(Further reflections on “How Will This Be?”—Sunday 10-Dec-2023)
Was Mary probably aware of the death penalty (by stoning) when having pregnancy outside of marriage (cf. Exodus 22:20-21)? Yes, probably! Did Joseph have a full right to bring judgment on his betrothed woman? Yes, absolutely. Would have shame and guilt been present in both families and their community? Yes, certainly!
Why didn't it happen? It is because of grace and truth in the light of the fear of the Lord and faith in God's word regardless of how incomprehensible the situation was at the time to both Mary and Joseph. Luke did not record Joseph's thought process and plan of action prior to hearing the message from an angel. But Matthew (1:19) told us, "Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly." But Joseph did not act according to his own plan, "he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her (Mary) not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus" (Matthew 1:24–25)." The term "knew her not" clearly emphasized that they did not have sexual intercourse. It was a virgin birth, a miraculous and earth-shaking and unprecedented event in all creation, when God the Creator became a human being.
When facing a situation which seems illogical or incomprehensible or unexplainable or unacceptable (in human standards), we have two choices: belief and unbelief. The former requires hearing, trusting, and obeying God's word. The latter is a natural default mode- unbelief. This does not mean that the belief needs to be crazy or illogical all the time but it means that faith conquers the unthinkable. Miracles mean they don't operate naturally but supernaturally.
The story of Christ's birth, also known and celebrated as Christmas, according to the Bible, was shockingly and miraculously divine. This was a historic moment of how Jesus, fully God and fully man, was born in midst of reasonable doubts, weird situation, and bewildering announcement and it took faith and obedience of His people to witness the greatest miraculous event of all time.
How we respond to a challenging situation shows us whether we actually believe or not and how we really live out our belief. Our response to difficulties paints a clear picture of either a wholehearted belief or partial belief, which is the same as unbelief, in the canvas of our life? It was a reality-facing moment to hear Jesus' crying out, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? And Jesus then stated, “All things are possible to him who believes.” And in repentance, this should be our response and prayer for one another, “I do believe; help my unbelief (cf. Mark 9:19, 23, 24)" in 'hard-to-believe" life events.
Amen.
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Pastor Lap
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