and faith. And if the traumas that Mary and Joseph went through prove anything, it was their dedication to God and their willingness to be part of his plan.
The second thing we could say is, that both Mary and Joseph were open to God calling them. They might have been afraid when the angel appeared to them individually, but they didn’t hide away, and say ‘No, not me’, or ‘Find someone else’ or ‘I can’t do that’. No! They listened to what the angel had to say, and then agreed to take their part.
The third thing that we can say, is that they not only agreed to help God, but they actually carried out their task. They weren’t people who said one thing, and then did another. No! They were true to their word. They knew the implications of the commitment that they were making: the probable (social) outcome of their obedience to God. And they knew what it meant to challenge or disregard long held cultural practices and customs. But Mary and Joseph did as they were asked, even though it flew in the face of accepted tradition.
And the fourth thing? Well despite everything, they believed that God would help them with the inevitable consequences. They had a good idea of what was in store for them if they obeyed God. They knew they risked ridicule by their relatives and friends. And they knew that they also had to abandon some of their own heart felt customs and beliefs. However, they trusted that God would see them through the difficult times ahead. And they were rewarded by God for their faith.
And why did they do all this? Why did God put them through all of this? So that others might be blessed by God; so that the promises of the Old Testament could be fulfilled; so that the Messiah could be born and bring the gift of salvation to the world.
Mary and Joseph, without a doubt, were a remarkable pair. And their story? Well, it may be one of a less than perfect preparation for the first Christmas, but it’s also a remarkable example of faith, and the difference that faith can make in life.
E. IMPLICATIONS
And that is surely something worth stopping and thinking about. After all, in our preparations for Christmas, have we included on our list a time to examine just how we fit into the Christmas story? Because we should. We should look at the whole Christmas story and ask:
Firstly, are we people of God? Can he use us in his plans, like he used Mary and Joseph? Do we worship God as though he is the most important thing of all (which he is). Are we special in his eyes? And are we people who he can call on to do his will?
Secondly, are we open to that call? Do we listen out for when he talks to us? Are we willing to take on board the things that he asks, no matter how scary it may be? Are we willingly to say ‘Yes’ to the things he asks us to do.
Thirdly, do we not just say ‘Yes’ and then do something else. But do we have the courage to carry out his requests, no matter where they take us, no matter what cultural barriers or stigmas that appear to get in the way?
And, fourthly, do we trust God to see us through the difficult times? Do we rely on him to help us through situations that may see us on ‘the outer’, even ones that he may put us in, in the first place.
What the story of Mary and Joseph shows is that being a Christian, a follower of Jesus is not easy. It’s not necessarily a recipe for a peaceful life. It is often difficult and testing. But, if we trust in God, we can rely—like Mary and Joseph—to see us through.
F. CONCLUSION
So how are your preparations going for Christmas? Are there times when you are flustered when everything seems to be going wrong? Are there times that you think that you’ll never be ready? And are you desperately waiting for the time when it’s too late, when the shops are closed, and there’s nothing else you can do?
Well, if you are, then think of Mary and Joseph, the couple who faced so much: a pregnancy, with all the stigma that that entailed; an engagement—that should have been called off; a barn in which to give birth—three days from home. And an animal’s feeding trough for a cot.
Think too, though, of the faith that got them through. That is their deep commitment to God; their openness to God’s calling; their willingness to carry out what God had asked of them; and their trust that God would be faithful to them and help them, no matter what.
This Christmas, the Christmas story gives us a chance to do two things. Firstly, it gives us the opportunity to put our own preparations into perspective. And secondly, it gives us the opportunity to examine what it means to have great faith.
Mary and Joseph’s example, in many ways, have shown us the way. So, this Christmas we can ask ourselves the question: Are they examples of the kind of person that I want to be?
Posted: 3rd December 2022
© 2022, Brian A Curtis
www.brianacurtis.com.au
