One of the most common questions asked during this season is, “What are your plans for Christmas?”, and for many, these plans consist of travel to multiple family events, various Christmas programs or performances, office parties, and the like. In any case, I think it is fair to generalize and say that nearly everyone has some type of “plan” for Christmas, something they intend to do, a place they will be or go, or people they will see and spend time with.
As I reflected upon this question, and upon the fact that even the best plans are prone to change, I thought of Joseph (and Mary!) and the ‘first Christmas.’ Our message is titled “Christmas Plans” and will look to the text of Matthew 1:18-25, specifically of Joseph and how any plan he may have had for the ‘first Christmas’ was incredibly altered by none other than God Himself. I believe there are valuable lessons we can learn from this ‘first Christmas’ that will help us with our every Christmas.
In Christ,
Pastor Kirk Flaa
