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What love looks like

Love takes many forms. It might be the love of a parent for a child, or the love shared between lifelong friends or it might be love of music or nature. In English, these various forms of love are all described by the single word ‘love’. Unfortunately in our culture – and especially in movies – love is often confused with lust and sex. Perhaps that’s because it’s easier to capture this sort of love on film or in the words of a song. Such erotic love is certainly one type of love, but not the only or most important form of love.

In the New Testament the most commonly used word for love is agape, which is a good translation of the Hebrew hesed, or loving kindness. This type of love is part of God’s character and seen in how God cares for and interacts with humans and the world. Agape love is not selfish but rather cares for the other. It is faithful, committed and prepared to be sacrificial for the sake of another. Such love is described in the famous passage in 1 Corinthians 13 and seen in Christ’s giving up of his life on the cross.

In the Advent story this week from Matthew’s Gospel, love is seen in the attitudes and actions of Joseph towards Mary. When Joseph finds out that Mary, his fiancée, is pregnant but not through his actions, Joseph seeks a practical solution – a quiet divorce – that will hopefully protect Mary from shame or stoning. Later, when Joseph finds out in a dream that Mary is pregnant through God’s Holy Spirit, he decides to go through with the marriage and to adopt the child as his own. This is agape love in action. It may be costly for Joseph but he wants the best outcome for Mary and the child and for himself.

There is a carol entitled Love came down at Christmas. May it point us to the love of God revealed in the birth, life, ministry and death of Jesus, and may we be inspired by Jesus’ example to love others we meet and interact with this week.

From the Minister

What is the significance of the Christmas story for you?

Christmas is here! For many of us this means a time to gather with family and friends and share a sumptuous meal. For others, this day brings sadness as we remember those no longer with us, or loneliness as we have no place to go. For those newly arrived in Australia, from various religious backgrounds, Christmas Day is a confusing experience as a secular country stops for a religious festival.

The four Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus are equally split in how they present the story and significance of Jesus’ birth. The earliest Gospel, Mark, makes no mention of it at all. Matthew and Luke in their own way address this omission. Both these Gospels stress God’s pivotal role in events, with Matthew telling the story from Joseph’s perspective and Luke from Mary’s perspective. The final Gospel of John takes the story way back to creation to stress the divine nature of Jesus.

For those of us who profess to be followers of Jesus, it’s difficult to free the Christmas story from its cultural and materialistic wrappings. At its heart, though, the story speaks of God acting to bring light and love into a darkened world through the person of Jesus. His birth marks a new beginning, offering new possibilities. How has this story shaped your life? What is its significance for you?

From the Minister, ,

Joseph’s role in the Christmas story

The main human players in the Christmas story are Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Yet Joseph is often a secondary character, off to the side as it were, as if we are uncertain what to do with him. After the birth stories, Joseph disappears entirely from the narrative, while Mary has several more appearances.

In Matthew’s version of the Christmas story, though, Joseph has a more major role than Mary. He is the one who has to respond to Mary’s unexpected news about her pregnancy, he is the one who organises their escape to Egypt and he is the one who brings the family back to Nazareth. He is also the one who names the child Jesus. How much of this is historically accurate we don’t know, but Joseph is presented as someone who is upright in character, who stays calm and who is practical.

Joseph is a good example of a support person, the quiet behind the scenes person who gets things done and who serves in a no fuss way. So often in history, it is women who fulfil such a role, but here it is Joseph. What might we learn from his example, his trust in God and his practical action?

From the Minister,