Did you know that not all "news" is true? There’s been a lot of coverage lately about “fake news” — a rumor or accusation, sometimes sponsored by someone with a political agenda (wow, imagine that?) and then spread by people who assume without checking that it’s true, because it fits their prejudices and worldview. Photos of cities, battles and people have all been faked. Some of the ‘news’ that appeared in popular social media sites has been traced to sources outside our country who may have been attempting to influence our elections, and certainly influenced a lot of individuals! There’s evidence that some of those posts were targeted at Christians. Many of them were picked up without questioning the source or accuracy of the information, “liked,” re-posted, and forwarded to friends. Since we are people who love truth, my first point today is, “don’t be that person” as the saying goes. (By the way, 'fake news' happens in person, not just online!)
But let’s imagine: what would life have been like for Mary, the pregnant finance of Joseph of Nazareth, if her neighbors had used Facebook? Her reputation was at risk even without social media; what would Facebook or Twitter have done to her? Imagine the amount of ‘fake news’ that would have gone out about her (and poor Joseph)! But the angel Gabriel told her the truth: the baby within her would be called “holy, the Son of God” (Luke 1:35), not just any normal boy.
The ‘fake news’ was that Mary had not been faithful to Joseph. The true news was that God had taken on flesh, and was about to be born as Immanuel, God with us, the Anointed One, Savior of the world. As the angels told the shepherds, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master" (Luke 2:10-12). There were many other reasons to be afraid and worried during that time period, but they were told the best news of all -- the Savior had come!
Today we are in much the same situation as in Mary and Joseph's day. International conflict, accusations of all sorts of misdeeds by leaders, concerns about disease, climate change, and a thousand other worries, fill the news and social media. But this season reminds us to stop, take a deep breath, hear the carols and the scriptures telling us of the 'true news' of the season, and rejoice in God our Savior! (see Luke 1:46). Yes, the problems are still there, and we're not ignoring them: we're putting all of them in the context of the One who is truly in charge of everything, and has already delivered humanity from our sins. Our hope is in Jesus, not in politics or in human wisdom. Let our hope lead to love, our love lead to joy, and our joy lead to peace, as we celebrate Advent -- and share the good news with someone who doesn't know it!
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