Dec. 18th,. Scene three: Go See!

The end of the three-part play finds the Shepherds looking at one another after the angels leave. It's one of those awkward moments when you know you should be doing something but nothing great comes to mind. It's that moment when you know you have been in the presence of God and words can't express what is happening inside. Knees are weak because of the amazement, the skin is moist because of the fear and awe, the mouth is dry, and forming words is almost impossible. It is times like these that the practical takes over. “Let's go see” one of them finally said, thus uttering one of the greatest phrases in scripture.

It is a direct link to what Jesus Himself will one day say to others who wish to follow Him: “Come and see.” In many ways the life of faith is a go-and-see experience. Putting faith into words and words into action are the bases of our daily walk. Going, seeing, believing are steps in a process which bring us closer to Christ and to the discovery of His plan for our lives.

I want to take a little literary license here and suggest that it is fitting that shepherds were the first group of people to hear the announcement, and that afterwards they had opportunity to share the story with others. The role of a Pastor in the church is the same. To go and see, to believe and then share the gospel with others who also might believe. Not that this was the intent, but there is so much to suggest that what God was doing was painting for us a picture of leadership through caring for others, like shepherds for sheep.

The story in the gospels has it climax when the shepherds come to the manger scene and find everything just as it was told to them. In that moment, we capture a glimpse of what intimacy with God is like. Truth revealed is one of the greatest faith builders I know. Truth believed is fuel for the fire of our soul and brings us to the only logical outcome of worship and praise.

Two things happened because of this announcement. The first was Good News delivered. The story told through the ages of the birth of our Savior, the hope of the world. The second was Good News received. Mary, Joseph, the wise men, shepherds, you and I, we have all received the good news of Jesus Christ born on Christmas morning.

The shepherds returned rejoicing. What are you doing this morning?

Dec. 17th. Scene two: Heavenly Host

Suddenly, I love that idea. I have been trying to visualize this activity today. What would it have been like to be present when the magnitude of the heavenly host suddenly appeared? I like how God gave a very unique confirmation to the one angel's words. It was like, BAM there it is. TODAY JESUS IS BORN! God excels in the surprise arena.

If you look with a keen eye concerning the events where God showed up in scripture, you would find that it is in the most surprising ways and in the most unexpected places—once again here in this birth announcement to a group of shepherds, God shows up and then really shows up to give to these simple herdsmen the message of the ages.

There are two ideas we can take away with us from this passage. The first is simple. God cares so much for us that He chose to redeem us through His Son Jesus. Surprise, we did not deserve His grace or gift; yet in His plan for us He gave everything to us in the least expected places and in the most unusual circumstances so that we might have hope in our life through Him.

The second is that all of heaven is excited about what God has done. There is no surprise here. Creation was broken at the fall of Adam, and God has been preparing for this exact moment to spring upon us the greatest news ever recorded. In fact, the news was so big that one angel could not contain it all. God sent a multitude of the Heavenly Host to remove any doubt that this event was real and that God was about to emerge in the form of a little baby, the Savior of the world.

Now here is the challenge: put yourself in the scene. Which part of the performance do you want to behold? Grab hold of it and play this story out with gusto.

See you tomorrow for scene three!

Dec. 16th. Scene one: Shepherds

Scene one: Shepherds

It is in the Gospel of Luke that we find the account telling the experience of the Shepherds. The appearance of angels, lights, music and the Glory of the Lord must have caused quite a startling experience for what would have been considered some of the "least of these. " Doing the work of a shepherd was not glamorous; in fact, the dangers far outweighed the advantages and the lonely nights spent on the hillside drove these wandering groups of men together where they could share the warmth of fire, some food and conversation.

This part of the story is like a three part play. Scene one: Shepherds down right, angels enter with lights and music…It makes for a wondrous introduction. The words that follow are filled with great and interesting news.

Luke 2:10-12 "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

I noticed something today that I have not realized before. This is the fact that this announcement was personal. This was not a broadly-cast, everyone come, headlines-in-the-paper announcement. This was given directly to this group of ordinary people--shepherds. Notice how gently the announcement came. “Do not be afraid” were the first words spoken. Think of how many times in these birth narratives the people involved are comforted with these words. Mary, Joseph, now shepherds.

However, the most important part of this are these words: “A Savior has been born to you.” It is as if the only people that mattered at that moment was this band of shepherds. All creation was looking on as this announcement was given, and it was directed to them-"born to you." The beauty of this is that Jesus still works that way. Individually, He comes to each of us with the gift of salvation on a one-on-one encounter to offer to us eternal life. That is the purpose of His coming, and that message is still calling us today.

Join with me tomorrow for scene two.

Dec. 15th. Bethlehem

Bethlehem

A city in the “hill country” of Judah

It was originally called Ephrath. It is first noticed in Scripture as the place where Rachel died and was buried “by the wayside,” directly to the north of the city. The valley to the east was the scene of the story of Ruth the Moabitess. There are the fields in which she gleaned, and the path by which she and Naomi returned to the town. Here was David's birthplace, and here also, the birthplace of Jesus.

The gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:6) gives us a unique blending of Old and New Testament history through the prophetic announcement of the birthplace of Jesus. The history is rich with Biblical figures who have shaped culture, but not-so powerful as the birth of Jesus. Our very foundation of Christian faith and witness come from this city on a hill. So it is no wonder that at one point in the teaching of Jesus He makes reference to our lives being like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.

I believe that our passage of scripture today points to the people who received the first message and gift of the birth of Jesus. But more importantly it points to each of us as receivers of this truth.

I am convicted by the words of a song by Third Day, of the importance of this reality. I pray that we also will be like Bethlehem that out of us will come the truth of the power of Christ to redeem all people. Here are the lyrics from the song “City on a Hill,” by Third Day.

You are the light of the world

A city on a hill cannot be hidden

Shine your light before all men

That they might see your works and then

Praise your Father up in Heaven

A city on a hill cannot be hidden

Standing tall before all men

To show the things that it's been given

And everything that it can give

Just like that city on a hillside

We got a light that's deep within us

No, don't keep it to yourself

Just remember how you felt

When you first gave your life to Jesus

And I know that our salvation isn't based on the things we do

But it's only given by the grace of God

By the sacrifice of Jesus, and if we really did believe

We were born to share this message with someone

Dec. 14th. Disturbed

Disturbed

I find it somewhat fitting that at the pivotal point of the birth narrative in Matthew the story jumps to how this birth is disturbing. It starts with King Herod and spreads throughout Jerusalem. It is pivotal because at this point all of us are faced with the same question: Does Jesus disturb you?

I am not referring to the presence of fear or dread, but in the sense of how His presence is causing you to rethink life and some of the stuff we do so easily? I think this is precisely why and how Jesus came into our world. His life and ministry and even His very presence should cause us to become disturbed. In actuality, if Jesus is not making a difference in our lives for the good or even the bad, then why did He come? What was His purpose other than to bring us to a new relationship with God and to draw us toward Himself through faith?

I believe that Jesus has the answers for living life to the fullest, for finding purpose and ministry, and for discovering the hidden areas of our existence that need to be rooted out. Jesus' entire ministry was about challenging the status quo and calling ordinary people just like you and I to come and follow Him with reckless abandonment. So the question again is posed: Does Jesus disturb you?

In our reading, King Herod was disturbed; he saw his world in danger and was willing to do anything to keep things in order. Continue to read chapter 2:13 – 18 and see to what extent he reached because of how greatly disturbed he was.

The same might be said of us. See how greatly he or she acts in order to escape the feelings Jesus brings when He challenges our ordinary with His extraordinary. Might I suggest that the next time you are confronted with the person of Jesus allow Him to get deep into your life and to bring about the change His transformational life can bring.

See you on the journey…