A city in a city that is striving to reveal and reflect Christ as we love and serve the city...

For many of us, we start the new year by spending a time of reflection that reflects on the events and relationships that have shaped our lives, either for better or for worse. Then, after that time of reflection, however long it is, we begin the process of moving forward towards a new year. We begin the attempt to leave the past behind and begin a new year with a new and fresh slate and with new and fresh hope when it comes to our future. 

And as part of that process, we sit down and make a list of what we are going to do differently in the New Year. We even have a name for that list, don’t we? We call that list our New Year’s Resolutions. And yet, so often, just like the video we just watched, we end up bailing on our resolutions only weeks after making them. Or, worse yet, we make resolutions that are filled with loop holes and exceptions that result in us living a life that fails to reach any of the goals or aspirations we had set for ourselves at the beginning of the year. And then we end up in that familiar place of frustration because we seem to be unable to make the changes that we believe that we desperately need to make in our lives.

And what is the case individually is also the case for us as we live life together in community. Just like individuals, as a church, we have a tendency to look at the New Year as a time to reflect on the past, evaluate the present, and plan for the future when it comes to the unique mission that we have been given. But, this morning, as a church, what should be on our New Year’s resolution list? What should our focus and our goal be as a church as plan for the future in 2018?

Fortunately for us, in an account of Jesus life that is recorded for us in the Bible, called the gospel of Matthew, Jesus provides for us a timeless goal that we should strive towards, both as individuals and as a church. So let’s spend our time together by looking at this timeless goal and its implications when it comes to our future plans as a church, beginning in Matthew 5:14:

"You are the light of the world.

As part of perhaps the most famous sermon that Jesus ever preached, which we call the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus paints for the crowds listening to Him a word picture to describe what the world should see when they come into contact with His followers. Jesus explains to the crowds listening to Him that those who follow Him are the light of the world. Now light, by its very nature, has incredible impact and influence when it enters into an environment.

For example, just think what happens when you enter into a space that you have never been in before and turn on a light. When you enter a space that you have never been in before, do you have any idea what is in there? No, you have no idea. And because of that reality, we often find ourselves searching for a way to bring light into that space, don’t we? And when we are able to bring light into that space, what happens?

As soon as you bring light into that space, what is in that space is revealed to you isn’t it? As soon as you bring light into that space, everything in that space displayed for you to see. The whole point of the light is to reveal and to display what is present in that space.

But light does more than just reveal and display. I experienced another function and purpose of light first hand during my time in seminary. While on a camping trip with high school students to Mt. Adams in Washington State, we decided to go hiking on a trail called sleeping beauty. It received that name because as you reach the end of this trail, you find yourself looking towards a mountain ridge that many say bears the profile of sleeping beauty. I had never hiked this trail, and before long, I realized that this was not a simple hike. You know you are in trouble when the person who is leading the hike says “I don’t remember the hike being this difficult”.

And the hike was difficult. The trail was narrow and steep, with several switchbacks and no areas to catch your breath. By the time we reached the summit, however, the sun was setting and we realized that no one on staff had brought a flashlight.  Now being in a dense pine forest in the middle of nowhere on a hiking trail that is only ten yards wide without any light can be unsettling.

Fortunately for us, one of the students had a pen light attached to their key chain. So we ended up having 40 students and staff in a single file line, hands on the shoulder of the person in front of them following a pen light, for what ended up being a two hour hike down the mountain. And in the absolute pitch black darkness of that forest, the light from that small pen light provided the guidance and direction that we needed to navigate down the mountain.

Jesus point here is that in the same way, as the light of the world, followers of Jesus are to reveal and reflect Jesus and help provide the guidance and direction necessary for people to be able to navigate life here on earth. After providing this word picture what the world should see when they encounter His followers, Jesus provides two additional images to challenge the crowds listening. Let’s look at these images together:

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Jesus begins His challenge to those listening with two additional word pictures. First, Jesus reminds the crowds listening of a timeless reality that they were all too familiar of: a city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  A city that is located in an elevated location can be seen from miles away. In Jesus day, this would especially be the case after the sun set. In the pitch black darkness of the desert of Israel, the light of an elevated city would be seen for miles and miles.

Jesus then provides a second word picture, this time of a lamp that would be used to provide light in a home. Jesus explains that a person does not take the time to light a lamp and then place that lamp under a basket. That would make absolutely no sense. It would make absolutely no sense to place a lamp under a basket because then the lamp would not be functioning as it was designed. The lamp would not be fulfilling the purpose that it was created to fulfill. Instead, Jesus reminds the crowds that a person would take the lamp and place it on a lampstand, which would place the lamp in an elevated position so that the light of the lamp would provide the maximum coverage possible in the house.

For the light to fulfill its purpose to reveal, display, and to provide the opportunity for those in the house to navigate an otherwise dark environment, the light needed to be in the right position. After painting these two word pictures, Jesus makes His challenge to the crowds who were listening unmistakably clear in Matthew 5:16:

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Just like a city on a hill; just like a lamp that is placed on a lampstand, as Jesus followers we are to live our day to day lives in a way that reveals and reflects Christ to those around us. But Jesus does not simply tell the crowds to reveal and reflect Christ: Jesus also tells the crowds how they will reveal and reflect Christ. Jesus explains that we will reveal and reflect Christ when we live our lives in such a way that the world around us may see our good works and glorify God who is in Heaven. Jesus here is calling the crowds listening, and us here today, to reveal and reflect Christ by how we love and serve the world around us. Jesus calls His followers to engage the world by loving and serving those who God has placed around us.

Do you realize that the church is the only organization that does not exist for the sake of its members? The church has been divinely designed to be the vehicle that He uses to reveal His Son Jesus to the world. And God places the local church in distinctive environments to be distinctively different. We believe that God has placed City Bible Church in Bullhead City to be a city within a city that loves and serves those around us.  And when we love and serve others in a way that reveals and reflects Christ, the result is that we glorify God in Heaven.

That is why we partner with Bullhead City to love and serve the city during our annual Saturday of Service project. That is why we partnered with the Boys and Girls club to sponsor over 80 children for their summer program. That is why we Adopted Coyote Canyon Elementary School to provide technology for their classrooms. That is why we love and served over 2,000 people from our community this Halloween during our Candyland Carnival. That is why we loved and served over 90 children this Christmas during angel tree.

And that is why we believe and are focused on the goal that God has given us as a church to be a city in a city that is striving to reveal and reflect Christ as we love and serve the city. We believe that as we live life together in community with a focus on engaging those in this city in a way that reveals and reflects Christ by loving and serving those in the city, we will be the vehicle that God uses to advance His kingdom mission and bring Him glory.

Now you might be wondering “well that’s great Dave, but how do we reach that goal as a church? And how do I get to a place in my life where I am following Jesus is a way that reveals and reflects Christ”? If you are asking those questions, I just want you to know that they are great questions to be asking. And my answer to those questions would be this; when we read the letter that make up the Bible, we consistently see that followers of Jesus who are involved in a growing and maturing relationship that reveals and reflects Christ invest their lives in three specific ways.

First, we see that those who are involved in a growing and maturing relationship with Christ consistently invested their time with other Christians as they gathered corporately for regular weekly worship gatherings and as they scattered to experience community in homes throughout the week. Second, we see that those who are involved in a growing and maturing relationship with Christ consistently invested their talents serving God by serving others through the exercise of their spiritual gifts. Third, we see that those who are involved in a growing and maturing relationship with Christ consistently invested their treasure to support God’s kingdom mission through regular and proportional giving.

And we believe that as individual followers of Jesus consistently invest their time by being involved in a regular worship gathering and a community group; as individual followers of Jesus consistently invest their talents serving God by serving others through being a part of a ministry team; and as individual followers of Jesus consistently invest their treasure in order to help create environments where people can explore and grow in their faith while experiencing community, we will continue to be a city in a city that is striving to reveal and reflect Christ as we love and serve the city.

We desire that we would be a church that creates environments where people grow in their relationship with Christ and are able to move from being consumers who view the church as a place where they receive spiritual goods and services to being investors who embrace and invest their time, talent, and treasure to advance the kingdom mission that God has given us. And, because followers of Jesus grow and mature in their relationship with Jesus when they  are investing their time in a community group, their talents in a ministry, and their treasure in a way that reveals and reflects the generosity of Jesus, as a church, we believe God calls us to plan for the future with three specific goals that will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus.

First, we have set as a goal for the future that everyone who attends City Bible Church is investing their time, in addition to attending one of our  worship gatherings that we have on Sundays, in a community group. We feel strongly about this goal because we believe that transformational spiritual growth occurs in circles, not rows. And community groups create those transformational environments where people can develop loving and supportive relationships that challenge us to take that next step when it comes to our relationship with Jesus.

Second, we have set as a goal for the future that everyone who attends City Bible Church is investing their talents serving God by serving others as part of a ministry team. We feel strongly about this goal because we believe that transformational spiritual growth occurs when we are leveraging the spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities that God has given us in a selfless way that serves others. We encounter God as we use the spiritual gifts we have been given to help others encounter God. We experience God’s transformational activity in our lives as we help others experience God’s transformational activity in their lives.

Third, we have set as a goal for the future that everyone who attends City Bible Church is investing their treasure in a way that reveals and reflects the generosity of Jesus. We feel strongly about this goal because we believe that transformational spiritual growth occurs when we are leveraging the treasure that we have been given to create environments where people can explore faith, grow in their faith, and experience genuine and authentic community. And when we reflect the generosity of Jesus by being generous, we reveal and reflect Jesus to others.

So, as a church, we invite individuals to join us in the kingdom mission and vision that God has given us by planning for the future in three specific ways with three specific goals. As a church, we are not inviting individuals to commit to more than this, but we are not inviting individuals to commit to less than this. We are inviting individuals to plan for the future by partnering with us in the kingdom mission that we have been given as a church by investing their time in a community group, their talents in a ministry, and their treasure in a way that reveals and reflects the generosity of Jesus.

So here are some questions for you to consider as we launch into 2018: Where are you at when it comes to a relationship with Jesus? Are you a consumer who views the church as a place where they receive spiritual goods and services? Are you a consumer who is shopping when it comes to a relationship with Jesus because you are searching, seeking, or skeptical?

Are you an owner who owns a genuine and authentic relationship with Jesus but is simply treading water when it comes to your relationship with Jesus and are not investing in the mission He has given us?

Or are you an investor who is embracing and investing their time, talent, and treasure to advance the kingdom mission that God has given us? And based on where you are at when it comes to your relationship with Jesus, what is the next step that you need to take in order to take the next step in your relationship with Jesus?

Is that next step to invest your time in a community group? Is that next step to invest your talent in a ministry? Is that next step to invest your treasure in a way that reflects the generosity of Jesus? Because it is when we invest our time, talents, and treasure into the kingdom mission that we have been given that we become a community of faith that is a city within a city that reveals and reflects Christ as we love and serve the city.

Now, so often when we have looked at this passage as a church, we have stopped with Jesus words in verse 16. However, this morning, I would like for us to spend the rest of our time looking at what Jesus had to say next, because it is what Jesus had to say next that will set the stage for the sermon series that we will be engaging in as we lean into 2018.

Friday, we will look together at what Jesus had to say next...

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…