O come, O come, Emmanuel! What do you know about the story of your birth? What if someone asked you to tell them the story of your birth? Maybe you know some of the details: time of day…how much you weighed…who was there. Perhaps all you know is that you were born. Now…What if someone asked you to tell them the story of Jesus birth? Where would you even begin to tell the story? We might talk about angels and shepherds and wise men…basic Christmas pageant stuff. This is the time of year when this story is front and center. We love to tell the story, both in word and song, of the birth of our Savior. It is the story of the good news of God coming to be with us…Emmanuel! Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. Matthew 1:18 Matthew in his gospel tells us the dramatic story of a pregnant Mary betrothed to Joseph who is reassured by an Angel in a dream to take her as his wife. More importantly the angel tells Joseph that this will not be any ordinary child. This child will save his people. Not from armies, or natural disasters, or plagues, or financial ruin. He will save us from our sins! We tell and sing of the story of Jesus’ birth for this reason: that this baby who was laid in the hard wood of the cradle would one day “stretch out his arms on the hard wood of the cross so that everyone might come within the reach of his saving embrace.” * O come, o come, Emmanuel! Blessings, Matthew+ Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP pg.212) *(BCP p. 101) | 
