Advent day 2

Last Christmas I was part-way through my attempt of reading the bible in one year (which never totally came to fruition)...but it was an interesting take on Christmas that year. I was up to psalms by that point, and reading all of the old laws, and really getting into the feel of how the Jewish people lived their lives, and all they had to do to even have a slight pardon enough from God that a PRIEST could approach a secret room to sacrifice on their behalf... and that is as close as anyone got... except for the ordained, chosen, and prophets of course... So when Christmas came around for me, suddenly, the pre-amble in the gospels prior to the birth of Jesus meant more.  There is talk about the ancient prophecies as they were fulfilled, which hit me in such a magical way... It was then, after the past Christmas season, that our church decided to read through the new testament on a plan that they referred to as “route 66”. It was a very difficult transition going from being so immersed in Old Testament law, to hearing Jesus’ teachings. To be honest, I felt DEEP and genuine empathy for the Pharisees and teachers of the law for what they went through, and had profound respect for the amount of faith it took for people to truly abandon centuries of tradition and follow the cause (yet un-proven) of Christ. It really helped me be thankful that I was born in the age I was born in...who knows what I would have believed otherwise...

And now, I have just finished taking several months to watch the series “the bible” and had a lovely little reminder of my bible college days, and how this big giant book we call the bible, is really one simple story of love...

The point I am getting to with sharing my biblical history as-of-late with you, is that I really think part of the meaning of Christmas is lost, when you don't consider the WHOLE story. Genesis to Revelation. The beauty of how the entire UNIVERSE was changed on that one fateful day, when God entrusted His only son, to sinful people who were not clean enough to even be in his presence. The poor ignorance of that young girl Mary, who faithfully obeyed the Lord’s command, with not-a-hot-clue what she was getting herself into (sounds like my motherhood experience so far, only on steroids!). This brought her to the fateful day when she stood staring up at her son who was hanging on a cross, beaten and dyeing... and that brought her to the day she would bow down before her son, who was really her father in heaven. The Holy Father she could stand face to face with. She could do this because God gave, because she obeyed, and because He sacrificed and loved... This is so important to remember in the Christmas season. And for this reason,  you will find I jump around a bit between past, present and future as far as the Christmas story goes, in order to do my best to bring such a wholistic picture to the message of Christmas. And on that note, I shall begin...  J

Luke 1:1-4 is more of an introduction to the book of Luke, rather than actual content of the story of Christ’s birth. Most people skip the whole first chapter when reading the Christmas story, don't they? It makes sense, especially in a family with children, to get-to-the-good-stuff! Keep-em interested!! After all, there are PRESENTS waiting to be opened! ;) But when you are sitting together with your spouse or friends, and have time to really reflect on the meaning, I encourage you to read all of chapters 1-3 (you can skim the genealogy... I will allow it!). When you hear or read or watch other stories, you don't simply open your mind to the climax of the story. You need the content surrounding it to make sense of things and to bring meaning to that climax. The same is true of the Christmas story. Don’t short-change yourself.

In Luke 1:1-4 we learn that the book is being written to someone named “most excellent Theophilus”. This name translates to mean “lover of God”. Theo (theology) (phileo-platonic love/friendship love/love that is desired and mutual). There is much debate over whether or not Luke was writing this book to one individual, or to all lovers of Christ... Could it not be both? There are several times in Luke and Acts where Luke uses the “most excellent” title when referring to roman officials. So it can be safely assumed (as one theory) that Luke was writing this book to a roman official who converted to Christianity, and really wanted to know the FACTS of the story instead of just all the hear-say. Pastor Mark Driscol had an interesting depth to add to this concept several weeks ago in his first sermon on the book of Luke (re-runs, for anyone confused by this little comment), that perhaps Luke was dedicating these writings to this Roman official, the way one might dedicate a novel or writing to those they love, or to those who financially supported their writing endeavors. It can be assumed that given Luke says he “carefully investigated everything from the beginning”, that it took him several years to write up his account of the gospel and Acts. That would not be a cheap project to work on, and would require outside funding. This is of course speculation. But these kinds of speculations (when not presumed or turned into assumptions) are what bring life to words written so long ago.

So, who was Luke anyway? Luke was Pauls physician (likely his doctor), and committed to a life of celibacy to serve the lord. He was a well educated man, who traveled with and learned directly from Jesus’ disciples, and Paul. The reason he writes this book to Theophilus, is “so that [he] may know the certainty of the things [he has] been taught” (Luke 1:4). This book is written directly for people who love the lord, have heard about him, and want to know facts, not rumors. So Luke has taken the time to study, interview read, research and compile the most orderly account of Jesus’ life. Almost half the book are direct quotes from the mouth of Christ, and it is the only book that has such a detailed account of the BIRTH of Christ. Luke dedicates 2 of 24 chapters, entirely to the birth of Christ. There are very few people in the bible or even in history, to which their birth is considered a significant event. Why would Luke do this? Surely there were more miracles, or more words of Christ he could have accounted for, instead of sharing the birth story... why was this so important to include? 

I have always speculated in my own mind, why on earth we give CHRISTMAS so much more attention than Easter... Here are my thoughts on this question of mine... I think our salvation story involves two pure sacrifices, not just one. One, yes, the life-changing one, was at Easter, when Christ chose to die, asking God to forgive us of our sins. But the other sacrifice was at Christmas, when God not-only decided, but ACTED upon His decision to send His son. God opened the cosmos, tore open the heavens, and placed His only son, within the womb of a fragile teenage girl who could have been stoned to death for being pregnant, could have died in child-birth or  of disease etc... God entrusted His son, sacrificed having His son safe in heaven with Him, and sent Him to our dangerous, filthy, sinful earth so that the story could begin. Without this sacrifice, there would be no Easter. There would be no ministry of Christ, no disciples to carry on the message. There would be no Holy spirit, no intimate holy and emotional connection through Christ with our God... If God had not sacrificed His son that day, His son wouldn’t have gotten to know us... it had to happen this way, and it was an integral and crucial part of Jesus’s story.

And so Luke, with his wisdom, intentionally chose to include the many details surrounding Christ and John the Baptist’s birth. And so our story begins...

Dear God,

Thank you for sending your son to us on that fateful day. Thank you for sacrificing everything most dear to us, so that we know that in every way, you have been tempted and tried and know exactly what we walk through in our own trials. Lord, please come and meet us today. Please soften and open our hearts to you, to hear your spirit’s nudging on our lives. Please help us to remember you this Christmas, and to focus our season around you, and not put you on the sidelines as some technicality of this busy season. Lord, we ask you to become fully present and to dominate this season in our lives, and in the lives of many others... including people who do not know you yet. Please touch hearts and begin preparing them now for the day when their minds may turn to you. Ready their hearts to receive you.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.