12-8-13 The People of Nazareth

54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”57 And they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”

58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. (Mt. 13:54-58)

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee. (Luke 1:26)

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. (Luke 2:4)

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read

23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”

24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 

28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. (Luke 4:16-30)

46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip. (John 1:46)

Thoughts: Nazareth had a bad reputation according to Nathanael.  We do not know exactly why.  We could guess that it was a part of Galilee which was primarily of the Gentiles.  Maybe it was a small hilly town and was seen as a backwoods kind of place to the urbanites of Judea.  But perhaps the Jews of Nazareth believed that nothing good, and no one important could arise from their ranks.  In some ways, Jesus' parents excursion to Bethlehem and having the baby there is a confirmation that he was not fully "from" Nazareth.*  Perhaps the Lord knew the hearts of the people of Nazareth not to accept his message as Messiah, so Jesus was born elsewhere and considered Capernaum his base town instead of Nazareth.  Matthew tells us that the people of Nazareth lacked faith so not many miracles were done there.
    We may also assume from the thoughts above that the people of Nazareth rejected Mary's message that an angel appeared to her and told her she would conceive as a virgin.  Probably they gossiped about Mary and Joseph behind their back.  Certainly, there seemed to be derision in the way Matthew 13 recorded their words about "the carpenter's son."  They called Jesus the carpenter's son and would squeeze the extraordinary back into the box of the ordinary. So the people of Nazareth missed Christmas in many ways.  They missed the birth of their most famous son.  They missed the miracles of his coming.  They lacked faith.  Our great danger is that we not believe that God can do anything with us except for the mundane and ordinary.  God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.  

Prayer: Lord, I believe in your birth.  I believe in your ability to do more than what I see.  Help my unbelief.  

Well at Nazareth where tradition says the angel spoke to Mary

Mt. of Precipice in Nazareth where they tried to throw Jesus over.   





*There are those who say that Jesus was not born in Bethlehem or in Nazareth.  But the earliest of witnesses, and the eyewitnesses themselves point to Jesus' being born in Bethlehem.  Very strong tradition states that Luke got his information from both the Apostles who had spoken to Jesus and Mary, Jesus' mother. 

12-7-13- Anna and Joachim

23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,

the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat,

the son of Levi, the son of Melki,

the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,

the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,

the son of Naggai, 

Thoughts: Scripture seems to want us to know something about the genealogy of Jesus.  But it says it goes through Joseph in both Matthew and Luke.  Most traditional biblical scholars believe that Luke focuses on Mary's genealogy.  Protoevangelum of James (2nd century) says that Anna and Joachim (Heli is a variation of Eliachim/Joachim)  were Mary's parents.  They were said to have lived in Jerusalem and then Sephorus (near Nazareth).
    The actual Bible is silent about her parents.  The focus is more on Jesus than Mary.  But if even Joseph had doubts, you can bet Mary's parents wondered what their daughter had done to get pregnant.  Tradition says they were supportive.  But it is hard to make an argument from silence.  Perhaps they were supportive of Mary but also struggled as human beings with what was going on.  In the struggles of life, it is important to trust in God.  When our children upset us, it is important to trust God.  When neighbors may look down on the behavior of our children, it is still important to love our children.  

Prayer: Lord, when my children do things that make me sad, help me to be graceful and patient that your will comes forth clearly and freely.  Give me grace to love my children even when I think they may be wrong.  

12-6-13 Mary

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:26-38)

Thoughts: Mary was amazing in that she was young but was trusting in God in a difficult situation.  She could have been stoned for adultery (for who would believe in a pregnant virgin?) or shunned by her family and friends.  Mary was willing to lose her life to save it.  She was willing to serve God whatever it took.  We could learn from her ability and strength.  Zechariah said, "How can I know that I will have a child- I am so old?"  His was a questioning of God's ability. Mary was asking a question of the mechanics of how.  But she did not doubt that if God said it could happen, it could happen.
     The angel tried to reassure her by saying (verse 37), "no word from God will ever fail" pointing to the reliability of God's promises.  The 1984 NIV translated this "Nothing is impossible with God." This is a much stronger translation and fits with the context of God's doing what is humanly impossible. As a grown man, Jesus believed the angel's message saying, "With man this is impossible, but nothing is impossible with God."   Mary trusted God in an impossible situation- with her reputation and life at stake.
She sets us a great example of faith and trust in God.  

Prayer: Help me to trust you, Lord in thick and thin.  Help me to believe that nothing is impossible with you. 

12-5-13- The Real Spirit of Christmas

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” (Luke 1:35-37)

THOUGHTS: The Holy Spirit was involved at Christmas.  It was when the Holy Spirit came on Mary that she conceived.  The word in the King James is "overshadow" Mary.  The same Spirit who opened the womb of Sarai to have Isaac, for Hannah to have Samuel, and for Elizabeth to have John, opened the womb of Mary making life where there was none.  

The Holy Spirit inspired and taught the prophets to prophecy that a Messiah was coming.  The Spirit came on John and encouraged repentance and making the way smooth for the Messiah.  

The Spirit of Christmas- is truly- when properly celebrated- the Holy Spirit.  

12-4-13 John the Baptist

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.  15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) (John 1:6-8, 15)

Thoughts: John was not only Jesus cousin sent with a message of preparation and repentance.  John was sent primarily to testify to the light of lights- Jesus the Christ.  John was humble enough to not seek his own title or glory.  Rather, he sought the glory of God.  We would do well to learn from John's humility, and willingness to listen to God and repent of sin.  John was willing to decrease that Jesus would increase.  This too is a great example for us.  

Prayer: Lord, may your glory increase and may my glory decrease. May I humble myself and repent of my sin.  

Leonardo Da Vinci's John the Baptist (pointing to the cross)

Soliloquy of John on Christmas:
      The Messiah is coming.  We have been waiting for the One to show us the way to live, and the way to show us to heaven.  I believe I was made for this- to point to Him and to give myself to Him.  I will not let anything get in the way of that.
      My father was arrested and martyred when I was young by Herod.  I am not afraid to speak against him.  I am only afraid of not doing what I was sent here to do.  If I am silent or if I only try to elevate myself, then I have failed.  

Other verses: 

19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:19-36)

12-3-13 Elizabeth- Mother of John the Baptist

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:39-45)

Thoughts: There are 1.5 million people in America alone named Elizabeth.  Elizabeth means "promise of my God."  Elizabeth was given hope and a promise in her old age.  She was Mary's cousin, and was told that she would bear the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist.  She was probably the first human to bless the Messiah within Mary's womb (though we could count the leaping of John in the womb as a type of blessing).  Elizabeth was of a priestly line- which also speaks of Mary's blood.
   
Soliloquy:  If Elizabeth were alive and asked how she felt about the Messiah's coming.
    I am so very excited that God has allowed me to live to have my own child, and even on top of that to see the birth of the promised Messiah!  I have waited for so long.  It is a wonder to me to think that the anointed One would be born of my own cousin, and I would be able to have her (and him-in the womb) in my own house.  I could not help but exclaiming so everyone could here- "Blessed are you (Mary) and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus."  To be there and to take part in the story is truly one of the greatest blessings of any life every lived.
       I would not be human if I didn't say that I am nervous about having a baby in my old age.  So many die in child birth and I do not have the youth and energy of some.  I am nervous about our raising our child in our old age and seeing him grow up.  It is such a hard time for children to grow up.  There are pagan influences from the Romans and Herodians- with immorality and false beliefs.  Faith seems so cold, harsh, and legalistic in many.  There is so much killing and brutality.  But I know the God who gave me this baby will help raise him up.  I claim the promise, "Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it" (Prov. 22:6).  Lord, bless my child and the child of my cousin Mary.

Prayer: Lord, take my life and use me to be a blessing to your people as Elizabeth was a blessing to Mary and all who would believe.

Elizabeth and Mary greeting each other.

12-2-13 Zechariah

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 salvation from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors
    and to remember his holy covenant,
73     the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
    and to enable us to serve him without fear
75     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
    through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Thoughts: Zechariah was the father of John the Baptist and of a priestly line. He lived in Hebron in the Hill country of Judea when Mary visited him and Elizabeth.  He and his wife were called "blameless" and "keepers of the Law."  Zechariah was given the special (one man, once a year) gift of bringing incense before God in the Holy Place in the Temple.  There the angel Gabriel appeared to him, and gave him the great news that he would have a son in his old age (Muslim tradition says he was 92).  Though Zechariah was a believer, he did not believe the angel's message and was made mute until the child was born.  His prophecy above perhaps was well thought out for nine months!
     In the passage above we have recorded Zechariah's amazing prophecy of his son and his son's ministry.  Strong tradition (Origen et al.)has it that Zechariah was killed by Herod at about the time of the searching for the children under two in Bethlehem.  Perhaps this helped John the Baptist speak out against Herod's atrocities, though it meant his own death.  

Perhaps Zechariah would say about advent's coming of the Messiah:
As a priest who tries to please God, I am very concerned about my people.  They are in a dark place with paganism of the Romans and Greeks influencing them on the one hand, and a drifting away into a legalism that forgets the importance of knowing God on the other.  The people need to repent and come back.  If only God would raise up in the next generation prophets to draw people back to God!
    The angel Gabriel came to me to announce that I would have a Son who would bring people back to God.  He said my Son would bring many back to the Lord and prepare the way for the coming Messiah.  What a blessing!  How I would love to see it all!  May God give my Son fearlessness in the face of his enemies.  May he be a soldier of God- not with the sword of the hilt, but the sword of the Spirit!  Holy Spirit- you have answered our prayers to come anew. Give us listening ears to respond to you- whenever you come and speak to us. 

Prayer:  Lord, give us ears to hear and hearts to believe your message.  Use us and raise up the next generation for your glory!



(Ghirlandaio Dominico- 1486-90- wikimedia)