A Baby, a King and a Kingdom

A Baby, a King and a Kingdom

“But He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose  I have been sent.” Luke 4:43

            The air was cold that night and the group of shepherds huddled together by the fire trying to keep warm.  It was an ordinary night in the hills outside of Bethlehem.   They talked about their families and the fear they held for King Herod.

            In Bethlehem, the inn keeper was still grumbling about all the people he had to deal with.  He was happy to have so many staying with him, but now it was full and he had to turn away several.  The young couple stayed on his mind.  The woman looked so tired and it was obvious she was about to deliver a child.  Out of the goodness of his heart, he let them stay in the stable, but what a terrible place to give birth to a child.

            In the stable, Joseph piled clean straw as far from the animals as he could.  He then took off his cloak and laid it over the mound of straw.  Mary quickly lay down and Joseph covered her with her cloak.  He could see the tears in her eyes; tears of fear.  She was young and inexperienced; wishing her mother could be there.  She would know what to do.

            This is the way it was that first Christmas; everything was set in place for the greatest event in history.  The angels were gathered together in anticipation of what was about to take place. One angel was surrounded by a great light that shone all around them.  Joy was on the face of each angel as they sang praises to the Almighty One.

            Back in Bethlehem, out of the stillness of the night a baby’s cry rang out.  It woke the innkeeper from a restless sleep who smiled sleepily and fell into a peaceful sleep.  Other people in the inn woke up to a bright light shining in their faces only to look out at the brightest star in the sky they had ever seen.  

            We all know the story of the shepherds coming to worship the new born baby. Then possibly two years later there were wise men (Magi) who came to the house where Joseph and Mary lived with their child, Jesus. From there they traveled to Egypt and lived until King Herod died.  Joseph heard in a dream that they should return to Israel but go into Galilee where it was safe for Jesus and they turned aside and made their home in Nazareth.  Joseph was a carpenter and Jesus also learned that trade while growing up. Matthew 13:55-56 tells us that Jesus had brothers and sisters.  The brothers were James, Joses, Simon and Judas, and his sisters were not named. Jesus started his ministry when he was about 30 years of age.  When Jesus went to his home town of Nazareth and began to teach, they rejected him because they knew his whole family and couldn’t understand the wisdom he spoke. He did little works there because of their unbelief. They knew him and they knew his family, but he was rejected. 

             Jesus continued on throughout Israel teaching, preaching and healing. He called on people to “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” He taught about repentance and forgiveness; how to walk in righteousness and truth.

 He also taught about living a life of Love and Peace in a world of darkness.  Jesus, a Baby who came to die, a King who came to Rule and a Kingdom for all eternity.  All people have existence, but all do not have true life, for you can’t have it without Jesus. 

            Now is the time to fall on your knees and worship the one who paid the price for our sins and gives us eternal life.

Jesus and John

Jesus and John

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,” Luke 4:18

As we enter into all the festivities of the upcoming season, we seem to speed up from our usual pace.  Gifts, cards, parties and all the activities of the holidays, seems to keep our minds busy and before we know it, Jesus slips to the background.  We often make contacts with friends and family members we haven’t seen in a long time.

It reminds me of a story in the Bible – the first time Jesus and his cousin John met (John and Jesus were related through their mothers Mary and Elizabeth).  John, the baptizer, as he was called, was baptizing people in the Jordan River and they confessed their sins and were saved through baptism.  He told the people of the One who was coming who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  One day John looked up and he saw Jesus coming to be baptized and John told Jesus that he should be baptized by Jesus, but Jesus said no, it should be done by John according to God.  So Jesus was baptized by John and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and settled on him.

Immediately, John knew who Jesus was, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.”  John 1:29-30.  When Mary, the mother of Jesus went to visit Elizabeth, John’s mother, the Bible tells us what happened at that meeting.  “And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”    Luke 1:41-44

It appears that Jesus and John first met while still in their mother’s wombs.  “With God, all things are possible.” After the baptism of Jesus, they were never to meet again.  John’s preaching was that of Salvation by baptism.  He was preparing the way for Jesus to come as the Savior of the world.  Jesus preached the Kingdom of God. “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15.

Now John was in prison and heard of the things Jesus was doing.  He sent a note to Jesus asking if He was the One who God was sending.  Jesus answer about covered everthing in Matthew 11: 4-5.  “Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.”  Jesus then turned to preach to the crowd and said this about John the Baptist, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.”

Later when John was beheaded by Herod, the disciples came and told Jesus. He wanted to go off by himself, but the crowds followed him.  “And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.”   Matthew 14:23.  His grief was visible in that he needed to get with the Father by prayer. Thus was the story of Jesus and John.

A Baby is Born

A Baby is Born

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14

When someone is coming near the time of birth, it is usually a time of excitement and preparation.  When the mother’s labor begins in earnest, mother and dad rush to the hospital and the mother is given help to reduce the pain that comes with birth.  They already know if they are going to have a boy or a girl, so when the baby is born, it’s no surprise. When my children were born I had no idea what the baby would be.  It seems like the surprise was the most exciting part of it. 

Going back over 2000 years ago, when Mary was pregnant she already knew she was going to have a baby boy.  She knew his name would be Jesus. She didn’t have a hospital to go to; there was nothing to help her give birth or to help ease the pain. There was nothing clean or sanitary about the stable she was in. However, Jesus was born a healthy baby.  The shepherds made their appearance in the stable that night and there was much praising and rejoicing. 

The little family left the stable after Jesus birth and went to a house; it may have been a relative’s home, but we know it was in a house. (See Mathew 2:11)  Jesus was probably about two years old at the time.  It was there at that house the wise men came and found the ‘Child’, not a baby.  It was here they worshiped the Savior of the world and left expensive gifts for him.  Because three gifts were left with Jesus does not mean there were three Wise Men, it only mentions the three gifts.

It was after that, the angel told Joseph to take his family and go to Egypt. Because of the gifts they probably could afford to stay in Egypt until they were safe from danger.  When they did return, they went back to Nazareth where Joseph set up his carpentry business. Mary already knew what his occupation would be when he grew up.  What she didn’t know was that he would spend his grown up years healing people and saving their souls for the Kingdom of God. She didn’t know there were already people who wanted him dead.

Watching him grow from a baby to a man, must have made her do a lot of wondering.  He became a carpenter working alongside of Joseph and their life was no doubt the average for those times. Although, there must have been times Mary saw things in Jesus that made her believe he had power to do things that others couldn’t.  In John 2:4, Mary and Jesus, along with others, were at a wedding in Cana and the host ran out of wine.  Mary turned to Jesus and told him they had no wine. “Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with me; my hour has not yet come.”

Mary told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do.  Jesus had them fill big urns with water and take it to the host.  It was wine and was the very best wine.  Jesus was obedient to his mother but I believe it was done very quietly because he wasn’t ready to begin his ministry.  I’m sure there were some who wondered about this young carpenter and the men who followed him.  However, the disciples were also invited to the wedding which showed of good standing in the community.

Turning water into wine was the first miraculous sign that Jesus did.  Later on Jesus and the disciples went to Jerusalem and thus began his ministry. 

A Baby was born just like any normal babe and he had to go through a childhood as did any other child. It is obvious that simple carpenter walked with God and he soon learned what lay before him.  Like his mother, Mary, he was willing to completely give himself for the Glory of God and followed his heavenly Father’s command for his life on earth.

“Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:10-11

Mary, Do You Know?

Mary, Do You Know?

“Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”   Luke 1:30

            I have often wondered about Mary and what she felt when the angel appeared to her and told her what was going to happen to her.  We don’t know their entire conversation, but she said to him, “Let it be according to your Word.” Luke 1:37.  Her complete surrender to God at that time has thrilled me each time I read it.

            “Mary, do you know what your futures holds for you?  What do you think Joseph will say; will he publically humiliate you and let you be stoned?”  She must have thought of these things, and yet she still willingly trusted God completely and fully. How many of us would respond as Mary did?

            I know there are times in my life that God told me to do certain things and in my heart I said no.  How many times have you said “no” to God and felt guilty later?  In the book of Acts, Paul was ministering to people in Caesarea when the Holy Spirit directed him to go to Jerusalem.  A man told him if he went he would be bound and given over to those against him.  “But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 21:13 (NLT).  To have that kind of faith has to be amazing.  It’s the kind of faith that says “Do what you will with me, Lord!”

I remember hearing a story when I first became a Christian, about giving everything to God.  This man had just given his heart to Jesus and he began praying, “What do you want me to do, Lord?”  God answered him and said, “I want you to give me your house.”

“I don’t know about that,” he replied, “Where would I put my family?”  Then said the Lord, “Give me your car.”  “I can’t do that, Lord, I would have no way to go to work and I must work to take care of my family.”  “Well, then give me your wife,” God asked.

“I can’t do that, Lord, “My children wouldn’t have a mother to take care of them and they need their mother.”  “I’ll tell you what I’ll do then, Lord, please just take me.”  “That is all I wanted in the first place,” said the Lord.  You see, that’s what God wants from each of us; to give him our whole self for whatever and wherever he wants to use us.

Mary (insert your name here), do you know how God wants to use you for his glory?  Are you willing to answer as Mary did, “Let it be according to your Word?”  If you really mean that, you should feel such a release in your spirit and a freedom in your soul.  This is what it means to be a follower of Jesus in this ungodly world. 

Mary must have felt this so strongly that she willingly lay down her life before the Lord.  Will you say this prayer?

“Dear Lord, Maybe I haven’t been willing before to give not only my heart to you, but to give you my entire life.  Use me in any way you want to and help me to be strong when I am weak.  I know, Lord that you have a plan for my life, whether I am young or old.  I am willing to go where you lead me and to say, as Mary did, “Let it be according to your Word.”   Amen!

Be blessed as we enter into this journey of the Christmas Season.