James Tissot, explaining the Journey of the Magi
Matthew 2:1,9b-11
2 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
9.... 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.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11 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.
The Scriptures repeat and repeat. Sometimes in the most unusual ways.
James 2:14-25
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works.
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
The second part of our Scriptures is written by James, the brother of Jesus. Who certainly did not spend Jesus' ministry in step with Jesus. Jesus remarked that whoever did the Will of God was His Family. Jesus, being God, knew His Brothers would participate in all His Brothers and Mary would return.
Acts 1
13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
In fact, part of Constantine's conversion, In 303, the Emperors Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius issued a series of edicts rescinding the legal rights of Christians and demanding that they comply with traditional Roman religious practices. Bishop Eusebius records being an eyewitness of the young Constantine being sent to Nazareth to torture and coerce the descendants of Jesus' brothers to defy Jesus as God. They refused, even upon bribery, and died. Constantine is said to have been like Pilate, and moved by their devotion to Jesus and Constantine's fate depending upon his adherence to Diocletian.
A.D. 312. Constantine I was the first Roman Emperor converting the Roman Empire to Christianity.
Jesus made room for His Brothers to have journey. And said something about the process of life.
Matthew 20
20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.
“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’
9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
One of the things Jesus never remarked upon - tardiness. Jesus, instead, has the Bible inform us - events are timed according to God. Jesus knew His James, Joses, Jude, and Simon would be very, very glad to see Jesus return to them for 40 days alive and well in defeating death for us all.
Abba, You are God Most High, You reign, let the earth be glad!
For life's journey to God
let the distant shores rejoice.
Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see our God's Glory.
Worship Him!
Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad
because of Your judgments, Lord.
For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth;
You are exalted far above all gods.
Let those who love the Lord practice only good,
for He guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light shines on the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart!
Rejoice! Rejoice, Emmanuel!
The Lord!
You who are righteous!
Praise His Holy Name.
Jesus the Lord, please cover us with Your Name daily.
Cover those we Love and the People You have give us.
The Blessings of our earnest, good and Loving Jesus
exalt our hearts and carry us in His Good Will and Love.
Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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