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We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. When you hear the words Christmas dreams, what comes to mind? Sleigh bells ringing? Children singing? Trekking to Grandma’s house? Tech toys? Perhaps the ideal, albeit yet-to-happen, Christmas? Do you dream of family traditions? Perhaps you dream of world peace. I saw an article that said 58% of us would be happy to get world peace for Christmas. World peace will be a gift, but not for Christmas! It will only happen when Christ returns to earth to establish His millennial kingdom. But even that is not eternal peace! Eternal peace comes with the New Earth and Heaven! There are 5 dreams associated with Matt’s account of The Incarnation. They teach us how God’s providence or Sovereignty is always working on our behalf, often when we don’t even realize it is working. Let’s consider the 5 Christmas dreams recorded in Matthew’s gospel:
- THE NEED FOR THE DREAM! God often visited people through dreams. *God, His Angel (Pre-incarnate Christ), or an angel of the Lord was sent to do a specific task or deliver a specific message for God. The dream could be a warning, as in Gen. 20; instruction, as in Judges 7; it could be for comfort and reassurance; or revelation. So what was the necessity of the dream here? A. Joseph and Mary were in a life-threatening dilemma. From a purely human perspective, this is now a no-win situation! She is found to be pregnant during the engagement, which is cause for her to be stoned to death! Lev. 20:10. B. God must meet with Joseph to show him the right way to proceed. Every once in a while, God allows us to come face-to-face with circumstance/or a situation so magnanimous that only He can lead us out of it alive! It is important to take note that Joseph was not making a hasty, rash, irrational decision. The ESV uses the word “resolved” which is the word Matt. used. It means deliberate, conscious, rational thought resulting from deep soul searching. Let’s consider:
- THE NATURE OF THE DREAM! Notice V. 20, what’s the first word? BUT! I’m so glad God invented the whole concept of the word “but!” The nature of the dream was first reassuring to Joseph, because God came to him in his time of need, not afterward! God comes to Joseph when Joseph has come to the end of himself! Joseph has made all his choices, and has used up all his resources from within himself. So what happens? Joseph’s dream is also a “revealing” dream. I find it interesting that almost every time God or His angels come to people the first words are “do not fear.” Here is something you should remember: the presence of God always brings the fear of God! You must remember God will never ask you to do anything you can’t do, but He will often ask you to do things that are extremely difficult! Why is that? Because God knows you can accomplish what He wants, but He needs to teach you that you are able!
- THE END OF THE DREAM! When Joseph awakens, he does what the angel instructed him to do and takes Mary as his wife. So was that the end the hard stuff? The angel explained to Joseph and Mary what was going on, and they obeyed, so they lived happily ever after!
I seriously doubt that happily ever after part! It is important to notice Matt’s statement in v. 25. It is written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to eliminate all doubt that Jesus Christ was anything but God in the Flesh, and that Joseph was not His father! So beloved, no matter where you are in your Christian life, understand that God has planned for you to be more than just yourself. If God is calling you to Himself, the worst thing you can do is not go! Wake up and follow the God who has called you to Himself.
If we can help you answer your spiritual questions, call us at (574) 643-9419.
