Category: Christmas

Read Luke 2:8-20

Shepherds. These guys were low on the popularity scale. They didn’t get a lot of respect, yet their jobs demanded diligence, perseverance, attentiveness, and humility. That’s who God chose to be the first to meet Jesus. Got saw their worth. They were his masterpiece just as the next guy.

And it happened with great intention. “Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified.” Just the word “suddenly” invokes a feeling of excitement and anticipation. What the shepherds beheld that night was not at all ordinary.

Continue reading “Shepherd: Who me?”

Read Luke 2:1-7

It’s time to you use your imagination. Who would expect the King to be born in a filthy place where you’d find a manger? We don’t read about any animals being present, yet most nativity scenes have cows, sheep, and of course a donkey. Why a donkey? Because we have always pictured pregnant Mary riding on a donkey rather than making the 70 mile trek to Bethlehem on foot.

When you think of how all the pieces of this story have fit into place, it could only be God orchestrating it. We know from Micah 5:2 that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” How do they get there?

Continue reading “Animals: In the Right Place at the Right Time”

Read Matthew 1:18-25

Unbelievable! What must Joseph have been thinking? The news Mary shared with him must have seemed incredible. Women don’t just get pregnant when they’re still virgins. Now what? This changes everything! How could he have been so blind? Mary seemed like a nice girl, didn’t she?

Enter the angel. It was time for God to intervene in Joseph’s life to ease his mind. What has happened was not meant to be a curse, but rather an honor. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” We know God chose Mary to be honored among women, but her husband needed to be a devout man of God as well. Jesus’ earthly parents would be scrutinized as well as heralded as holy.

Continue reading “Joseph: An Honor or Curse?”

Read Luke 1:26-56

“Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.” If I had been Mary, I’d have been a lot more than just confused and disturbed. Imagine looking up from what you were doing only to see an angel of the Lord standing there. My first question would be, “who are you?” It had to be shocking to have a strange man, Gabriel, standing there.

Gabriel sensed Mary’s fear all right. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!” Finding favor with God–now that sounds great. Don’t we all want to please God? What thoughts do you think were going through Mary’s head about now? I would have wondered what had I done that was so special.

Continue reading “Mary: The Blessed One”