When Jesus taught, He usually sat to speak with His People.
Ever since Abraham, God has listened with great interest to the prayers of His People, especially for Mercy.
The Plans and the Ways of God are Good. God's Righteous Justice and Judgment.
Prior Christmas in Bethlehem
Zechariah 1:7-17
Zechariah 1:7-17!
On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.’
11 And they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’
12 Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’
13 And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster.
16 Therefore, thus says the Lord, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’”
Why would God answer graciously and have comforting words?
The heart of the prayer, God would not answer bold and willfulness, nor answer those who do not tremble to blaspheme God in His Glory.
We find this conversation has the following points to consider:
God's opinion is sought and is considered. The Lord God has been sought.
Pride and Arrogance is left behind. Evil doing and folly is not part of the conversation with God. The Anger of God is considered.
Righteousness of God - God did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others.
Why God would answer Abraham. Abraham had mercy for others! Many times.
It was God's plan to rescue righteousness - like Lot, who was greatly distressed by the sensual direction of many wicked people. The Scriptures say rape happened often. Some of the Biblical accounts said brutal gang rape and murder, people dragged from their homes by gangs. The Bible records truth, not fantasy of the best foot forward.
Our Father God,
The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials,
and to keep the unrighteous under punishment.
We are not to be indulgent with areas to cause harm to souls,
nor despise the authority of God.
Nehemiah 8:9-12
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people,
“This day is holy to the LORD your God;
do not mourn or weep.”
For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.
10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready,
for this day is holy to our Lord.
And do not be grieved,
for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying,
“Be quiet, for this day is holy;
do not be grieved.”
12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink
and to send portions and to make great rejoicing,
because
they had understood the words that were declared to them.
As the Word was printed, people became on fire for God. And Christmas Ham was greeted... as a terrible indulgence. Christmas was too joyous. Too indulgent. A far swing from Joy.
Even today, we have people who really Love Jesus and don't like Christmas.
We are asked to deal all the time with differences between people and denominations.
I was raised being told not to be so silly as to think December 25th was Christ's Birthday. After all, Coptic Christians celebrate January 7th. Coptics don't eat meat more than 150 days a year as fasting is part of belief.
How would Jesus deal with the Difference?
The Coptic Church deals with differences - graciously.
Mark 6 When Jesus sent His Disciples two by two, Jesus instructed to keep things simple. No Staff for Authority. No dietary bread. No incentive for greed.
8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.
Matthew 10:10
Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.
Luke 22:35
Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you out without purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered.
When the Opulence seems to erase Christ from Christmas?
God placed Jesus with an unwed Mother in a Barn. Jesus lived in Egypt, healed the Canaanite woman's child. The Magi arrived from the East. The New Church held Suzanna from Herod's Household. Simon the Zealot against Rome. Fishermen. Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
I was raised being told not to be so silly as to think December 25th was Christ's Birthday. After all, Coptic Christians celebrate January 7th. Coptics don't eat meat more than 150 days a year as fasting is part of belief.
How would Jesus deal with the Difference?
The Coptic Church deals with differences - graciously.
Mark 6 When Jesus sent His Disciples two by two, Jesus instructed to keep things simple. No Staff for Authority. No dietary bread. No incentive for greed.
8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.
Matthew 10:10
Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.
Luke 22:35
Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you out without purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered.
When the Opulence seems to erase Christ from Christmas?
Psalm 47
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 For the Lord Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God
He is greatly exalted.
Always there are differences
God placed Jesus with an unwed Mother in a Barn. Jesus lived in Egypt, healed the Canaanite woman's child. The Magi arrived from the East. The New Church held Suzanna from Herod's Household. Simon the Zealot against Rome. Fishermen. Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
Colossians 4:6
Let your conversation be always full of grace,
seasoned with salt,
so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Romans 12:18
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,
live at peace with everyone.
Abba, our Father God,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion
and the God of all comfort
He comforts us in all our troubles,
so that we can comfort those
in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ,
so also
our comfort abounds through Christ.
Blessed be Jesus.
Given to us by our Father God.
Covering us,
covering those we love.
Jesus covering all the believers of the world.
Jesus guiding the Nation
and nations trusting in Him.
Alleluia, we are the people of Jesus.
Amen.
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