Scripture

On entering the home, they saw the child with his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chest, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Observation

After Jesus’ birth, the Magi come from the East. They ask the rulers where the King of the Jews is born. Herod is frightened when he hears this, and he finds out from the priests and scribes where the Messiah was to be born. They tell him that it was to be Bethlehem.

Herod calls for a meeting with the Magi. He tells them the baby should be born in Bethlehem. He tells them to seek diligently and report back to him when they find Him.

The Magi follow the star to the place where Jesus and His mother are. They worship him and Give Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Application

In the Christmas story we find three broad classes of people:

• those who hear the Good News and recognise instantly that the baby is the Son of God
• those who know with the intellect that the baby might be the Messiah, but are not that committed to seeking Him out
• those who are driven by hatred or fear of the baby

We can know all the facts about Jesus as the priests and scribes did, and still not know Him. We can have an intellectual knowledge of the Bible and miss the heart of the author.

We can even hate and oppose God because we know that He wants a different focus in our life.

Or we can worship Him, recognising that in Christ everything finds its place.

Prayer

Lord Jesus I offer myself to you again. Use me as you choose and enable me to worship you in every situation. Amen.

Scripture

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child that is within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”

Observation

Mary is engaged to be married to Joseph. While still a virgin, Mary becomes pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

Joseph has a dream in which an angel of the Lord tells him that May’s child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. This baby is to be named Jesus and will save people from their sins.

Joseph takes Mary as his wife, although they refrain from sexual intercourse until after the baby is born.

Application

I am often surprised when I read of a christian stating that they do not believe in the Virgin Birth of Christ. This is an essential part of our faith.

What is easier for God to do- to make the whole universe in its infinite complexity or implant a bit of DNA into a womb?

To disbelieve at this point is to unravel every point of doctrine.

The Virgin Birth is fundamental to faith because it goes to the identity of Christ. Sin has been handed down to us, almost as an inherited quality woven into our genetic makeup. Adam’s sin has been inherited by every human being since.

If Jesus is to be a perfect sinless sacrifice for the sins of the world, He had to be conceived in a way that did not involve human DNA.

The first Adam was a special creation by God. So too was Jesus, the second Adam.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the mystery of the conception of Jesus. Help me to accept and believe this miracle. Amen.

Scripture

This is the record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham.

Application

Matthew lists the ancestors of Jesus, back through Joseph to Abraham. There are three groups of fourteen, which makes seven times six, the numbers of perfection (or God) and of man. Already he is pointing us to Jesus as Son of God and Son of Man.

Jesus is a true descendant of Abraham. He is a true Jew. He cannot be dismissed from respect because of His ancestry. He truly belongs to the children of Israel.

Jesus is also a descendant of David to whom God promised, “One of your descendants will be on the throne of Israel for ever.”

The Gospel of Matthew was written for Jewish people to accept that Jesus is the Messiah.

What is in the genealogy for us today?

• God planned Jesus’ birth right from the beginning of time.
• Although Jesus was sent to the Jews, He is God’s Saviour for all people.
• Both Abraham and David sinned quite spectacularly, but Jesus was without sin.
• Despite their sin, Abraham and David were men of faith and were significant in carrying forward the family line of the Messiah

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for the promises, prophecies and pre-planning we see in Scripture. You truly are an awesome God! Amen.

Scripture

“A cry was heard in Ramah –

weeping and great mourning.

Rachel weeps for her children

refusing to be comforted for they are dead.”

Observation

The wise men leave and, having been warned in a dream, they bypass Jerusalem. Joseph again has a dream in which an angel tells him to flee with the child to Egypt.

Herod orders all the boys under two years old who were born in or near Bethlehem to be killed.

After Herod dies, Joseph again has a dream that reassures him that it is time to return. The family settles in Nazareth in Galilee.

Application

When God is at work, we can be sure that satan is at work also, trying to undo God’s plans. Ironically, satan is often just dancing to the tune previously set by the Lord.

The Messiah is born, and satan seeks to destroy Him. He provokes the anger of Herod in an attempt to destroy God’s rescue plan. This plot, wicked as it is, was foreseen by Jeremiah hundreds of years prior.

Satan loves to think he is in control. He tries to convince God’s people to be afraid of him, to avoid big steps of faith, because of possible consequences. Yet, satan at every step is shown to be weaker than God.

The child of God has no reason to ever be afraid. “Greater is he that is in you than he than he that is in the world.”

Prayer

Father, the grief of those mothers and families whose little boys were killed by a paranoid king was great. Yet your grief for humanity lost in sin is even greater. Thank you for the knowledge that you have won the victory over the devil. Amen.

Scripture

“In Bethlehem in Judea.” they said. “For this is what the prophet wrote:

‘And you O Bethlehem in the land of Judah

are not least among the ruling cities of Judah

for a ruler will come from you

who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

Observation

Some wise men from the East arrive in Jerusalem announcing that they have seen a star indicating there is a new king in Israel.

Herod is disturbed by this, so he gathers his advisers together and asks them where the Messiah is to be born. “In Bethlehem,” they say.

Herod then meets with the wise men and sends them to Bethlehem. He asks them to report back to him so he can worship the king too,

The wise men go on their way. The star guides them to Bethlehem, stopping over the very house where the child is. They worship Him and present gifts of frankincense, gold and myrrh.

Application

The birth of the Messiah was the most anticipated event in the history of Israel, and the scribes, priests, and religious leasers missed it. They knew what the Scriptures had to say about this event, but they failed to see it when it happened.

Perhaps these people were too invested in the status quo. They were people of influence and had no need for a Messiah to come and mess things up.

Perhaps they were so jaded by prophetic expectations that the arrival of astrologers saying that a star indicated the Messiah had come was not enough to stir their interest.

It is still possible for us to miss what God is doing in our lives. We see a miracle and make up reasons to explain it away. We hear God telling us to step out, but we hold back because it means giving up too much.

Let us be attentive to the voice of the Spirit and brave enough to move out in faith at the right time.

Prayer

Father, please break through my hardness of heart, and speak to me about your plans for my life. I don’t want to miss it, Lord. Amen.

Scripture

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded, and took Mary as his wife.

Observation

Joseph and Mary are engaged, but Mary becomes pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph is a good man, and he does not want to shame Mary publicly, so he decides to break the engagement quietly.

An angel appears to Joseph in a dream. The angel tells Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy is by the Holy Spirit. The baby is to be named Jesus as He will save His people from their sins.

So Joseph does what the angel told him to do, and he takes Mary as his wife.

Application

It must have been a huge shock and disappointment to Joseph to find out that his wife- to- be had been unfaithful to him. Then an angel appeared to tell him that all was not as it seemed.

The simple faith of both Mary and Joseph is instructive to us. They both just humbly obey God, regardless of the social norms and the possible consequences. They must have had many questions, but they moved forward in obedience.

When God calls us to do something, He has the consequences in hand. He will make it all work out according to His plans.

When we say “No” to God, we are effectively saying that we know better than He does. We know how to handle our lives and don’t need any directions from the Creator of the Universe.

Faith is the admission that we don’t have our lives perfectly ordered.

Faith is recognising that there may be a higher and better way that we have never considered.

Faith is saying “Yes” to God.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the example of Mary and Joseph. Please help me to always say “Yes” to you. Amen.

Scripture

“When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!”

Observation

Jesus tells a parable about a king who prepares a great wedding banquet for his son. When the banquet is ready, the invited guests refuse to come.

The king sends out more messengers to summon the guests. Still they refuse, and some even insult and kill the king’s messengers.

Finally the king sends out servants to bring in people from the streets, both good and bad, to fill the banqueting hall.

The king notices that one of the guests is not properly dressed. He orders this person to be bound and cast out into the darkness.

Application

The people of Israel were all invited to God’s marriage feast, but many refused to come. They had insulted and killed God’s messengers, the prophets. Now Jesus is saying that the king is inviting a different group of people, those who had previously not been invited, that is the Gentiles.

It is a wonderful privilege to be a part of God’s kingdom. Even those who previously rebelled against God can now come in and be a part of His party.

The parable contains one jarring note. One man is seen to be not wearing the appropriate clothes. He is kicked out of the feast.

Repeatedly, in the New Testament we are told to take off the old nature and put on Christ. Many are called or invited to be in the Kingdom of God, but it is only through a change of heart that we become acceptable to God.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for inviting everybody into your kingdom. I turn away from my sins and choose to follow you today. Amen.