December 3, 2023
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 juxtaposition of magnitude of the signs, like choirs of angels proclaiming and stars placed special in the sky, verses the humility of what the signs led to are such an awesome picture of God. The magnitude of what He can do and the simplicity of how He did it. Like all of His creations there is balance between grandeur and simplicity. THe grandeur of His truth and the simple plan to send a sacrifice to provide us such grace.
I imagine what the shepherds, wise men, and priests were expecting based on the signs and prophecies they received was quite different than the small baby they found in a feeding box.
This is almost too much to believe. The Son of God. First ones to know. Shepard’s Born to a virgin. Homeless to begin his life. Born in a cave laid in a trough. Has to escape to egypt. .thats Just the first few weeks With God it’s always the opposite of the world view. I’m a living example
The Life of Jesus 1.1 – 1.12
Now we see the Angel of the Lord appearing to shepherds in the same country while they were attending their flock. The glory of the Lord was bright around them. They were froze with fear. So much so that the angel told them to not be afraid. After they heard the message and heard the multitude of angels singing and praising God they started running to see Jesus. They told Joseph and Mary what the Angel told them and the other angels. They didn`t stop there for afterwards they proclaimed what they had seen and heard abroad. I like the way the Chosen series shows this when the shepherds run to see Jesus and one of them holds baby Jesus. Then when Jesus parents brought Jesus to the temple where they had to offer a sacrifice for Him they encountered Simeon and Anna, a prophetess. Both followers of God who also confirmed who Jesus was. Simeon was told by God that he would see the Savior before he died and he told them Jesus is the One. Then he went on giving them prophetic words. Then there were the wise men who followed the star to Jesus. Jesus was about 2 years old when they arrived to worship Him. We know that three different gifts are mentioned but this doesn`t mean that there were three. They probably came with a large company for it took them awhile to get there. The Star was probably a one time thing that God did for this purpose. Other theories don`t add up. Besides God can do anything He wants. God was guiding the wise men to Jesus and then afterwards for God told them in a dream to not return to Herod but to go another way home. Most believe that they were from Persia. They were also probably aware of Daniel and his prophecies centuries before. For they knew the scriptures it would seem and they watched the stars in heaven. This last part is only conjecture on other`s part and mine. May the Lord bless each one of you.
Advent 2023 – Day 3
What varied ways God has to communicate to us and direct us. He sends angels to the Shepherds to communicate the good news to them. What a motley crew to be the only ones invited to Jesus’ birthday party. He uses His word to let us know how we are to act in the normal course of events as Joseph and Mary take Jesus to the temple for their purification and for the tithe that was to be given for a first born son. He uses His Spirit to direct Simeon to recognize that Jesus is the one he has been waiting for and will be the Savior and consolation for Israel and the whole world. He uses prophets like Anna to give His direction and revelation. He uses a star to direct the wise men to the place where Jesus has been for the first 2 years of his life. I like to think of the star as God the Father’s gift to Jesus on His birthday that the astronomer/astrologer wise men picked up on. He then uses dreams to direct the wise men not to return to Herod and and for Joseph to escape from Bethlehem to avoid him. God uses various means here to show that anything really is available to God to get the messages to us that we need to know.
29 “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.”
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 another 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 to 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 to that!