Matthew 1:18

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.

From Background Notes [BN] for December 14^th & 15^th written by Pastor Bob Brown:

This week’s reading from Matthew 1 presents the astonishing idea that flawed human beings can actually contribute to the plan of salvation, and that fearful human beings can actually yield themselves to that plan when everything around them suggests otherwise.

 
Irony invades this story when we remember that traditional celebrations want “the picture-perfect Christmas” without disruptions, even though everybody knows they rarely turn out that way. Advent leads us to the untidy nature of persons, and behind them are often both a wonder and a scandal. [BN,1]

Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:

* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am