Advent - Week Four

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.  And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.  But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).  When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.  Matthew 1:18-25

Almost every family has black sheep. A rebel who can’t seem to toe the line, another is making news because of an embarrassing antic. They are the ones in the family picture that others step away from so they are not too closely affiliated.

Jesus had black sheep in His family. When we read through Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1, we find prostitutes, adulterers, murderers, idol worshipers, and every other sort of black sheep. Not the kind of pedigree we might expect for the Savior of the world.

And then there’s Mary. Mary is found to be with child before marriage – a stigma in any society. We know how that news landed on her fiancé Joseph. He was embarrassed. He had in mind to leave her “quietly.”

In His sovereignty, God cleared up the matter for Joseph in a dream, but what of the rest of Mary’s family? Her closest friends? Her community? It’s likely that Jesus walked under a cloud of shame all His life because some could never accept such a fantastical story as a virgin conception. In their minds, Mary, and Jesus Himself, would always be black sheep.

God is apparently perfectly OK with that. In fact, black sheep are exactly the sort of people Jesus came for: “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21).

Jesus really had no other option than to come through a family tree with broken branches, a family tree like yours and mine. Every one of us is a black sheep. But thank God for the perfect Lamb who came to save black sheep like you and me.

Reflect

Who comes to your mind as the black sheep of your family? Is it you? How does Jesus’ mission to save people from their sins change your view of black sheep?

Pray

Jesus,

Thank You for coming as a perfect Lamb to save black sheep like me – wash me with Your precious blood and make me white as snow.

Amen.

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Advent Activity Page - Week 4

Enjoy this special Advent Spotify Playlist to fill your home with worshipful celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior.

All resources from the The Advent Conspiracy Movement.