Jordan River Valley - Day 3

The river Jordan. First off, we are in the middle of the desert. And I mean desert. I can only imagine how refreshing the sight of the banks of the Jordan River was. And then to get there and not be concerned about cleaning off the sweat and dirt, but to want only to wash away your sins and be made clean - that's just a-whole-nother level of being refreshed.

We Methodists don't spend as much time thinking and talking bout baptism as some of our other Christian brothers and sisters. Or our Jewish brothers and sisters for that matter. When we baptize infants we are recognizing the gift of salvation and the covenant of God and to each other. It's hard for me to imagine the sins a 3 month old baby could need to have forgiven. But the continual covenant to be raised in the church and confirmed and strengthened in the way that leads to life eternal - that's a grace I'm comfortable with. And unbelievably grateful for.

But baptism is about being cleansed and made new. After baptism your sins are no more. Your life will never be the same.

And so today we stood by the shores of the river and remembered our baptism and are thankful. Grace flowed over our hands and feet and we are made new again.

Click here to watch the devotional video.

We traveled into the West Bank and passed security check points to travel to Jericho. It is believed to be one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, with remains dating back over 10,000 years. From Jericho you can see the mount Nebo in the distance where Moses was shown the promised land by God but now allowed in. (Deuteronomy 34)

Next, we visited a 2,200 year old sycamore tree celebrated as the one from Luke 19, that Zacchaeus used to see Jesus. "So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way."

We journeyed down to the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on Earth, to where the Dead Sea Scrolls were excavated. The Scrolls contained 972 texts discovered between 1946 and 1956 that consist of biblical manuscripts from what is now known as the Hebrew Bible and other documents.

Asleep on the Sea of Galilee

I couldn't sleep. I was sleeping by the Sea of Galilee...

Every hour or so, I would run to the window, open it up and breathe deep. Was I dreaming? That I was sleeping where the disciples slept. As they closed their eyes, what did they see? What were they dreaming about? We're they as restless as I was?

Certainly, it is just a place. But for most of the action of the Gospels, the Sea of Galilee was THE place. Now, it teems with life: live music, rich food, animated conversation. The restlessness of the community indicates its rhythm of the centuries. Within this rhythm Jesus walked and called to those who would listen, "Follow me into life." The days and the nights on the Sea of Galilee has been calling to me too.

With the night brings mist. The mist gave way to sunlight. The clouds of restless sleep gave way to enthusiasm. Maybe in my waking hours I too will see the opportunity Jesus offers: peace. Peace be unto you this day; walk in the way that leads to life, sleepless as it may be.

Rev. Andy Stoker, PhD

Late to the Party?

I have only celebrated New Year's Eve in America. I've watched the presentations that show the midnight celebrations around the world. I remember watching intently as the clocks rolled to 2000 around the world. I remember people thinking something major would happen, like at least every computer crashing. No major fireworks, other than the fireworks planned of course. 

The unknown is hard. We've heard a lot of predictions of the end of days lately. There seems to be at least one prediction a year. Yet, when war breaks out around the Holy Land I think some religious eschatologists start thinking the end is near. But, if God does operate on the Gregorian calendar, the I suppose having a heightened alertness on New Year's Eve could make sense.

Tonight we will be arriving in Jerusalem where, being a large metropolitan city, I imagine there will be a NYE celebration, but thinking about the different cultures in this land it made me think about how many celebrations of a New Year there are around the world. 

Most of Israel is Jewish or Muslim, both religions have already celebrated their religious new year. The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, began at sundown September 16, 2012. The celebration is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve. The Hijri New Year, also known as Islamic new year, began at sunset November 14, 2012. New Year of the Gregorian calendar and Roman calendar, January 1, 2013. Maybe we're a little late to the party?

So, what will New Year's Eve look like here? Fireworks? Auld Lang Syne? Streamers? I don't know yet, but I'm certain I'll be able to answer that question easier than: What will the new year look like?

I do genuinely hope that 2013 provides you joy and is filled with love.

Lower Galilee - Day 2

Today was quite a mix of ancient and new.

 

We went to visit Beit She’an, an ancient city in the Jordan River Valley, northern Israel. These ruins show their connection with the Romans and Greeks who built the city. Parts of Beit She’an date back to 5,000 BC. The town became a part of the larger Israelite kingdom under the rule of the Biblical kings David and Solomon (1 Kings 4:12 refers to Beit She’an as a part of the district of Solomon.)

The site has the largest theater in the Holy Land - it originally held 7,000 people. The coolest part of the site was the ancient gym - maybe I'm just a sucker for a great spa. But they developed a method of heating the bath water from underneath by building large fires and heating the air and water that flowed through a coiled pipe system under the pools. Genius! They hadn't invented soap yet, but they sure could get a warm bath.

We took a lengthy drive, traveling near the Jordan border, to Caesarea Maritima, a national park on Israeli coastline, near the town of Caesarea. The ancient Caesarea Maritima city and harbor was built by Herod the Great about 25–13 BCE. The city has been populated through the late Roman and Byzantine era. Its ruins overlook the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.

After lunch we climbed Mount Megiddo, which is identified as the site of the final battle between the forces of good and evil at the end of time, known as Armageddon and mentioned in the New Testament in Revelation 16:16. Standing on top of the hill, looking down on the pleasent farm land, it's hard to picture all of the wars that have been fought on this hill side. And all the ones to come, according to scripture. The city of Nazareth can be seen on top of the next hill over. Almost like a forshadowing of what is to come.

Nazareth is the largest Christian city in Israel. It has a population of about 80,000. In Jesus time it was a small village. Mary is believed to have lived in a grotto or cave with her family there. We visited the Church of the Annunciation built in 1969 over the remains of Byzantine and Crusader churches. 

Pilgrims from all over come to this site to see where they believe the angels visited Mary and told her she was to bear God's son.The lower level of the church is built around this 1st Century gratto, which tradition recognizes as the home where Mary lived.

From there on to Cana.

We visited the Franciscan Wedding Church on the site most traditionally recognized as where the temple was when Jesus turned the water into wine, his first recorded miracle. We had a short devotional in the chapel reflecting on the covenants in our lives.

On a personal, but still very highly ranking highlight of the day, there was falafel at dinner! One of the things I've most been looking forward too, and I'd had 6 meals here without spotting one. And the seventh it arrived. Holy coincidence? I'll let you decide. But they were divine!

For more photos, click here.

Water to Wine

From the small fishing village of Capernaum on the banks of the Sea of Galilee to the trading village of Cana of Galilee, Jesus heard the wedding celebration. As a guest, he was filled with the spirit of love and grace. The reception started and he began to watch how celebrations occurred. Then, seeing the way the guests were celebrating, Jesus engaged the servers, "We too want respond to what God is doing with this couple. Let's ritualize this with wine! No, no, the good stuff!" So, from Galilee to Cana, the gospel of John paints a picture of Jesus' ministry bridging the extraordinary to ordinary. Life must look differently in light of Jesus. What water in your life needs to be turned to wine? Invite Jesus in, see what happens.

Rev. Andy Stoker, PhD

Civilization or Humanization

On the top of Meggido, the layers of humanity are below my feet; civilization upon civilization layered under me. This highly disputed piece of land saw life come and go. The Jezreel Valley was a highway between Africa and Asia, it was a "value slice of real estate." Meggido overlooks this valley where thousands of travelers and traders walked. The confluence of humanity in this place must have been incredible. But when humans come together there is sometimes conflict.

Civilization is ironic. In order to be civilized, humans have been in conflict. Conflict often is not civilized. What if we changed our perspective? What if we changed our ideology to 'humanization'? In order to live together, we must see each as humans; those with needs, loves, wants. Would this lead to greater peace?

We are called, as Christ has called us, to build a greater humanization. We will stand taller and prouder when we see each other's humanity.

Rev. Andy Stoker, PhD

The Sea of Galilee - Day 1

Today was an action packed day. We started out at about 8 a.m. and were able to meet up with the last of our wayward travelers at lunch. Here’s a quick run-down of what we saw today. I’ll follow up with a little more reflection in a bit. For now, enjoy these highlights!

Our first stop was the Valley of the Doves – next to the ancient city of Magdala, where Jesus met Mary Magdalene. Jesus frequently passed through this valley on his was to Capernaum, which is essentially the north shore of the Sea.

The area is very plush and fertile. Farms and kibbutzim (communes) in the area are growing olives, mangoes, grapefruit, lemons, bananas, oranges and pomegranates, among others.

We then travelled to the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus left the crowds to go up to the mount and preach the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7). We visited the Church of the Beatitudes which has a, octagonal shape, representing the 8 beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12). We read the blessings aloud in English and our guide repeated them in Hebrew.

Next we went to Ancient Capernaum, the city Jesus adopted as his second home. He preformed many miracles in Capernaum and, as written in John 6:35, preached that he was the bread of life. In ancient Capernaum there is a synagogue built in the 3rd to 4th century A.D. So, before Jesus time, but reflective of what would have been there. Just behind those ruins are more that are believed to be from the time of Christ. Quite possibly the temple he preached in.

On to Tabgha where we visited the Church of Multiplication. Tradition recognizes this site as where Jesus took the 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed 5,000 (men, not counting women and children). (Matthew 14:13-21)

A short walk down hill and we arrived at the Church of the Primacy, where tradition states, Peter was asked by Jesus to “Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15-17) At this spot we were finally able to dip our hands or feet into the Sea and connect with those sacred waters. Several other groups were even worshipping by the shore.

One last stop before lunch at Bethsaida. An entirely archeological site, we walked amongst the ruins of the town where at least 3 of Jesus’ disciples lived – Philip, Andrew and Peter. This fishing village was also where Jesus healed the blind man in Mark 8:22-38.

Lunch was a nice meal of “traditional St. Peter’s fish” overlooking the Sea. Lots of hummus and beets and carrots, like each meal so far. Can one eat too much hummus? We’ll find out.

We then took a 20 minute boat ride out onto the Sea. We cut the engine, Dr. Andy Stoker led us in a quick devotional, and then some much appreciated quiet time. We finally had a moment to sit and take in the wonder that was around us. A verse of “O Come All Ye Faithful” was lifted up. Then a verse of “Amazing Grace”. Here's a link to the devotional video.

We continued to the other side of the Sea and then took a short bus ride to see The Sea of Galilee Boat or the "Jesus Boat" which is an ancient fishing boat from the time of Jesus Christ. It discovered in 1986 on the north-west shore of the Sea. While there is no evidence connecting the boat to Jesus or his disciples, there is also (glass half full) no evidence of Him not being connected to it. It is from his time… so they’re saying there’s a chance.

Wow! What a day! Tomorrow begins with a 5:30 wake up call!

Click the picture below to see more photos.

Israel Day 1

Preparing Our Hearts and Minds

Upon arrival we will travel by bus to Tiberias, which sits on the Sea of Galilee, known in modern Israel as Lake Kinneret. Saturday we will go out on a boat on the water. Maybe once I see it some thoughts or notions will form about the experience. Right now, my mind is still pretty lost in the magnitude of the idea, I guess. So for now, my thoughts are on Jesus' experiences with the Sea on land. 

First disclaimer, I am not a biblical scholar. I do read the Book though. And from what I've read in Matthew it seems Jesus speaks mostly in parables when around the Galilean Sea. 

Second disclaimer, I am not traveling with an exhaustive concordance, and so, readers, you must patiently bear with my interpretations - at least until I have wifi access again and can google things. Mid flight, this is what we're left with.

Along the shores, Jesus told some of his greatest parables: the sower, the wheat and the weeds, the grain of mustard seed, the yeast, the treasure hidden in the field, the pearl and the net cast into the sea. 

(Our group will be arriving, thanks to flight delays and cancelations, among 11 flights over a 30 hour time span. I will resist, in deference to the scattered groups and in respect of the Bible, the urge to jump to the sower parable.)

One of the parables I have personally enjoyed is the parable of yeast. Matthew 13:33, "He told them still another parable: 'The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.'" (NIV) I love the idea that just a little bit of heaven can get mixed into our life and with a little work can become so incorporated that it can't be separated back out.

I have a feeling this trip will be a bit like that. Once we begin to experience just a bit of the history, the religious significance, of the Holy Land I think it will become ingrained in us and hopefully become a permanent part of us. A part of us that will grow, multiply and spread like a proof through out our lives and the lives of those we meet.

Posted from Vienna, Austria in route.

And We're Off!

Our group of 62 travelers is divided among several flights. To my knowledge, no one has a direct flight from Dallas to Tel-Aviv, so many folks had to start their long journeys very early. My group's flight has 2 layovers, the first in Washington, D.C., then in Vienna, Austria. We departed DFW at 7:20 a.m. on Thursday and will arrive in Israel at 2:55 p.m. local time Friday. That's about 7 a.m. back home.

24 hours.  7,005 miles.

Some people might consider that pretty grueling. But, it might help to put it in a little bit of historical perspective.

Mary and Joseph had quite a journey for their time in order to arrive in Bethlehem prior to Jesus' birth. It took them about 10 days, tradition says. I once traveled from Dallas to India pregnant. I wouldn't recommend it. We have a young pregnant woman on this trip. I'll let you know if she has kinder words for her journey than I imagine Mary had.

If we had to make the 7,005 mile journey back in those days, assuming we went over land and not water like we are, we'd have a couple of travel options available to us. Let's consider two. 

If we walked it... Although walking speeds can vary greatly depending on factors such as height, weight, age, terrain, surface, load, culture, effort, and fitness, the average human walking speed is about 3.1 miles per hour. Assuming we travelled for 8 hours per day, it would take approximately 280 days, over 9 months, to reach our destination.

If we were lucky enough to travel by camel (a very healthy camel), with an average distance pace of about 20 mph, it would take almost 44 days.

I'll take the 24 hours by plane, thank you. Perspective sure is refreshing.

Come thou long expected...

The season of Advent, of anticipation and expectation, quickly dissolves into a day of excitement and hustle. Package wrappings go flying. Nervous hands work furiously in the kitchen. Parents, grandparents, courageous aunts and uncles scramble for batteries to get all those noisy gadgets running. Suddenly the peaceful and serene Silent Night becomes Christmas Festivus, and yet, at the same time, the world is already moving on.

Yesterday, during an ill-advised Wal-Mart run, the Christmas shelves were being cleared and Valentine's decor was dawning the valuable end caps. Blink and you miss it. Was this really what the build up was for? Was this our long expected moment?

I don't know about you, but my heart yearns for just a couple more moments with that sweet baby. Maybe it's the new mother in me. Maybe it's the new mother in me that's preparing to leave her precious child behind for 10 days. But I'm still wanting to savor just a couple more moments with this long expected Jesus.

How wonderfully fitting then that we are preparing, longingly expecting, this trip to be close by our long expected savior! The moment is almost here. Do you sense it? Are you, too, craving the feeling of closeness, of unexplainable proximity, to this man, this child born over 2,000 years ago who would grow up to save us all?

Are you one of the ones staying home longing to be told that "unexplainable" story? I can't wait to share it with you. I hope you will journey along with us.

Kat Kaden

The Meaning of the Manger

Luke 2.12

This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”

John 6.35

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

                                                      

 

The blessed day has finally arrived! Our Prince of Peace, Word made flesh, Emmanuel, God with us – has once again entered the world and our hearts anew. Praise be to God!

But what does it mean that God chose to become present here among us, in the flesh…in a manger? Adam Hamilton points out two compelling reasons. First, Jesus’ birth in a common feeding trough reminds us of his humility. As the Christ Hymn of Philippians states, he

     “who, though he was in the form of God,
       did not regard equality with God
        as something to be exploited,
      but emptied himself,
        taking the form of a slave,
        being born in human likeness.
     And being found in human form,
        he humbled himself
        and became obedient to the point of death—
        even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2.6-8)

From there, Hamilton introduces another thought about Christ’s humble beginnings: the manger is the place where God’s creatures come to eat. The Gospel of Luke emphasizes that Christ came to save the least, the last, and the lost. The Gospel of John tells us that Christ is the “bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry.” If Christ came to give new life to those who hunger, thirst, struggle, and suffer…then shouldn’t we, as his disciples, do the same?

A friend of mine often says that we all have a “God-shaped hole” in our hearts that we try to fill with all sorts of things – money, possessions, career, status, addictions, and so on. If we allow it, Christmas can become a dangerous temptation to fill our hearts and homes with more “stuff.” But perhaps the thing we really hunger for is a true connection to Christ – which calls us out of our comfort zones and into a world in need of the power, presence, love, and humility of Emmanuel.

Christ was born into this world in the humility of a manger – a feeding trough. He lived his life in a way that gave meaning and sustenance to all he touched. And he poured out his life in the humility of the cross – loving to the fullest to the very end.

My prayer for each of us this Christmas is that we all seek to fill our hearts with the humility and love of Christ, so that we might be fulfilled with the power of God’s presence dwelling within and among us – this day, and every day. Amen.

Merry Christmas!
Rev. Becky Walker, Associate Minister, Minister of Adult Education
 

The Shepherds' Response

Luke 2.15-20

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

                                                           

 

The experience of the shepherds mirrors a lot of how God operates today. They encountered God through messengers (another word for angels). Their experience of God profoundly moved them.  It caused them to take risks in going where they felt God leading them (when they left their flocks they were risking their jobs and livelihoods), and caused them to share the message of God’s love and grace to others (in this case, with Mary and Joseph and anyone else they encountered as they left the manger).

Although I am extremely dismayed with the commercialization of Christmas (it’s Jesus’ birthday, not ours!), it does have a positive consequence. This is the season where everyone, believer or not, is most aware of Jesus. And because everyone is most aware of Jesus during this time, this may be the best time of year for us to allow ourselves to be used as God’s messengers. By delivering an invitation from God.

I am a Christian because of an invitation; God used someone as a messenger to reach me. I imagine that many of us share this same story. We were invited, and then profoundly affected.  Now let’s complete the circle by sharing what we have encountered. All it takes is a personal invitation.

I invite you to pray: Lord, please use me to invite_______ to Christmas Eve services this year. Make me one of your messengers. Then help ________ to hear the “good news of great joy” that you have come to us in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Allen Zugelter, Director of Evangelism & UrbanLife



Then Angelic Chorus

Luke 2.12-14

This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

                                                      

 

HOW SILENTLY, HOW SILENTLY

Upon reading, Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth, a Hollywood scriptwriter said that God went about the Incarnation in the wrong way and that, if he was doing it, there would have been some drastic changes. Jesus certainly would not have been born in a stable and laid in a manger. His parents would have been people of some social, perhaps even political standing, instead of two peasants from a podunk village. Surrounding the event, he went on, would have been a great crowd of spectators—fans actually—with media representatives in attendance and a coterie of important public figures. And the angels certainly would not have appeared to, of all creatures, common, odiferous shepherds on a rural hillside. His version of the Incarnation would be a fitting spectacular.

But God did it differently.  Pregnant Mary, carpenter Joseph, odious Nazareth, and the little town of Bethlehem with “no room in the inn” were all part of the way God does things and the message he brings us. On the social scale shepherds were close to the bottom, but they were the ones who received the message of the heavenly host! The Son of God should have entered his realm at the high altar of Jerusalem’s Temple, not in a stable of out-of-the-way Bethlehem.

Only a handful of shepherds came to behold him. There were no on-the-spot media interviews, no official delegations from the religious authorities, and almost no one heard the angelic choir fill the holy silence of that night: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is well pleased!”---an invitation to the whole world.

Today it is a different setting. Christmas is everywhere. Christmas is frantic, a time for joy, (even if we don’t know why), and above all, vital for our economy. Christmas is a time for luminaries such as Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Reindeer with the red nose, chestnuts roasting o’er an open fire, unsilent nights, a holiday from sobriety, a higher suicide rate, loneliness, exhaustion and on ad. finitum. There is almost no time in these furious days and nights for the holy silence that enveloped Bethlehem and the shepherds abiding in the fields.

Yet, for those who will receive it, there is a holy silence in which the Incarnation can again be experienced. Philips Brooks said: “How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given, yet God imparts to human hearts the wonders of his Heaven. “Today, tonight, this week, let us take the time to listen for and experience that Holy Silence?

       Let us be silent that we may perceive the silent sounds and the unseen sights,

       Let us be still that we may know the wonders of this glorious night!  

             When the world discloses some great new thing,

             It does so with fanfare and drum,
             But when God sent his only Son to earth
             None but silent shepherds heard him come.

       Let us be silent that we may perceive the silent sounds and the unseen sights,

       Let us be still that we may know the wonders of this glorious night!

              The bedlam of Christmas will ne’er bring him near,

              The clamor and bedlam he’ll sun;
              But if deep in our hearts we prepare him room,
              In the silence Christ will be born.

        Let us be silent that we may perceive the silent sounds and the unseen sights,

        Let us be still that we may know the wonders of this glorious night!

              The true gift of Christmas is God come to earth,

              Our pain and our sorrow to bear;
              But the manger he lay in and the cross he would bear,
              Are the same path he calls us to share!

         Let us be silent that we may perceive the silent sounds and the unseen sights,

         Let us be still that we may know the wonders of this glorious night!

Rev. Larry Althouse, FUMC staff 1978-1993, retired.



A Message to the Shepherds

To me no other passage from the Bible captures the true meaning of Christmas quite like Luke 2:8-11.  It tells of the “good news” announcing God’s gift to the world, a Savior.  A message that gets told so often and in different forms that one runs the risk of taking it for granted.  However, if we truly listen and lay witness to the signs all around us the Gift is alive and well.

Growing up, my husband Rafael and I loved to watch the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. It is a tradition that we have lovingly passed along to our kids. They have a lot of questions while we watch, like the meaning of “blockhead” and how true it could be that a bird could possibly get along and with a dog, who types for that matter. I think they talk and critique throughout most of the cartoon except for the one part when they are completely silent. I’m sure you are familiar with it. It’s the scene where Charlie Brown presents everyone with the small, lopsided, Christmas tree. Not meeting expectations, everyone accuses him of not knowing the meaning of Christmas. Charlie Brown, true to character, begins to wonder and question the meaning of Christmas.  All of the characters are silent and a single spotlight shines on Linus. He answers Charlie Brown in a determined voice:

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see-I am bringing good news of great joy for all the people; to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” LUKE 2:8-11

“And that is the meaning of Christmas, Charlie Brown” says Linus. Profoundly and yet so simply a cartoon reminds us that Christmas is not about how ornate our tree is but about the beauty of the original gift.

On the very first Christmas we were given a wonderful gift, a Savior, someone to help and deliver us.  Jesus, God’s gift to us, is available every day.  This season take time to look a little closer and lay witness to the ultimate gift, receive the gift available to all mankind, and spread the good news.

Anamaria Mares, 2012 Children’s Council Chair, Agape Sunday school member

Night-Shift Shepherds

Luke 2.8

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

                                                

 

The demanding and busy life style shepherds practice helps one understand why the angel called the shepherds to visit Jesus during his birth. Although the shepherds were overwhelmed and terrified by the presence of the angel, they decided to leave their permanent watch over their flock in order to witness the birth of Christ.

The shepherds risked losing their flock and gave up all of their duties for Jesus.

The shepherds show that we should dedicate time to Jesus and rejoice in the time we spend thinking about him. Whether for one minute or one hour, people should devote time, like the shepherds, to reflect on the birth of Christ on Christmas day. Something to reflect on is Jesus’s acceptance of all people, even at his birth. Through the presence of the three wise kings, the shepherds, and even the animals in the stable, obviously no matter the condition they are in, Jesus accepts all of God’s creations.

I think it is safe to say that many people recognize the “true” meaning of Christmas. But by reflecting on different things, such as the shepherds, people are able to squeeze even more out of the story. Whether you are in the kitchen making Christmas dinner, or traveling to visit with family and friends, try thinking about Christmas in a different way. Each time you view Christmas in a different perspective or focus on a different part of the story, you gain a deeper meaning to Christmas.

Matthew Brown

No Room in the Guest Room

Luke 2.6-7

 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

                                                 

 

Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem looking for a place for Mary to have her baby.  Mary would be tired, exhausted, weary… both physically and emotionally. She is the Mother of God but she was a young woman with all the limitations that come from having a human body.  Joseph was a man wanting to provide for his wife and child.  They were both chosen by God for the blessing, the privilege of bringing God’s son into the world.  Did they wonder why God didn’t provide them with a place to stay that was more comfortable? More fitting for the King?  Did they doubt what they had heard the angel Gabriel say?  Where was God in their time of need?

There are so many unanswered questions.

Adam Hamilton focuses on the place of Jesus’ birth as God’s way of relating to us. The God of the universe identifies with the lowly.  Demonstrated in Jesus’ birth we see God’s humility, compassion, mercy, and tenderness.  Today as we continue to absorb and comprehend what happened in Newtown, Connecticut our hearts feel mercy, compassion and tenderness for the families that lost small children.  It breaks our hearts and hopefully opens our hearts to reach out and care. 

If we are called to be God’s hands, feet and heart in this world then Jesus’ birthday is a good time to use what we have to make it better, easier, or just lend an ear or a hug to someone in need.  This Christmas could we each do one act of compassion or kindness out of our comfort zone?  The need is great and one act of compassion by each of us matters; it matters to the one that we touch.  So, let’s celebrate Jesus’ birthday with just one act of mercy to someone in need, someone “lowly”. 

I still have questions, lots of question about the birth of Christ, but today, I can be an answer to someone in need.  Join me and together we can make a difference this Christmas season.

Sherrye Bass, Advent Lesson small group, Genesis Sunday school member, Executive Assistant to Dr. Fiedler

The Journeys We Don't Want to Take

Luke 2.1-5

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.

                                                                         

There is a significant historical question as to whether a government decree required Joseph, who was probably about 15 years old, to take his even younger wife and return to Bethlehem to be counted for tax purposes.  There is no historical record that people were ever required to return to their birthplace to be counted. But there are practical reasons why Joseph may have wanted to return to Bethlehem for a tax assessment: Joseph may have owned property in Bethlehem—and like today, property owners got tax breaks. And by registering his child in the town where he owned property, Joseph would assure the tax exemption would pass on. 

The quest for historical fact misses the point of this story, though: the story is an example of God’s process of revelation.  God, like Jesus, often teaches in parables.    

As Adam Hamilton notes, it was the common practice then, as it is today in many Middle Eastern nations, for a married couple to move in with the husband’s family.  Because Mary was already probably five months pregnant, they may have intended to remain in Nazareth until after the baby was born. Nine months’ pregnant Mary was probably not enthusiastic about making the arduous 90 mile journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  She made it for the betterment of her family. 

This was the first of several unwanted journeys Mary took, the last being to witness her precious child’s death on the cross.  In each case, Mary made the choice, the excruciating choice, to believe that God could use her struggles to accomplish God’s purposes.  Because she put her personal comfort last, her journeys were not the end of the story, but the beginning.

Susan Sanders Wansbrough, Covenant Class