Following God’s way is easy, without pain and suffering. Right? Wrong! There was a reason Moses argued with God and begged him to find someone else for the job of leading the people. Jeremiah? He claimed to be too young for such a hard job. Joseph joined so many before and after him in following the road less traveled—the road that seeks God’s will and not our own.
But somewhere along the way, there has grown up in the American church a theology that promises a softer easier life for those who seek God's way. Everything just goes better with Jesus. We get happier families, better jobs, nicer houses, healing when we’re sick, and then we die an easy death and we show up at the pearly gates ready for the live to come. That’s not what Jesus promised, nor is it what God’s people have experienced down through the centuries. Quite the contrary. Struggle and suffering have been the norm for those living God’s way. When Jesus had concluded his remarks in the upper room the night he was betrayed, he made a promise: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) That for me says it all. There is a very deep sense of peace when we’re in synch with God’s will and ways, and it’s that peace that sustains us through the trials and tribulations. For as Scott Peck said so well in the opening line of The Road Less Traveled, “Life is difficult.” And so it is.
Don’t think for a moment the news of Mary’s pregnancy was good news to the man to whom she was to be married. Joseph was a good guy, so he wasn’t going to make Mary’s pregnancy a public scandal, but this wasn’t his plans. His goal was to put this ugly disappointment behind him and keep moving. God showed up in a dream to persuade him that the harder road was the way God had planned.
Matthew 1:18-25:
The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God's angel spoke in the dream: "Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married. Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—'God saves'—because he will save his people from their sins." This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term: Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Emmanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us"). Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.
To Joseph’s credit, he did exactly as he’d been told. But little did he know that the birth of Jesus would call down the worst his king Herod could dish out. Joseph would have to take Mary and Jesus and flee their home as the “slaughter of the innocents” began to unfold. (See Matthew 2:13-18) And then somewhere along the way, Joseph drops out of the story after Jesus’ twelfth birthday. It is presumed he died prior to Jesus starting his public ministry. Accident or illness? We don’t know. What we do know is that life was hard in those days and people died young by today’s standards. Life was difficult, yet he did the right thing and was faithfully obedient.
The Apostle Paul went from being the persecutor to being the persecuted because he became a Jesus followers. Life didn’t get easier, it got harder. But he had a perspective on this reversal of fortune that baffles many of us today. “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.” (Philippians 1:29-30) Suffering and struggle is a privilege? What I want to consider this Sunday is the surprise that God’s shows up in the difficulties of our lives, and that what is even more surprising is that when God is in the mix, the resulting suffering and struggle is counted as a privilege. How can that be?
Now for what’s on my desk…
Below is our schedule for the month of December. Remember to invite your friends and neighbors to join us -
Sunday, December 18: 9:00 AM / 10:45 AM—Annual Children’s Christmas Pageant
The joy of the Christmas season will be beautifully revealed as our children present their annual Christmas Pageant during both services of worship.
2:00 PM / 7:00 PM—18th Annual Christmas Concert for La Luz – "News of Great Joy”
Includes St. Andrew Singers and Festival Bells - featuring the piano artistry of Lisa Cole and Jim Berry. Admission is FREE and a free-will offering will be taken to benefit La Luz.
Friday, December 23: 7:00 PM—Blue Christmas Service
Feeling down and blue and not in the Christmas spirit? This is a service that celebrates the hope, but recognizes the struggle. It is a candlelight service with communion.
Saturday, December 24 - Christmas Eve
All of our Christmas Eve Services are preceded by a very special “living nativity” complete with animals!
4:00 PM / 5:30 PM—Family Christmas Eve Service with Live Nativity
Fun Christmas music and a very special message especially for the children
7:00 PM—Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service
Join us for special Christmas music, the sacrament of communion, Rich’s Christmas Message and the singing of “Silent Night” by candlelight. This is a beautiful service to welcome the new-born King.
Sunday, December 25 - Christmas Day 10:00 AM - One service only. There will be no childcare or Sunday School this morning
Now you know what I know.
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