Christmas, is to me a story of surrender, obedience and blessing.
Surrender: When the angel of the Lord came to Mary and declared to her, what was to happen to her. She responded 38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38). It was a difficult thing Mary was asked to do considering the atmosphere of those times. She couldn't have a child without a husband, else if found out, she could be stoned to death. However forgetting all the shame and ridicule she might go through, she rejoiced over what God was giving her. She even sang a song of praise upon hearing the good news the angel of God had brought to her. Didn't she know what would happen if people heard about it??? Yet she surrendered "May it be to me as you have said". Would we be willing to give up our honour or respect so that our Lord can work in our lives too?
Obedience:Soon Joseph would have seen signs in Mary being a mother, without him even being together with her. (Matthew 1:18) He wondered how could this be?? "Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and 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." (Matthew 1:18-20 )
This righteous man Joseph, believing the word of the angel did what the angel asked him to. 24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (Matthew 1:24). He acted in obedience. The only way Mary could be saved from ridicule or being stoned to death, was her being with Joseph. It was important for Joseph to accept Mary just as she was, with the baby. Joseph obeyed God. Is there a limit to obedience, but when there is limitless obedience to God, the blessings are limitless too.
Blessing:Mary and Joseph were blessed with the task of parenting the most Holy most wonderful child of all, the Son of God, who would now be known as their baby. God identifying so personally, so genetically with his own creation. Can you imagine that!!! These two humans acted in faith and in courage in accepting God's will for their lives. Did they know they would be known and remembered every year at Christmas, I dont think so. Did they know people on the entire globe would know them? I dont think so. But they are known. They're obedience to God brought about the ultimate blessing to all humanity. The blessing of being reconciled with God. The blessing of knowing Jesus as their personal Saviour.
Conclusion: The blessing of baby Jesus being born to Mary and Joseph changed their lives forever, impacting the whole of the world along with their lives because of their surrender and obedience through faith, and that same blessing of our faith in our sacrificed Lord Jesus being born in our hearts has changed so many millions of lives, until this day and still does.
The invitation to partake of this joy of Christmas, the joy of surrender and obedience leading to immense blessings that overflow from one life to another, is still open. A life surrendered in obedience to know the Living Lord Jesus, still capable of impacting lives, like Mary and Joseph's lives did. A life that shines forth for the glory of God. A life that cares for not their personal profit, but for others. A life that not only changes itself through obedience and surrender to Jesus Christ, but also impacts and transforms families, neighbourhood and cities, towns and countries and the worlds is still available. Not a selfish life, but a selfless one. It has now been fulfilled, Mary did give birth to a child, they did name Him Jesus and He still saves people from their sins.
"21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:19-21)
Surrender: When the angel of the Lord came to Mary and declared to her, what was to happen to her. She responded 38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38). It was a difficult thing Mary was asked to do considering the atmosphere of those times. She couldn't have a child without a husband, else if found out, she could be stoned to death. However forgetting all the shame and ridicule she might go through, she rejoiced over what God was giving her. She even sang a song of praise upon hearing the good news the angel of God had brought to her. Didn't she know what would happen if people heard about it??? Yet she surrendered "May it be to me as you have said". Would we be willing to give up our honour or respect so that our Lord can work in our lives too?
Obedience:Soon Joseph would have seen signs in Mary being a mother, without him even being together with her. (Matthew 1:18) He wondered how could this be?? "Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and 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." (Matthew 1:18-20 )
This righteous man Joseph, believing the word of the angel did what the angel asked him to. 24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (Matthew 1:24). He acted in obedience. The only way Mary could be saved from ridicule or being stoned to death, was her being with Joseph. It was important for Joseph to accept Mary just as she was, with the baby. Joseph obeyed God. Is there a limit to obedience, but when there is limitless obedience to God, the blessings are limitless too.
Blessing:Mary and Joseph were blessed with the task of parenting the most Holy most wonderful child of all, the Son of God, who would now be known as their baby. God identifying so personally, so genetically with his own creation. Can you imagine that!!! These two humans acted in faith and in courage in accepting God's will for their lives. Did they know they would be known and remembered every year at Christmas, I dont think so. Did they know people on the entire globe would know them? I dont think so. But they are known. They're obedience to God brought about the ultimate blessing to all humanity. The blessing of being reconciled with God. The blessing of knowing Jesus as their personal Saviour.
Conclusion: The blessing of baby Jesus being born to Mary and Joseph changed their lives forever, impacting the whole of the world along with their lives because of their surrender and obedience through faith, and that same blessing of our faith in our sacrificed Lord Jesus being born in our hearts has changed so many millions of lives, until this day and still does.
The invitation to partake of this joy of Christmas, the joy of surrender and obedience leading to immense blessings that overflow from one life to another, is still open. A life surrendered in obedience to know the Living Lord Jesus, still capable of impacting lives, like Mary and Joseph's lives did. A life that shines forth for the glory of God. A life that cares for not their personal profit, but for others. A life that not only changes itself through obedience and surrender to Jesus Christ, but also impacts and transforms families, neighbourhood and cities, towns and countries and the worlds is still available. Not a selfish life, but a selfless one. It has now been fulfilled, Mary did give birth to a child, they did name Him Jesus and He still saves people from their sins.
"21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:19-21)
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