Preparing for Worship - December 18, 2022

This Sunday before Christmas, we hear in Matthew 1:18-25 the simple story of the birth of Christ, without much detail, from the perspective of Joseph, the man betrothed to Mary. When Mary is found to be expecting a child, Joseph seriously considered “divorcing her quietly.” An angel appeared to him in a dream, telling him to take Mary as his wife, because this was a miracle of God through the Holy Spirit. The child would be called Jesus, our Savior from the greatest human problem, that of sin. He would also be called “Immanuel, God with us,” according to Old Testament prophecy of a virgin birth. Joseph believed what the angel said and took Mary as his wife, but did not have a normal marital relationship with her until after the birth of Jesus.

This miraculous birth had been prophesied in our Old Testament lesson, Isaiah 7:10-17. Ahaz, king of Judah, and his people were being threatened by enemy nations, and they were very frightened (Isaiah 7:1-9). God offered to give Ahaz a sign that all would be OK, but Ahaz refused God’s offer of help and hope. Instead, God then gave another prophesy of help and hope to “the house of David” that would be fulfilled much later - the prophesy quoted by the angel to Joseph - the virgin birth of a “son” (of David), who would also be “Immanuel,” God coming to be with His people.

The psalm is Psalm 24. King David speaks of God’s care for “the world” and all “those who dwell in it.” God desires that people have “clean hands and a pure heart,” and He will bring such “righteousness” and “salvation” to those “seeking” Him and His coming. That coming is pictured as “doors” and “gates” being opened and the King of glory coming in. This will be the Lord Himself, “strong and mighty,” coming into this world and later coming into Jerusalem, “the hill of the Lord,” with a glimpse of His glory, on Palm Sunday and at other times. This coming one is also called “the Lord of hosts,” the Lord of all the heavenly angels. Think also about how, on the night of His birth, “a multitude of the heavenly host” appeared to shepherds and announced the coming of Jesus as the “Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:8-14).

In the Epistle lesson, Romans 1:1-7, Paul announced that he is a servant of the coming one, “promised beforehand… in the Holy Scriptures,” a real human being “descended from David according to the flesh” (through Mary) and yet also the “Son of God” (through “the Spirit of holiness”), evidenced as “Jesus Christ our Lord”… ”by His resurrection from the dead.” Paul has been brought to “the obedience of faith” in Jesus and has now been sent out, as an “apostle,” to proclaim Jesus’ “name among all the nations,” including those in Rome “who are loved by God and called to be saints,” believers also in Jesus. The “grace” and “peace” of God come to all who thus “belong to Jesus Christ,” including us today who trust in Him as Savior.