Welcome to Prince of Peace Church, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania

“God is With Us”

Advent IV Sunday, December 23, 2007
By pastor John Jorgenson

Matthew 1:18-25
“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people form their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the Prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God with us.’

“When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son and he named him Jesus.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise be to God.

Now, three weeks ago, we considered whether or not our being ready was actually realistic. What did being ready include? Did we realize how important this idea, this attitude, is toward our growth in faith? Were we really aware of the profound nature of God’s activity in our lives? Did we anticipate God’s activity or were we playing Santa?

Then two weeks ago we considered what was included as we thought about our being worthy of having this close relationship with God. We thought about being worthy in terms of our being responsible for doing whatever God asks of us and we expressed our thank you and sincere appreciation to those who demonstrated the importance and the simplicity of their faith to us to help us learn and now who have died and have returned to be with God. We discovered that our being ready and worthy was actually really dependent upon God who was working with us and upon what God has been able to do with what we offer as our loved ones showed us every day. So we learned that our being ready and worthy is basically and fundamentally a very positive “YES” and that because of God’s expressed love for us, we truly are ready and worthy of the coming of Jesus, to welcome the birth of the Christ Child.

Then as a result of this rather profound development in our faith and its growth, last week we asked ourselves if we really are able to respond. That is kind of another story where we have some responsibility. Are we able to really celebrate the coming of God’s Son? Jesus gets pretty blunt asking us what we are able to see and what we are looking for, as an example of what being able is all about. Jesus used John the Baptist as our example. Are we able to commit our lives to enable others to learn what being God’s family includes and what it is all about?

Now as a result, we prepared through Advent considering how ready we are, how worthy we are and how able we are to welcome Jesus into our lives.

Now this morning, as the Season of Advent comes to a close, we realize more clearly than before that God is with us. The relationship God initiated with us long ago is about to be reinforced and strengthened once again as we enter the stable and we come to the awesome realization that Almighty God comes to us in such a profoundly simple way to restore our understanding of life.

On Christmas Eve each one of us is given a new life as we enter the stable, move to the manger and we pick up and embrace the Baby Jesus. What we do as a result now becomes the essence of our life together with God and with one another as an expression of the faith God gave us in the first place and has nourished it ever since.

What this is in essence is very simple. God initiated the relationship that exists with each one of us. As we grow we learn to return that love to God who gave it and who taught us to love. Then as we grow and learn, we discover that God is with us and that God expects us to reach out to love others, as we in turn, have been loved by God. God does not withhold an iota of love from us. Are we able to do the same?

Mary risked the scorn of her society for giving birth to Jesus, God’s Son. Joseph risked ridicule by being part of this disgrace, this socially irresponsible act and thought he would simply quietly terminate their relationship and they each would go their own way. However, God challenged both Mary and Joseph to remain together and support the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel, the example of physically demonstrating that God is with us.

Jesus was innocent. Jesus taught us much about the relationship God intends for each of us. Jesus had a short three-year ministry with us in which we were able to learn what God intends for each of us, that we be the happy, positive, loving family members that look to God for support and for help in purposeful living each and every day.

And so to get ready for tomorrow evening, as I said earlier the focus of our meditation this morning is that: “God Is With Us.” How can we not be elated and enthused over what we celebrate in our memory tomorrow evening!

Amen.