Emmanuel: God is with us

Good morning friends,
Today is an exciting day at Laurelton with morning worship at 10, evening worship at 7 and another evening of the Living Nativity. Last night we had a great time sharing the story of Christ's birth with our neighbors. Thanks for everyone's hard work with Christmas baskets and Living Nativity. If you missed the scene last night, come on over tonight between 6:30 and 8. Fittingly, our Gospel lesson today is the angel announcing to Joseph that his fiance is pregnant with God's son. Putting ourselves in Joseph's shoes we can imagine how news like that would turn our world upside down. God has a tendency to do that from time to time.

Our reading from Isaiah picks up where yesterday's reading left off. Jerusalem is under siege and Isaiah goes to see the king. He urged King Ahaz to stand firm in God because God will save Jerusalem. Ahaz is hesitant to hear this word, not because he doesn't want to be saved, but because he wants to make an alliance with the King of Assyria. Isaiah tells Ahaz that a new child will be a sign. Before the child is old enough to know right from wrong the land will be full of good food and the kings Ahaz worries about will be defeated. We too can always trust God's power to save and challenge us in unexpected ways.

God bless,
Sam

Isaiah 7:10-16

10Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, 11Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. 12But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. 13Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. 15He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.



* Matthew 1:18-25

18Now 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. 19Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.


20But 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. 21She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." 24When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.