ANTICIPATION: PART 3

I love to travel!  We have flown a few times, but usually we set off in the pickup.  Our roles are simple: Bill drives and I navigate and talk.  I have a skill.  I can read a map.  I can get us from point a to point b.

Each trip has had a lot of anticipation.  Picking where we would go.  Ordering AAA tour books.  I miss them.  They told about all the little towns we were driving through.  Yeah, I know.  Google will do that too.  Writing down our route and marking it on the atlas.  How do people travel without an atlas?  Yeah, I know.  GPS.  Now I wonder how we ever traveled without the map on my iPad.  All those side roads that are waiting for us to discover.  But, we still take an atlas.

Often anticipation and reality are not the same.  The Mile Post, a must if you are driving in Alaska, said the 19-mile side road was a must.  We would see wildlife.  We would be amazed.  The reality was that Bill saw a porcupine out his window.  That was the extent of the wildlife.  The amazing part is that we did not get stuck, because all 19 miles was …..  mud.  Bill loved that.  To this day he will remind me of the 19-mile mistake.

Why am I telling you this?  Because I can picture the Wise Men looking at charts and star patterns and trying to decide the best route to find Jesus.  I can hear them having a discussion on which way to go.  I can see a table covered with confusion.

Hallmark has put an image in our head.  The three Wise Men are seen on the horizon … alone.  They arrive at the stable … alone.  Reality is extremely different.  The Wise Men or Three Kings were not traveling alone.  There were a lot of camels other than the ones the they were perched on.  There were camels to carry the water, the food, the tents, and all those maps.  There were people to take care of the camels, the food, the water, and, heaven forbid, if one map blew away.

Anticipation was following the route they had picked out.  Reality was they were lost.  They had to ask for directions.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.  When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.  And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, Art not the least among the princes of Juda: For out of thee shall come a Governor, That shall rule my people Israel.  Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.  When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

Matthew 2:1-10

These Wise Men, with all their knowledge and with all their maps, had to ask for directions and, just to make sure they finally found their way, God put a bright star to guide them.

Now you need to get another Hallmark picture out of your head.  Jesus was a young child.  The family was now living in a house.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11

The anticipation was finding the King of the Jews.  The reality was that they found the King of the Jews.  For once, the anticipation and the reality were the same.  They found Jesus!!!

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I CAN FIND JESUS.  YOU CAN FIND JESUS.  We can find Jesus the same way the Wise Men did.  We can search — Read the road map known as the Bible.  We can ask for directions —- Find Christians who will give you information.  We can follow the light — The Holy Spirit will be your guiding light.

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.  Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Luke 1:26-35 KJV

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

ANTICIPATION: PART 2

The children and most of the women were sleeping.  A few women were having trouble sleeping and they were talking quietly.  Part of the shepherds were sleeping so they would be ready for the shift change. 

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Luke 2:8

I picture the shepherds walking around and keeping their eyes open for any threat to their herd.  They did not anticipate any problems, but they knew danger could quickly become a reality.  I am sure the shepherds did not anticipate a heavenly choir.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Luke 2:8-9

Sore afraid?  Well, duh!  It is dark.  Almost everyone is asleep.  Even the sheep are getting some shut eye.  Then this light surrounds them and an angel of the Lord appears and the scripture says they were “sore afraid.”  Can you say UNDERSTATEMENT?  Can you picture the confusion?  Not one shepherd was anticipating the sky to light up.  Not one shepherd anticipated the angel of the Lord appearing in the sky.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:10-14

For sure the shepherd’s anticipation and their reality was extremely different.  Fear not.  Good tidings.  Great joy.  A Saviour.  A multitude of heavenly host.  And then, just like that they were gone.  The sky was dark again.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

Luke 2:15

It is often asked, “Why a stable?”  Think about it.  If Jesus was born in the inn, would they have let the shepherds in?  Of course not.  They would have turned them away.  BUT, a stable is a place the shepherds were familiar with.  They walked right in.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.  And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.  And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

Luke 2:16-18

The second question that comes up is: Why shepherds?  Think about it.  They traveled around.  They could easily tell what they had seen.  They created an interest in the birth of Jesus.

Anticipation and reality are not the same thing.  The shepherds were anticipating a normal night.  The reality is they met the Son of God.  The Good Shepherd.  The true Shepherd.

And they were the first to spread the Good News.

 

ANTICIPATION:  PART 1

I have been anticipating how our new home will look when it is all decked out for Christmas.  The Nativity will be on the same table as it has been on for the last who knows how many years.  We will have to get a new tree.  A smaller tree.  I am picturing it in my mind, but will it turn out good? For sure I am no design expert.

Anticipation — What will the house look like?

Per the dictionary, anticipation is the act of looking forward, especially pleasurable expectation.

I wonder if Mary and Joseph’s anticipation was a “pleasurable expectation.”  A visit by an angel, visiting a cousin, and a dream must have them anticipating what will happen next.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

Luke 2:4-5

They were headed to Bethlehem.  Mary was expecting at any time and the trip had to be physically brutal.  Joseph had to watch as Mary suffered.  I am sure they were anticipating their arrival.

Do you suppose Mary was picturing a bed?  A bed where she could rest.  She was so tired.  She could tell the baby would be born shortly.  As Bethlehem came into sight, did Joseph give a big sigh?  He was so tired and Mary looked exhausted.  Bethlehem — now they could rest.  Now they could begin to prepare for the birth.  The birth.  A Son.  Name him Jesus.  Joseph anticipated quickly finding a room.

The innkeeper told them he had no rooms.  I can see Joseph look at Mary and realizing she needed to lay down.  NOW.  This was not what he had anticipated.

Is there not one place?  I can feel the anguish, as Joseph asked, “Surely there is somewhere we can have some privacy.  My wife is about to deliver.  We will take anything.  A stable?  Yes.  Even a stable.”

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:6-7

Anticipation and reality are not the same thing.  I am sure Mary anticipated delivering God’s Son in a room in the inn.  The reality is a stable ! A STABLE! How could this happen?  God’s Son is lying in a feeding trough.

Mary and Joseph look at the baby one more time.  And then they rested.