“Having been warned in a dream, Joseph withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he (the Messiah) would be called a Nazarene.”

Matthew 2:22b-23

Dear HBIC family,

The fourth Sunday of Advent brings together the hope, peace, and joy we have been focused on during this season. The Coming of Jesus brings hope because it signifies God fulfilling promises to people and our world. It brings peace because it reminds us that God is setting things right in creation, in peoples, in our relationships and in our hearts. It also invites praise, as we joyfully celebrate God’s blessings to all. But ultimately, the coming of Jesus is about love.

In Jesus, we learn that God is for us, God is with us and God now comes to lives inside of us by gifting us our Christ. We know God is for us because we are so loved that Jesus was sent to save our world. We know God is with us because Jesus is Immanuel, the One who lived in radiance but took on flesh to show us how to live and love to please God. We know God is inside of all who believe because Jesus left the Holy Spirit to transform and grow us in Christlikeness.

Matthew ends his Christmas story very differently than we tend to remember Christmas. Joseph, Mary and Jesus fleeing the murderous Herod is often glossed over. Herod’s evil slaughtering of innocent baby boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity seems the farthest from our Christmas focus. Jesus’ early years as a refugee in Egypt (and then a sort of immigrant in his own country as well) escapes our picture of Christmas. One question I have prayerfully asked God this week has been, where was your love in all of this?

 This may be the question of 2020. For many of us, this has been a year of deep grief and loss, isolation and loneliness, struggle and suffering. For some of us it has been a consistent reminder that our world is not as it should be. For others it has been an urgent wake-up call that we are not living how we should. The pain of 2020 for so many of us can never be understated. The pain is, however, met and surpassed by the grace of God that abounds much more, the mercies of God that are new every morning, and the love of God that works things together always for our good.

To prepare for this week’s service, I would like to invite you to spend time over the next few days intentionally meditating on Matthew 2:13-23. To help you reflect, I would like to ask you to focus on the following questions:

 How are you processing all that has happened to you this past year?

What are healthy rhythms you have put in place recently?

How do you plan on keeping those healthy practices in place going forward?

Where have you seen, felt or experienced God’s love in all of this?

Christ shows up in the pain and darkness of the world. Where do you see God showing up right now?

I am deeply comforted that the love of God is always available to us. I am delighted when the love of God shows up in the lives of our people here at HBIC. We are blessed that God’s love has carried us through this year. We are loved by God. We are held by God. We are the beloved of God. The coming of Jesus reminds us that God is for us, God is with us and God is in us.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

God bless you all, and take care.