The original Christmas playlist contains songs that celebrate the opportunity we have been given to experience peace with God and one another through His Son Jesus...

This week, we have been looking at another song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist. However, this particular song is unique in that it was not composed by a human being. Instead, this song was composed and sung by a group of angelic beings.

Tuesday and Wednesday, we looked at the context for the event from history that we know as the Christmas story. After arriving in Bethlehem to participate in a census that was required by the ruling Roman Empire, Mary discovered that she was not just with child; it was time to have the child. There was a problem, however. Bethlehem was a small rural community that was busting at the seams because of all the out of town visitors that were required to come to register for the census. 

Bethlehem was so crowded that the only place that they could find for Mary to give birth and stay in was with domesticated animals. Most likely this was in a cave on the outskirts of town where animals where kept for their safety. Instead of a crib, all Mary could lay her newborn in was a manger, which was a feeding trough for animals.

Upon giving birth to Jesus, Luke explained that God’s personal servant, named Gabriel, appeared to a group of shepherds to announce the arrival of Jesus into humanity. The Angel Gabriel explained that they would find their God, their rescuer, their deliverer in the cave on the edge of town, where He is wrapped up in clothes in a feeding trough”.

Now, I want us to take a minute and imagine ourselves in this event from history as one of the shepherds. You have just had an encounter with a heavenly being. What would you be thinking? What questions would be running through your mind? Here’s what I think was running through their mind. “Why would God send an angel to tell us? Why us?

However, while the shepherds were frightened and were pondering all that they had heard, there were another group of beings who were about to enter this event from history which we know today as the Christmas story. And it is this group of beings, upon entering this event from history that we know today as the Christmas story, would compose and sing a song that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist. So let's look at that song together, beginning in Luke 2:13:

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

Can you imagine what that must have looked like? Can you imagine what it must sound like to hear a multitude of angel’s worship God in one accord without anyone being off key? But this was not just any multitude of angels. Instead Luke tells us that this was a multitude of the Heavenly Host. In other words, this was an army of angels. And the chorus line of the worship song that this army of angels was singing to the shepherds was this: “glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”  

Now this chorus line that was being sung by this army of angels, if written in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “may God’s reputation be enhanced to the max and may those whom God favors experience a state of well being with Him”. This army of angels composed and sang a song of worship to the Lord in response to God sending His Son as the One who would provide the opportunity for humanity to be rescued from their selfishness and rebellion so that they could experience the relationship with God that they were created for. This army of angels composed and sang a song of worship to the Lord in response to God sending His Son as the One who would be an agent of peace that would provide the opportunity for humanity to experience peace with God and peace with one another here on earth.

And it is in this song that was composed and sung by an army of angels in response to God’s activity in history that first Christmas that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist, that we discover a timeless truth about the very first Christmas and its place the grand story of God's activity in history. And that timeless truth is this: The original Christmas playlist contains songs that celebrate the opportunity we have been given to experience peace with God and one another through His Son Jesus.

The timeless reality is that Christmas is all about God providing the opportunity for humanity to experience peace with God in the relationship with God that we were created for. Christmas is all about God providing the opportunity for humanity to experience peace with one another as we live in the community with one another that we were created for.

Now you may be wondering “I mean, there is still so much violence in the world? So how can you say that Christmas provide such peace? How can you say that Jesus brought peace to earth when there is still so much violence?” If that question is running through your mind, I just want to let you know that you are asking a great question.

And my response to that question is this: While Christmas is about Jesus providing humanity the opportunity to experience peace with God and others, humanity is responsible for their response to the opportunity to experience peace with God and others. And unfortunately, humanity often rejects the opportunity to experience peace with God and others as a result of our selfishness that chooses to love ourselves over God and others. And it is that selfish love over God and others that leads us to do things, often violent things, that hurt God and others. And it is that selfishness and rebellion against God and others that separates us from God and the relationship with God that we were created for.

Christmas is all about Jesus entering into humanity to be the agent of peace between God and rebellious humanity that selfishly rejected the relationship with God that we were created for. Christmas is about God responding to the history of violence that has marred and marked humanity throughout human history by sending His Son Jesus, who violently suffered at the hands of rebellious humanity after living the life we were created to live but refused to live, so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived the life of peace with God and others that Jesus lived. 

And we celebrate Christmas because Christmas provides the opportunity for every human being to experience peace, or a state of well being, with God and peace, or a state of well being, in our relationship with others, through Jesus life, death, and resurrection. Because, this is what Christmas is all about. Christmas is about the opportunity we have been given to experience peace with God and one another through His Son Jesus. 

So may we celebrate the reality that Christmas is all about Jesus entering into humanity to be the agent of peace between God and rebellious humanity that selfishly rejected the relationship with God that we were created for.  May we celebrate the reality that Christmas is all about God providing the opportunity for humanity to experience peace with God in the relationship with God that we were created for. And may we celebrate the reality that Christmas is all about God providing the opportunity for humanity to experience peace with one another as we live in the community with one another that we were created for…

The Significance of Shepherds...

This week, we are looking at an event from history that we know as the Christmas story. Yesterday, we looked on as Luke recorded for us the reality that the Roman Empire called for a census. This census required every Jewish family to travel to their ancestral home town to register for the census so that they would be counted for tax purposes.

And for Joseph and Mary, that meant traveling to Bethlehem, as Joseph came from the family tree of David, who was the most famous king to ever ruler the Jewish nation. So Joseph and Mary left Nazareth and made the trip to Bethlehem. After arriving in Bethlehem, Mary discovered that she was not just with child; it was time to have the child. There was a problem, however.

You see, Bethlehem was not a bustling metropolis filled with hotels and motels; Bethlehem was a small rural community that was busting at the seams because of all the out of town visitors that were required to come to register for the census. So there was no place for people to reside, unless there were close family that still lived in town. Bethlehem was so crowded that the only place that they could find for Mary to give birth and stay in was with domesticated animals. Most likely this was in a cave on the outskirts of town where animals where kept for their safety. Instead of a crib, all Mary could lay her newborn in was a manger, which was a feeding trough for animals.

Today, as we jump back into this event from history, we will discover that Mary and Joseph were not the only ones who would be impacted by the arrival of the Messiah into the world that first Christmas. Luke introduces us to another group of people who would be impacted that by the arrival of Jesus that first Christmas in Luke 2:8:

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

You think? Of course they were frightened. Wouldn’t you be frightened? It’s not every day that an angel of the Lord, who was God’s personal servant, named Gabriel, just shows up. And if that was not frightening enough, Luke tells us that the glory of the Lord shown around them. When Luke refers to the glory of the Lord, he is referring to the awesome presence, splendor and radiance of God displayed for others to see. This is God in His greatness revealed.

Throughout the Bible, when we read about the glory of the Lord, we usually discover two things. First, we discover that people usually cannot handle being in the presence of the glory of the Lord. Usually, people respond to being in the presence of the glory of the Lord by falling on their face or fleeing. Second, when we read about the glory of the Lord, we usually read about God’s glory being revealed either in the tabernacle or the temple in Jerusalem, which was the only church in Mary and Joseph’s day.

The glory of the Lord did not just show up in a field in the middle of nowhere. And the glory of the Lord did not show up around shepherds. The glory of the Lord may have been revealed to kings or priests, or to really religious people; but not to shepherds.

You see, during the time of Jesus’ birth, to be a shepherd was almost as socially toxic as being a leper. Shepherds were outcasts. For example, even though shepherds raised animals for use in the temple sacrifices, they themselves were considered “unclean” and, as such, were not permitted to set foot into the temple.

Not only were shepherds engaged in a smelly, dirty, and nomadic profession, they were considered to be unreliable witnesses in matters of law. In fact, if you were a shepherd who witnessed a crime, you were unworthy to give testimony in a court of Jewish law. Shepherds were considered outsiders who spent their time disconnected and distant from Jewish culture. Shepherds were peasants who were located on the bottom of the scale of power and privilege.

So of course the shepherds were frightened; this was most unexpected and frightening; “what’s going to happen to us now” was what they probably were thinking. Luke tells us what happens next in verse 10:

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid;for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

The angel basically said “I have good news for you, which is for you to tell all the people. Down the road from you has been born the savior; you know the promised one that you have heard about since you were a child that is coming to rescue and deliver you and your people from your selfishness and rebellion. This baby that has been born is the Christ, the Messiah, the promised one of God. And this rescuer, this deliverer, this Savior, Christ, that has been born, oh by the way, He is the Lord. He is God in a bod. Now go and check it out for yourself. This is how you will know that you have found your God, your rescuer, your deliverer, your Messiah. You will find your God, your rescuer, your deliverer in the cave on the edge of town, where He is wrapped up in clothes in a feeding trough”.

Now, I want us to take a minute and imagine ourselves in this event from history as one of the shepherds. You have just had an encounter with a heavenly being. What would you be thinking? What questions would be running through your mind? Here’s what I think was running through their mind. “Why would God send an angel to tell us? Why us?

However, while the shepherds were frightened and were pondering all that they had heard, there were another group of beings who were about to enter this event from history which we know today as the Christmas story. And it is this group of beings, upon entering this event from history that we know today as the Christmas story, would compose and sing a song that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist.

Friday we will look at this song together…

The Impact That Taxes Had on Jesus...

At the church where I serve, we spent the days leading up to Christmas in a Christmas sermon series entitled the original Christmas playlist. We launched into this series by talking about the reality that the Christmas is a season filled with sights and sounds that provoke memories, hopes, and aspirations. And perhaps the most powerful aspect of the sights and sounds of Christmas in found in Christmas music.

So, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, we spent our time together looking at the first Christmas Playlist that was composed by those who were involved in the very first Christmas. During this series, we  discovered that the Christmas story is told through song as well and a recollection of events from history.  And as we went through the series, our hope and prayer was that God would move by the power of the Holy Spirit in our heads, hearts, and hands in a way the enables us to learn several timeless truths that these songs teach us about the very first Christmas and its place the grand story of God's activity in history.

We launched into this series by looking at a song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a woman named Mary. We know Mary as the mother of Jesus. However, it is in this song that Mary composed during the very first Christmas that we discovered a timeless truth about Christmas and God's activity in history in that the original Christmas playlist contains songs of hope that trust in God's promises for the future while waiting for that future.

We then looked at a song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a man named Zacharias. And it is in this song that was composed and sung by a man who once doubted God’s promise that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist, that we discover a timeless truth about the very first Christmas and its place the grand story of God's activity in history in that the original Christmas playlist contains songs of God’s faithfulness in the face of our fallenness.

We then looked at a song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a man named Simeon. And it is in this song that was composed and sung by a man who faithfully waited for God to fulfill His promise that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist, that we discovered a timeless truth about the very first Christmas and its place the grand story of God's activity in history in that the original Christmas playlist contains songs that celebrate God’s faithfulness by faithfully pursuing Him while waiting for Him.

This week, I would like for us to spend our time together looking at another song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist. However, this particular song is unique in that it was not composed by a human being. Instead, this song was composed and sung by a group of angelic beings. And it is in this song that was composed by angels that first Christmas evening that we discover a timeless truth about Christmas and God's activity in history. 

However, before we look at this contribution to the original Christmas playlist, let's look at the circumstances the led to this song. We find these circumstances, and this song, in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. So, let's jump into this event from history together, beginning in Luke 2:1:

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.

Luke begins this section of his account of Jesus life by providing us the context for the event from history that we know as the Christmas story. At this time in history, the Jewish people were living as a conquered people under the rule of the Roman Empire, which was the dominant military and political power in the world at this time in history. And as part of their military and political dominance, the Roman Empire required that every person who lived under their rule over the age of 20 pay a tax that was called the poll tax. 

So to make sure that they were receiving the maximum amount of taxes that they were able to gather, the Roman Empire called for a census. This census required every Jewish family to travel to their ancestral home town to register for the census so that they would be counted for tax purposes. And for Joseph and Mary, that meant traveling to Bethlehem, as Joseph came from the family tree of David, who was the most famous king to ever ruler the Jewish nation. So Joseph and Mary left Nazareth and made the trip to Bethlehem.        

  

Now to understand the significance of this trip, we first need to understand some things about this journey. First, the distance between Nazareth and Bethlehem was 80 miles. Second, there are no cars, buses, or airplanes. So Joseph and Mary walked 80 miles, which would take approximately five days for an average person to travel. But as Luke tells us, Joseph and Mary are not average; Because Mary is with child. When Luke says that Mary is with child, she is with child. Delivery could occur at any moment. Most scholars believe that this trip would have taken at least one week to accomplish. And as we see in verse 6, Mary is not just with child:

While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

 After arriving in Bethlehem, Mary discovered that she was not just with child; it was time to have the child. There was a problem, however. You see, Bethlehem was not a bustling metropolis filled with hotels and motels; Bethlehem was a small rural community that was busting at the seams because of all the out of town visitors that were required to come to register for the census. Bethlehem was not a destination that up and coming people moved to in order to start their careers; Bethlehem was a departure point that people left as soon as they grew up. 

So there was no place for people to reside, unless there were close family that still lived in town. Bethlehem was so crowded that the only place that they could find for Mary to give birth and stay in was with domesticated animals. Most likely this was in a cave on the outskirts of town where animals where kept for their safety. Instead of a crib, all Mary could lay her newborn in was a manger, which was a feeding trough for animals.

 Now imagine yourself as Mary. How would you be feeling right now? You are a teenage girl who is in a cave, 80 miles from home, where you have just placed your firstborn son in a box that a few minutes ago, farm animals were slobbering in as they ate. And if that is not enough, your son is God in a bod. God, who has taken on flesh, is lying in a feeding trough. And where do you think they got the cloths to wrap baby Jesus in?

How would you be feeling? What would you be thinking? Do you think Mary thought that this is how the Messiah was going to enter into the world? Do you think Mary thought that this is how God was going to come to earth? However, Mary and Joseph were not the only ones who would be impacted by the arrival of the Messiah into the world that first Christmas.

Tomorrow, we will see Luke introduce us to another group of people who would be impacted that by the arrival of Jesus that first Christmas…

The original Christmas playlist contains songs that celebrate God’s faithfulness by faithfully pursuing Him while waiting for Him...

This week we have been looking at another song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a man named Simeon. We looked on as Luke explained that eight days after Jesus birth, and before Jesus was circumcised, Mary and Joseph officially named their child Jesus. Mary and Joseph were responding to the birth of Jesus by following and fulfilling God’s commandments when it came to Jesus.

Mary and Joseph were responding to the birth of Jesus by following and fulfilling God’s commandments to dedicate their firstborn son to be Holy to the Lord. In other words, Mary and Joseph were following God’s command to dedicate Jesus to be wholly devoted to the Lord. Mary and Joseph worshiped God by giving their son who was the Son of God back to God.

However, as Mary and Joseph worshipped the Lord for their firstborn son who just happened to be the arrival of the Messiah, they were not the only ones who were aware of the announcement of the arrival of the Messiah. We saw Luke introduce us to a man named Simeon, who is described as a man who was righteous and devout. In other words, Simeon was a reverent, God fearing man, who strove to do what was right in God’s sight.

Simeon was looking forward and counting the days until God would fulfill His promise to humanity to send a rescuer, a deliverer, a Messiah. And Simeon was looking forward because the Holy Spirit had let Simeon know that he would see the Messiah enter into humanity before he died. So Simeon’s head was on a swivel. Simeon was looking forward to the day when he would be face to face with the one who God would send to provide humanity an opportunity to be rescued from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God.

Every day, Simeon made the journey to the Temple to look for the one who God would send to provide humanity an opportunity to be rescued from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God. Every day, Simeon made the journey to the Temple, waiting and hoping this would be the day that God would fulfill the promise that he had made to him. 

After days of making that journey to the Temple, Simeon would have an encounter that resulted in him composing and singing a song that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist. So let's look at that encounter and song together, beginning in Luke 2:27-32:

And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel."

Luke tells us that on the day that Mary and Joseph were in the Temple following and fulfilling God’s commandments, the Holy Spirit led Simeon to Mary and Joseph and opened his eyes to see that God had fulfilled His promise. And Luke tells us that Simeon responded to God fulfilling His promise that he would live to see the arrival of the Messiah by embracing Jesus and singing a song of worship that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist.

And as part of his song of worship, Simeon quoted a section of a letter in the Old Testament of our Bibles called the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 49:6, the prophet Isaiah predicted and proclaimed that God would send a rescuer and deliverer who would bring salvation to all of fallen humanity. Isaiah proclaimed that this rescuer, the Messiah would make fully known God’s message of rescue and would provide rescue to individuals from all of the nations of the world. And this rescuer, this Messiah would receive honor and would enhance the reputation of God among the Jewish people.

And now Simeon was holding God in a bod in his arms. Simeon responded to this reality by stating “you are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word”.   You see, Simeon recognized that his task had been completed; his role in God’s story was now complete. Simeon recognized that he could leave this earth because God had fulfilled His promise to send a rescuer that would bring peace on earth. God had announced the arrival of the Messiah to bring a state of well being with God that comes as a result of one’s rescue from selfishness and rebellion through the life, death, and resurrection, of the baby in his arms.

And it is in this song that was composed and sung by a man who faithfully waited for God to fulfill His promise that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist, that we discover a timeless truth about the very first Christmas and its place the grand story of God's activity in history. And that timeless truth is this: 

As we talked about earlier in this series, waiting is a major part of life. And the timeless reality, as songwriter Tom Petty once sang, is that "The waiting is the hardest part". And when it comes to waiting, we can often find ourselves living in the tension of the question "When should I wait and when should I act?" 

And nowhere is this tension more difficult then when it comes to waiting on God. You see, while God is a promise maker and a promise keeper, God's timetable often does not necessarily line up with our timetable. And so we find ourselves in a place where we are waiting. And as we are waiting, we can wrestle with the tension of "when should I wait and when should I act?"

But could it be that we are asking the wrong question when it comes to waiting? You see, when it comes to waiting, the real question is not "What are we waiting for?" The real question is "Who are we becoming while we wait?"

Just as it was for Simeon, waiting is not about passive non-action. Instead, waiting is about active obedience. Simeon responded to his circumstances of waiting by faithfully and obediently continuing to show up at the Temple. Simeon responded to his circumstances of waiting by continuing to develop a deepening relationship with God that was open and sensitive to the direction of the Spirit of God.

And as Simeon faithfully and obediently trusted and followed God in the midst of waiting, God was at work in Simeon to develop the character and wisdom that was deeply rooted in God. What changed for Simeon at the end of his time of waiting was that he was given the opportunity to hold Jesus, God in a bod. And at that moment, as Simeon held God in a bod, God became personal to Simeon in a powerfully profound way.

And in the same way, we are to respond to our circumstances of waiting by actively and faithfully following the message and teachings of Jesus. We are to respond to our circumstances of waiting by continuing to develop a deepening relationship with God that is open and sensitive to the direction of the Spirit of God.

As we faithfully and obediently trust and follow Jesus in the midst of waiting, we are to be driven by the question "What is the next right and wise thing, according to the message and teaching of Jesus, that I need to do?" And then instead of passively taking no action, we are to actively live out the answer to that question.

And as we faithfully and obediently trust and follow God in the midst of waiting, God will be at work to develop the character and wisdom that is deeply rooted in God. And, as it was for Simeon, God will become personal in a powerfully profound way as a result of our active and faithful pursuit of Him in our times of waiting.

So with that in mind, here is a question to consider: What are you waiting for? And how are you waiting? Are you waiting passively for God? Or are you responding to your circumstances of waiting by continuing to actively develop a deepening relationship with God that is open and sensitive to the direction of the Spirit of God? Who are you becoming while you waiting?

Because, the timeless reality is that the original Christmas playlist contains songs that celebrate God’s faithfulness by faithfully pursuing Him while waiting for Him...

A man who lived with his head on a swivel...

This week, we are looking at another song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a man named Simeon. And it is in this song that Simeon composed during the very first Christmas that we discover a timeless truth about Christmas and God's activity in history. 

Yesterday, we looked on as Luke provided the context for this song by explaining that eight days after Jesus birth, and before Jesus was circumcised, Mary and Joseph officially named their child Jesus. Mary and Joseph were responding to the birth of Jesus by following and fulfilling God’s commandments when it came to Jesus. Instead of naming Jesus, as the first born son, after Joseph or another male family member, Mary and Joseph followed the angel Gabriel’s command to name the baby Jesus.

And Mary and Joseph also followed God’s command in the Law to have Jesus circumcised. Mary and Joseph were responding in worship to God by being obedient to God. Mary and Joseph were making sure that Jesus was identified with God’s people so that He would be able to fulfill His role and be identified as the rescuer of God’s people.

In addition, Mary entered the Temple to present a lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or a turtle dove for a sin offering. This set of offerings was required before the mother could return to the state of being considered clean and able to participate in the worship of God. Mary and Joseph were responding to the birth of Jesus by following and fulfilling God’s commandments to dedicate their firstborn son to be Holy to the Lord.

In other words, Mary and Joseph were following God’s command to dedicate Jesus to be wholly devoted to the Lord. Jesus was being dedicated to live a life that is separated to God and separated from all that is unclean. Jesus was being dedicated by his parents to live a life that was committed to God and the mission of God in the world. Mary and Joseph worshiped God by giving their son who was the Son of God back to God.

Now you might be thinking to yourself “well Dave, why did Mary and Joseph offer up a pair of turtledoves instead of a lamb?” If that question is running through your mind, I want to let you know that is a great question to ask. And we find the answer to that question from Leviticus 12:8, in God’s command when it came to the days of purification:

'But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'"

Now look again at how Joseph and Mary fulfilled God’s command in Luke 2:24:

and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS."

You see, Mary did not offer a lamb and a young pigeon or a turtledove, did she? No, Mary only offered a pair of turtledoves of pigeons. And the reason that Mary did not offer a lamb was because Mary and Joseph could not afford a lamb. Mary and Joseph grew up in blue collar working class families. Mary and Joseph were most likely teenagers from a small town who were newlyweds and had little or no financial means. Most likely, Joseph had just opened up his carpentry business.

For Mary and Joseph, their response to the birth of Jesus and what God was calling them to that first Christmas was to respond in worship to God through their obedience to God with whatever resources they had. However, as Mary and Joseph worshiped the Lord for their firstborn son who just happened to be the arrival of the Messiah, they were not the only ones who were aware of the announcement of the arrival of the Messiah. We see Luke reveal for us how another man responded to  the presence of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in the Temple in Luke 2:25-26:

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Here we see Luke introduce us to a man named Simeon, who is described as a man who was righteous and devout. In other words, Simeon was a reverent, God fearing man, who strove to do what was right in God’s sight. The reason why Simeon was a righteous and devout man was because the Holy Spirit was upon him. Simeon was a man who God was active and present in his life and who lived a life that was led by the Holy Spirit.

Luke also tells us that Simeon was looking for the consolation of Israel.  When Luke uses the phrase the consolation of Israel, he is referring to God’s promise of a rescuer, a deliverer, a Messiah, who would bring the Jewish people back to God and back to prominence in the world. Simeon was looking forward and counting the days until God would fulfill His promise to humanity. And Simeon was looking forward because the Holy Spirit had let Simeon know that he would see the Messiah enter into humanity before he died.

So Simeon’s head was on a swivel. Simeon was looking forward to the day when he would be face to face with the one who God would send to provide humanity an opportunity to be rescued from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God. So every day, Simeon made the journey to the Temple to look for the one who God would send to provide humanity an opportunity to be rescued from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God. Every day, Simeon made the journey to the Temple, waiting and hoping this would be the day that God would fulfill the promise that he had made to him.

Now I want us to take a minute and imagine ourselves in this event from history as Simeon. I want us to take a minute and place ourselves in his shoes. Every day, you make a trip to the Temple, waiting and hoping that this would be the day that God would fulfill the promise that He had made to you. And every day, you would leave the Temple without having God fulfilling the promise He made to you.

You are Simeon: What would you be thinking? What would you be feeling? How would you respond? Maybe you can totally relate to Simeon. Maybe you are waiting and hoping that God would come through on a promise. Maybe it seems like you just seem to be waiting and waiting on God? Maybe you are beginning to wonder what God is up to as you wait and hope for Him to come through for you.   

After days of making that journey to the Temple, Simeon would have an encounter that resulted in him composing and singing a song that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist.

Friday, we will look at that encounter and song together...

How did Mary and Joseph respond to what they received that first Christmas?

At the church where I serve we are in the middle of our Christmas sermon series entitled the original Christmas playlist. During this series, we are going to discover that the Christmas story is told through song as well and a recollection of events from history.  And as we go through this series, our hope and prayer is that God would move by the power of the Holy Spirit in our heads, hearts, and hands in a way the enables us to learn several timeless truths that these songs teach us about the very first Christmas and its place the grand story of God's activity in history.

This week I would like for us to spend our time together looking at another song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a man named Simeon. And it is in this song that Simeon composed during the very first Christmas that we discover a timeless truth about Christmas and God's activity in history.  However, before we look at Simeon’s contribution to the original Christmas playlist, let's look at the circumstances the led to his song. We find these circumstances, and his song, in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. So let's jump into this event from history together, beginning in Luke 2:21:

And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

Luke begins this section of his account of Jesus life by explaining that eight days after Jesus birth, and before Jesus was circumcised, Mary and Joseph officially named their child Jesus. Now a natural question that arises here is “Why did they wait until eight days after Jesus was born to name Him?” In a letter in the Old Testament of our Bibles called the book of Leviticus, we see God command that a circumcision was to be performed on the 8^th day after a male child was born.

The reason that circumcision was so significant was that circumcision was a covenant sign that identified the Jewish people as being God’s people. Circumcision was a religious act that was required to be performed under the Law so that you would be able to be identified as being right with God as part of the Jewish religious system. Here we see Luke reveal for us the reality that Mary and Joseph were responding to the birth of Jesus by following and fulfilling God’s commandments when it came to Jesus. Instead of naming Jesus, as the first born son, after Joseph or another male family member, Mary and Joseph followed the angel Gabriel’s command to name the baby Jesus.

And Mary and Joseph also followed God’s command in the Law to have Jesus circumcised. Mary and Joseph were responding in worship to God by being obedient to God. Mary and Joseph were making sure that Jesus was identified with God’s people so that He would be able to fulfill His role and be identified as the rescuer of God’s people. But that is not the only way that Mary and Joseph were responding to God’s call to worship, as we see in Luke 2:22-24:

 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD "), and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS."

Now to understand what is happening here, we first need to ask and answer several questions. First, what is Luke referring to when he talks about the days for their purification? We discover the answer to that question in a letter that is preserved and recorded for us in the Old Testament of the Bible, called the book of Leviticus. In Leviticus 12:1-8, we discover that a Jewish mother would be viewed as being unclean for 40 days after the birth of a male child.

Now a natural question that arises here is “why? Why would a mother be viewed as being unclean after giving birth? I mean doesn’t God command us to have children? Aren’t children a blessing from the Lord?” To understand the answer to these questions we first need to understand some biology and some theology.

The mother, after the birth of a child was viewed as being ceremonially unclean and unable to enter into the temple to worship because of the discharges of blood that occurs after a woman gives birth to a child. In the Old Testament, bleeding or the discharge from a body lacked wholeness and was therefore viewed as being unclean. As we know, the loss of blood can lead to death, which is the antithesis of a normal healthy life.

Thus, in the Bible, we see blood portrayed as, on the one hand, representing a cleansing agent for the selfishness and rebellion that separates us from God, and on the other hand, a polluting substance when it is in the wrong place. And because God is perfect; and because God is Holy, which means to be totally separate in terms of character and conduct, God presence could not be present with anything that was unclean.

So, after a male child was born, on the 8^th day that male child would be circumcised, but the mother would remain unclean for 33 more days. During that time, the mother was forbidden to enter into the temple area to worship God as she recovered physically from giving birth. After the 40 days for her purification were over, the mother was to present a lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or a turtle dove for a sin offering.

This set of offerings was required before the mother could return to the state of being considered clean and able to participate in the worship of God. This leads to a second question, which is, “why did the mother have to bring these offerings and present her firstborn son to the Lord?” We find the answer that question in the second letter in our Bibles, called the book of Exodus. In Exodus 13:1-2 we see the Lord say the following to Moses:

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me."

A few verses later, in verse 11-15, we read the following:

"Now when the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, you shall devote to the LORD the first offspring of every womb, and the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the LORD. "But every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. "And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is this?' then you shall say to him, 'With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 'It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.'

In these verses we see God command the Jewish people to respond to what He had done to deliver the Jewish people from slavery at the hands of the nation of Egypt. As part of that deliverance, one evening, the Lord went through the land of Egypt and struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, but He passed over all of the Jewish homes who had marked their doors with the blood of the lamb. This feast was referred to by the Jewish people as the Passover. In addition to celebrating the Passover feast, God commanded that all firstborn sons of the Jewish people were to be consecrated to the Lord as a response to the sparing of the lives of the firstborn Jewish people during that first Passover.

Now, with these questions answered, we get a picture of what Mary and Joseph were doing in response to the birth of Jesus that first Christmas. Mary and Joseph were responding to the birth of Jesus by following and fulfilling God’s commandments to dedicate their firstborn son to be Holy to the Lord.

In other words, Mary and Joseph were following God’s command to dedicate Jesus to be wholly devoted to the Lord. Jesus was being dedicated to live a life that is separated to God and separated from all that is unclean. Jesus was being dedicated by his parents to live a life that was committed to God and the mission of God in the world. Mary and Joseph worshiped God by giving their son who was the Son of God back to God.

Now you might be thinking to yourself “well Dave, why did Mary and Joseph offer up a pair of turtledoves instead of a lamb?” If that question is running through your mind, I want to let you know that is a great question to ask.

Tomorrow, we will discover the answer to that question…

The original Christmas playlist contains songs of God’s faithfulness in the face of our fallenness...

This week we have been looking at a song that was a part of the original Christmas playlist that was written by a man named Zacharias. Zacharias was a priest who was a direct descendant of a man named Aaron, who was the very first priest of the Jewish people. Zacharias was married to a woman named Elizabeth, who was also a direct descendant of Aaron. However, Luke tells us that Zacharias and Elizabeth were childless, because Elizabeth was barren and they were both advanced in years.

Zacharias was selected by lot to have the privilege to enter into the sanctuary of the Temple to burn incense before the Lord. And in the Temple, Zacharias had an encounter with an angel of the Lord. The announced to Zacharias that he and his wife would have a son that would be the fulfillment of a promise that the Lord would send a messenger prepare the Jewish people for and to announce the arrival of the Messiah who would bring the Jewish people back to the Lord and back to prominence in the world.”

Instead of rejoicing at the angel of the Lord’s announcement, Zacharias doubted the angel of the Lord’s announcement. The angel responded to Zacharias’s doubt by providing him with the credentials to prove that he was a messenger from the Lord that had been authorized to announce the arrival of the son who would prepare the Jewish people for the arrival of the Messiah. After providing his credentials to Zacharias, the angel Gabriel then proclaimed that Zacahrias would be unable to speak until his son was born.

When Zacharias emerged from the Temple, he was unable to speak a sound. Luke tells us that after finishing his time serving the Lord at the Temple, Zacharias and Elizabeth returned to their home in the hill country of Judea. A short while after returning home from serving the Lord in Jerusalem, Luke tells us that Elizabeth became pregnant. Then, eight days after John the Baptizer’s birth, as they came to circumcise their firstborn son, Elizabeth officially announced that that they were going to name their son John. 

When Luke tells us that they were all astonished, this phrase literally means to be extraordinarily disturbed by something.

Zacharias family and friends were extraordinarily disturbed that Zacharias would not want to pass on his name to the next generation after God had acted in such a miraculous way to provide them a son by which to pass on his name. However, Zacharias family and friends would become even more disturbed with what was about to happen next. And it is what happens next that we see Zacharias respond by composing and singing a song that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist. So let's look at that song together, beginning in Luke 1:64-74:

 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, "What then will this child turn out to be?" For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant-- As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old-- Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US; To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

Luke tells us that as Zacharias made his wishes concerning the naming of his son known, his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed. In other words, Zacharias mouth and tongue were once again enabled to function by the Lord. And here we see the Angel Gabriel’s words come to fulfillment. As Zacharias obeyed the Lord’s command to name his son John, the Lord enabled Zacharias to be able to speak. And as Zacharias spoke, he responded to the evidence of the Lord's activity in his life by worshipping the Lord. Zacharias was empowered by the Spirit of God to deliver new verbal revelation about God and His divine plan in the world to the world in the form of a song of worship.

Zacharias song of worship surrounding God’s Divine Plan in the world, if communicated in the language that we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Praise be to the Lord God who is going to look after us and come to help us in a way that is going to bring about a great deliverance for us. Praise be to the Lord God who is going to cause to come into existence the Messiah through a descendant of King David and who has the mighty power to deliver and rescue us from the transcendent danger of selfishness and rebellion according to the promise that He made to us. Praise be to the Lord God who is going to fulfill His promises to extend kindness and concern for us in need as He promised our ancestors in Psalm 106:10. Praise be to the Lord God who is remembering the promises that He made to our Father Abraham in Genesis 22:16 to rescue and deliver us from our enemies so that we would be able to serve and worship Him fearlessly with a proper attitude toward God that is reflected in our actions and that results in a life that is right in God’s sight.”

You see, when provided a second chance to respond to the announcement of the Messiah, Zacharias responded by proclaiming that announcement to everyone around him. Zacharias then continued to announce God’s Divine Plan by shifting the focus of his announcement to the role that his son would play in the announcement of the Messiah in verse 76-79:

  "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS; To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of peace."

As the family and friends of Zacharias and Elizabeth looked on in fearful and disturbed astonishment, Zacharias continued by singing that the son whom they just circumcised and strangely named John would become the prophet of the Most High. Their son would grow up to be the fulfillment of a promise God made some 400 years earlier in a letter that is recorded for us in the Old Testament of our Bibles called the book of Malachi.

In Malachi 3:1, the prophet Malachi had predicted and proclaimed to the Jewish people that the Lord would send a messenger ahead of the Messiah in order to announce the arrival of the Messiah. That messenger would call the people to prepare for the Messiah’s arrival by removing the obstacles of unbelief that would cause them to miss the Messiah’s arrival. And Zacharias proclaimed that his newly born son would be that messenger that would prepare and make known how all of humanity could have the opportunity to be rescued from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God so that they could experience the forgiveness and the relationship with God that they were created for.

Zacharias quoted from a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the Old Testament of our Bible called the book of Isaiah to reveal the reality that their son would be the messenger that would announce the arrival of the Messiah who would be sent by God as a demonstration of His merciful heart to reveal and explain God to those who were far from God. Their son would announce the arrival of the Messiah, who entered into humanity to direct and point humanity to the path that would provide them an opportunity to live in a state of harmony and well being with God in relationship with God.

And it is in this song that was composed and sung by a man who once doubted God’s promise that would become a part of the original Christmas playlist, that we discover a timeless truth about the very first Christmas and its place the grand story of God's activity in history. And that timeless truth is this: The original Christmas playlist contains songs of God’s faithfulness in the face of our fallenness.

The timeless reality is that God is a promise maker and a promise keeper. The timeless reality is that history demonstrates that God was faithful in the past and God will be faithful in the future. And this morning the timeless reality is that humanity is flawed and fallen as a result of our selfishness and rebellion. The timeless reality is that history demonstrates that humanity consistently doubts God and the promises of God. The timeless reality is that history demonstrates that humanity chooses to reject God and the relationship with God that we were created for and does things out of that selfishness and rebellion that hurt God and others.

And nowhere is the collision between God’s faithfulness and humanities fallenness more evident than at Christmas. Christmas is all about God making good on promises that go all the way back to the beginning of human history. Christmas is all about God responding to the fallenness of humanity who rejected Him by promising to faithfully pursue and rescue them. Christmas is about God making good on a promise to give what was closest to Himself to rescue what was furthest away.

And Christmas is about the reality that God will be faithful to fulfill His promises in the future. Christmas is about God making good on all of His promises not because of our performance, but in spite of our performance.  Christmas is about the reality that God is a promise maker and a promise keeper who has a plan in history to provide all humanity the opportunity to experience the forgiveness and relationship with God that they were created for.

So with that in mind, here is a question to consider: Do you believe that God is a promise maker and a promise keeper? Do you believe that God can be faithful in the face of your fallenness? How are you responding to the promises that God has made to you through the original Christmas playlist?

Have you come to the place where you have responded to the reality that we are all flawed and fallen and have hurt God and others by responding to God’s faithfulness that has been demonstrated throughout history by believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader?

Because the timeless reality is that the original Christmas playlist contains songs of God’s faithfulness in the face of our fallenness...