This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
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. 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.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
-Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew isn't writing to prove that the birth of Jesus was special; he was writing because the birth of Jesus was special. This was a moment of God breaking into our world-- breaking into time, in a world of suffering, to bring life.

What Does the Gift of Jesus' Birth Mean for Us?

Solidarity

  • vs 22-23 "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
  • If you suffer, it doesn't mean you deserve it, and it doesn't mean that God has abandoned you. He loves you, and came to suffer for you. He is there, and He understands.

Salvation

  • vs 21 "...you are to give him the name Jesus,because he will save his people from their sins."
  • We don't always get what we want, and sometimes what we need, but God has given us the hope of Salvation.

Disruption

  • vs 18 "Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit"
  • For Joseph, staying with Mary comes at a great cost. When Jesus comes into your life it doesn't mean that everything goes well or that your suffering disappears. It can be disruptive, can even lead to suffering, because it changes your priorities.

Decision

  • vs 24 "When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded"
  • Joseph could decide to leave or he could decide to receive Jesus and everything that entails.
Questions for Small Groups
  1. What are some of your favourite memories or traditions surrounding the anticipation of Christmas?
  2. In considering the significance of Jesus’s birth, why do you think Matthew and Luke included the story of the virgin birth while Mark omitted it?
  3. Why might suffering and evil pose a problem for belief in the existence of God? Does the phrase “God with us” resolve this problem completely? And what does the phrase imply for how we approach and support others in their times of suffering?
  4. The sermon emphasized that embracing Jesus can bring both comfort and disruption. Can you think of a way Jesus has disrupted your life this past year? Can you think of a way in which following Jesus might bring disruption to Runnymede in the year to come?

 

Missed this Sunday's sermon? Watch it here!

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