Small Groups, College Ball, and a Baby

Hey, guys!  

1.  Small Group!  Wednesday.  7pm.  Parsonage.  Be there.  It's up to you.  For you.  By you.
   
2. SAU bball game!  Saturday.  3pm.  Drivers/rides to be announced soon.  Pay attention to updates!  Pizza.  Pop.  Free stuff.  A sweet tour.  

Just want to make sure you really get the point of our look into the birth of Jesus Christ last night.  I know I mentioned the need to study the life of Jesus as told in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) is because a Christian needs to know WHO they are following and WHY they are following that person and WHAT kind of life they need to start living.  All of those questions are answered in JESUS.  

Jesus' birth was super cool was it not?  I mean you start out with a prophecy that is thousands of years old.  Isaiah said that a baby would be born to a virgin and his name would be Immanuel which means "God is with us."  Well, can you imagine the people reading that prophecy?  They must have thought, "What??? a Virgin??  That's completely impossible!"  Ok true.  BUT God's story of salvation was in place wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy back then (and even before that!) so when we meet Mary and Joseph, we're coming into the story that is already in perfect progress.  

So Mary and Joseph are engaged to be married but their relationship could only be broken by a divorce.  Pretty serious stuff.  When Joseph finds out Mary is pregnant his first thought is to follow the Jewish law--she needed to be stoned in public for the disgraceful act she had committed (getting pregnant by another man while engaged to another.)  But being the kind, gentle, righteous man that he is, he decides to just divorce her in private and spare her life.  Nice, huh?  

Well, before he divorces her, an angel of the Lord comes to him in a dream and speaks very clearly.  Jospeh is to marry Mary just as planned for she has done nothing wrong.  In fact, this young girl (probably about 13 years old!!!) has become pregnant because of the Holy Spirit.  God was extra impressed with this young woman's life and decided she was a worthy womb for HIS son!  GIRLS!  can you imagine!!!!???

Joseph decides to obey the word of the Lord, and these two young adults (teenagers) are soon parents to the son of God.  

What's the point?  Well, there are many points.  

First of all, God can use anyone...and he chooses to use YOU.  Be ready.  Have the Mary or Joseph attitude--ready to do whatever the heck crazy thing God is calling you to do.  No matter how unprepared you feel.  

Secondly, the whole reason for this crazy plan of God's was to bring YOU salvation and a relationship with him.  Cool huh?  It started with the baby.  But really that baby's birth was in the works centuries before that!