Conceiving the Promise

Matthew 1:18-25 The Message (MSG)

The Birth of Jesus

18-19 The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.

20-23 While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins.” This would bring the prophet’s embryonic sermon to full term:

Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;
They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for “God is with us”).

24-25 Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.

As everybody knows, Christmas was over a month ago, and you're probably looking at this like

and saying "why is she talking about the Christmas story?" but just stay with me. I'm talking about the Christmas story because God is about to impregnate your with gifts, visions, and goals just like God did with Mary, but you have to be willing to be uncomfortable. .

This story is a very familiar passage, but I think that as Christians, we get too common with this story. We always make this story look so glorified and picturesque and like everything was so perfect, but it was far from that. Mary was a teenager, pregnant, and unmarried. And on top of that she wasn't even pregnant by the man she was engaged to. I can only image the scrutiny she was under, and then to add insult to injury, she was a virgin. Now imagine trying to explain to people that you're still a "virgin," but you're pregnant. Yes, I put virgin in quotations because that's how people looked at her, even those closest to her. 

If you look at verses 18 and 19, Joseph was about to break up with Mary because she was pregnant. Now....I don't know how long Mary and Joseph were together before they decided to get married, but usually if you're marrying someone, you trust them, you know they won't hurt you. So Joseph wanted to breakup with Mary because she's pregnant, but God told him not to. So not only is Mary uncomfortable, but so is Joseph. Can you imagine how the streets were talking about him too? "I heard that's not even his  baby." "I bet he's marrying her because she's pregnant." "He's dumb because he's bout to raise a baby that ain't even his." Y'all know how the streets talk, but nobody talks about that.

Mary and Joseph were carrying and caring for something that was wayyyyyyy bigger than the. They had to endure the ridicule, scrutiny, and shame, not because it was easy, but because it was worth it. They already knew what God promised. For some of you, you have to endure the gestational period to your promise. It's a spiritual pregnancy. To all the parents reading this, remember what the pregnancy was like, especially that first and last trimester? The morning sickness, the cravings, the aches and pains, the hormones, the mood swings. You have this little being taking over your entire body. Listen, I got 6 sister cousins that I've watched go through pregnancies since I was 6 years old. It aint no joke. On top of being going through the gestational period, you have people. People will talk, laugh, and all of that because they do not understand. You can't get mad at them. I know it's hard. Trust me I know. I'm super protective. Let somebody talk about my anybody I care about and I'm like

But we can't get mad. Those people weren't there when God spoke to you. They don't know the vision God gave or the directions He gave, but we have to keep going.

Luke 2:1-7 The Message (MSG)

The Birth of Jesus

2 1-5 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.

6-7 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

Here, Mary and Joseph had to be moved from where they were comfortable and went to Bethlehem. This place was familiar to Joseph. Why? Bethlehem is the city of David. Joseph is David's son. Joseph had a fiancee´ and a job secured in Nazareth, but he had to go back home to receive the promise. I don't know if Joseph is like me, but when I had to go back home, I went kicking and screaming, literally. I aint wanna come back to Augusta. I was perfectly fine with my life in Tallahassee, but I had to go back home for the promises of God to manifest. I had to go to a place of rejection, like how Mary and Joseph were rejected at the inn, but God still made room.

Luke 2:8-20 The Message (MSG)

An Event for Everyone

8-12 There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

13-14 At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:

Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

15-18 As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

19-20 Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!

What God has placed in you will bless others. We look at God for miracles, signs, and wonders. The men that came to see Jesus had faith that God was about to do something big and 💥BOOM💥 Jesus is born. Your promise manifesting can increase others' faith. That's why you have to get through it. You don't know who is depending on your promise coming to pass. What if Mary tried to abort Jesus? Mary didn't even know the impact the birth was going to have. She knew who He was going to be, but didn't know that's who He already was. 

Luke 2:20-24 The Message (MSG)

19-20 Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!

Blessings

21 When the eighth day arrived, the day of circumcision, the child was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived.

22-24 Then when the days stipulated by Moses for purification were complete, they took him up to Jerusalem to offer him to God as commanded in God’s Law: “Every male who opens the womb shall be a holy offering to God,” and also to sacrifice the “pair of doves or two young pigeons” prescribed in God’s Law.

There is nothing more miraculous than Jesus' conception and birth. It was literally all God. Dos is pure, holy, He's perfect in all of His ways, but Mary and Joseph still purified Jesus and gave Him back to the Lord. God placed the gift in you not for it to just manifest but for it to be used to glorify Him and build the kingdom.