Advent 4: Birthing (Joy)

This year, as Christmas draws near, I wonder how you’re doing…

Excited? Tired?

Anticipating? Confused?

It turns out that all of those show up in the Christmas story.

The story of Jesus birth is NOT a Hallmark movie.

It’s not the story of a perfect family.

It’s not the story of a well-planned and executed holiday.

Do you know the Christmas Story? The original Christmas story? What happens? Well, like any good story, it depends on whose perspective you hear it from.

This morning, we will read the Christmas story, but from Matthew. The version we’re more familiar with is Luke - the one where angels show up all over the place. First to Zechariah, then to Mary, and on the story goes. A census and no where to stay. Shepherd tending their flocks. We know the Luke version so well. Thanks to Charlie Brown and the fact that it’s the one we most often read - in fact, we’ll read it on Christmas Eve!

But Matthew’s account is different. It focuses on Joseph, first of all. Because, as we read last week, it’s through Joseph that Jesus is in the lineage of David. Which of course, is through adoption. Did you know that Jesus was adopted by Joseph? That Jesus didn’t share DNA with the man who was his Dad?

As we listen the first time, try to let go of what you know about the story that Matthew doesn’t include and just hear his account, which puts Joseph at the centre of the story.

Notice what is Joseph experiencing

What is being birthed in Joseph?

And then, eventually, what might you be experiencing as you listen? What is being birthed in you?

We’re going to read the passage twice.

Take a deep breath.

This first time, I invite you to listen for verbs that indicate action or emotion, or nouns that invoke a particular image. What did Joseph do? What might he have been feeling? Write that down on your bag if you want. And then when we’re through, we’ll have a chance to share with one another what we heard. Some of us might latch onto the same word or phrase, others will notice something different.

After we hear the reading, we’ll have a moment of silence.

Faith, would you come and read for us?

Matthew 1:18-25 NIrV

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary and Joseph had promised to get married. But before they started to live together, it became clear that she was going to have a baby. She became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph was faithful to the law. But he did not want to put her to shame in public. So he planned to divorce her quietly.

But as Joseph was thinking about this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. The baby inside her is from the Holy Spirit. She is going to have a son. You must give him the name Jesus. That’s because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to bring about what the Lord had said would happen. He had said through the prophet, “The virgin is going to have a baby. She will give birth to a son. And he will be called Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) The name Immanuel means “God with us.”

Joseph woke up. He did what the angel of the Lord commanded him to do. He took Mary home as his wife. But he did not sleep with her until she gave birth to a son. And Joseph gave him the name Jesus.

[silence]

What did you notice?

What verbs? What actions? What emotions? What images? What happened to Joseph? What is being announced to him? Birthed in him?

[sharing]

Now, let’s prepare to listen again. I invite you to listen with an ear for a word or a phrase that stands out to you. Is there one thing that seems to light up as you listen? Write that down on your bag if you want. And then when we’re through, we’ll have a chance to share with one another what we heard. Some of us might latch onto the same word or phrase, others will notice something different.

After we hear the reading, we’ll have a moment of silence.

Miles & Willow will read for us this time, would you come now?

Matthew 1:18-25 NIrV

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary and Joseph had promised to get married. But before they started to live together, it became clear that she was going to have a baby. She became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph was faithful to the law. But he did not want to put her to shame in public. So he planned to divorce her quietly.

But as Joseph was thinking about this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. The baby inside her is from the Holy Spirit. She is going to have a son. You must give him the name Jesus. That’s because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to bring about what the Lord had said would happen. He had said through the prophet, “The virgin is going to have a baby. She will give birth to a son. And he will be called Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) The name Immanuel means “God with us.”

Joseph woke up. He did what the angel of the Lord commanded him to do. He took Mary home as his wife. But he did not sleep with her until she gave birth to a son. And Joseph gave him the name Jesus.

[silence]

What did you notice?

What did you experience?

What do we learn about Jesus from this text? Two names: Jesus because he will save his people from their sins and Emmanuel - God with us.

[sharing]

Prayer

Song