And the last one. For Christmas Eve. THE GOSPEL ACCOUNT OF JESUS’ BIRTH - LUKE 2 Christmas songs, stories and movies tend to be variations on the one wonderful theme! We get some of that theme from the Book of Matthew in the Bible. Hes the one who recounts the visit of the Magi, for example, which happened some time after Jesus was born. He tells us of the Immaculate Conception and how Joseph and Mary named their son. But for the best description of the night God came into the world as a helpless babe we need to turn to the Book of Luke, Chapter Two. Here we have the busy inn, here we have the manger, here we have the shepherds on the hills, here we have the angels singing, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Here we have the recounting that all the other stories, songs, movies, and so on, are based on. How much trust should we place in Luke’s depiction of the events? Well, he heard about it from the Apostle Paul – and Paul heard about it directly from Jesus! Stories often grow in the re-telling. Good stories are re-told more than most. A world-changing event like our Saviour coming to live amongst us deserves to be told and told again until the end of time! People, being people, will emphasize some aspects over others, they will interpret things differently, they might embellish the wonders. Which is why we shouldn’t get too caught up in Hollywoods ideas of Christmas, fun as they might be, or the thoughtful interpretations of talented authors, much as they might touch our hearts. Enjoy then, yes. Be uplifted by them, of course. And if they help people to faith, then so much the better. But when it comes to really understanding what happened on that blessed night, spend a little time with your Bible - and read Gods version of what Christmas is all about. Those Little Extras • As well as being author of the Gospel bearing his name and The Book of Acts, some scholars speculate that Luke may have contributed to The Book Of Hebrews. • Archeologist Sir William Ramsey described Luke as “a historian of the first rank.” • Tradition has Luke being a painter as well as a physician and an Indian church claim to possess an icon painted by him • The Book of Luke is addressed to someone called Theophilus. No one now knows who Theophilus was, but the name means “Friend of God.” To The Gift-Giver Father, we sometimes take your book for granted and we forget that it came to us through the trials and tribulations of the men and women you chose to convey your message. We give thanks to you today for Luke, Matthew, Mark and John, who were mere mortals like us. Most of all we thank you for the object of their adorations – Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us. From The Gift-Giver And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. Luke 2:15-16. KJV How Wonderful Other People Thought It Was “Some think that he was the only one of all the penmen of the scripture that was not of the seed of Israel. He was converted to Christianity by the ministry of St. Paul.” Matthew Henry. English clergyman and Bible commentator. 1862-1714 “Eusebius relates that this Gospel, together with those of Matthew and Mark, were brought to the Apostle John, who approved of them, and bore witness to the truth in them.” John Gill. English clergyman and theologian. 1697-1771 We learn that he (Luke) was a Gentile, a physician, that he remained with Paul in his imprisonment at Cæsarea and attended him to Rome, where he was his companion during his long sufferings Barton W. Johnson. Preacher, teacher and editor. 1833-1891 If we date it (the Book of Luke) somewhere between A.D. 50 and 60, we shall probably be near the truth; but nearer it we cannot with any certainty come. A.R. Fausset. Irish clergyman and Bible commentator. 1821-1910 “Love came down at Christmas: love all lovely, love divine: Love was born at Christmas, stars and angels gave the sign.” Christina G. Rossetti. English poet. 1830-1894
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 23:53:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015