Submitted by

Pastor David Wynn,

First Christian Church, Tarkio

You know, before television came along, all we had was the radio. Radio announcers had to be colorful, descriptive, imaginative, complete with all the necessary sound effects. Especially in sports. Even more so in a long, nine inning baseball game.

One of the best of these announcers was named Rosey Rowswell. Rowswell was the radio voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The star slugger with the Pirates at the time was Ralph Kiner. Rowswell got his audience to imagine a little old lady with an apartment window facing Forbes Field. Whenever Ralph Kiner would connect with a potential home run, Rowswell would yell, “Open the window, Aunt Minnie, here it comes!” Then, as the ball left the park, he would smash a light bulb near the microphone.

Rosey Rowswell knew how to create excitement.

And we need to feel excited! Children understand that kind of excitement. Just wait until Christmas gets a little closer. Some of them are already making a list of things they want Santa to bring them.

The prophet Jeremiah understood that kind of excitement. He writes in the Old Testament: “‘The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.’”

God gave Jeremiah a new message.

Jeremiah finally gets to tell his people good news. All is not lost. God is faithful to His promises. God will “make a righteous branch sprout from David’s line . . .” This was exciting news for the people. For Christians, this is, of course, the prophecy of Jesus, who “will do what is just and right in the land . . .” This is the very heart of the Gospel message. God always fulfills His promises. No matter how dark the night, no matter how harsh the critics, no matter how violent the enemy, God will not forsake us.

But Jeremiah could not know that this Savior would come as one who would allow himself to die so that we would have eternal life.

He could not know that the Messiah would be a humble carpenter from Nazareth whose name would one day be held in reverence. He knew God would send a Messiah, but he could not know that this Messiah would be the kind of Messiah Jesus turned out to be.

This year I am developing my Advent messages around Mary and Joseph, and that famous inn in Bethlehem that had no vacant rooms, only a stable.

I think sometimes we forget that in addition to being the Son of God, Jesus was also the Son of Mankind, and during His life he dealt with many trials and sufferings, joys and celebrations that we as the children of God also experience throughout our lives.

We all know that Jesus’ earthly mother was a young woman, a girl truth be told, named Mary.

Pause and think about what it must have been like for her to accept the tremendous responsibility of giving birth to the Son of God, and the daunting task of raising him as a babe and young child until he reached the age of realization that He was indeed the Son of God, and with that realization came the knowledge that He would introduce to the world then and for all generations to come, the love and grace of God, the Father of us all.

Let’s not forget about Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph. No man played a more important role in Jesus’ life than Joseph. Joseph adopted Jesus as his son, made it his life’s work to protect him, provide for him, and to teach and mentor him.

Unfortunately we have to read between the lines to fill in the picture of Joseph’s relationship with his son. The Gospel accounts had precious little to say him. Only 16 verses in the Bible mention him by name.

Probably the most important thing to remember about Joseph is how his love for Jesus speaks volumes to the fathers, husbands, stepfathers, grandfathers, and indeed any man who finds himself in the role of mentor to the children in their lives.

I invite you to come worship with us this Advent season and the weeks to follow as we explore Mary, Joseph, and Jesus.

Have a Blessed Christmas!