In The Same Country

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  Luke 2:8

There are those days when we hear news that causes us to wonder if we are in the same country as some others. But this story of shepherds isn't about political disagreement. The same country means the same as where that little baby was just born in the preceding verse. Now at this time the shepherds had lived around Bethlehem for centuries doing pretty much the same thing day by day. The Roman occupation likely didn't change much about their daily life as scattered shepherds with a few sheep were not much of a threat. (I know, tell that one to Goliath.) The shepherds probably didn't think much of the coming taxes and the census that kicked them out of their stable, and the sheep said 'Bah!' 

It has been quiet in the countryside for so long that we can sit here today and feel the about-to-change tension in the air. Night by night should be the same as the days but darker, right? "What are all you future people doing here looking at the sky?" the shepherd would ask with some concern, if we could be there right now. 

We'll revisit those shepherds as the day comes closer.

Bucky

Specific Prophecies Of The Christ

But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.
  -- Matthew 2:6 from Micah 5:2

Determining which is the most specific prophecy of the coming Christ may be no easy task, but the one of the birthplace lands on a specific small town. After Herod met the visitors from the east in search of Israel's newly born king, he quickly asked the chief priests and scribes where this event was to take place. And they quickly answered with the verse from Micah we read today. Which of course gave Herod an evil idea. That idea was also foretold in prophecy. The star seen in the east by these wise men would soon reappear to lead them to a specific house in Bethlehem. That prophecy of what Herod would do was the reason for the star not leading the eastern visitors straight to Bethlehem. That stop in Jerusalem, since the capital is where one would naturally search for and ask after the newborn king, set in motion the other prophecy. And a dream of an angel message sent Joseph on the way to Egypt to avoid Herod's murderous act and fulfill yet another prophecy. 

That Christ child had a lot of prophecies laid down for him!

Bucky

Walking In Darkness?

The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.
  -- Isaiah 9:2

Lots of time, no problem! Yes, Christmas eve is two weeks from this evening. Soon lots of time will turn to little time, and the annual mad scramble to get ready for Christmas will begin. That rush near the holiday can be a part of the darkness some walk in every year. It is possible to both dread and revere the holiday. The perfect present, the best yard light display, Christmas cards that say the right thing, and many other heavy-weight concerns may take us away from the light shining in the darkness. That light promised in our verse for today waits for anyone to remember Him even among those who believe. Because any of us may find ourselves walking in darkness in this season too. 

Trust in the Light, and turn around when you see darkness!

Bucky

Using The Government

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.  Luke 2:1-3

One thing we do note about Mary and Joseph is their obedience to God's messengers, which is to obey the word of God. Such persons also tend to obey the government, and God used the ponderous Roman one to get His Son's parents down to Bethlehem. It is quite likely that Mary would rather have delivered at home in Nazareth with its access to familiar and familial people and places. Mary also seems to have been far along in her first pregnancy, as she delivered quite soon after arriving in Bethlehem. Why travel so close to the due date? Again the Roman bureaucracy might well have taken its sweet time getting census takers, tax collectors, and the proclamation out to the public. But you can bet there was a due date for people to be in place and Roman authority to make sure it happened. As we know, large governments tend to work in similar ways to one another - We slow, you hurry. A government at times may appear to be more problem than solution, but God can use that too.

Mercy and joy to you in Christ Jesus,

Bucky

A Mountain Toting Baby

He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17

Echoing the final words of the Old Testament, from Malachi 4:5,6, the angel takes little John and lays a whopper of a job on him. Moses griped about his stutter, Gideon complained of smallness, and Isaiah had those unclean lips, but John the Baptist hasn't been conceived yet. What is the not-yet-a-baby to say to, oh, turning the disobedient to the wisdom of the just? Those who believe in Jesus today fight to walk that path constantly as disobedience always tempts us. One way to look at prophecy is not as a whopper of a job or an impossible mountain to tote, but as a promise of the Lord of where each of us will go. John did indeed grow up to go before Jesus in the spirit and power of Elijah. The Christ Child himself would take John's job and run with it, and it continues in us today. The angel did not say that the baby with mountains to tote would have to do it alone, God went with John all the way.

The grace of God fulfills prophecy in us too!

Bucky

The Spare Part

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  Matthew 1:18

In many marriage arrangements throughout history, we can safely say that the bridegroom looked with eager anticipation to participating in the small part he had to play in the 'with child' bit. For Joseph, he was just a spare part in the process as someone had already taken care of his role in that. A moral dilemma ensued for this prospective groom. If he believes Mary's tale, then he probably should not attempt to marry a woman God has already claimed for Himself. If he does not believe the tale, incredible as it is, then he must either raise the child as his own and perhaps get to participate in the next one, or walk away from the marriage and shame Mary. 

There is of course no mystery for us in this tale as the story of Mary, Gabriel the angel, and God's Spirit are told in Luke's account of the Christmas story. The dreams of Joseph reassuring him and telling him what he must do will also soon be told. Joseph will have an important part to play, beginning with getting a quite pregnant Mary to Bethlehem in time for the birth of Jesus. 

Faith and comfort to you this day in Christ!

Bucky

The First Parts

And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." Luke 1:19-20

My sense of humor is at times rather senseless, and people have shown me that now and then. At those times, I wished after the fact to be rendered mute. Zacharias had that wish fulfilled, though he may not have been wishing for it at the time. At a minimum, he got nine months of mute silence for saying the wrong thing to the angel. Zach may have noted that bit at the end, in their own time, which could cause a person of forced quietness some concern. How long is that, Gabriel? But he could not ask that question. Fortunately for Zach, the Lord had ended His drought of the word on Israel, and big things were happening quickly. We call these marvelous smaller stories the first parts of the Christmas story.

Grace and peace to you this Christmas season,

Bucky