Harmonizing the Infancy of Jesus, Luke 2, Matthew 2

As we read each of the Gospel narratives about the birth of Jesus, we usually ask, “How does this all fit together?” Father Jeremiah walks us through how St. Luke and St. Matthew’s Infancy narratives can fit together so that we can better appreciate the full work of the Father in sending his Son into this world.

Image: Stories of life and passion of Christ, by Gaudenzio Ferrari (cropped). Public Domain. location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GaudenzioFerrari_StorieCristo_Varallo.jpg

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2022/1/2/harmonizing-the-infancy-of-jesus-luke-2-matthew-2

To Be Your God, Luke 2:1-20, Titus 2:11-14

Why would God become man? Father Jeremiah explores this reality in this sermon from Christmas Eve. God is fulfilling his promises through the birth of his Son, Jesus, into this world and the greatest promise is that he will be our God and he will make us his people.

Image: The Birth of Christ… lithograph by M Fanoli after J Führich. License under CC BY 4.0. Located at the Wellcome Collection. Image location: https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/YW034608V/The-birth-of-Christ

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/12/24/to-be-your-god-luke-21-20-titus-211-14

The Weary World Rejoices, Luke 2.1-20

On Christmas Eve, we begin the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth! We continue this celebration for 12 days and rejoice in the goodness of God to send his Son into this world. Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. And his coming means that a weary world can rejoice in the mercies of God.

Image: Nativity from St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai. License: CC0 1.0. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nativity,_St._Catherine_Monastery,_Sinai,_6th_century.jpg

Redeemed for Us, Luke 2.22-40, Hebrews 2.14-18

Jesus being presented in the Temple may seem like a random even from his life, yet it contains a great amount of redemptive significance. It pushes us to realize how seriously the writers of the New Testament took Jesus’ full humanity and how it was necessary that he be incarnate. It is a reminder that everything that he did was for us and our salvation.

Image: Presentation of Christ in the Temple, Stefan Lochner, 1447 (Public Domain). Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stefan_Lochner_-_Presentation_of_Christ_in_the_Temple_-_WGA13347.jpg

The Son of God Incarnate Come!

Jesus Christ is born! The Son of God has come in the flesh! And thus, the whole world is blessed by this coming of God in human flesh that all creation might be redeemed through his work on its behalf.

Image: Nativity Icon in Panagia Evraidos Church (Public Domain). Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nativity_Icon_Panagia_Evraidos_Church_19_Century.jpg