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The Miracle of Christmas Part 2 A Shame Free Christmas.
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Matt 1:18-2518 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered 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 home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 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.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
The Holidays often uncover the best and worst in relationships we have with family, friends or others. Often plagued by shame or guilt from past failures or mistakes, we become crippled and unable to move ahead with our lives. Broken relationships often reveal a broken past and Christmas becomes the revealer. Christmas is often the place where we get stuck.
Because Joseph was a righteous man , he was compelled to do what was right even when it appeared he had been wronged.
1 Cor 13:77 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
The interest of justice is never furthered by you or I by holding court:exacting punishmentpronouncing judgmentinitiating controlsentencing, isolating, or condemning those we hold as offenders.
Luke 9:52-5652 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.
John 3:1717 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Luke 6:37-4237 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
1 John 3:16-1916 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:
B) Because Joseph was a righteous man, he did not want to expose Mary.
Deigmatizo:To expose to public disgrace,to make a spectacle of
Col 2:13-1513 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
2) Because He paid the price for my failure, I am free of shame
Romans 8:33-3433 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
3) Because I am free, I am free to accept others as they are
Romans 15:77 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
3) He experienced great revelation and miraculous intervention
4) Because he was obedient, he was placed in a position of the highest trust... caregiver for the savior of the world!
2 Cor5:19-2019 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Scriptures Used in Today’s Message: Matt 1:18-25 1 Cor 13:7 Luke 9:52-56 John 3:17 Luke 6:37-42 1 John 3:16-19 Col 2:13-15 Romans 8:33-34 Romans 15:7 2 Cor 5:19-20
