What a Glorious Sight

My kids are still at the age where they like to look at Christmas lights. Sadly, fewer people are putting them up. Our house is one of a handful that makes an effort to hang the lights outside. We spend the good part of a morning putting them up. It’s no easy task, but once they are hung, and we turn them on for the first time, it was well worth it. What a glorious sight it was when the shepherds saw those angels in the sky on that first Christmas.

Luke 2:12-13

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.

The angel who appeared to the shepherds gave specific instructions on how to find the baby. Swaddling clothes were long strips of narrow cloth mothers would wrap firmly around their child to keep them warm and give them the feeling of the womb. Poor families typically did it because they used clothes that had worn out. He was laid in a manger, which is an animal feed trough, because Bethlehem was so busy due to the census. This served as an excellent replacement for a cradle. Jesus was well taken care of considering the circumstances.

The Savior is Born

It is the day before Christmas and the expectation of celebrating is growing. The house and the tree is decorated and we are headed to church to celebrate by observing communion. The Savior is born and joy fills our hearts. No outward circumstances can impact our feelings because we know God’s plan of redemption was successful. Thank you Lord for sending your Son Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:10-11

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Israel was looking for the Messiah to come. They knew He would come from the lineage of David and be born in the city of Bethlehem. This is what threw the Scribes off when they encountered Jesus because He was born in Bethlehem but from Nazareth. The night of His birth an angel appeared to the shepherds and declared three things, prophecy has been fulfilled, the Savior has come, and He is the anointed Messiah. Everything they had hoped for had happened.

Poor in Spirit

How many times have you walked by someone who was down and out? Maybe they were dirty and living on the streets or so destitute they looked different than you. When the angel appeared the shepherds in the field the night of Christ’s birth, it was God’s way of showing that He came for those poor in spirit.

Luke 2:8-9

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

Shepherds were looked down upon in the Jewish community. They were dirty from their work, gone a long time, and always ceremonially unclean so that they couldn’t worship at the temple. Any good and respectable Jew would hire a shepherd to watch their sheep. So the fact that God revealed His glory to them out in the fields and bot peculiar and powerful. Peculiar because they were so low on the social totem pole, but powerful in that God shows He comes to those who are poor in spirit.

Precious Gift of Life

There is no more precious gift than life. We see that in the birth of a baby and when someone survives a horrible crash. Each one reminds us of the precious gift of life. That was all made possible on the day that Jesus was born. When He entered humanity, God’s plan of redemption was set in motion.

Luke 2:6-7

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Son of God was born to poor parents in a forgotten town. In societies, very few had less of a chance of rising to Israel’s ruler than Jesus did. Yet, that is the way that God wanted it. Jesus could’ve been born into so many different scenarios, but God chose for Jesus to be born to a poor family in the hometown of David. He did that to fulfill His promise to David that the Messiah would come from his family, but God also did it to show that Jesus came for everyone.

Call His Name Jesus

Have you ever tried to picture that first Christmas? Mary, away from her family, in a town she didn’t know, giving birth to her baby boy. With all of the census’s craziness making Bethlehem swell, there wasn’t a proper place for her to give birth. She was to call his name Jesus because He would be the savior of the world.

Luke 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Jesus was born to poor parents and in an unknown town. There was a celebration, but it happened to some unsuspecting shepherds out in the fields. How could the savior of the world be born in such humble surroundings? God wanted to tell the world that His Son came for everyone, from the poorest up. This should be a consolation to everyone who struggles. In a world that worships wealth, its savior came to the poor.

Give Others Hope

Hope seems to be in short supply today. No one will admit it to you, but you just have to listen to what they say and how they act. People are so angry because they lack hope. They yell and scream for others to change, so their life will be better. It never gets better, so they sink lower. You have the opportunity to give others hope when they ask you about your faith.

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3:15

“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”

Peter tells his readers that they need to be ready to defend their faith if someone asks them. Now before you get worried about debating and knowing apologetics, let me put your anxiety at rest. This is addressed to those who have people who ask them about their faith, not to those looking for an argument. You need to tell people about Jesus with gentleness and reverence because He is the hope in you. You have an opportunity to give others hope that is in short supply today.

Husbands Honor Your Wives

Gary Smalley, a marriage expert, used to start his talks with a funny story about his wife. When they were first married, he would tell the crowd, “My wife treats me like a Greek god. Every morning she offers me burnt offerings.” It used to get laughs, but he also saw it was demeaning his wife, who was often in the crowd. God convicted him, and he stopped. He would then tell the husbands honor your wives.

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3:7

“You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”

Peter packs a lot in this verse. He tells husbands to live in understanding with their wives, treat her with care, and show her honor so that their prayers will be heard. I think if husbands focused on these three things, most problems in marriages would disappear. Just putting forth the effort to try to understand your wife will go a long way. You may never fully understand them, and at times it will be a moving target, but if she sees the effort, it will have an impact.

A Vision of Heaven

Almost everyone thinks they are going to heaven. When you ask them what it will be like, they will quote the familiar things like pearly gates and streets of Gold. These appeal to our material senses. Very few people have a picture of God in heaven. It is of an old man with a white beard, lounging in a white toga if they do. In reality, God is so much more. Daniel gives us a vision of heaven in today’s verse.

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭7:9‬

“I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire.”

Daniel is receiving a vision of the future. What he sees is God the Father, in all of His glory, sitting on the throne. Some say it is Jesus, but most believe it is God the Father because of the white clothes and hair. The main point is that Daniel gets a vision of what heaven is going to look like and how majestic it will be. God is in white clothes because that represents His holiness and purity, and his throne is ablaze with flames because of his majesty and power. What an incredible picture.

Keep Your Behavior Excellent

Christians are held to a higher standard. Unbelievers are watching our actions and listening to our words. You can’t do anytime to prevent. Some are looking for an example to follow, but most are looking for something to criticize. When we do good deeds that will benefit the needy it can often cause them to slander us. Peter tells you to keep your behavior excellent because one day they will glorify God.

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:12

“Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

Peter wasn’t as blunt as James but he gets to the point. He expected every believer to keep their behavior excellent among the Gentiles. They already ridiculed Christians enough, they did’t need to give them any more ammo. Peter tells his readers that they are going to slander you whether you are doing something wrong or not. If you are acting excellent around them it will remove many of the accusations they come up with.

You Are Being Built Up

One of the most durable materials you can use to build a house is brick or stone. These solid materials, stacked on top of each other, can provide a warm home for a family. They can withstand the elements on the outside while keeping the warmth on the inside. Built on the right foundation, it will stand the test of time. Peter uses this as an analogy to the church. We are living stones being built up as a spiritual house.

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:5

“you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Each disciple of Jesus Christ makes up the House of the Lord. We are all living stones being put in place by the master mason, Jesus. He is building His church, and your job is to offer acceptable spiritual sacrifices. The work of the church is to be done by the people who have been made priests. That is what Paul meant in Romans 12:1 when he said we are “living sacrifices.”