Wednesday 23rd December

Read  :  Luke  ch 2 v 1-20  “ HIS STORY “

You know… it’s an amazing story we have just read from Dr Luke, isn’t it, this birth of Jesus? I would ask you to read it again as if for the first time. There isn’t an author living could have written this story.  Only scripture writes it for us. It truly is “ HIS STORY”.  The plan and purpose and will of God was,  that His Son,  would come out of Nazareth (Matthew 2 V 23 )  and be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5 v 2 )  He causes a census that requires everyone to return to their family birthplace. Mary was heavy with child and Joseph probably didn’t want to leave her behind to face the gossip. In any case, Joseph must leave Galilee and head for Bethlehem because he was a descendant of David. So here we have Joseph and Mary who is almost ready to give birth, they are  on their way to Bethlehem but having listened to the Angel Gabriel, I wonder did they ever ponder Micah’s prophesy…..” out of Bethlehem would come one who would be ruler over Israel “ or Jeremiah’s prophesy that he would  “make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line.”  So, here we have an unfolding of fulfilled promises as Mary and Joseph play out their role and the coming of the child Jesus

Bethlehem is about 5 miles from Jerusalem, that’s a fair distance from Nazareth. There are a number of hills and mountains in between; it was no easy trip. From Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 60 miles. That’s a long way, like walking from here to Portrush. The N.I.V. leaves out something that the K.J.V. tells us ”Mary being great with child “ .   Can you picture or imagine that? How much courage did Mary have to do what God asked her to do? God had determined Jesus’ birth to be this way, and Mary and Joseph chose to do what was asked of them. I wonder are we as obedient to Him as were this couple?
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Before we leave Luke’s narrative  there is a lovely little phrase tucked away in verse 6 of chapter 2 “THE TIME CAME FOR THE BABY TO BE BORN”    Ever since Adam disobeyed God in the garden,  the clock was ticking. For centuries people looked for hope and they looked for God’s promise of a Saviour but then THE TIME CAME.  The Son of God is here in the arms of Mary, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Who would have thought that He would have used two nobodies to fulfill His promise and His will.  The beautiful thing is that God still uses nobodies like you and me to share His love and to introduce His Son to others.