These three words describes the actions of all the participants of the first Christmas night! Jesus light pushes back the darkness of your life! The Angel’s, the wise men and the shepherds all watched that night in great wonder! God did not accomplish the birth of his Son all by himself! He engaged the help of his creation to get the job done! From the lowest to the highest in cultural rankings he used people who were watching for him! The shepherds were raising a special breed of sheep! They were broad tailed sheep that were only used for sacrifice! Remember Cain and Abel? Cain’s vegetarian sacrifice was not accepted by God however his brother Abel made an animal or blood sacrifice that was acceptable to God! Abel was a shepherd! The Shepherd’s were culturally familiar with every manger in Bethlehem! By contrast the wise men of the East were men of science studying the scriptures and astronomy! They could have been Persians, Iraqis or even Jews! The Arab’s would have been familiar with the Jewish scriptures since the Jews were captives in Babylon for 70 years! We assume there were three wise men from the three gifts however traveling across the Arabian desert would require a caravan of people for supplies and safety! These men were wise because they were watching for God! They were looking for him! Are you looking for God? They had read the scriptures and were looking for that special star! They were educated in the sciences of astronomy and scripture! They were so familiar with the stars they would recognize a new star! Are you so familiar with the scriptures you would recognize Christ’s second coming? So they watched the scriptures and the signs in the heavens! The Angel’s watched that night from Heaven and earth! They were watching those who were watching for God! If you want God’s attention look for him! You may have temporary success in this life and people will watch you for awhile but then they will move on to the next celebrity! They will forget you! When we get God’s attention he will remember you forever! King Herod was not looking for Jesus! However when he discovered he had missed Jesus he took revenge on the small babies of Bethlehem! When the world misses Jesus second coming they will cry and wail and take revenge out on one another! This season is a great opportunity for us to watch, witness and worship Jesus! If you do eternal life with Christ is the gift under his tree that will never perish! Source: Pastor Oscar Cope Message. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: shepherds
Christmas for Dummies! Luke 2:11
The shepherds got the hell scared out of them when the angel appeared to them in the middle of the night on a lonely hillside while tending their sheep! When the Holy smoke cleared out of their campsite from the lightening bolts they bowed their faces to the ground expecting to be incinerated! The sheep headed for the hills. The laser light show was on full display! All bowel constipation disorders were miraculously healed! The angel told them to chill out! You cool cats need to cool down! Relax! Good news guys! This is not the end of the world! Their hopes were somewhat dashed! I want you guys to hit the trail back to Bethlehem! There is a new guy just born in Bethlehem! His first name is Jesus and his last name is Christ! I have heard you use his name sometimes when you talk to your sheep! This is the real deal dudes! You sheep dogs are highly favored this night! None of the smart people in your neighborhood know about this! He is born to you this night as your SAVIOR! He will save you from yourselves! He is your SAVIOR at his birth, at the Cross, at the resurrection, at his ascension and when he comes back to earth the second time! He will be your SAVIOR forever! He will send you the Holy Ghost! You boys look puzzled? You got too many wooly balls in your heads! Now get packing for Bethlehem and see your new born King! Hey guys! Merry Christmas!
Christmas Myth Debunked! Luke 2:8
Skeptics over the years claimed that the winter time would be too cold for the shepherd herders to be out in the field with their sheep! The average temperature in Bethlehem Israel in the month of December is 59 degree’s F. There are 6 hours of bright sunlight each day which represents 58 percent of the 10 hours of daylight. Bethlehem and the surrounding hills get 4.4 inches of rain in December. Here is a quote from a Holy Land traveler who spent most of his life on the dusty trails of Palestine; “In the dry summer season the hills are well-nigh bare, affording insufficient pasture, so the shepherds then normally keep their sheep near a town and enfold them at night. But when the winter rains fall, the hills become clothed with grass, and the shepherds knowing this, take their sheep further into the fields. Then because of the distance it would make the sheep walk too far every evening expending energy needlessly, they simply watch the flocks in the fields at night. In the winter the shepherds do not stay in the town they are afar in the field or common pasturage. The sheep were only taken there in the winter.” H.B. Tristrous (Holy Land Traveler)
Idols! 1 Chronicles 16:26
Hebrew translation: “For all the gods of the people are as shepherds over worthless things! They are as physicians attending corpses! Good for nothing! Vanity! No purpose! But the Lord built the heavens with purpose!” Comment: So what are you a shepherd over in your life? Is in something of eternal value? Will it continue on after you leave the earth? If you cannot take it with you it is an idol. Will the family you leave on earth shepherd over things of value? Anything of eternal value will outlast you! God built the heavens with you as the purpose in mind! Are you supporting His purpose? Your purpose is to mirror His Image! We were not created in our own image but the image of God! God’s purpose from before the beginning was to deliver us from evil. That is why Christ pre-existed creation! Sin will always lead us to worship idols! Why? We would rather trust in ourselves than the work of God! When i came to Christ back in 1973 everything changed! It was no longer about me but about Christ and others! He did for me what i could not do for myself! Deliver me from evil! That is Grace! Men try to build empires, organizations and name them after themselves! Until we find the name and Savior that is above every name we will serve idols! Jesus has promised to raise you from the dead one day! After you are gone from the earth you cannot raise your idols! You have only two options! Believe Jesus or trust in yourself! Serve God or an idol. The worst idol you could ever invent is yourself! Serve God and others! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
A Story Everyone Needs To Hear Again! Luke 2
This is an old story but is vogue today and has application above all the bad news we hear today! It is more than a warm feeling on a cold night! This is a radical, revolutionary story that has changed you, me and the whole world! This is the greatest story ever told to the world! How does a pregnant teenager tell her story? You could imagine social media buzz today if she tried to explain how God got her pregnant? What would Joseph tell the media? The shepherds were gathered around a small fire trying to keep warm and guard their sheep! An angel appears before them and tells them not to be terrified! Some of the shepherds were thinking my mommy told me not to be a shepherd! First one angel and then a host of them! God wants all people to hear the Good News! Notice Jesus birth was announced to people living on the margins! The church is to serve people living on the margins! The dignity Herod also heard the news but tried to kill Jesus! The angels through the shepherds spread the news! Shepherds were looked down on in their culture! They hung around dirty, smelly sheep! They were considered scavengers and thieves! David got his rough and tough training as a shepherd boy! If you want to take down a giant call a shepherd! They were the most unlikely people to hear the news first! Remember the lambs were raised to be sold to be sacrificed at Jewish feasts! The lambs were sold to be slaughtered! The lambs were destined to die for sin! The Good News for us and the lambs is that a greater sacrifice was born in Bethlehem. God said I give my life for you! Jesus came for the willing! Are your motives and plans for your life set in concrete? Do you have premeditated plans that leave God out of your life? This is a question we need to answer as we lead into 2015? Herod although a governor had no room for Christ and died a miserable death! Have you predetermined what you are going to do with your life? You have to be more than curious you have to be committed! Would you do anything God called you to do? Would you carry a baby for a Holy God? Why are we chosen? We get excited about the Royal couple and their baby and a baby coming out of Rome or Jerusalem! We must say yes to God even when we do not know the outcome! Are you ready to sign up? Mary was a virgin and told the people she was impregnated by the Holy Spirit! This never happened before and never after in history! Then they had to spend Christmas in Egypt to escape from Herod! Joseph and Mary were imperfect parents raising a perfect God! Do not divorce her! Joseph had to change all his plans! Love her, surround her and protect her. Joseph had a good job and business as a carpenter. I have to build my business! The Roman government requires a lot of Crosses! God has a plan for you and it usually is not your plan! You have to choose! It did not work out the way I thought but God’s plan is a perfect plan! For His plan for your life carries on into eternity! God takes the willing and builds character! Yes God I will go! How willingly Joseph and Mary obeyed! Faith is hard to explain? The natural mind thinks linear and logic does not fit! Sometimes Faith does not make sense? By Faith we let God fill in the blanks! Faith is not normal! The only thing normal in life is the setting on your clothes dryer! Could you raise God as a baby? Verse 17 goes on to say they worshipped Jesus then they went out and told everyone! The story of Jesus is now ours to tell! The angels appeared and then they diminished! Why fear the angels who are messengers? You are now the messengers! Popular culture has a fear about hearing the Good News? We have a story to tell to the nations! We all have a story to tell! With all the troubling news in the world we should be encouraged to tell the Good News! We will either tell or we will retreat? God is not looking for a perfect people to tell the perfect story! Today we are the messengers! Tell God’s story this week! How do we invite people to our Christmas Eve services? We have an amazing story to share with you and we invite you to come with us! We are caretakers of this story! The story is ours! We are the beneficiaries! We are now story tellers! Luke 24:46-49 You are witnesses of these things! You and me together go and tell! What do you want to happen this Christmas Eve? Isaiah 9:2, 6. People in darkness see a great light! A child is born and a Son is given! A wonderful councilor, Prince of Peace! Help people see the great Light! Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. December 21, 2014