by Sharon O | Dec 20, 2013 | Uncategorized
There is great contrast between the Shepherds and the Magi ‘or wise men.
When the Shepherd’s heard the news they quickly went to go see the new baby.
(Doesn’t that remind us a little of some fishermen later on who left everything to ‘go be with him?’)
They left their flocks and went to see for themselves leaving no safety for their sheep left behind.
The wise men had to travel quite a distance to see for themselves and also follow the star leading them.
The Shepherd’s were led to a stable. A barn.
Something they were very familiar with being near.
The wise men were led to a home. A house.
Similar to a palace that they were familiar with too.
Their journeys so different yet so very much the same.
Both travelling to the same place in different ways.
Both to see this baby they had heard about.
Each were fundamentally necessary to the story.
Each unique.
When the Shepherd’s saw they left to announce.
The wise men announced then they went to go see.
The contrast for each were all a part of their separate journeys.
The Shepherd’s had a here and now perspective.
The wise men had a there and then perspective.
They were interpreters of dreams and trusted by many.
The Shepherd’s had traditions to follow and lean on.
The wise men had superstitions and practices.
Both the Shepherd’s and the wise men had powerful stories to tell and others believed and were amazed when they heard them.
Remember God often used special revelations to get His point across.
Moses had a burning bush talk to him.
Balaam had a donkey.
Sometimes when God approaches us we want angels to help us but no star to guide us.
Sometimes we want the singing and the awesome approach from God but we don’t want the brightness of the moment to reveal to us our ‘unbelief’.
The question for us is ‘how do we see God in our familiar settings?’
What kind of a journey are we on and are we willing to go ‘see’ where he is leading us or showing us.
(some of this came from notes last Sunday in our church service.)
by Sharon O | Dec 20, 2013 | Uncategorized
In sharing the Christmas story we are reminded that God used not only simple people but also those who were not so simple.
He used opposites to declare the story.
Shepherds were lowly and not paid attention or noticed.
The magi or ‘wise men’ were noted as royalty and important.
Well known in the region and credible in word and in behavior.
God used both sets of ‘people’ to complete the story.
Both were doing their jobs and He invaded their space and changed the direction they were going.
Both were amazed and after seeing went away and told others.
Two different groups of people to prove that God can change lives no matter who we are.
Both were interrupted and approached by the supernatural side of God.
Matthew 2:1-12
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, and he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were over joyed.
11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrhh.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
God interrupts our lives and often gets our attention so we can see a new direction.
Just as He did with them.
He can do that for us too as the story continues.
by Sharon O | Dec 19, 2013 | Uncategorized
The Shepherd’s were not the typical visitors one would expect when a baby was born.
They were a rough bunch of men not necessarily welcomed by the towns people.
They were seldom noticed and often not liked by those around them.
Their role was to protect and keep from harm the herds of sheep.
If you can imagine their rough appearances and even perhaps smells.
Just as God used Joseph, and Mary and the others in the ‘nativity story’ we cannot forget the role of the shepherds and their experience.
I find it interesting that God would use these men.
They were not royalty or noted as special.
They were simple shepherd’s doing the job they always did.
If we can imagine that night.
The holy night where the darkness of the sky looked even amazing.
Looking up they realized this was a very different look for the stars.
I wonder if they brought it to each other’s attention.
I wonder also if it was a distraction to see this glorious sky forming above them.
Perhaps because these men were normal and ordinary just as Mary and Joseph were
God saw that it was good to allow them to be a part of this very special story.
Wouldn’t they be credible witnesses for others them?
Simple people bringing to life a very special story that would change everything for everyone.
As they watched the night sky an angel appeared to them and tells them to not be afraid.
Now you have to remember these men were not afraid of anything.
They were used to fighting off wild animals.
When they saw the angel they shook in fear and listened as the angel said to them, “fear not”.
Luke 2:8
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is the messiah, the Lord.
This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
God chooses simple people to share a profound story.
Just as He chose Mary and Joseph and all the others.
Does it make you wonder if He could choose ‘us’ too?
by Sharon O | Dec 18, 2013 | Uncategorized
Thinking of Mary.
I often wonder how was it for her to be in a barn for long hours as she waited for her baby to deliver?
Can we even imagine her pain or her fears or maybe even her loneliness?
If we can imagine each contraction she held her round frame and breathed in the surroundings around her.
Remember she was very young and still in her teens.
Without a mom or midwife or doctor or maybe even fresh water to help her thirst.
She labored in agony not really knowing what to expect.
Not having a labor coach or soft music to soothe and distract her.
I don’t suppose just because he was ‘God’ in flesh her labor was any easier than anyone else who has delivered a baby.
We are not told it was easy and I wonder what did Joseph do during this time of waiting.
Maybe if we stretch our imagination there might have been the innkeepers wife nearby to help her.
Maybe if we stretch it even more there was tea or even a mild ‘sort of medicine’ the town ladies knew to use to make it more comfortable for her.
We are not really told about the delivery.
We know the baby came and he was wrapped in cloths and he was placed in a manger.
She didn’t have nurses who would come check on her or help her nurse him.
She had Joseph and we don’t know what kind of help he was to her.
In the middle of a barn.
In the quiet of the moment.
Mary delivered her baby.
A son was born.
Her son
and I think of Mary alone in the barn remembering the angels words.
by Sharon O | Dec 17, 2013 | Uncategorized
Still thinking about Mary and Joseph.
The time was drawing near for her to deliver and as they entered Bethlehem.
I would imagine Joseph felt the intense pressure to not only get settled
but to get Mary comfortable where she could rest.
Those of us who have every carried a baby knows how uncomfortable one can get in the last few days before delivering.
Joseph came into town and found the first inn he could see and tried to get a room.
Remember this is the time of the census so there were many people and very few rooms available.
Knocking on the door I can just hear and see Joseph pleading his case
to the one who answered the door.
And I can also imagine his disappointment when hearing perhaps more than once.
There is no room.
We are told that finally one of them seeing Joseph’s frustration and seeing Mary uncomfortable on the donkey said ‘I have no room but you can rest in my barn.’
Luke 2:
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and the line of David.
5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born.
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available to them.
The cloths were from what I wonder.
Did Joseph tear part of his ‘robe’ to make a warm ‘blanket for the baby’?
They didn’t have warm sleepers and nice soft diapers.
They didn’t have comfortable furniture to rest and relax in.
This was a barn.
Have you ever been in a barn where animals are kept outside?
It has shelter but not a lot of warmth.
Definitely not a clean baby nursery with stuffed animals and beautiful wall paper.
This was a barn.
A stable where animals were kept along with the smells of hay and other assorted smells.
This was a barn where Jesus was born.
This was a manger where he laid to rest.
This was a very different beginning to the life of a Lord.
I have so many thoughts about Mary and Joseph and their journey.
This was a barn where God changed lives.
Humble. Simple. Rustic.
A barn where the story continues.
