Sermons

Joseph does his part so faithfully that it looks ordinary. For him, it probably was. There would have been no way to survive Jesus’ infancy without a strong trust in God.

It doesn’t last long. The young King will soon be a refugee in Egypt; the wise men, on their way home in a hurry. But they will remember the Child to whom they gave gifts—Jesus who is God’s gift to them and to the whole world

God Himself has suffered abuse—what else was the cross, and what went before it?—and come out the other side, in His resurrection.

They were doing a very normal thing—taking presents to the new heir to the throne of a nearby country. From their viewpoint, it was a diplomatic mission like dozens of others. How were they to know it would end up in tragedy?

It isn’t what people do that matters to God; it is who they are. And these people are … forgiven sinners. Beloved by the Lord. Redeemed by Jesus, who would suffer, die, and rise again to make them God’s own children.

And not just things like temple ceremonies. What about the Ten Commandments—those Laws that we all know we should do, and we all fail to carry out perfectly? What about our daily failures in love, in patience, in justice, in mercy?

The shepherds were afraid, like sensible men. But the angels calmed them down, saying: “Fear not, for I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born a Savior…”

Where are the swaddling cloths? Nursing for the first time. I’m not sure we’re doing this right … ah yes … a sleeping baby. An exhausted mother, and a radiant father. A Son is given.

It couldn’t have been comfortable for any of them. In pictures we usually see Mary riding a donkey—but there’s nothing in the Bible text to say she had one. She may have walked, like everybody else