Sermons

God puts us together in hard times. Here is Mary, about to face the trial of her life—young, unmarried, and pregnant. She has a fiancé to tell, parents to deal with, a village to face. What to do? What to do first? God knows.

And God is doing it on His own—no human arrangements are necessary. God’s salvation is entirely His own work—from Jesus’ conception to His suffering, death, and resurrection. And we are the joyful receivers!

A son to inherit the throne of David? To rule over Israel forever? This baby will be the Messiah. Two thousand years after He said it to Abraham, God is keeping His promise at last.

It is not a mistake. God knew what He was doing when He chose Mary, and He made her able to do the work He called her to do. God knew what He was doing when He called you to be His dear child—to trust in His Son Jesus, your Savior, to be forgiven and made new and clean. He has work for you, too. He will carry you through it, however great or small.

He knew what was coming. He knows how you feel. He will not leave you to deal with it on your own. How could He? He is the God who came into this world—and into your life—to suffer and die and rise again, all to make you His own dearly loved child. He will not desert you now.

You, too, may be suffering and wondering why. If so, put your trust in the God who saw and loved these two—and you as well. He may not explain Himself, but He sees you and He cares. So much, in fact, that He came into this unfair, broken world to take your suffering on Himself—to mend you, and all creation, with His own blood on the cross.

God knows their hearts and their souls, what they loved and hated, the interests and work that filled their days. He knows them intimately—just as He knows us. And He loves them.

Jesus sprang from those people—sinners and saints, rulers and peasants, foreigners and native-born, wise and fools. He suffered, died, and rose again for those people. And He did it for you and me.

Christians are taught to reflect on our sin. We do this, not to beat ourselves up, not to wallow in self-pity, but to let this remorse turn us back to God. And turning to the Lord who loves us in spite of our sin, we hear His voice, “Come now, let’s reason together.