December 21, 2008

Luke 2: 1-40

  Rejoice!

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Do You Hear What I Hear?



Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,

"Do you know what I know?

In your palace warm, mighty king,

Do you know what I know?

A Child, a Child shivers in the cold--

Let us bring him silver and gold,

Let us bring him silver and gold."

***

LUKE 

The Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.  (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  All returned to their own towns to register for this census.  And because Joseph was descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancee, who was obviously pregnant by this time.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her first child, a son.  She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them.  They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them.  "Don't be afraid!" he said.  "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!  The Savior--yes, the Messiah, the Lord--has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And this is how you will recognize him:  You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others--the armies of heaven--praising God:

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors."

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem!  Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph.  And there was the baby, lying in the manger.  Then, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.  All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often.  The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.

Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child, so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.  The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord."  So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord--"either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."   

Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem.  He was a righteous man and very devout.  He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel.  The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah.  That day the Spirit led hm to the Temple.  So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there.  He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

"Lord, now I can die in peace!  As you promised me, I have seen the Savior you have given to all people.  He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people, Israel!"

Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus.  Then Simeon blessed them and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing.  But he will be the greatest joy to many others.  Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.  And a sword will pierce your very soul."

Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple.  She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old.  She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years.  She was now eighty-four years old.  She never left the Temple but stayed day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.  She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God.  She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem.  

When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee.  There the child grew up healthy and strong.  He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him.         

*** 

Thoughts...

"Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel shall come to thee, oh Israel."  One day, when I was at a low point in my life and in tears contemplating what to do with my life, I heard this song, a song I had known from days of regular Christmas holiday church attendance.  I thought God had come and his angels were singing to me.  I thought my end was near.

As it turned out, God had sent angels to minister to me.  I moved closer to where the sound of the angels were singing.  The song was playing from a loud speaker in a van and angels were knocking at what I thought was my door.  I lived in a duplex and they were, at that moment, knocking on the neighbor's door.  I had tears in my eyes and streaming down my face as I opened the door.

There, stood a man and a little boy.  I opened the door to God at that moment in these two people.  Not that he had not been a very real saving presence in my life always, but sometimes we don't hear him, our pain is too great...our fears too strong.  The man asked me if I was all right and for once I owned that I was not.  He asked if he could pray with me.  Like a person drowning, I needed that 'life savior'.  As if a begging voice could not be heard any louder, I cried gently, "Please.....yes."

I invited this man and little boy into my shelter...not a home...merely a place to house a chair and a buffet left behind by the owner...but a palace to me and my two dogs at the time.  Unlike our Savior, I had a place to lay my head....and blankets from the landlord, too, in which I snuggly wrapped.  We prayed and I felt my Savior say, as I had heard him say before, "It will be all right.  Everything will be all right."

The man asked if he could come back later with another person and I said yes.  Why wouldn't you say yes to an angel?  The man returned later that evening with a woman who was as soul nurturing as he was.  Both physically striking, financially sound looking, professional appearing people reaching out in the name of God.  They brought food, but there was no electricity to keep anything cold...no refrigerator either, I don't think.  But it was cold outside, so the milk they brought went to the snow on the porch....how convenient for God to think of all things.  There was no heat, so most of the food could not be cooked...but I ate then, so it would not spoil.   And they left money on the banister...what a blessing...it was used for gasoline, so that I might continue to look for work.  And they prayed again.

There is something special to be said for angels who come in when the whole world has gone away.  For those two angels....thank you, again.  For the landlady and her daughter and son who helped me, thank you again.  For God, who gave me his son, so that I may live and be forgiven of my sins and have eternal life...thank you, again and again and again.  For Holy Spirit who carries me still now, when it seems like the whole world doesn't understand, nor do I some days, what my next steps will be in the path of following my Lord, oh, thank you so very much for getting me through.....thank you again and again and again and again.  And for Mary, who is my strength, when I cannot hear the Lord for the volume of tears....who comes softly into my heart like my mother, who is in heaven awaiting the day of our renuion I'm sure...how many thank you moments can one have in a lifetime (many, I hope)....I thank you deeply.  For all the angels who have come into my life and touched me to my very soul and helped me maintain or regain my life, thank you so very much.  I am indebted to you and for you I will pray...always.

For those needing this baby born, who's birth we celebrate on Christmas day, who's birth we should celebrate every day, rejoice!  A savior has been born for you, too!  He lived...he lives still, and he can live in you!

The Bible is not just some novel devised by a group of guys and gals who got together to create a hoax on the world.  The Bible was inspired by God to be written by multiple people and is history and prophecy (Old Testament) and the history and fulfillment  of Jesus come alive for us today and everyday hereafter (New Testament).  I call the Old Testament 'Hope' and the New Testament 'Promise' sometimes.  It was written by numerous people, so that even through time, you can see that everybody essentially experienced the same truths, the same experiences as relates to the man called Jesus...the newborn King.  If one person tells you something, you might think 'ya right' sometimes.  But if hoards upon thousands of people share the same story around the world worshiping in their own ways the same person....you have got to consider there might be something to this....and it would do you well to look into it...investigate....research...consider praying about it.  Even if you don't believe, pray as if you do, and expect an answer.  Perhaps the answer to that prayer will be your miracle this Christmas as you hear his voice.

How do you investigate and research?  Go to the largest historical factual source where there is information about God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.  The Bible.  There are other things written that support the information in the Bible that have been found since the original texts were compiled, but the complilation that is the most comprehensive is the Bible.  Start with reading the scriptures from the archives for this month on this website, or just jump into the Gospel according to Luke in the New Testament.  There are 4 Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) because God knew that many people would look at things and see things differently and that 4 telling the story would mean more than one...like I said above.  But after you've read, or even if you don't read, realize....believe....know....that this Christmas needs to be about Him and you....not the recession, not the bills, not the toys:  cars or match box, but about why we even have a Christmas after all.  To remind us that a baby was born to be the Savior of the world and his name is Jesus.  He can be your Savior, if he is not already.  If you haven't prayed a prayer for salvation...to be saved from your sins and given eternal life, to make Jesus your friend and brother, read this page above todays scriptures and pray it to and with your Lord today.  It's there for those that need to reunite with him as well.

And rejoice!  For a Savior has been born...his name is Jesus...he is Christ the King!  Alleluia!

***

Let Us Pray

Jesus!!!!  We  praise you.  God!!!!  We so thank you.  Holy Spirit!!!!  We rejoice with you.  Mary!!!!  We embrace you with thanksgiving for answering the call of God's angel and giving life to and loving our newborn king.  Joseph!!!!  You are not unnoticed....God blessed you...how can we not thank you for loving and trusting Mary and giving Jesus an abundant and sound life...thank you.  For all the lost angel moments in life, and for all the angel moments to come from others and from ourselves to others...thank you.  You tell us, Lord, to give thanks in everything.  In the midst of, not because of or for, but just 'in'.  So whatever circumstance we find ourselves in today, rich or poor, sad or joyful, good times or not good times, thank you.  We know, Lord, that you are there in our midst and we have but to only call on you and trust that we will most assuredly hear from you as you guide and direct us...if we but listen and rejoice with expectant hope and belief that what you have said...promised...WILL come true.   If it is not good, let us ask more questions, and read more about how you lived your life, and how a Christian should live, to learn how to best live in you and have you in us, to live our lives to the fullest honoring God.  So we can better rejoice singing, "Glory to the newborn King".  "Peace on Earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."  "Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph in the skies, Hark the Herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King."  Good will toward all men...and women...and children...and animals, and birds, and creatures on the earth, and in the skies, and in the oceans.  Amen.

***

"Do you hear what I hear?

Said the king to the people everywhere,

"Listen to what I say!

Pray for peace, people, everywhere,

Listen to what I say!

The Child, the Child sleeping in the night

He will bring us goodness and light,

He will bring us goodness and light." 

 

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation.  

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