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DECEMBER 28 23 "We may venture more freely to call God our Father, because his only Son, in order that we might have a Father in common with him, chose to be our brother." —John Calvin, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists T he story of Mary, Joseph, and the birth of Jesus is a family story. It's unique, to be sure, but it is a story of family. Through a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, Mary was blessed by God when He chose her to be Jesus' earthly mother (Luke 1:26–36, 46–55). Joseph, "being a righteous man," fulfilled his betrothal commitments, took Mary as his wife (Matt. 1:19, 24), and became Jesus' earthly father. And, in due time, the promised Son was born (Luke 2:7). As a family, they stayed in the stable, and as a family, they received seekers—shepherds and nobles. As a family, they were received by Simeon and Anna in the temple, and as a family, they returned to Nazareth, where "the child grew" in the care of His parents (Luke 2:40). In the process of proclaiming this story in his commentary on the Gospels, John Calvin helps us to see another "family story" that is central to the story of the Child who was born. "We may venture," he writes, "more freely to call God our Father, because his only Son … chose to be our brother." The birth of Jesus was the necessary and defining starting point for the story of His saving work. And the story of that saving work can be viewed, in part, as a family story in which we, by God's grace, can share. In coming to earth and taking humanity upon Himself, the Son of God became our brother, while also being our Creator, Lord, and Savior (Matt. 12:49; 25:40; Rom. 8:29; Heb. 2:11). He was born of a woman and lived a human life like ours, with only one all- significant difference. At every point at which a choice was made, Jesus chose to do the will of His Father in heaven. And because of His unerring, life-and-death-long obedience to the Father, we, by grace through faith in Him, can be adopted and call His Father "Abba," our Father (John 1:12–13; Rom. 8:15; Matt. 6:9). What a gift! David Buschart, PhD Professor of Theology and Historical Studies The Gift of Family Note: In 2017, Protestant Christians around the world are celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. John Calvin was a leading theologian among "second generation" Protestant reformers.