A Disruptive Christmas

Matthew 1:20-21

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Are you worried about Christmas being disrupted? You may have heard that there are some concerns about the supply chain, whether we’ll have all the things that we want to get for Christmas. Maybe your presents will be stuck on some big ship off the coast of California. What would disrupt your Christmas?

Christmas really disrupted Joseph’s life. He was engaged to a young lady, Mary. And he was told that she was now pregnant. Joseph didn’t like that. Joseph’s life was turned upside down by that news. So he decided that he wasn’t going to marry Mary. But he received another disruption. One night while he was sleeping, an angel appeared to him and said

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21 EHV)

Joseph didn’t like the news of Mary being pregnant, but the news that he received from the angel was a good disruption. It meant that he could take Mary home, that she had been faithful to him in the engagement vows. And that a special child was to be given to her and to him. He would have the privilege of raising the Savior.

Though it may be not how he expected his life to go, it was a great blessing. And notice what the angels said of this son born of Mary, this great disruption in Joseph’s life.

He will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21 EHV)

Joseph was looking for the Savior. He maybe didn’t expect him to come the way that he did to be born of his fiancee. But he knew what he needed. He needed his sins to be forgiven. He needed to be saved. So as unsettling as this disruption first was, it must have given Joseph tremendous peace. What a wonderful gift God had given him and all people.

Jesus came to live a perfect life in our place from the moment of conception till his last breath. He was perfect in every way. And Jesus died the death that our sins deserve. God sent him as a gift, not just for Joseph, but for you. Jesus has lived and died for you so that your sins are forgiven.

Your Christmas may be disrupted. You maybe can’t get all the stuff that you want to get. But you can have the greatest gift anyone can receive. The gift that Joseph received: a Savior from sin. May your Christmas then be full of this great gift. And the joy and peace that only Jesus can bring. Amen.