Advent 4 Podcast Edition

Grace and peace to you, and welcome to Trusting God at all times, a daily devotion. I’m Rev. Joe Cailles, the pastor of Peakland United Methodist Church here in Lynchburg Virginia.


This week is the last week of Advent and this past month, I’ve been making use of the Advent devotion written by Rev Anna Catherine Gillozet, a United Methodist pastor in Ohio. Today’s Bible passage is from Matthew, chapter 1, beginning with the 18th verse.

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 from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
‘Look, the young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’,

In just a few nights it will be Christmas Eve, and like many other churches, we at Peakland will hear the story of Jesus’ birth from the Gospel of Luke, which features sherpherds and angels and mangers. It’s a long standing tradition to read and hear the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke on Christmas Eve.
Matthew’s Gospel also has a story about the birth of Jesus, which focuses on Joseph and what he was told.
From Matthew’s Gospel, we get a better sense of how scandalous Mary’s pregnancy would have been for her and for Joseph. The two were engaged to be married when they learned that Mary would have a child. Mary and Joseph would not have been the first couple or last couple to be expecting a child before being married. Joseph clearly knew how much trouble Mary would receive, and he moved to protect her reputation.
The angel of the Lord reassured him that a great blessing would emerge from the scandal. Their child Jesus would be Emmanuel, God with us.

As Christmas Day approaches, your family and your life may not be all merry and bright. Many of us have troubles and trials and if folks knew what we were going through they would be shocked.
Hear the good news: God is with us. Jesus Christ is born, and his Spirit is within each of us, washing us with love and grace and mercy. God has a wonderful way of taking our scandals and disgraces and making great blessings come forth.
As a church community, as a church family, we stand together through troubles and trials. We stand with those who are hurting and troubled. That’s the good news this day and every day. God is with you. God is with all of us, uniting us in the church family. Merry Christmas.
Thanks be to God.