The Christmas Promise Series

INTRODUCTION

Christmas is a poof that God is in charge of things. No matter how difficult the situation, God’s promised son was conceived and delivered on time. There was no delay. Whatever God started he completed; what God promised he fulfilled. That means every time we celebrate Christmas it is a sign of God’s faithfulness. Yes, we have seen difficulties, we have gone through tough times, and sometimes we felt it was all over, but God has enabled us to overcome every setback because of his son Jesus Christ.

This sermon is on what God gave us when he gave Jesus Christ.

I want to take your imagination to Nazareth. In the city of Nazareth was handsome young man, Joseph and a beautiful young woman, Mary. Joseph was a small businessman, working with his hands as a carpenter but a God-fearing man. Mary was a godly young girl and there is the bloom and beauty of youth upon her cheek.

In the course of time Joseph and Mary became acquainted. At the appropriate time arrangements were made by Joseph’s and Mary’s family and she was pledged to be given to Joseph in marriage. But in this culture before Mary would go home with Joseph there would be some time lapse. The Bible refers to that time as the time of espousal or betrothal.

So, we meet this beautiful young couple in the city of Nazareth. They are of ordinary level in society as we are, not very rich in the worldly sense but a man and woman who knew God.

During this time, one day suddenly an angel appeared to Mary. The Bible says his name was Gabriel. Mary was taken aback a bit, you and I would be too if suddenly an angel appeared to us and began to tell us things. Gabriel tells Mary that she has been given special favor by God. She is the one who God has chosen to bear the Messiah, the seed of the woman into this world.

Soon, Mary got news that her aunt, Elizabeth too conceived in a miraculous way in her old age. Mary not able to talk this to anyone went to the hill city of Judah to tell her aunt of her pregnancy. Mary spent 3 months with Elizabeth and made her way back to Nazareth. Joseph who is waiting for Mary noticed visually that she was with child. Now here is this young man, in the prime of his life, engaged to Mary, but did not know how to respond to this situation. It would appear that Mary has been unfaithful to him. So, he is left in a predicament. What is he to do?

Joseph determined that he would write a bill of divorce privately. This way Mary’s life would be spared and avoid public humiliation, but the marriage would be ended. It was at this moment that the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him not to be afraid and take Mary home as his wife. Joseph took Mary as wife. Now Mary was fully Joseph’s wife, but he did not know her in the marriage act until after the birth of Jesus.

This was a difficult and painful time in the life for Joseph. In many ways even with all of its glory, it was an exceedingly difficult time of life for Mary. How do you explain these things to people? How do you explain things to your husband to whom you are engaged?

Some months later Caesar Augustus declared a census for the whole of the Roman Empire. Everyone had to go to their ancestral home. Joseph’s parentage was traced to King David. He was a descendent of David and Bathsheba through Solomon. It was this lineage that would take him to Bethlehem.

It is a difficult journey. Mary is advanced in days. Finally, they reach Bethlehem and there is no room for them. There seemed to be no compassion on the part of people to take them in. In an ordinary way Mary gave birth to the Lord Jesus Christ and wrapped him in clothes and laid him in the manger. You see they were doing the will of God, but it was the difficult times of their lives.

So doing the glorious will of God sometimes can be exceedingly painful and difficult. Therefore, the birth of Jesus also has a wonderful lesson for us. As you walk through this world, life may get difficult; most times you are not sure what to do. We only have the Word of God to guide us. But sometimes when we go to the Word of God, just like Joseph and Mary you are not quite clear yet on what to do.

Many a times when a man or a woman sets out to follow God and do his will you find difficulty, the more glorious the task the more difficult and painful it may be. Dear friend of God, believe in God, stay faithful. God’s glory is going to be revealed when you are obedient to Him. No have no idea the reach of your life if you will obey God and stay faithful to him even during the hard times.