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The Shepherd’s Story: 2nd Meditation
Verse 9 from Luke 2:8-20 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Suddenly the surrounding hills burst into flame against the black night and roared with sound! This was doxa, the very radiance of heaven, the light of the face of God that kills any who look up it. Did not Moses and Ezekiel speak of this very thing? The shepherds thought they were dead and so did the animals – men screamed and shouted, sheep bleated loudly in terror, dogs barked wildly and snarled at the light. Put yourself in the story. These were not…
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The Shepherd’s Story: 1st Meditation
Verse 8 from Luke 2:8-20 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. They were not well thought of, these shepherds. Sheep were the basis of the national economy. Milk, cheese, mutton, wool – a man and his family could live off of a few sheep and the Temple’s sacrifices depended on a never-ending supply. The smaller flocks were looked after the owner and his sons, but the larger flocks were looked after by hired shepherds. And these hired shepherds weren’t like the Christmas cards. It was the hired shepherds people couldn’t stand. Dirty and smelly from spending months in…
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The Battle Cry of Christmas
The first day of Advent… and a battle cry. Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. (Zeph. 2:3a) This verse comes in the middle of Zephaniah’s terrible prophecies against early kingdoms: Cush, Moab, Ashkelon, Nineveh — and Jerusalem (Zeph. 1-2). The only people who will survive were the holy remnant, the humble people who served the Lord and no other gods. The ones who did what God commanded. Not sweet enough for you this Christmas season? Christmas wasn’t sweet! Christmas was a revolution, a battle cry, the turning tide in the war. It still is. How will you respond this Advent season?