Mark 1:14-15

Mark 1:14-15 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.  “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news!” 

Luke 2:8-14 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ 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, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  

The kingdom of God has been near from the time Mary and Joseph obeyed the decree of Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  As they traveled from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem the town of David because Joseph belonged to the house and the line of David, they knew Mary was soon to give birth; but they did not know that the Son of God would be born in a stable in the most meager of circumstances.  They did not know an angel of the Lord would cry out to shepherds in the fields, watching over their sheep, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Perhaps they would have made other plans, preparations for the coming of the Christ Child.  But God knew, and God had prepared for the birth of his Son.  God had prepared the simple cloths, the lowly manger where the child would rest his head, the animals that would view the scene, and the shepherds who would come to give him praise.  God sent angels to announce the "Good News."  A great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel who announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds.  We cannot really picture what that scene must have been like for those lowly sheep herders: suddenly the field becomes an arena for the heavenlies, and glorious praises to God penetrated the air surrounding them with words that stirred their hearts and minds.  They must have asked, "What does this mean: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests?  Yes, God is deserving of glory, and He is high and mighty in the heavens, but what did the angel mean about a savior being born in a manger, and how can there be peace on earth when we are a captive people, certainly without favor?"  No wonder after pondering these events, they said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  (Luke 2:15)  

Today, December 22, 2012, our world is busy, more busy even than usual because as we all know, Christmas is upon us.  Many are out buying those last minute gifts or large supplies of food for the sumptuous meals we will consume to honor the birth of Christ.  While some Christians complain about those who substitute the phrase Happy Holidays for Merry Christmas because it leaves Christ out of the celebration, we have wondered if it would not be better to have a winter holiday celebration and to give Jesus another day altogether where we really do celebrate him and his birth.  Just as He said when He began his ministry: “The time has come.  The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news!”  That was his gift to all mankind; that is the gift we have to share with everyone we meet.  Yet all over the world people are looking for just the right item or the most unusual event to capture the attention or regard of someone with an outstanding Christmas gift.  Mom opened at advertisement that has appeared at the beginning of Facebook recently for last minute gift buying.  You order the gift online, the recipient receives a confirmation of the gift by email or text, and it comes after Christmas.  Oh the tempting and exciting offers:  Gift cards for Bubb Gump Shrimp Company, the Rainforest Cafe, itunes, or the ever-popular Starbucks.  Give a donation to your favorite charity.  Buy an adult apron or a duvet cover you can decorate yourself with a permanent pen.  If your old measuring spoons are too blasé, purchase a ceramic set.  Everyone needs a wine aerator to bring out the flavor and aroma of the wine.  How about a year's supply of classic tooth brushes, some happy knee socks for creative calves, or some bottled water in an award winning design bottle.  One of our favorites was organic toys for your pets made from natural cotton and dyes, and for you musicians there is a lovely punch set to make your own custom made guitar picks.  There were many more choices for the "perfect gift" for that special someone.  We have lost our way in a sea of stuff.  

When Jesus when to the temple as was his custom, when the scroll was handed to him, He read: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  (Luke 4:18)  The kingdom of God is near, and this is the year of the Lord's favor.  God sent his son to be born in a manger, to live as a man, to die a cruel death on a cross, and to rise again in glorious victory over sin and death that we might live forever with him as sons and daughters of the most high.  This is the "Good News" dear friends: this is Christmas.  The best gifts do not come in beautiful packages with perfect ribbons.  They sometimes come in stables in imperfect conditions.  This Christmas take time to share the Christmas story with your loved ones and friends.  Rejoice in Christ your Savior.  We give gifts to our grandchildren--all 19.  We make gifts for our children and their spouses.  We enjoy giving those gifts.  But Christmas must be more than that if we want joy, real joy, wonderful joy.  We must make room for Jesus.  We must dial back a bit and turn away from the craziness of our world.  The Holy Spirit is always with us and wants to lead us.  But He is a gentleman and will not force us to listen to his still small voice.  Think of someone to bless today.  The Lord may point out someone He wants you to bless financially, maybe with a small gift of $20 or a larger one.  Be listening.  God's sheep hear his voice.  Jesus is always in the room.  And He still says,  “The time has come.  The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news!”  Merry Christmas dear ones.