December 3, 2022
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in our Advent readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Day 3 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Birth and Childhood of Jesus
Read Sections 1.9 through 1.12 (pages 11-14)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
The story of Simeon has always struck me. When I was a new believer I had never heard this story before. I remember thinking, “really, God told you that you wouldn’t die until you saw the Messiah?” What an amazing thing to witness and experience.
“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
“Don’t be afraid. I have some very good news for you—news that will make everyone happy.”
It’s sort of interesting to read these stories in such a different, simplified translation.
I can’t imagine what those Shepard’s in the field experienced when the Angel of the Lord appeared and gave them the good news but then it says a huge army of angels from Heaven joined the first Angel and they were all praising God, wow, and then the shepherds went running to see this miracle, I think I would have run too, I would have liked to have been one of those shepherds.
Greatest story ever told. To think God came to earth in this manner. Homeless with shepherd’s. Unbelievable. Chose the lowly things of this world. The rich and healthy have no need for a doctor or savior. Imagine being one of these shepherds. But the Holy Spirit has filled us and revealed himself to us. I get overwhelmed. Unworthy as a child of God. Wrap my arms around that truth!!
The Life of Jesus
1.9 – 1.12
Oh to be a fly on the wall for many of these events and to observe them first hand. It is also interesting to see the actions of God to do things on behalf of His son, as well as the actions of men, both good and bad, towards Him. How the presence of angels must have radically changed what was otherwise to be a common night watching sheep. And God choosing these usually unsavory characters to be the ones He would first announce His son’s birth to is amazing. I was struck by the shepherds running to see whether what the angels told them was true…and once confirmed, they couldn’t help but talk and be excited about it. Jesus was God’s gift to the world and would offer tremendous things to all mankind…and the angels made that clear in their announcement.
And Joseph and Mary show their allegiance to the law and their understanding that Jesus would be brought through the paces of what God called the Jews to, by bringing Jesus to the temple. And here we see two godly people interacting with Jesus and saying marvelous things about Him, pointing to the person He is and what He will accomplish and even what Mary will suffer. But then we fast forward a year or more and find ourselves in the halls of power, where people have come from far away to see Jesus and others are threatened by the coming of Jesus, as opposed to embracing Him as others have. The wisemen’s tale is associated with Jesus’ birth only to the extent that the star they saw was created when Jesus was born and that set them on their journey. As they traveled, Jesus grew, and thus they see Jesus at a house and not a manger. But what they have done based in curiosity and seeking the truth, Herod will use for nefarious intents. But no man is going to be able to harm God’s son. God uses a dream and a message from an angel to secure His son’s safety. So He has done things to promote and protect His Son, just as you would expect a Father to do….
We all love to look at, hold, and love little babies; but what it must have been like to see little baby Jesus. To know undoubtably you were looking into the face of God. For Mary and Joseph to daily care for Him in His most humble state must have been such a surreal experience but reading this today it also struck me how people like Simeon and the wise men, so aware of who they were looking at, that experience must have been an amazing thing.
I love how God chose shepherds to reveal the Messiah’s birth and to experience the heavenly angels praising God. What a spectacle that must have been! This is an example of how God lifts up those who are lowly and humbled. And the shepherds were so happy they praised and thanked God for what he revealed to them! Mary’s experience with the birth Jesus was bittersweet. She was witnessing things that were wonderful and amazing, but she would also endure hardship and pain as she raised the Savior of the world. I can’t imagine how it must have been for her as she reflected upon these things. Herod was an awful man. The wise men were smart enough to figure that out and go another way when they were warned. God is more powerful than the evil in the world. Noone can stop him from carrying out his perfect plan for our world and his people. Amen for that!