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Episodes
Tuesday Dec 24, 2019
Tuesday Dec 24, 2019
Christmas 2019 16. Joseph, betrothed to Mary
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25
Let’s meet Joseph, betrothed to Mary. We meet and learn about Joseph in both Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts of the birth of Jesus. He is the quiet man in the story but also a spiritual person who wished to live his life and make his decisions in accordance with God’s will.
Jewish society at that time had an arrangement for approaching marriage called ‘betrothal’. It was a kind of engagement period, in which the prospective bride and groom lived under the same roof but did not consummate the relationship sexually. That was reserved for their wedding day. Mary was pledged in this way to be married to Joseph. It is likely that he was older than Mary, as there is no mention of him during Jesus’ adult ministry. Perhaps he’d died before Jesus reached the age of thirty, which was when he went public.
Joseph’s role was secondary to Mary’s; nevertheless it was an important one. It was also a dangerous role he had to fulfil. First of all, there was the possibility of public rejection and the stigma of Mary’s pregnancy during the betrothal period. Then there was the need to travel for registering at Bethlehem, followed by the flight into Egypt when king Herod went on the rampage at the suggestion of a ‘King of the Jews’ being born. Finally, there was all the caring and providing for the family’s welfare once back safely in Nazareth, a town that had its own social problems. Sometimes he is called the ‘caretaker father of Jesus’, given the responsibility of protecting and providing for God’s Son, for as long as was necessary. Joseph had some fine spiritual qualities and the one we’ll look at now is that of ‘sensitivity’.
In the first place he was sensitive to Mary’s needs. He’d heard her side of the story but, even so, felt it necessary to divorce Mary because of apparently improper behaviour. But he didn’t want to expose her to public disgrace being, as Matthew puts it, ‘a righteous man’. Being righteous can sometimes carry a hard edge to it, but not with Joseph. With him, it carried a sensitive understanding of Mary’s situation. That may suggest that he wanted to believe her story but had no way of verifying it. Whatever, Joseph was clearly sensitive to Mary’s needs. He was not consumed with the selfish and self-justifying attitudes that characterise so much marital and pre-marital discord in our day.
Then, he was sensitive towards receiving and responding to God’s messengers and, beyond that, to the Lord himself. When Gabriel came in a dream and confirmed what Mary had told him, he did not hesitate to accept and her and her condition, respecting the situation fully so that there would be no interference with what God was bringing to pass. His sensitivity is described in this way, ‘He took Mary home as his wife but had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.’
It is interesting that most of Joseph’s guidance came through dreams. Clearly that was right for him in God’s will, but the only certain way to know God’s will for our lives is to be familiar with the teaching of Scripture, letting experience confirm it in practice. We must be sensitive to God speaking through his Word.
Finally, he was sensitive to the situation in which he, too, was placed and wanted to do only what was right in God’s eyes. He didn’t let the world around him squeeze him into its shape.
His actions were not dictated by other people’s view of what constituted right conduct. Quite the reverse; Joseph took decisive action as a man of faith and principle. He did what the Lord wanted. We should admire Joseph and follow his sensitive example.
Here’s another question to think about as we travel towards Christmas.
Are my attitudes and actions shaped by the world I live in or by the ‘living and enduring word of God.’ (1 Peter 1:23)
That is all for today! Come back tomorrow to see more in our Christmas series 2019, looking at Jesus Christ, the promised one of God.
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Monday Dec 23, 2019
Monday Dec 23, 2019
Christmas 2019 15. People - 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
In the run up to Christmas it is inevitable that we begin to think about the characters involved in the original events surrounding the birth of Jesus. Where better to start than with Mary, to whom was given the great privilege and awesome responsibility of carrying and giving birth to God’s Son, the Messiah.
Mary was probably a teenager when she received the visit from the angel Gabriel to tell her that the Lord had chosen her for this very special purpose. Hearing his greeting she was greatly troubled. Meeting an angel isn’t exactly an everyday experience. But there was something deeper disturbing her peace of mind – the content of his greeting. ‘You who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ That set her on her guard. Whatever was coming next?
Gabriel sensed her fear and told her she need not be afraid. He was bringing good news not bad. The time had come for God to send his Son into the world; to be born as every human being has to be born so that, in due course, he would become the Saviour that the world needed. Hence the name Jesus, which means ‘God saves’. Just imagine the mounting excitement in Mary as he proceeded with his message. That was every godly Jewish woman’s dream; to be chosen to be the mother of the Messiah.
It all sounds very cut-and-dried, ‘You will be with child and give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus.’ Despite the way it sounds, God wasn’t forcing Mary into this role, but he knew her heart well enough to make this approach at this time. We get an insight into how she thought and felt about God in the song recorded by Luke in verses 46-55. She knew the Old Testament Scriptures well and used them as a basis for her outpouring of praise and thanksgiving. Mary was a spiritual woman; however young she might have been.
She loved God and wanted the best for his people, not a bad description of spirituality.
But – and life is full of buts – there was just one little practical problem. She was a virgin and, as Matthew’s account tells us, she was betrothed to be married to Joseph. Virginity up until the time of marriage was essential for a legitimate marriage in that society. That could be a huge problem for Mary; how could it be overcome? Conception would occur through the power of the Holy Spirit, said the angel, then, ‘Look what’s happened to your cousin Elizabeth; that’s a miracle for sure!’ Now for the punch line, ‘Nothing is impossible with God.’ Which takes us right back to the start, ‘The Lord is with you.’ That’s the key; God will take care of every detail, so don’t be afraid, however big the ask might be.
I can imagine Mary sinking to her knees or even prostrating herself on the floor in an act of worship, as she responded with the simple but whole-hearted words, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.’
Mary was unique, but the message for us is the same, ‘Nothing is impossible with God’. The Christmas story has been wrapped up in romance and fantasy in our commercial world, but we mustn’t let that blind us to the truth inside, that God is looking to us for a response of love and submission to his will, so that He can do great things in and through us. That’s not a cheap advertising slogan like so much that’s about at the moment. No, it’s more like a serious challenge to a costly commitment but, ‘He’s worth it!’
That is all for today! Come back tomorrow to see more in our Christmas series 2019, looking at Jesus Christ, the promised one of God.
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Sunday Dec 22, 2019
Sunday Dec 22, 2019
14. A Sermon of Martin Luther
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’
Luke 2:10-14 New International Version (NIV)
Today we have a sermon pertaining to this Bible passage, of Martin Luther, which was preached on 25 December 1530...
"You have heard today the story from the Gospel of St. Luke of how it came to pass that our Lord Christ was born and then also the message of the angel, who announced who the boy was who was born. Now we shall go on and take up the message of the angel. So for today you have heard only that the child was born and that he is the Lord and Saviour. Thus we spoke of the story, how it unfolded, and who the persons in it were.
This article is so high that even today it is believed by only a few. Nevertheless, God has preserved it even through those who have not believed it. For at all times in the monasteries and universities there have been disputations and lectures which dealt with the fact that Christ the Lord, born of Mary, is true man and God."
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Saturday Dec 21, 2019
Saturday Dec 21, 2019
13. The Three Kings
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Three Kings came riding from far away, Melchior and Gaspar and Baltasar; Three Wise Men out of the East were they, And they travelled by night and they slept by day, For their guide was a beautiful, wonderful star.
The star was so beautiful, large and clear, That all the other stars of the sky Became a white mist in the atmosphere, And by this they knew that the coming was near of the Prince foretold in the prophecy.
Three caskets they bore on their saddle-bows, Three caskets of gold with golden keys; Their robes were of crimson silk with rows of bells and pomegranates and furbelows, Their turbans like blossoming almond-trees.
And so the Three Kings rode into the West, Through the dusk of the night, over hill and dell, And sometimes they nodded with beard on breast, And sometimes talked, as they paused to rest, With the people they met at some wayside well.
“Of the child that is born,” said Baltasar, “Good people, I pray you, tell us the news; For we in the East have seen his star, And have ridden fast, and have ridden far, To find and worship the King of the Jews.”
And the people answered, “You ask in vain; We know of no King but Herod the Great!” They thought the Wise Men were men insane, As they spurred their horses across the plain, Like riders in haste, who cannot wait.
And when they came to Jerusalem, Herod the Great, who had heard this thing, Sent for the Wise Men and questioned them; And said, “Go down unto Bethlehem, And bring me tidings of this new king.”
So they rode away; and the star stood still, The only one in the grey of morn; Yes, it stopped –it stood still of its own free will, Right over Bethlehem on the hill, The city of David, where Christ was born.
And the Three Kings rode through the gate and the guard, Through the silent street, till their horses turned And neighed as they entered the great inn-yard; But the windows were closed, and the doors were barred, And only a light in the stable burned.
And cradled there in the scented hay, In the air made sweet by the breath of kine, The little child in the manger lay, The child, that would be king one day Of a kingdom not human, but divine.
His mother Mary of Nazareth Sat watching beside his place of rest, Watching the even flow of his breath, For the joy of life and the terror of death Were mingled together in her breast.
They laid their offerings at his feet: The gold was their tribute to a King, The frankincense, with its odor sweet, Was for the Priest, the Paraclete, The myrrh for the body’s burying.
And the mother wondered and bowed her head, And sat as still as a statue of stone; Her heart was troubled yet comforted, Remembering what the Angel had said Of an endless reign and of David’s throne.
Then the Kings rode out of the city gate, With a clatter of hoofs in proud array; But they went not back to Herod the Great, For they knew his malice and feared his hate, And returned to their homes by another way.
That is all for today! Come back tomorrow to see more in our Christmas series 2019, looking at Jesus Christ, the promised one of God.
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Friday Dec 20, 2019
Friday Dec 20, 2019
12. Prophecies/ Fulfilled (Part 5)
We are continuing to look at some of the words given as prophecy in the Old Testament and how they were fulfilled in the New Testament, particularly concerning the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. We see together the fulfilment of words and promises spoken about down through the ages, as people looked to God to rescue them.
Prophecy concerning events after the Messiah’s death
a. Predicted: Messiah would rise from the dead.
Prediction: Psalm 16:10; Psalm 49:15
Fulfilled: Matthew 28:2-7; John 20:19-29; Acts 2:22-32
b. Predicted: Messiah would ascend to heaven.
Prediction: Psalm 24:7-10
Fulfilled: Luke 24:51-53
c. Predicted: Messiah would be seated at God's right hand.
Prediction: Psalm 68:18; Psalm 110:1
Fulfilled: Mark 16:19
So what?
In the last few studies in our Christmas 2019 series, we saw together some things predicted in history concerning the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Predictions made about Him before He was born. We only looked at a few of the 300 events predicted. Let’s look at these in summary together:
- The Messiah would be born of a woman - born of a virgin - in the town of Bethlehem.
- The Messiah would come from the line of Abraham and be a descendant of Isaac & Jacob - from the tribe of Judah and be an heir to King David's throne.
- This Messiah's throne will be anointed and eternal and his name would be Immanuel.
- This Messiah would spend a period of time away in Egypt.
- At the Messiah’s birthplace there would be a grand massacre of children.
- There would be a messenger sent who would prepare the way for the Messiah who would be rejected by his own people.
- The Messiah would be a prophet, preceded by Elijah and this Messiah would be declared the Son of God.
- This Messiah would be a Nazarene and bring light to Galilee. He would do this by speaking in parables and healing the brokenhearted.
- This Messiah would be a priest after the order of Melchizedek, be called King yet also praised by little children.
- This Messiah would be betrayed for a sum of money which would be used to buy a potter's field.
- This Messiah would be falsely accused, He would be silent before his accusers who would spit upon and strike him.
- This Messiah would be hated without cause and be crucified with criminals.
- This Messiah would be given vinegar to drink, have his hands and feet pierced, be mocked and ridiculed and soldiers would gamble for His very clothes. Yet despite all this, this Messiah would pray for his enemies.
- This Messiah’s bones would not be broken but He would be forsaken by God Himself. Soldiers would pierce Messiah's side on His death and he would be buried with the rich. But there is more!
- This Messiah would rise from the dead and into new life! WOW!
- This Messiah would ascend to heaven where He would be seated at God's right hand.
- This Messiah would be a sacrifice for sin before God and therefore anybody can take on this Messiah as their Saviour and be restored back into a living and dynamic relationship with God.
If you are not already in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, there is no need to delay! If you want to turn to God there is no need for delay. You are separated from God now, but there is no need to be. God is ready and willing to take you as His own right now. Just ask and He will take you in and help you. If you want more information about this, use the Contact link above.
That is all for today! Come back tomorrow to see more in our Christmas series 2019, looking at Jesus Christ, the promised one of God.
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Thursday Dec 19, 2019
Thursday Dec 19, 2019
11. Prophecies/ Fulfilled (Part 4)
We are continuing to look at some of the words given as prophecy in the Old Testament and how they were fulfilled in the New Testament, particularly concerning the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. We see together the fulfilment of words and promises spoken about down through the ages, as people looked to God to rescue them.
Prophecy about the Messiah’s death
a. Predicted: Messiah would be given vinegar to drink.
Prediction: Psalm 69:21
Fulfilled: Matthew 27:34; John 19:28-30
b. Predicted: Messiah would be crucified with criminals.
Prediction: Isaiah 53:12
Fulfilled: Mark 15:27-28
c. Predicted: Messiah would be mocked and ridiculed.
Prediction: Psalm 22:7-8
Fulfilled: Luke 23:35
d. Predicted: Messiah's garments would be gambled for.
Prediction: Psalm 22:18
Matthew 27:35-36
e. Predicted: Messiah would pray for his enemies.
Prediction: Psalm 109:4
Fulfilled: Luke 23:34
f. Predicted: Messiah would be forsaken by God.
Prediction: Psalm 22:1
Fulfilled: Matthew 27:46
g. Predicted: Messiah's bones would not be broken.
Prediction: Exodus 12:46; Psalm 34:20
Fulfilled: John 19:31-33
h. Predicted: Messiah's side would be pierced.
Prediction: Zechariah 12:10
Fulfilled: John 19:34-37
i. Predicted: Messiah would die and be buried with the rich.
Prediction: Isaiah 53:9
Fulfilled: Matthew 27:57-60
j. Predicted: Messiah would be a sacrifice for sin.
Prediction: Isaiah 53:5-12
Fulfilled: Romans 5:6-8
That is all for today! Come back tomorrow to see more words of prophecy fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ.
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Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
Wednesday Dec 18, 2019
10. Prophecies/ Fulfilled (Part 3)
We are continuing to look at some of the words given as prophecy in the Old Testament and how they were fulfilled in the New Testament, particularly concerning the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. We see together the fulfilment of words and promises spoken about down through the ages, as people looked to God to rescue them.
How other people would treat the Messiah
a. Predicted: Messiah would be a King.
Prediction: Psalm 2:6; Zechariah 9:9
Fulfilled: Matthew 27:37; Mark 11:7-11
b. Predicted: Messiah would be praised by little children.
Prediction: Psalm 8:2
Fulfilled: Matthew 21:14-16
c. Predicted: Messiah would be betrayed by a close friend.
Prediction: Psalm 41:9; Zechariah 11:12
Fulfilled: Luke 22:47-48; Matthew 26:14-16
d. Predicted: Messiah's betrayal money would be used to buy a potter's field.
Prediction: Zechariah 11:13
Fulfilled: Matthew 27:9-10
Predictions of how this Messiah would be treated in the leadup to His death…
a. Predicted: Messiah would be falsely accused.
Prediction: Psalm 35:11
Fulfilled: Mark 14:57-58
b. Predicted: Messiah would be silent before his accusers.
Prediction: Isaiah 53:7
Fulfilled: Mark 15:1-5
c. Predicted: Messiah would be spat upon and struck.
Prediction: Isaiah 50:6
Fulfilled: Matthew 26:65-68
d. Predicted: Messiah would be hated without cause.
Prediction: Psalm 35:19; Psalm 69:4
Fulfilled: John 15:23-25
That is all for today! Come back tomorrow to see more words fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ.
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Tuesday Dec 17, 2019
Tuesday Dec 17, 2019
9. Prophecies/ Fulfilled (Part 2)
We are continuing to look at some of the words given as prophecy in the Old Testament and how they were fulfilled in the New Testament, particularly concerning the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. We see together the fulfilment of words and promises spoken about down through the ages, as people looked to God to rescue them.
Global predications about Jesus being the Messiah.
a. Prediction: Messiah would spend some time in Egypt.
Prediction: Hosea 11:1
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:14-15
b. Prediction: A massacre of children would happen at Messiah's birthplace.
Prediction: Jeremiah 31:15
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:16-18
c. Prediction: A messenger would prepare the way for Messiah
Prediction: Isaiah 40:3-5
Fulfilled: Luke 3:3-6
d. Prediction: Messiah would be rejected by his own people.
Prediction: Psalm 69:8 Isaiah 53:3
Fulfilled: John 1:11; John 7:5
Who would this Messiah be?
a. Predicted: This Messiah would be a prophet.
Prediction: Deuteronomy 18:15
Fulfilled: Acts 3:17-24
b. Predicted: This Messiah would be preceded by Elijah.
Prediction: Malachi 4:5-6
Fulfilled: Matthew 11:11-14
c. Predicted: This Messiah would be declared the Son of God.
Prediction: Psalm 2:7
Fulfilled: Matthew 3:16-17
Some aspects of what this Messiah would do.
a. Prediction - Messiah would bring light to Galilee.
Predicted: Isaiah 9:1-2
Fulfilled: Matthew 4:13-16
b. Prediction - Messiah would speak in parables.
Predicted: Psalm 78:1-4; Isaiah 6:9-10
Fulfilled: Matthew 13:10-15, 34-35
c. Prediction - Messiah would be sent to heal the broken-hearted.
Predicted: Isaiah 61:1-2
Fulfilled: Luke 4:18-19
d. Prediction - Messiah would be a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Predicted: Psalm 110:4
Fulfilled: Hebrews 5:5-6
That is all for today! Come back tomorrow to see more words fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ.
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Monday Dec 16, 2019
Monday Dec 16, 2019
8. Prophecies/ Fulfilled (Part 1)
That first Christmas, almost 2,000 years ago, is the time when the invisible becomes visible. When God who is outside of time and space, entered time and space. This Almighty God becomes a weakened baby, in what we call the incarnation. Almighty God has become one of his created beings – a helpless human.
Over the next few days, as part of our Christmas 2019 series, we will look at some of the words given as prophecy in what we call the Old Testament and how they were fulfilled in the New Testament. Some of those things could have been fulfilled by deliberate human intervention (or even Jesus Himself)… However, not all of them. We will look together at how the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ was fulfilment of words and promises spoken about down through the ages, through countless years as people looked to God to rescue them.
John 3:16 sums this up well “For this is how God loved the world: He sent his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” One of God’s servants, one of Jesus’ followers said something similar in Romans 8:3 “So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.”
1. Prophecies concerning Jesus’ parents.
a. Prediction: Messiah would be born of a woman.
Predicted: Genesis 3:15 / Fulfilled: Matthew 1:20 & Galatians 4:4-5
b. Prediction: Messiah would be born of a virgin.
Predicted: Isaiah 7:14 / Fulfilled: Matthew 1:22-23 & Luke 1:30-31
c. Prediction: Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
Predicted: Micah 5:2 / Fulfilled: Matthew 2:1 & Luke 2:4-7
2. Prophecies concerning Jesus’ ancestry. Something very important for the nation of Israel at the time!
a. Prediction: Messiah would come from the line of Abraham.
Predicted: Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18/ Fulfilled: Matthew 1:1 & Romans 9:5
b. Prediction: Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac.
Predicted: Genesis 17:19; Genesis 21:12/ Fulfilled: Luke 3:34
c. Prediction: Messiah would be a descendant of Jacob.
Predicted: Numbers 24:17 / Fulfilled: Matthew 1:2
d. Prediction: Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah.
Predicted: Genesis 49:10 / Fulfilled: Luke 3:33; Hebrews 7:14
e. Prediction: Messiah would be heir to King David's throne.
Predicted: 2 Samuel 7:12-13; Isaiah 9:7 / Fulfilled: Luke 1:32-33; Romans 1:3
f. Prediction: Messiah's throne will be anointed and eternal.
Predicted: Psalm 45:6-7; Daniel 2:44 / Fulfilled: Luke 1:30-33; Hebrews 1:8-9
g. Prediction: Messiah would be called Immanuel.
Predicted: Isaiah 7:14 / Fulfilled: Matthew 1:22-3
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Sunday Dec 15, 2019
Sunday Dec 15, 2019
7. A Sermon of John Chrysostom (4th century)
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Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Son of justice. Ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, He had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things yielded in obedience to God.This day He Who is, is Born; and He Who is, becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became He God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassability, remaining unchanged.
And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor Dominations, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb.
Since this heavenly birth cannot be described, neither does His coming amongst us in these days permit of too curious scrutiny. Though I know that a Virgin this day gave birth, and I believe that God was begotten before all time, yet the manner of this generation I have learned to venerate in silence and I accept that this is not to be probed too curiously with wordy speech. For with God we look not for the order of nature, but rest our faith in the power of Him who works.
What shall I say to you; what shall I tell you? I behold a Mother who has brought forth; I see a Child come to this light by birth. The manner of His conception I cannot comprehend. Nature here rested, while the Will of God labored. O ineffable grace! The Only Begotten, Who is before all ages, Who cannot be touched or be perceived, Who is simple, without body, has now put on my body, that is visible and liable to corruption. For what reason? That coming amongst us he may teach us, and teaching, lead us by the hand to the things that men cannot see. For since men believe that the eyes are more trustworthy than the ears, they doubt of that which they do not see, and so He has deigned to show Himself in bodily presence, that He may remove all doubt.
Christ, finding the holy body and soul of the Virgin, builds for Himself a living temple, and as He had willed, formed there a man from the Virgin; and, putting Him on, this day came forth; unashamed of the lowliness of our nature’. For it was to Him no lowering to put on what He Himself had made. Let that handiwork be forever glorified, which became the cloak of its own Creator. For as in the first creation of flesh, man could not be made before the clay had come into His hand, so neither could this corruptible body be glorified, until it had first become the garment of its Maker.
What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of days has become an infant. He who sits upon the sublime and heavenly Throne, now lies in a manger. And He Who cannot be touched, who is simple, without complexity, and incorporeal, now lies subject to the hands of men. He Who has broken the bonds of sinners, is now bound by an infants bands. But He has decreed that ignominy shall become honor, infamy be clothed with glory, and total humiliation the measure of His Goodness. For this He assumed my body, that I may become capable of His Word; taking my flesh, He gives me His spirit; and so He bestowing and I receiving, He prepares for me the treasure of Life. He takes my flesh, to sanctify me; He gives me His Spirit, that He may save me.
Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Truly wondrous is the whole chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is ended, the devil confounded, the demons take to flight, the power of death is broken, paradise is unlocked, the curse is taken away, sin is removed from us, error driven out, truth has been brought back, the speech of kindliness diffused, and spreads on every side, a heavenly way of life has been ‘in planted on the earth, angels communicate with men without fear, and men now hold speech with angels.
Why is this? Because God is now on earth, and man in heaven; on every side all things commingle. He became Flesh. He did not become God. He was God. Wherefore He became flesh, so that He Whom heaven did not contain, a manger would this day receive. He was placed in a manger, so that He, by whom all things arc nourished, may receive an infant’s food from His Virgin Mother. So, the Father of all ages, as an infant at the breast, nestles in the virginal arms, that the Magi may more easily see Him. Since this day the Magi too have come, and made a beginning of withstanding tyranny; and the heavens give glory, as the Lord is revealed by a star.
To Him, then, Who out of confusion has wrought a clear path, to Christ, to the Father, and to the Holy Ghost, we offer all praise, now and for ever. Amen.
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