Merry Christmas!

Protection and Another Fulfilled Prophecy​

Matthew 2:13-15

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

As we saw in the commentary on Matthew 2:4-6, paranoid King Herod felt threatened when he heard about the wise men’s search for the Messiah. God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod, and the king became furious (Matthew 2:12, 16). He set out to remove any potential threat to his throne by killing all the boys age 2 and under.

But God had long foreseen Herod’s (and Satan’s, Revelation 12:4-5) plot, and instructed Joseph in another dream to flee to Egypt. This was a fulfillment of the dual prophecy of Hosea 11:1.
 
[ Here is another article from one of my favorite devotional writers.
Again, it is not important that Jesus Christ was not born on December 25.
Rather it is important to know He was conceived in December.
He was born during the Fall Festivals.
The point being do not be so hard-lined to NOT celebrate this season yet always remember WHY we take the time to acknowledge when The Holy Spirit conceived I AM in Mary's womb. ]

~ Mabe

=======

"...
As I write these words, I am sitting in my study at home watching snow fall gently on the already blanketed ground outside. I can hear the familiar strain of Bing Crosby’s voice singing “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” and for the first time this year, I am beginning to feel what many call the Christmas spirit. The sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas are everywhere as we approach December 25.

All About Jesus​

Over the last two weeks, we have been studying God’s Word in Israel, the land where it all happened. There were no Christmas lights, no carols being sung in the streets, and very little of what we associate with our annual celebration. Yet our thoughts have been filled with great thoughts of Jesus, what He did, and why He came.

It is a reminder that Christmas is not shopping, gift giving, family gatherings, holiday feasts, or children’s stories. There is nothing inherently wrong with any of those things. Traditions can be very enjoyable…as long as the truth does not get lost in it all.

Christmas is about Christ! The Father’s gift. The Son’s birth. The Spirit’s testimony. The world’s hope. It is all about Jesus.

You don’t “keep Christ in Christmas” – you find Christmas in Christ. We discover true wonder and joy in the person and work of the Lord Jesus. Just days ago we stood in the shepherd’s fields on the outskirts of Bethlehem and looked at the landscape where an angel announced: “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” (Luke 2:10-11). That’s Christmas!

We cannot all go to Bethlehem this Christmas, but we can all come nearer to Christ. Take the time to look up the Old Testament prophecies about the

Messiah (Click HERE for a list of 55).

Jesus Christ - IESOUS CHRISTOS I AM - 55 + Prophecies Fulfilled

Read the gospel accounts of our Lord’s birth. Meditate on the goodness and mercy of God to mankind. Join Heaven’s choir and sing, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). Share the good news with others. That’s Christmas!

Tomorrow we begin a special series on our daily Enjoying the Journey podcast called “Christmas Blessings.” We hope you will listen and spread the word. It is my prayer that you and your family will know the blessing of Christ this Christmas as never before."

by Dr. Scott Pauley, ETJ

Christ in Christmas
 
Mabel Lean said:
[ Here is another article from one of my favorite devotional writers. Again, it is not important that Jesus Christ was not born on December 25. Rather it is important to know He was conceived in December. He was born during the Fall Festivals. The point being do not be so hard-lined to NOT celebrate this season yet always remember WHY we take the time to acknowledge when The Holy Spirit conceived I AM in Mary's womb. ] ~ Mabe"...As I write these words, I am sitting in my study at home watching snow fall gently on the already blanketed ground outside. I can hear the familiar strain of Bing Crosby’s voice singing “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” and for the first time this year, I am beginning to feel what many call the Christmas spirit. The sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas are everywhere as we approach December 25. All About Jesus Over the last two weeks, we have been studying God’s Word in Israel, the land where it all happened. There were no Christmas lights, no carols being sung in the streets, and very little of what we associate with our annual celebration. Yet our thoughts have been filled with great thoughts of Jesus, what He did, and why He came. It is a reminder that Christmas is not shopping, gift giving, family gatherings, holiday feasts, or children’s stories. There is nothing inherently wrong with any of those things. Traditions can be very enjoyable…as long as the truth does not get lost in it all. Christmas is about Christ! The Father’s gift. The Son’s birth. The Spirit’s testimony. The world’s hope. It is all about Jesus. You don’t “keep Christ in Christmas” – you find Christmas in Christ. We discover true wonder and joy in the person and work of the Lord Jesus. Just days ago we stood in the shepherd’s fields on the outskirts of Bethlehem and looked at the landscape where an angel announced: “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” (Luke 2:10-11). That’s Christmas! We cannot all go to Bethlehem this Christmas, but we can all come nearer to Christ. Take the time to look up the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah (Click HERE for a list of 55). Jesus Christ - IESOUS CHRISTOS I AM - 55 + Prophecies Fulfilled Read the gospel accounts of our Lord’s birth. Meditate on the goodness and mercy of God to mankind. Join Heaven’s choir and sing, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). Share the good news with others. That’s Christmas! Tomorrow we begin a special series on our daily Enjoying the Journey podcast called “Christmas Blessings.” We hope you will listen and spread the word. It is my prayer that you and your family will know the blessing of Christ this Christmas as never before."
by Dr. Scott Pauley, ETJ Christ in Christmas
Click to expand...

Hello Mabel;

I blue-lighted parts of your post. Here I am with my cup of coffee ☕and would like to share in the conversation of Merry Christmas!

The world, or Christian community may view Jesus' birthday on December 25th, or December as the symbolic date. Others view December in Israel as cold, rainy and parts of Israel's mountains having snow. I feel it's possible the weather conditions may have changed since, or His conception taken place in the spring, summer or fall, truly, I'm not really qualified to know.

Israel's celebration would not have been the shopping, gift giving, Christmas lights, Santa Claus as the tradition we know annually in America and across the miles. Israel would celebrate Jesus' birth, Luke 2:10-11, 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. - ESV

That in itself is huge and a mighty celebration.

I have to believe the celebration of Christ's birth in the American tradition combines with hope. For many who don't understand the reason for the season would receive the salt and light of gift giving, Christmas lightings in the community, Christmas cards, etc...somehow, someway, pointing them to Christ and an opportunity of a relationship with our Lord and Savior.

God bless everyone and Merry Christmas.

Bob
 

Bible Scholar Brent Landau Asks “Who Were the Magi?”​

Revelation of the Magi text gives wise men’s view of the Christmas story
Who were the magi, those gift-bearing wise men from the east who are so central to the traditional telling of the Christmas story? Bible scholar Brent Landau believes he has found at least one answer to this age-old question.

The Bible tells us very little about the magi. Their story appears but once, in the Gospel of Matthew (2:1–12), where they are described as mysterious visitors “from the east” who come to Jerusalem looking for the child whose star they observed “at its rising.” After meeting with King Herod, who feigns an intention to worship the child but actually plans to destroy him, the magi follow the same star to Bethlehem. There, upon seeing the baby Jesus and his mother Mary, the magi kneel down and worship him, presenting him with their three famous gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then, without reporting to Herod, they depart for their homeland, never to be heard from again.

For early Christians, the seemingly pivotal yet unexplained background of the mysterious magi provided abundant room to shape new narratives around the question “Who were the magi?” One of the most compelling, recently translated into English by Bible scholar Brent Landau, is the so-called Revelation of the Magi, an apocryphal account of the traditional Christmas story that purports to have been written by the magi themselves.
 
Merry Christmas! Redux

Concord Presbyterian Church Celebrated The Fourth Advent Sunday and Christmas Eve Services.
Posted on Christian Forum for the benefit and comparison of other services held for those who were physically unable to attend local services or unable to share.

4th Advent Sunday - LOVE

Scriptures:
Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25

Hymns:
Christmas Carol Medley
Angels, from the Realms of Glory
Angels We Have Heard on High
The Redeemer Will Come
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Angel Medley

Christmas Eve - GLORY to GOD in the Highest - Christmas Meditation

Scriptures:
Micah 5:2-4; Luke 1:26-35; Luke 2:15-20; Matthew 2:9-12

Featured Carols:
Away in a Manger
The Holy Christmas Night
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Go, Tell It on the Mountain
Good Christian Men, Rejoice
Mary Did You Know
Aways in a Manger
O Holy Night
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Joy to the World!
Ding, Dong! Merrily on High

Our Pastor Dan is featured in the links below in posted sermons.

Concord Presbyterian Church of Concord, TN
https://www.concordpresbyterian.org/
https://www.youtube.com/@concordpresbyterianchurch560

Looking forward to a New Year of PEACE; Blessings out to all!

~ Mabe
 
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