Advent: “The Great Interruption”: How the Birth of Jesus Interrupts People’s Lives #1
“The Lives of Joseph and Mary Interrupted”
Scripture Readings: Matthew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 1: 26-56; Luke 2:1:40
Introduction
***Advent = revelation = appearance = showing up
***Advent is a season to pay attention to how God showed up 2000 years, how God keeps showing up today, and to hope with expectation for the day when God will show up and make all things right and bring His Kingdom to completion…the death of death, the final victory over sin and evil, true peace and eternal prosperity; to have our faith strengthened, to receive and share the love of God in Jesus Christ and to have our hope restored in God’s coming future; to being open to interruption, disruption and redirection of our lives.
***Advent/Christmas Expectations…We have high expectations and make high demands of Advent/Christmas. We want everything to be perfect. But often it is not that way. For many it will be a very difficult time because something has interrupted the joy. It may be sickness, or death, or divorce, or loneliness. We look to the Advent/Christmas season to be a time of perfect peace, harmony, and joy. But the first Christmas was not that way. It was an interruption. Interruptions can happen at any time.
I. The Story of how The Lives of Joseph and Mary were interrupted…
II. The timing of Joseph and Mary's interruption. They were engaged to be married.
- Mary’s Life Interrupted---Luke 1:26-56: 1.) Gabriel, The Angel of the Lord, appeared/interrupted Mary. 2.) The Message of Gabriel…“Hail Mary, full of grace, The Lord is with you AND in you.” That she would miraculously, as a virgin, conceive and give birth to the Son of God and his name would be Jesus. 3.) The Response of Mary…fear, accompanied by a troubled spirit, wondering HOW this could happen (to her). 4.) Gabriel’s Answers concluding that “Nothing is Impossible with God”. 5.) The Response of Mary… “I am Lord’s servant and may the will and word of be fulfilled in my life.”
- Joseph’s Life Interrupted…Matthew 1:18-25---1.) Joseph did not believe Mary-Joseph was faithful to the Word of God but also respectful to Mary. 2.) An Angel of the Lord interrupts Joseph’s Plans and Sleep, offering God’s Perspective "Joseph, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife. What she says is true…(Read)
- Further Interruptions---1.) The Emperor of Rome, Caesar Augustus, interrupted everyone and issued a decree that a census would be taken of the entire empire and that everyone had to go to their hometown where they were born. For Joseph (and Mary) that meant Bethlehem. 2.) The Birth of the Baby Jesus was at a most inconvenient time, in Bethlehem, where there was no place for the Holy Family to stay let alone have a baby. 3.) The Interruption of The Shepherds of Bethlehem visit, when their lives were interrupted by more angels in the fields, are led to the Stall of Bethlehem to say hello and greet one who was declared to be the Messiah of Israel, Savior of the World and Lord of all. 4.) The Circumcision and Consecration of Jesus including a trip from Bethlehem to Jerusalem…Jesus’ circumcision (8 days after his birth); Consecration to the Lord… (40 days after his birth) 5.) The Interruption and Arrival of Wise Men/Astrologers/Magi from Persia who had been interrupted by an unusual star in the skies which led them to the long journey to Judea to find one they believed was the King of the Jews. When they arrived they came into the house and saw the infant Jesus and Mary and they bowed down and worshiped and offered their very expensive gifts to the Holy Family. 6.) Joseph’s and Mary’s life is interrupted again when Joseph has a dream again and an angel of the Lord warns them that danger was imminent and tells Joseph to get up, to take his wife Mary and newborn Jesus and escape to Egypt (by night and a long journey by any standards) because their child’s life was under a direct death threat by King Herod. 7.) The Holy Family lived as foreigners/exiles in Egypt for 2-3 years until Herod died and they were interrupted again by angel of the Lord and told they could go home…but then as they were getting close to home in Bethlehem, they were interrupted again and told to not go back to Bethlehem but go back to Nazareth.
Conclusions and Applications
Question: How do we respond to life’s small and large interruptions/disruptions?
Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths"
Pray. Seek God’s Perspective. Remember God is sovereign and is still working ALL things for good in your life. Through life’s interruptions and disruptions, God may be redirecting your life to something great! Remember the words of the Angel Gabriel spoken to Mary…Nothing is Impossible with God!
Next Week: The Lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth Interrupted (Luke 1:5-80)
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