Mary's Christmas Story: an Advent Conversation

Mary's Christmas story Angels have a big part in the Christmas story. Mary's meeting with God's messenger Gabriel transformed her life and ours too.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Luke 1:26-29, NRSV

The angel's words were different than any she'd heard before. When Gabriel said, "The Lord is with you." he meant it. Mary wondered what this greeting meant. God was with Mary right there in her hometown, Nazareth. Gabriel was speaking about more than just God's presence in her life. He was speaking about God revealing himself in the world through her life.

Christians believe that God is always present. There is never a time when you are out of God's reach. At home, work, school, traveling, playing, just hanging out you are always within God's reach. Mary's story starts with God's presence and grows into a story of God coming into her life and ours.

Talk it over: The angel announced God's presence to Mary; but God was already in her life. What difference did hearing the angel say the Lord is with you make to Mary? What difference does it make to know God is with you?

Think about it: God is always is close at hand. We like to have God close when we need help; but we don't God knowing our every move and thought. The God who can help you in a time of need knows every time you hurt another person through words or actions. The God close enough to help knows you in and out. Every time someone hurts you God knows. And God grieves in all situations where one of his children either hurts another of his children.

Mary's Baby: Jesus came to help us come back to God. His life and Mary's moved together so God could help us return to him,

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”Luke 1:30-34, NRSV

Mary replied with a question, How can this be?. She didn't ask “why me?” or say no way. What's the difference between asking God how? and asking why me? or just saying no?

Mary experienced God's promises coming true. When Jesus grew in Mary God was growing in her body. When she raised him her son she was raising God the Father's son who came to help us return to our heavenly Father.

Christmas starts with God coming for us and it ends when we come back to him. Jesus, God's own Son, is the real gift of Christmas. The Christmas story ends when we turn away from things that hurt ourselves and others and return to our Father through a relationship with his Son Jesus. How can we return to the Father? How can we share the Good News that God sent his son to bring us back?

Pray if you like. Father, we thank you for Jesus. We thank you for being with us at all times. We thank you for searching us out when we leave you. We thank you for giving Jesus as a our way back to you. AMEN.

What do you think? Let me know.

Joseph's Christmas Story an Advent Conversation

Who was Joseph? He was Jesus' dad, but God the Father, was Jesus' Father. There's no way around it, the Christmas story's messy. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph's real life complications mirror many people's stories. And that's no accident. God comes at Christmas for the world. Joseph's part in the Christmas story shows God's work in the real world where sin, death, and evil are all at work.
Matthew's tells the Christmas story,

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:18-19 ESV)

The facts seemed very clear to Joseph. He was engaged to Mary. He counted on her faithfulness. He learned she was pregnant. Joseph knew one thing for certain, the child growing inside Mary wasn't his. His plan was simple--end this relationship with Mary and get on with his life. What do you think of Joseph at this point in the story?
Think about it: Joseph's trust in Mary just evaporated. He took Mary's faithfulness for granted. But something happened. The evidence was clear for everybody to see. Joseph lost trust--an essential part of any lasting relationship. Some argue Joseph, in his day, had reason to seek Mary's life. She dishonored him; but he sought to quietly walk away.
How can a person who's broken trust become trustworthy again?
Remember Joseph's plan was to quietly end his commitment to Mary. But somebody had a different plan for Joseph's life. Matthew tells the story this way,

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.” (Matthew 1:20-21 NIV)

Digging deeper There's no question, Joseph had a change of heart. His attitude and actions towards Mary and the child growing inside her change after meeting the angel. The facts of the situation hadn't changed: but his attitude did. Mary was still pregnant, they weren't yet married, he wasn't this babies father, and people were likely still talking behind their backs about what had happened. But Joseph saw things differently. He stopped looking for a way out of his promise to Mary stepping forward instead to help her raise this child. How would you explain Joseph's change of heart to somebody who knows about Christmas trees and Santa Claus but has never heard the whole Christmas story?
A visit from an angel changed Joseph's attitude. And God keeps speaking today through His Word read in scripture, sung about in psalm, hymns, and spiritual songs, heard from friends and family who share God Word with us. God's Word changes how we see things. At a funeral we see a dead body; but faith in God's Word helps us see new life for believers who die. The circumstances haven't changed on this earth; but a heart of faith sees something different. How does God change hearts today?
How important is Joseph's change of heart to the whole Christmas story?
Jesus finds us in the middle of our lives and dreams with both broken and healed parts of our souls. Looking at Joseph's part in the Christmas story leaves no question, our attitude towards our circumstances makes a huge difference. What would it take to change your perspective to see people you dislike as someone God very much cares about?