Recap is not only an important part of teaching, but an essential element in all areas of education.
It is necessary to repeat these core basic facts about the birth of Jesus, which took place in early October during the Feast of Tabernacles, because man has tried to dress up the incarnation of the Son of God with much fantasy.
Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, outside of what we would classify as a one star hotel, where the animals were staying, nothing emotional or sentimental about that.
Wasn’t He wrapped in lovely, cozy ‘swaddling clothes’? Well, yes, but Dr. Luke makes it clear that he was wrapped in medical bandages.
There was no doctor or nurse waiting, no midwife present, to take and wash the newborn Jesus and present him to Mary.
Did the angels really appear? Yes, but to the shepherds in the fields a mile away. These shepherds were like night watchmen. They were not highly regarded by society, and were not trusted as reliable witnesses in a court of law, yet God announced the birth of his Son to the shepherds, in the same way that today we publish a notice in the Newspaper.
Jesus came to save people from their sins. Many people would like God to take care of their difficult situations, serious problems, sickness and pain, or even the circumstances of our troubled world first.
Jesus came primarily to deal with sin, and as sin is fully and adequately dealt with, many of the other pressing issues will gradually disappear, but always remembering that the perplexities that cause worldwide unrest and anguish will only be satisfactorily resolved when the risen live. Jesus returns.
That too is a fact, which not only needs to be taught, but needs to be repeated and repeated.
There is a very appropriate parallel to the end of the physical life of Jesus Christ on earth.
When the women went to anoint the crucified body of Jesus Christ, the situation was not what they expected to find.
Life is rarely what we thought it would be.
The stone that sealed the door of the tomb had been moved, and Jesus was not dead inside. How would you have reacted? As they are bewildered, perplexed and wondering what the hell has happened, two angels appear. What would your answer be now?
They are challenged with – Why do you seek among the dead the one who lives? This is the graveyard. He is not here. He has risen. Don’t you remember that Jesus told you that he would be delivered into the hands of sinful men, he would be crucified and rise again three days later?
Two of these have already happened. Couldn’t you believe by the third?
Then they remembered the words of Jesus. All kinds of confusion and bewilderment arise when we forget the words of Jesus. They had seen him taken down from the cross and put in that tomb.
Common sense says that the dead do not rise. Not so this time. They were so wrong. Circumstances had changed.
They expected things to be the way they always were, and God can have a difficult job changing us from our expectations and opening us to what He is doing and saying.
But God doesn’t get mad at us if we don’t get everything right the first time, as long as we’re willing to learn. We all need reminders of Jesus’ words, and we may need reminders often.
It is when we forget, ignore or reject His Word, individually or nationally, that things tend to go terribly wrong.
This could be a vitally important and highly relevant word for the White House, Downing Street in London and the leadership at the United Nations.
sand shaw
