Rochester, MN UCC - "God is With Us" - Matthew 1:18-25

“She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

 So many things had to come together for Jesus to be born. A young woman believed the angel that she had an important role to play in the transformation of the world. An old woman could clearly see the miracle at hand even when her priest husband couldn’t. An unmarried man chose to be kind rather than enforce social norms when he discovered his wife to be pregnant. They were all ready for a miracle.

 The world is still in need of miracles and Christ is still being born into the world. When you choose to be kind rather than legalistic, you create space for the love of Christ to transform the world again. When we choose to believe that even we have a role to play in God's salvation of the world, we assume a posture ready to respond to where the spirit is calling. We need to be ready for the miracles God is doing all around us.

 This time of year can be overwhelming as our attention and time are stretched in a million different directions. Join us this Sunday in worship to center ourselves in that incredible story again, when simple people like you and I played an important role in the salvation of the world.

Peace, Pastor Shannon Smith