Bonnie J Martin

Messiah

Gifts

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The very presence of the Holy Child was the greatest gift ever. EVER! His gift ushered in THE WAY to the Father. His gift brought eternal hope. His gift was fellowship with Him. His gift was the only sacrifice that could save our souls. 

But we continue giving gifts. Small tokens of affection bestowed upon those that hold special places in our lives. Cost, unimportant. Action, more important.

The gift of the Messiah wasn’t the only gift brought to Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. Magi saw the star and knew its meaning for all mankind. This wasn’t just any star. This star led the way to Jesus. They were wise to follow it.

After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. Matthew 2:9-12 (NASB)

Have you ever had an experience when you just couldn’t believe you were there at just the right moment and became amazed at what you just witnessed? Words can’t properly express the amazement you feel? Overcome by a sense of awe, silence envelops you. Wide-eyed wonder. Jaw-dropping. You don’t know whether to fall on your face or scream at the top of your lungs with hands in the air. Suspended in time.

I imagine that is how the magi felt. Their lives were devoted to studying stars and nature. The earth and sky were their textbook. They knew what to look for. They made it a practice to be prepared. Only distance stood in their way and they shortened that by taking action to get to where they needed to be to witness and worship.

The star led the way. And they followed.

Mary standing there in her normal apron, fixing supper. Lamps lit. Flour smeared on her forehead from where she tried to push an errant strand of hair from her face. Jesus, not sure how old he was when they arrived, but, Jesus, playing with blocks of wood from Joseph’s shop under Mary’s feet. Jesus sitting on the floor with big baby eyes and little fingers and toes learning what it is like to be human. Joseph just out back cutting wood.

Elaborately dressed easterners show up at the house. Probably a pretty big party. I wonder if Mary started counting heads and cups of flour. Camels and attendants and wise men. Carrying precious gifts. Flooding the humble dwelling with magnificence. Again, Mary, wondering how all these people will fit in her house. Well, it was already full with Magnificence, but the worldly grandeur entered with fine spices and precious metal. Costly gifts. The entourage was impressive. They had just left the king and to have audience with him would not have been common. And the uncommon visitors flooded their small space.

Upon arriving they fell to their faces in worship. On the floor where tiny baby toes wiggled. Baby giggles heard over the sight in His space. His fingers grasping the fingers of the travelers. The travelers bowing low and timid, desperately wanting to stare into His deep eyes to behold all of Him. That was why they had to be there. They traveled far to worship. They traveled far to bring gifts. They traveled far to bring their gift of worship.

Their gifts, provisions for the Savior.

How often in your life have you been able to see Jesus face to face? What would you do to get there? What gifts would you present to Him? How will you recognize and respond to the gift of Him?

The Messenger

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But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:10-14 (NASB)

Break it down. This thing appearing to the shepherds caused them to be terribly frightened. Not just startled but scared. These rough people that kept company with sheep, sleeping outside, on the ground, well accustomed to predators lurking in the dark, were terribly frightened. Protectors of the unprotected, scared!

That is why the messenger had to tell them, “Hey, it’s okay. I am not here to harm you. Even though I am a fearful looking being, I just need to tell you something. And it is going to bring great joy!” Okay. Could the delivery have been a little more subtle? Maybe a little less fierce looking? Hearts were pounding.

Imagine hanging out in a field. Sheep settling in for the night. The shepherds counting sheep. Making sure none have gone astray. Heavy eyes. Wanting sleep. But fiercely protective over their flock. Its dark. Real dark.

Then all of a sudden there is a light unlike anything they have ever seen. Blinding. Do you run? Do you drop on the ground? Are you already on the ground and roll up in a ball, burying your head and eyes in your bed roll? Do you scream? Are the sheet scattered in all different directions? Or did they know what the shepherds didn’t? There’s a gift a few hills over.

Good news. Great joy. A Savior. Messiah. The Lord. A baby? In a manger? Like the feeding trough for animals? The Messiah, a baby, in a feeding trough?

How do you get your head around that?

Just when the shepherds are able to breathe again, more light. How can it get any brighter in the middle of the night? But it isn’t just the light, it is the praising of a multitude, in the middle of a field, in the middle of the night. A concert of heaven for the traveling band of shepherds. But it isn’t just for the shepherds. 

This concert celebrates the Messiah’s birth. This concert announces great joy. This concert is to celebrate the saving of the world. This message announcing freedom. Heralding in the redemption of all who seek Him.

Shepherds get around. They went to see the child. Amazed by everything they had witnessed, they couldn’t keep quiet. After seeing the baby in the manger, they had the privilege of sharing the good news. Raised eyebrows. Wondering minds. From that field in the middle of the night, ripples went out of the good news. Stories shared from town to town.

And we are still sharing it!

King vs. King

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He felt threatened. Word of His birth had him scrambling to secure his throne. He would not sit back and allow a foretold Child to overtake his position as king. So he did what had to be done. He decimated a generation.

His agenda was to maintain control. He wasn’t the first one to want what didn’t belong to him. And he certainly wasn’t the last. Doing whatever it takes to secure our position, we all will lie and cheat and steal and destroy to hold on to what destroys us in the end. He lied to locate the Messiah. Deception was no match for Truth. His royal position ended in his own demise. 

Why bring Herod into this line-up? He was a contributor to how prophecy would be fulfilled. He was used by God to execute His plan. Herod made the choices but God knew he would. No self-serving king would sit back and be replaced so easily by a Child. He tried to steal Christmas.

Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.” So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” Matthew 2:13-15 (NASB)

The Child, protected from the murderous king, escaped the enemy’s plot. His position was more secure than any earthly king. His Royal Heritage was unmatched. His throne had to wait on Him for a few decades but it is eternal. 

Herod couldn’t destroy the gift of Christmas.

What Herod’s are you allowing into your manger scene? Maybe your manger needs to be cleaned up a little. Consider what may be stealing your Christmas.

Are you missing redemption because it is covered up with glitter and twinkly lights? Is the King of Kings missing from your Christmas celebration because you have allowed another king to reign?

Place Jesus on the throne this Christmas. Allow Him the place of honor in your celebration. Worship Him.

A Willing Participant

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He isn’t discussed much in the story. None of the writers mention him often. There isn’t much said about the man. Have you looked for him in this story?

His family tree is provided. A brief narrative of interaction in a dream is described. His description of being a guardian is recorded. 

But have you considered him? 

Thrust into a story only he could serve as a quiet, strong, willing participant. No different than Mary, unknowingly, given a position in history only he could play out. He received reassurance but it came in dreams. On the outside, opinions, judgments, dangers, and speculating eyes all followed him. 

He obeyed the law of Moses by taking the Child to Jerusalem. Along with Mary, he was anxious about the Child’s welfare. He filled the role of earthly father. 

He did what any other father would have done for the Child. He provided leadership. He taught Him a skill. He was able to keep that which was given to him safe from the enemies of the King.

He had a front row seat and personal influence over the Messiah. His hands held the Child. 

God allowed Joseph to raise His Son. He gifted a righteous man, with a willing heart, to hold the hand of His mother. Her body may have carried Him, but Joseph protected Him. She pondered the things and kept experiences in her heart but Joseph had Him on his mind.

His profession was carpentry. He knew how to measure. Accurate cuts were required. He knew the different species of wood. He knew which were appropriate for different purposes. He was a craftsman. Attention to detail with creative flair was required in his job.

He took his family to church. He made sure the things of God were placed first for them. He had Immanuel living in his house! 

I would like to have a conversation with him. I want to know things from his perspective. Did he look at Jesus the way I see my husband look at our children? He stands back and lets them learn. He doesn’t rush in the way I want to do to help and hinder. But he releases them to think and grow when I want to hold on and keep them as they were wrapped in a blanket, nestled in my arms as tiny babies.

Joseph knew the baby blankets couldn’t stay. They weren’t meant to be lasting articles of warmth. He knew the cold world was like a blood-hound seeking to devour but he trusted the One that gave the Messiah. He knew the tools needed for life were thicker and stronger and couldn’t rip apart over time. 

Luke records:

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52 (NASB)

I know God provides wisdom. I know God is in control. But I also know that a child is influenced by those adults that come in direct contact with Him. God placed Joseph in the life of His Son to raise Him. To teach Him. To love Him. To protect Him. To guide Him. To give Him enough room to hang out in the temple. To let Him grow.

Since I am not a theologian with knowledge of the historical accounts of the man, I can’t say when Joseph died, but he isn’t mentioned at the cross. He prepared the Son for adulthood and then he was gone. He did what was needed of him and was taken out of the picture. He didn’t linger, wringing his hands. He didn’t worry that the job he performed wasn’t good enough. He did what he knew to do and trusted the Master.

I want to be like Joseph. I want to fulfill the role God has for me while I am here on earth. I don’t want to sit around wringing my hands worrying, needlessly. There is work to be done. I want to be a willing participant in the story God is writing for my life.

Are you a willing participant?

A man of the Pharisees

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Intrigue plagued his thoughts stealing his sleep. The Man had made a scene in the temple that day and His words pierced the soul. The images and words were on repeat in his mind. He couldn’t let them go. Who was this Man? He had to know.

Under cover of night, darting in dark places, he navigates the streets of the city. Everyone knows where the Man is staying. Word of His every move was the buzz of the time. A true viral sensation.

He has studied the Man. Not just the recent events that has caused the excitement, but he has studied the Man his whole life. He studied the prophets. He studied the lineage. He studied for knowing and recognizing when this Man showed up. Is this really the Man God? Is this really the Messiah?

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless * God is with him.” John 3:1-2 (NASB)

Obviously! The words. The mannerisms. The nature of His very being indicated this was not just another man. God doesn’t hide. But He does desire to be sought out. Nicodemus sought out the Man that night. He was drawn to Him. He knew where to find Him. I wonder if he had heard of that night the shepherds still remember? It was a few decades ago, but history lingers in the mind with some stories.

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night, And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. Luke 2:8-18 (NASB)

This was one of those stories you just don’t forget. It was another night under darkness but illuminated in a most unusual way. Angels. And lots of them. Worshiping. I wonder if the sheep stayed in place for the urgency of the shepherds seeking the Child.

Like the shepherds, Nicodemus was seeking to know the Messiah. He had prepared. He expected the advent. He didn’t necessarily expect it to unfold in his lifetime. But was this it? Is the Man Word made flesh?

The private conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus led to a proclamation for the ages. Try searching for the most common Bible verse. I will wait here while you do.

Better yet, let me help you.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB)

He gave Nicodemus the keys. The answer. The very gift of eternal life. Himself. But did Nicodemus accept?

Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. John 19:39-40 (NASB)

The weight of the spices didn’t compare to the weight of the moment. His studies of the prophets being fulfilled before his eyes. The press on his chest too great to bear. He had met the Messiah early in His ministry on land. He kept up with the events of those years. He followed from a distance. 

He had to close the gap. He had to draw close one last time. The earthly vessel that had wrapped the Messiah had to be wrapped and laid to rest. In his priestly garb, he approached the shredded Man bearing the finest spices he could locate. Healing spices. The wounds were abundant. So he helped lay Him in the tomb.

I wonder if Jesus’ words were on repeat again in his mind? I wonder if he was the first one to memorize John 3:16? I wonder if the very night the words were spoken to him, if he returned through dark streets to write the words under the light of a lamp. He didn’t forget them.

He returned to the Man. He returned to seek Him as He was laid to rest. 

I don’t know the rest of the story of Nicodemus. I am not a Bible scholar. But I do know there are lessons to be learned from the interactions recorded about him.

He was intrigued by the Man. It caused him to seek Him out when it was not acceptable for him to do so.

He questioned some stuff. What did it mean to be born again? Did he learn that to die to self and sin was to be born of the Spirit believing the One True Son?

He was a seeker. He wanted more of what he had studied his whole life. He wanted more of the Messiah.

He took action. When, again inappropriate for his position, the messy task of picking up the slaughtered Lamb needed to be done, he was there. Even His closest followers weren’t on scene for this task. Their worlds had been shaken and they were left with wobbly knees. But not Nicodemus.

I don’t know but the Father does. I want to think Nicodemus believed. I want to think Nicodemus believed the Christmas story. That he believed the story told for all of time of the Savior of the world coming as a Child, born of a virgin, ransom for all sinners, all people, Redeemer. Messiah.