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DAVID'S EMAIL BIBLE STUDY:
A.
BACKGROUND...we are studying Luke's bio of Jesus. He lays the groundwork by telling of the miraculous birth of Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist, who grows up to become the one to "prepare the way of the Lord." The miracles continue with the angel telling Mary about God's plan for her to bring into the world the Savior. She welcomes the chance to "magnify the Lord".
C. SUMMARY: In verses 1-7 we get the actual birth of Jesus. The Roman empire ordered a census, requiring all it's subjects to return to their native place. This disruption forced Mary and Joseph to travel 80 miles to Bethlehem in the final days of Mary's pregnancy. With "no room in the Inn" (verse 7), Jesus is born in a stable. Verses 8-18 tells about the shepherds. At night, the heavens seem to explode in sound and light, as the angels announce the birth of Jesus, "GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY for ALL PEOPLE... a SAVIOR" (verses 10-11). The angels direct the shepherds to Bethlehem where they find the Holy Family, and they began to "spread the word" (verse 17).
1. Injustice. There's no way around it, Jesus was born poor, started life as a homeless refugee (they had to escape to Egypt), and grew up under oppression in a conquered country ruled by a brutal occupying enemy army. Our idyllic Christmas traditions gloss over this harsh reality, but it is key to understanding God: plans for Jesus. The theological idea of Jesus is that he is "the Word made flesh... Emmanuel, which means God with us" ... the INCARNATION, God made human. With the circumstance, of his birth and life Jesus is delighted to both share and understand our greatest difficulties, including the fall of experience of injustice.
2. The MIRACLE of Birth. On Mother's Day we always make the point that every child is a miracle, no matter how they arrive into a family: birth adoption, foster-care. With or without "the Virgin Birth" Jesus is a miracle of life and hope for that family. The miracle is compounded by Roman oppression, forced travel, humble birth, refugee journey into Egypt. We have two new girls in our Sunday School. Born amidst civil war and famine, growing up in a refugee camp, now singing in our Junior Choir! The miracle and lessons of Jesus' birth compel us to further the miracle into our own world.
3. The SHEPHERDS' faith. I often say that the difference between belief and unbelief is in "connecting the dots". The believer sees a divine connection between the various dots of life. The unbeliever dismisses it as random, luck, or non-existent. "The shepherds are out in the field keeping watch over the flocks at night" (verse 8). Suddenly, they are confronted by a series of dots that they must choose to connect or excuse. First one angel, then more angels. A voice with a message, followed by a "great company of heavenly host with a louder message. The messages themselves are of God's gift of good news through salvation, fulfillment of centuries of Jewish hope. Then comes specific instructions to check it out for themselves. What's going on? A dream? Hallucination? Too much to drink? Wish fulfillment? Fanaticism? Should they roll over, forget about it, dismiss it, explain it away? Or connect the dots? They chose the path of faith that says let's a least "see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about (verse 15). They had audio, visual, and one another to confirm one another, specific instructions to see for themselves. Faith is a journey, but like every journey it starts with the first step. In faith the first step is openness, a willingness to consider even the miraculous, the unlikely, the impossible. Thank you, Shepherds.
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