"For unto us a Child is born. Unto us, a Son is given. And the
government shall be upon His shoulders. And His name shall be
called "Wonderful" - "Counselor" - "the Mighty God" -
"the Everlasting Father" - "the Prince of Peace".
government shall be upon His shoulders. And His name shall be
called "Wonderful" - "Counselor" - "the Mighty God" -
"the Everlasting Father" - "the Prince of Peace".
Handel's "Messiah" based on Isaiah 9:6
Meditation - "Let Earth Receive Her King"
There is an almost endless list of hymns and carols that center around the actual birth of the Christ Child and the visit of the Shepherds and the Angels and the presence of the animals in the stable of the inn in Bethlehem the night He came among us.
We love to sing them, and we love to hear the Christmas story from the Gospel of St. Luke for it is Luke, the physician, who gives us word picture of the Lord of Life as "gentle Jesus,
meek and mild".
The Gospel of St. Matthew approaches the birth of Christ by first giving us His genealogy - the "begats", if you will, and then goes on to give account of the manner in which the birth of Christ came about, particularly from Joseph's experience. Matthew is the only Gospel in which we find an account of the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child and King Herod's ruthless murder of babies throughout the land in an effort to eradicate all who might threaten his reign.
The Gospel of St. John begins with an account of Christ as the "Word" and His presence with the Father since before time began . . . "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God."
John proceeds with his Gospel by recounting the role of John the Baptist - the cousin of Jesus - who came before Jesus to proclaim His coming and His greatness. In verse 12 of the first chapter, we find these words from St. John - "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." As John's Gospel continues, he does not return to the birth of Christ to set out his own account of those events, but rather goes forward right into the baptism and ministry of Jesus.
St. Mark does not deal with any facet of the Nativity of Christ, but begins with a very brief recanting of the prophecy of Isaiah and the proclamation of John the Baptist and then goes straight into the baptism of Jesus.
I guess if I were to rank the four Gospels in order of my "favorite to least favorite", it would be Luke, John, Matthew and Mark. All have their place of importance and their particular focus, and I'm glad we have all four writers so we receive a full account of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ, but I confess to loving, particularly, the writings of Dr. Luke regarding the birth of Christ.
I have so many questions!! Why a stable? Why the particular timing of His birth? Why more animals than people? Why, why, why?! I trust that I will find out *some* day. People were looking for the Messiah - longing for a Savior - and, *I* believe, expecting a very "kingly" KING! I don't think ANYBODY thought the Savior of the world would appear as a tiny, helpless, BABY lying wrapped tightly in swaddling bands of cloth in a cow's feeding trough.
What kind of King is born in a stable without a bed of his own, and servants, and physicians? What kind of King comes into the world in a cold, forlorn animal shelter and has to sleep His first night on earth in a borrowed bed and THAT not even a "real" or "fitting" bed? What kind of King is lulled to sleep by the various "voices" of sheep and donkeys? Cows and camels? What kind of King is born to an unmarried teenage girl and a man who, by all rights, should have canceled their "marriage" and left the girl in disgrace?
What kind of King? The King of Kings!! The Savior of the World!! The King of my life!!
" . . . and HE shall reign forever and ever . . . King of Kings and Lord of Lords . . . Hallelujah!"
We love to sing them, and we love to hear the Christmas story from the Gospel of St. Luke for it is Luke, the physician, who gives us word picture of the Lord of Life as "gentle Jesus,
meek and mild".
The Gospel of St. Matthew approaches the birth of Christ by first giving us His genealogy - the "begats", if you will, and then goes on to give account of the manner in which the birth of Christ came about, particularly from Joseph's experience. Matthew is the only Gospel in which we find an account of the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child and King Herod's ruthless murder of babies throughout the land in an effort to eradicate all who might threaten his reign.
The Gospel of St. John begins with an account of Christ as the "Word" and His presence with the Father since before time began . . . "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God."
John proceeds with his Gospel by recounting the role of John the Baptist - the cousin of Jesus - who came before Jesus to proclaim His coming and His greatness. In verse 12 of the first chapter, we find these words from St. John - "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." As John's Gospel continues, he does not return to the birth of Christ to set out his own account of those events, but rather goes forward right into the baptism and ministry of Jesus.
St. Mark does not deal with any facet of the Nativity of Christ, but begins with a very brief recanting of the prophecy of Isaiah and the proclamation of John the Baptist and then goes straight into the baptism of Jesus.
I guess if I were to rank the four Gospels in order of my "favorite to least favorite", it would be Luke, John, Matthew and Mark. All have their place of importance and their particular focus, and I'm glad we have all four writers so we receive a full account of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ, but I confess to loving, particularly, the writings of Dr. Luke regarding the birth of Christ.
I have so many questions!! Why a stable? Why the particular timing of His birth? Why more animals than people? Why, why, why?! I trust that I will find out *some* day. People were looking for the Messiah - longing for a Savior - and, *I* believe, expecting a very "kingly" KING! I don't think ANYBODY thought the Savior of the world would appear as a tiny, helpless, BABY lying wrapped tightly in swaddling bands of cloth in a cow's feeding trough.
What kind of King is born in a stable without a bed of his own, and servants, and physicians? What kind of King comes into the world in a cold, forlorn animal shelter and has to sleep His first night on earth in a borrowed bed and THAT not even a "real" or "fitting" bed? What kind of King is lulled to sleep by the various "voices" of sheep and donkeys? Cows and camels? What kind of King is born to an unmarried teenage girl and a man who, by all rights, should have canceled their "marriage" and left the girl in disgrace?
What kind of King? The King of Kings!! The Savior of the World!! The King of my life!!
" . . . and HE shall reign forever and ever . . . King of Kings and Lord of Lords . . . Hallelujah!"
Prayer ~ Welcome, Lord Jesus! Welcome to our world! Welcome to our lives . . . welcome to *my* life!! There is room here for you - - - room in my heart for you, unlike that cold, inhospitable inn in the little town of Bethlehem so long ago. We've been waiting for you - waiting with great anticipation and joy that could almost not be contained! We thank you for coming to earth to save us - - - for giving us life - - - for bringing us salvation, and we welcome you!! Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace and thank You for showing US the Father. Help us to be worthy of the Gift we have received in receiving You as our Savior. Forgive us when we fail to do our best, and when we get so busy getting ready for your arrival that we fail to realize You when You arrive. We thank You for blessing us, and we pray that You will help us to be the best we can be and to serve You with joy. Amen . . .
Activity - Read Luke 2 with your family before the day is over. Think about how you might have felt if you had been one of those to whom Christ first appeared. Would you have known Him? More importantly, would He know *you* if He returned today?
Activity - Read Luke 2 with your family before the day is over. Think about how you might have felt if you had been one of those to whom Christ first appeared. Would you have known Him? More importantly, would He know *you* if He returned today?
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