WEBVTT

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 Well, I loved Jason Donovan and his mullet at the time.

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 I'm not going to get any of you to admit this, but I just have a confession to make.

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 I was completely obsessed with Neighbours when I was a teenager.

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 Luckily, I lived quite close to school, so I was very popular with all my mates,

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 because at lunchtime we would run home, have our sandwiches whilst watching Neighbours,

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 and then leg it backwards, you know, to get back in time for the afternoon.

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 So Neighbours, just like lots of other soap operas, have cliffhangers at the end of the show.

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 Usually, just as the programme is finishing, some big news gets dropped on someone.

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 It would often be a woman telling a man, I'm pregnant, and it either was or wasn't his baby.

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 And then the camera goes over to the person that's just been told this news,

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 and their face is all contorted, as it shows dramatically how this is affecting them.

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 So during lockdown, I have to admit also, I got quite addicted to this.

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 I used House of Cards. It's an American series on Netflix.

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 It's based on an 80s drama, apparently.

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 I used to pretend that this was a really, you know, insightful political drama,

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 but actually, it was just another soap opera, with lots of politics, intrigue, betrayal, that kind of thing.

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 So it sounds kind of funny, but most of us have had moments in our lives when we receive unexpected news.

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 We might be going in a particular direction, and something happens to redirect our path.

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 And thank goodness for most of us, they're not recorded on TV for posterity.

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 We're in the fourth and the final week of Advent, the time in the church calendar before Christmas,

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 where the tension between the resurrection of Jesus and his return is happening.

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 Over the four weeks, we've been preparing our hearts for the coming of the Messiah,

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 and now we find ourselves just six days away from Christmas Eve,

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 when we're going to have our Christingle services.

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 And by the way, I'm really excited about that, and I hope you're going to invite all your friends to come to that too.

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 So on this fourth Sunday of our Advent journey,

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 we're going to have a little look behind the scenes of Jesus' impending arrival,

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 as we prepare our hearts for Christmas.

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 In the first 17 verses of Matthew, we see Jesus' ancestry, his genealogy.

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 And unlike the account in Luke that shows his lineage through Mary,

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 this account traces his descendants of Abraham and David,

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 to show that Jesus is going to be the new Davidic kin.

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 So imagine to first century hearers, when they hear about this lineage,

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 and then turning the page on this account of Mary becoming pregnant.

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 I don't think it would be what they would expect.

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 This account isn't a warm and fuzzy, lovely baby in a manger telling of the story.

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 It reads a bit like a soap opera,

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 with unexpected news, a decision to make, an angelic visit,

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 and a fulfilment of an ancient prophecy,

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 that sounds a bit more like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.

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 Yet as we heard a moment ago,

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 it's the account of Joseph contending with the fact

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 that Mary, the woman he's engaged to, is pregnant.

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 And just like in the soap opera, it's not his baby.

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 This morning, we see that there are often interruptions to our lives,

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 but that God's been orchestrating things all along,

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 rooted in his love.

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 And that if we look for a Messiah,

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 we learn to trust him,

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 that he will work things out for good in the end.

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 So look at verse 18.

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 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about.

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 His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph,

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 but before they came together,

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 she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit, it says.

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 To grasp what's really going on here,

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 we have to look at the culture of the time.

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 When it says that Mary and Joseph were pledged to be married,

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 what does that mean?

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 It's quite a bit different to engagement in our time.

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 Mary was probably between 12 and 16 years of age, a teenager,

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 and Joseph would have been 18 to 20,

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 and the marriage was planned probably by the parents.

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 The idea of marriage and engagement was two parts,

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 the engagement itself and then the marriage.

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 The engagement was the official committal.

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 But unlike in these days,

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 if we call an engagement off,

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 you know, that's how it is,

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 actually it would be treated really seriously then as a divorce.

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 And in fact,

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 if either of the people passed away while they were engaged,

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 they would be treated as widows or widowers,

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 almost as if they were in marriage.

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 Engagement lasted about a year,

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 and they weren't really allowed to kind of spend a lot of time together on their own.

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 So imagine being forced to get married to someone that you hardly knew.

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 So Joseph himself was in a really strange situation.

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 The woman, or actually the girl really,

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 that he was betrothed to be married to,

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 became pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

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 Now we don't have a record of that conversation,

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 but I wouldn't have minded being a fly on the wall.

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 When Joseph says to Mary,

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 Hey Mary,

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 you seem like you're putting on a bit of weight.

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 I thought you were on the Slim Fast Diet.

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 What's going on?

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 And Mary says,

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 Oh, really?

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 This?

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 Well, it's a funny story I've got to tell you.

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 It's the Holy Spirit's baby.

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 If we're honest,

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 how would we feel if we were Joseph?

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 It would be natural to assume that since they hadn't been together,

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 that Mary had been unfaithful.

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 And this presented a real problem for Joseph.

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 Because Joseph was faithful to the law,

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 and the law was clear,

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 he could have insisted that they get divorced,

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 or actually she could have been stoned to death for infidelity.

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 It didn't happen an awful lot,

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 but it was possible.

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 So what do you do when you're trying to do the right thing?

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 When you're trying to walk the right path,

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 and a curveball gets thrown in your face?

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 In verse 19 it says,

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 Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law,

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 and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace,

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 he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

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 So Joseph was doing his best to follow the law.

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 He was the righteous man.

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 And really he only had two options here.

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 The first thing was to go public with it.

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 Tell everybody, put it on Instagram, on Facebook,

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 show her shame in the headlights,

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 and explain the consequences that were going to happen to her.

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 Or the second thing was to divorce her quietly and privately.

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 Now we all know we've got the benefit of hindsight.

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 We know what he did,

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 and that he's a good guy.

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 But imagine how he felt.

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 His plans and his dreams had come crashing down.

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 His plans to start a family, become a dad,

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 they were laid out and they got interrupted.

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 Maybe you felt that way.

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 You were maybe waiting on something special,

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 something you were looking forward to.

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 Maybe you were looking forward to a dream

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 that you dreamed to come true.

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 I think we've all experienced these moments of waiting for something good

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 and experiencing massive loss and disappointment along the way.

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 Remember, Joseph was human,

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 so he had no doubt a swirl of human emotions

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 and a desire to honour God and to follow the law.

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 But also I think that it's a clear picture here

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 of the character of God being modelled through Joseph.

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 Instead of publicly shaming her,

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 even though I'm sure he felt shame,

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 he honoured her and protected her,

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 and he extended his mercy towards her.

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 And it's the same with us.

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 God's faithfulness and his mercy are always on display.

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 Life might be messy and you might not see it.

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 Your marriage or your relationship might be strained,

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 your business might be struggling,

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 work might not be going well,

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 or you might be in between jobs.

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 But in the midst of the fog of all of those things,

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 God's faithfulness and his mercy are always on display.

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 And I think that's really good news.

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 Think of a time when you deserved the exact opposite of mercy,

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 but God gave you grace and protected you along the way.

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 Verse 20 goes on.

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 The angel explains what's going to happen.

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 He says, do not be afraid.

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 I imagine the angels probably said that quite a bit

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 because I can't imagine how I'd feel

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 if I came across a massive angelic being.

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 But I think what the angel was saying to Joseph was,

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 don't be afraid to take Mary home as your wife.

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 Don't be afraid to trust her and follow the plan

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 and be obedient to God,

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 even though it doesn't make sense.

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 Change your plans.

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 We sometimes get asked to do that too,

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 and that's tough for us.

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 We like to control things and order things in a certain way.

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 But in those seasons of waiting for God to show up,

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 sometimes he provides a divine interruption.

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 And it inevitably changes the way that we see things,

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 the game, and requires us to trust him.

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 That famous proverb, Proverbs 16,

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 a person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps.

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 How many times have you made a really good and sensible plan

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 and God redirects you for some reason?

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 So Joseph and Mary named him Jesus.

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 Jesus literally means God saves.

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 And it's a name that reflects the hope of the time.

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 God saves.

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 But this time it was God ordained.

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 How powerful it must have been

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 for God to give this guy,

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 give Jesus the name.

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 That he was going to be the child

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 to save the people from their sins.

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 Now at this point,

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 Matthew kind of pauses

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 and looks at the camera

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 and speaks to the Jewish audience

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 to explain this story to them.

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 And he refers back

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 in verse 22

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 to Isaiah.

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 And he says,

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 All this took place

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 to fulfill what the Lord had said

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 through the prophet.

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 The virgin will conceive

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 and give birth to a son

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 and they will call him Immanuel,

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 which means

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 God with us.

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 So Isaiah there

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 was foreshadowing

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 the fact that a virgin

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 would conceive a child

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 and they would call him Immanuel.

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 So they would understand

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 what he was talking about.

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 So the literal meaning

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 of Immanuel

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 is God with us.

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 And John 1 shows us

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 that Jesus literally

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 was the fulfillment

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 of God with us,

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 Immanuel.

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 So it's like Matthew

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 pulling aside his audience

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 and saying,

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 Listen,

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 this is credible.

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 This story

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 is the literal fulfillment

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 of the prophecy of Isaiah.

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 I'm writing about it now.

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 It happened.

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 So as we prepare

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 our hearts for Christmas,

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 we see something powerful.

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 This soon-to-be-born baby

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 has two names given to him.

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 Jesus, God saves.

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 This is about what God does.

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 And the second,

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 God is with us.

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 This is about who God is.

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 He is present with us.

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 He saves us

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 and he is present with us.

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 For hurting and oppressed people,

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 that must have been brilliant news.

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 And for us too,

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 we all need a reminder

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 that when we are waiting

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 or moving forward

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 with our plans

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 and God interrupts,

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 we need to remember

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 that it's God's very nature

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 to save.

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 He gave us his son,

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 the name Jesus,

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 which means God saves.

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 So God is the one

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 that's responsible

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 to guide you,

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 to guard you,

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 to protect you

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 as you move forward

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 on your journey.

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 And the second thing

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 I want you to really hear

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 loud and clear

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 is that God's nature

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 is to be with you.

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 His presence is with you.

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 Jesus is Emmanuel.

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 God is with us

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 through good and bad times.

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 Both of those things,

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 God saves and God is with us,

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 is really, really good news.

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 And that is at the heart

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 of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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 Christ.

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 So finally,

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 Joseph has been deliberating

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 about what to do

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 and the angel came to him

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 in a dream.

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 The Bible has many stories

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 of God using dreams

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 to speak to people.

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 Sometimes God speaks to us

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 in the most unexpected ways.

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 Sometimes as we are waiting,

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 we miss what God is doing

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 right in front of us

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 because we're expecting

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 something different.

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 But it doesn't mean

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 that God didn't show up.

00:12:48.659 --> 00:12:49.759
 Sometimes it's a dream.

00:12:50.740 --> 00:12:53.779
 Sometimes it's through

00:12:53.779 --> 00:12:54.320
 the scriptures.

00:12:55.180 --> 00:12:56.360
 And sometimes it's through

00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:57.299
 the wise words

00:12:57.299 --> 00:12:58.200
 of a godly friend.

00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:01.419
 If we go on to verse 24,

00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:02.180
 it says,

00:13:02.379 --> 00:13:03.320
 Joseph woke up.

00:13:03.560 --> 00:13:04.779
 When Joseph woke up,

00:13:05.019 --> 00:13:05.980
 he did what the angel

00:13:05.980 --> 00:13:07.340
 of the Lord had commanded him

00:13:07.340 --> 00:13:08.820
 and took Mary home

00:13:08.820 --> 00:13:09.519
 as his wife.

00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:11.100
 But he did not consummate

00:13:11.100 --> 00:13:11.720
 their marriage

00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:12.919
 until she gave birth

00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:13.500
 to a son.

00:13:14.779 --> 00:13:15.740
 And he gave him

00:13:15.740 --> 00:13:16.419
 the name Jesus.

00:13:17.019 --> 00:13:18.299
 So Joseph had a plan.

00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:19.919
 It was interrupted

00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:21.479
 an angel met him

00:13:21.479 --> 00:13:22.599
 and redirected him.

00:13:23.099 --> 00:13:23.779
 And then we see

00:13:23.779 --> 00:13:25.059
 that Joseph did exactly

00:13:25.059 --> 00:13:26.199
 what the angel of the Lord

00:13:26.199 --> 00:13:27.399
 had commanded him to do.

00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:28.679
 Out of love,

00:13:29.319 --> 00:13:30.500
 he took home Mary

00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:31.379
 as his wife.

00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:35.579
 So I want us to leave us

00:13:35.579 --> 00:13:36.959
 with these three observations

00:13:36.959 --> 00:13:37.879
 from the text.

00:13:38.500 --> 00:13:39.500
 The first thing,

00:13:40.099 --> 00:13:41.059
 God saves us

00:13:41.059 --> 00:13:42.059
 and God is with us.

00:13:42.579 --> 00:13:43.939
 Even if life is going

00:13:43.939 --> 00:13:45.559
 really well right now,

00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:47.199
 think on those words.

00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:49.200
 That's why we follow Jesus.

00:13:49.379 --> 00:13:50.340
 That is the good news

00:13:50.340 --> 00:13:51.400
 and the heart of the gospel.

00:13:52.020 --> 00:13:52.759
 God saves

00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:53.820
 and God is with us.

00:13:54.340 --> 00:13:55.220
 The second thing

00:13:55.220 --> 00:13:56.840
 is God's deep redirection

00:13:56.840 --> 00:13:58.700
 is always for the best.

00:13:59.220 --> 00:14:00.740
 It might not feel like it

00:14:00.740 --> 00:14:01.259
 right now

00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:02.700
 and it might feel scary.

00:14:03.560 --> 00:14:04.700
 I don't know why Jesus

00:14:04.700 --> 00:14:05.740
 hasn't returned yet.

00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:07.000
 I wish I could tell you.

00:14:07.580 --> 00:14:08.520
 But I can tell you

00:14:08.520 --> 00:14:09.879
 that his plan is perfect.

00:14:10.660 --> 00:14:11.580
 And the third thing,

00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:13.220
 Joseph shows us

00:14:13.220 --> 00:14:14.080
 how to be faithful

00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:14.900
 to the scriptures

00:14:14.900 --> 00:14:16.879
 but filled with grace

00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:17.560
 and mercy.

00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:19.680
 Yes, Joseph was a man

00:14:19.680 --> 00:14:20.200
 of the book

00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:21.240
 but he also had

00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:22.379
 a heart of Jesus,

00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:23.900
 the heart of God

00:14:23.900 --> 00:14:25.200
 and he treated her

00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:25.800
 with dignity

00:14:25.800 --> 00:14:26.620
 and respect

00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:27.379
 and mercy

00:14:27.379 --> 00:14:28.660
 and that's the way

00:14:28.660 --> 00:14:30.100
 that God treats all of us

00:14:30.100 --> 00:14:31.580
 and that's what we are called

00:14:31.580 --> 00:14:32.860
 to do as we treat others.

00:14:33.720 --> 00:14:34.580
 So as we get ready

00:14:34.580 --> 00:14:35.639
 to turn the page

00:14:35.639 --> 00:14:36.259
 into Christmas,

00:14:36.920 --> 00:14:37.740
 we get to see

00:14:37.740 --> 00:14:39.000
 some behind the scenes

00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:39.920
 of Joseph

00:14:39.920 --> 00:14:40.580
 trying to do

00:14:40.580 --> 00:14:41.280
 the right thing

00:14:41.280 --> 00:14:42.700
 and then hearing God

00:14:42.700 --> 00:14:43.400
 along the way.

00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:45.100
 We also get to see

00:14:45.100 --> 00:14:46.060
 that the birth of Jesus

00:14:46.060 --> 00:14:46.879
 was messy

00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:48.820
 and I want to encourage

00:14:48.820 --> 00:14:49.680
 all of us

00:14:49.680 --> 00:14:51.020
 to look expectantly

00:14:51.020 --> 00:14:52.140
 towards this Jesus

00:14:52.140 --> 00:14:53.060
 that we proclaim,

00:14:53.800 --> 00:14:54.700
 to wait for him,

00:14:55.220 --> 00:14:55.900
 to allow him

00:14:55.900 --> 00:14:56.960
 to redirect us

00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:57.560
 as we go

00:14:57.560 --> 00:14:58.320
 on our journey

00:14:58.320 --> 00:14:59.700
 and to trust

00:14:59.700 --> 00:15:00.900
 that he has

00:15:00.900 --> 00:15:01.960
 and he will

00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:02.840
 do great things

00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:03.580
 for us,

00:15:04.100 --> 00:15:04.540
 in us

00:15:04.540 --> 00:15:05.580
 and through us.

00:15:07.340 --> 00:15:08.379
 Maybe for you,

00:15:08.640 --> 00:15:09.680
 you need to embrace

00:15:09.680 --> 00:15:11.020
 that God saves

00:15:11.020 --> 00:15:12.040
 and God is with you.

00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:13.379
 Maybe you need

00:15:13.379 --> 00:15:14.059
 to accept

00:15:14.059 --> 00:15:15.399
 that God's redirection

00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:16.639
 and stop resisting

00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:18.319
 or maybe you need

00:15:18.319 --> 00:15:19.159
 to show grace

00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:19.779
 and mercy

00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:20.519
 to someone

00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:21.279
 you've been

00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:22.319
 only expressing

00:15:22.319 --> 00:15:23.120
 truth to.

00:15:24.079 --> 00:15:25.199
 So let's pray.

00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:30.959
 Lord,

00:15:31.099 --> 00:15:31.959
 I pray today

00:15:31.959 --> 00:15:32.899
 for those of us

00:15:32.899 --> 00:15:33.579
 who just need

00:15:33.579 --> 00:15:34.620
 to hear from you.

00:15:35.319 --> 00:15:36.139
 Would you speak

00:15:36.139 --> 00:15:36.959
 to them clearly?

00:15:38.439 --> 00:15:38.799
 Lord,

00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:39.599
 would you help us

00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:40.440
 to embrace

00:15:40.440 --> 00:15:41.519
 that you save

00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:42.500
 and that you're with us,

00:15:43.040 --> 00:15:44.259
 to experience you

00:15:44.259 --> 00:15:45.360
 fully in this season?

00:15:46.800 --> 00:15:47.279
 Lord,

00:15:47.340 --> 00:15:48.060
 for those of us

00:15:48.060 --> 00:15:48.680
 who are struggling

00:15:48.680 --> 00:15:50.440
 to be redirected,

00:15:50.980 --> 00:15:52.019
 would you help us

00:15:52.019 --> 00:15:53.259
 to just stop resisting

00:15:53.259 --> 00:15:54.779
 and trying to control

00:15:54.779 --> 00:15:55.259
 everything?

00:15:56.420 --> 00:15:57.040
 And Lord,

00:15:57.100 --> 00:15:57.840
 for those of us

00:15:57.840 --> 00:15:58.840
 who are really keen

00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:00.240
 on sharing truth

00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:01.600
 but not mercy

00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:02.220
 and grace,

00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:04.120
 would you redirect us

00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:04.879
 to let the fruit

00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:05.620
 of the Spirit

00:16:05.620 --> 00:16:06.879
 flow in

00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:07.779
 and through us?

00:16:09.100 --> 00:16:09.580
 Lord,

00:16:09.620 --> 00:16:10.759
 we pray for your mercy,

00:16:11.220 --> 00:16:11.840
 your grace

00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:12.779
 and your truth.

00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:14.059
 We're excited

00:16:14.059 --> 00:16:15.000
 to worship you,

00:16:15.139 --> 00:16:16.159
 great, great King.

00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:17.799
 And we ask this

00:16:17.799 --> 00:16:18.639
 in the strong,

00:16:18.820 --> 00:16:19.539
 powerful name

00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:20.159
 of Jesus.

00:16:21.220 --> 00:16:21.840
 And together

00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:22.539
 as a church

00:16:22.539 --> 00:16:23.100
 we say,

00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:23.759
 Amen.

00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:25.439
 Thank you.

00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:26.440
 Amen.