Tuesday, December 24, 2013

THE BIRTH OF JESUS

Time with Jesus - 25 Dec 2013

Hi all,
Today is the day Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 25th December. We have done this for more years than we can tell. Indeed, the date goes back into antiquity. It was the date on which pagans celebrated the winter solstice in Europe. This year our summer solstice was on 22nd December, the day corresponding with the winter solstice in Europe. It was the day in Europe in which the sun was “reborn” and began the journey from winter to summer. It was a very important pagan festival.

The conversion of Constantine to Christianity is often celebrated as a great victory for Christianity over the pagans. In some respects it was. However the down side was catastrophe for true Christians. A few moments of thought should convince you why. Assume for a moment you were a priest or priestess in one of the many pagan temples throughout the Roman world. Yesterday you had a good “job”. The “deity” you served and whom others worshipped in your temple provided you with a good living and security. When you got up this morning, by Constantine’s decision, you were a priest no longer. What were you to do? No prizes for saying you would immediately decide that you would be a Christian priest. The fact that there were no Christian priests and no Christian temples mattered little to you. So you would continue doing more or less exactly what you had been doing.

“This temple is now a Christian temple” you would say. You would call your congregation “Christians” and go on your way rejoicing. There would be very few people who could gainsay you.
Let’s follow this scenario a little further. In the past, your “deity” would have required that you and your people celebrate the winter solstice. The date is more or less cast in concrete. To solve your immediate problem, you would meet together with other former pagan priests and work out a way whereby you could “Christianise” the winter solstice. No doubt you would do the same sort of thing with the celebration of fertility and other important events on your annual list of feasts and festivals. It wouldn’t be very long before there were an overwhelming number of former pagan priests doing much the same thing.

Your biggest challenge would be to solve the problem associated with the celebration of the winter solstice. What Christian celebration should be used to coincide with this “big day” in your religious life? You would probably have scratched your head and said, ‘”It’s a “canackler”. (Since my father wouldn’t be born for another ±1600 years, no one could tell them what a canackler was) Anyway, since many important people and deities celebrated their birthday annually, why not settle on a day to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Now since your background was paganism, you would not have realised that with a small bit of Biblical research, you could establish the approximate day on which Jesus was born. Your “chommies” would have told you what a clever fellow you are and in no time at all the Christian world would celebrate Jesus’ birthday on 25th December every year. Eventually the date would be so entrenched into the Christian calendar; no one would even suspect that the date was wrong. (You and I would not be on the scene for another ±1700 years so why worry?)

Today, we are a wee bit wiser. Luke’s birth narrative gives us the month of Jesus’ birth. We are told 5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Luke 1:5 NLT
Now this wouldn’t seem important if it wasn’t for a passage of Scripture in 1 Chronicles 24. 3 With the help of Zadok, who was a descendant of Eleazar, and of Ahimelech, who was a descendant of Ithamar, David divided Aaron's descendants into groups according to their various duties. - 6 Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, acted as secretary and wrote down the names and assignments in the presence of the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the family leaders of the priests and Levites. The descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar took turns casting lots. - 10 The seventh lot fell to Hakkoz. The eighth lot fell to Abijah. 1 Chronicles 24:3, 6 & 10 NLT

This means that Zechariah was in the temple in the fourth month of the Jewish calendar. That was when Elizabeth conceived John. 6 months later, Mary conceived Jesus. Thus Jesus was born 15 months after John’s conception. This would have been at the time of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. i.e. late September or early October according to our calendar. Incidentally, to this day, the Jews expect their Messiah to come at the feast of Tabernacles.
Now that we all know when He was born, should we refuse to celebrate Christmas on 25th December? I can’t speak for you. 
However, I do know British monarchs have an official birthday. It doesn’t coincide with their actual birthday. So if we regard 25th December as His official birthday, we are at liberty to celebrate His actual birthday at the Feast of Tabernacles. That’s what Phyllida and I do. We also know that the date more or less coincides with the European winter solstice. So we let sleeping dogs lie. Of course if you don’t want to use 25th December as His official birthday, do me a favour, tell me what you will say to your children and grandchildren?
Today we meditate on the birth of Jesus Christ. I’ve tried to brush aside all our commercial claptrap and present the stark truth of what is likely to have happened. Pray God this “reality” will never happen to your girlfriend, wife or daughters.
Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 



Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give
Time with Jesus – 25 December 2013
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give
©
These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and
distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes
©
THE BIRTH OF JESUS
6 For a Child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 NLT


"We've got to go to Bethlehem", said Joseph to his wife.
   "But it's so far to travel and there is brand new life
Developing inside me. Please Joseph, can't I stay?
   For Nazareth to Bethlehem's a hundred miles away!
I really shouldn't travel. The birth's so very near!
   How can I walk or even ride?" "We have no choice my dear,
For Caesar has commanded that taxes we must pay.
   Those who don't go to their towns, they've guaranteed to slay.
I know it won't be easy, but if we take it slow
   And, if I take good care of you, we'll all be safe I know."
She carried on protesting but still Joseph prepared
   And very soon they both set off, uncomfortable and scared.
The journey was a nightmare for she could hardly ride.
   The movement of the donkey would jolt the child inside.
So, often she dismounted and simply had to walk,
   Which made her so exhausted that she could hardly talk.
They travelled in the mornings before the midday heat
   Had scorched the barren dusty road and burned her aching feet.
They rested when the sun was high; somewhere in the shade,
   And travelled on at evening both desperately afraid
That she would start with labour. At night they just lay down
   And slept upon the barren road which led toward their town.
Sometimes the opportunity to ride on someone's cart
   Gave a needed respite. But then she'd have to start
And carry on the journey in agony and pain,
   Longing for another chance for her to rest again.
For Joseph, it was terrible, for what else could he do?
   He had to keep on hurrying to see the journey through.
Himself, he was much older. She was so very young.
   To keep her going like this was something that just stung.
He also knew that time was short and that her time was near,
   So had to keep on travelling in spite of all his fear.
Thus he was in the middle and torn apart with pain;
   The thought of what might happen kept churning in his brain.
And though he didn't show it, it cut him to the heart
   Fearing with each step she took her labour pains would start.
How long the journey took them we cannot know for sure.
   Perhaps it took a fortnight. What woman can endure
The prospect of a journey like this when great with child?
   Perhaps it was her tender age that helped her through the trial.
The distance seemed forever. Each step a jarring jolt.
   Be it on foot, or on a cart, or riding on a colt,
The physical exhaustion kept coming on in waves.
   The rightful Royal family kept moving on like slaves!
At last, there in the distance they sighted Bethlehem.
   But then the thing they greatly feared came up to smother them.
The shooting pains of labour induced by what they'd done
   Made them both feel desperate. The birth had now begun.
"God help us both!" said Joseph. "I'm going on ahead.
   I've got to find a place for you. Somewhere to lay your head."
 He hurried forward frantically. She plodded on behind.
   "There has to be a place for us. A spot where we can find
Somewhere for the delivery. A house, a room, an Inn.
   Anywhere for privacy; Some spot to shelter in.
The first place which he came to he knew would have to do.
   Then just around the corner an Inn came into view.
He rushed into the courtyard to find to his dismay,
   That all the rooms were occupied. There didn't seem a way
For him to find vacancy. "O God, where can I go?"
   This added complication was just another blow,
That jarred him to the very core; and then he saw a place,
   Among the cattle droppings, which filled him with distaste.
The floor was filthy dirty. It made him want to weep.
   But naught else was available and so he tried to sweep
The dung and other droppings away so she could lie,
   Upon a bed he made for her for now her time was nigh.
She staggered to the courtyard and fell upon the straw.
   The pain of the contractions enveloped her once more.
And then at last it happened and she cried out with pain.
   The time had come... A mighty push... and then the baby came.
The moment they'd been waiting for, at last it had arrived.
   The miracle to both of them was that they had survived.
Poor Joseph looked so helpless. What was he now to do?
   The birth was in the courtyard for anyone to view.
He hovered in embarrassment his countenance perplexed.
   What was the proper thing to do and what would happen next?
But Mary was delivered. At last she seemed at peace.
   It may have been in public, but here was the release,
From all the fearful struggling and all the pain and hurt.
   She and the babe seemed comfortable in spite of all the dirt.
He handed her a swaddling cloth in which to wrap the child.
   Then looked; He saw a feeding trough, in which straw was piled.
The animals had left it and though it seemed quite rough,
   There wasn't an alternative and there was room enough.
So there he placed the infant upon that bed of straw;
   A manger, standing in the yard on that disgusting floor,
Is where he laid the baby. That's how God's Son was born;
   A probable reflection of that first Christmas morn.
The agony and heartbreak of what is written here,
   Is truer than the fairy tale so many hold so dear.
The artificial Christmas cards so often we receive,
   Are just a vain concoction men want us to believe.
The truth is far more painful and shows that God regards,
   Our thinking of what should be as broken, splintered shards.
So as you come to Christmas with all the celebration,
   Think about the way it was. Use your imagination,
To understand what happened. A little teenage girl
   Was treated like an outcast and not some tender pearl.
For as you think about it, it's sure to change your mind,
   About the Christmas story and all the junk you find,
Described upon your calendars your cards and at your feasts.
   God chose as his place of birth, a spot among the beasts,
To come and bring salvation. Let this truth settle in.
   For he came here to save our world from wickedness and sin.
And as you think about it, it ought to change your ways
   For Christmas to be meaningful, not just a holiday.
Jim Strickland – Written 1986

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