This last Sunday, The Ministry Lead - Dr. Willie Nolte of our Association of Churches (aka Denomination) preached the first in a series of Christmas season messages. He prays that we are never beyond wonder and joy in allowing us to experience the Lord, no matter what our circumstances are going through. And the Advent season is truly one of those opportunities that we have to be touched by wonder. Especially when we anchor it together with the truth of what holy Scripture says what the Advent is all about. The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary define the “Advent” as: the coming of our Savior, and in the calendar, it includes four sabbaths before Christmas. It is intended as a season of devotion, with reference to the coming of Christ in the flesh. It is clear that God announced and revealed to the world of the arrival of the Messiah - Christ, the anointed; the Savior of the world.
Matthew 2:1-12 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
This is the story of the Magi or three wise men, a group of scholarly foreign philosopher / astronomers, who traveled to visit Jesus after his birth from the east; assumed three because of the three gifts which they presented to the newborn king. Prior, we have the Archangel Gabriel coming and announcing to the virgin Mary that she would miraculously bear the Promised Messiah, the angel of the Lord came and announced to Joseph that Mary would bear the Christ, and an angel of the Lord appeared to shepherd’s tending sheep in the field and announced, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” One thing that is important to see in the biblical narrative of the birth of Jesus is the many contrasts of who gets to hear the announcement and gets the word of who Jesus is; a contrast between the most powerful and the utterly powerless, between the elite and the commoners, between the highly educated and the uneducated, between the insiders and the outsiders, between the religious and the non-religious.
The coming of the Messiah, the good news of Jesus, the Christ, is a “big deal” and it is meant for all people. Big enough to put a unique and majestic star in the night sky to say to people that “something of godly importance” is going on here. The “Good News” is a big deal and it is for all people. All those contrasts still exist today and it’s still a big deal and for all people.
Let's continue Dr. Nolte's message on. the Advent of Jesus in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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