The Music of Christmas, Day 14

 A Mother’s Pondering

Read Luke 2:15-19
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Mary had a front row seat for Jesus’ entire life. She is the only person present at both the manager and the cross. She is undoubtably the source for both Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts of the birth. While there was no way she could have understood everything happening in real time, she had faith and was willing. After the shock of Gabriel’s visit, Mary surrendered to God’s plan even though she didn’t fully comprehend what it meant. And that was only the beginning of Mary’s long and curious journey. After what must have been a grueling trip to Bethlehem, giving birth in a barn, the appearance of a mysterious star, the arrival of shepherds coming to worship her baby, the scripture simply says Mary "pondered" everything “in her heart.” 

 

The word translated “pondered” literally means “to put things together.” Mary spent the rest of her life trying to put things together concerning her Son. She "treasured up" or collected each moment of surprise, frustration, and sorrow.

She added to her collection of thoughts when, only a few short days later, she and Joseph took their newborn to the temple for dedication. Two elderly saints, Simeon and Anna, were astonished by the child. Simeon declared, “This child will be the salvation of His people,” (Luke 2:34) and then, looking at Mary he said, “and a sword will pierce your heart.” What a strange thing to say, Mary surely thought. What did he mean?

 

Two years later, magi who had traveled hundreds of miles arrived from the east bearing gifts. Like the shepherds who came to the stable, they also worshipped her Son. Shortly after that visit, another angelic messenger warned Joseph to pack up and move his young family to Egypt. What did it all mean? Mary could not have known.

 

Fast-forward ten years. Twelve-year-old Jesus is debating a group of rabbis in the temple courts. His parents, panicked and no doubt angry, had left Jerusalem three days earlier. They’d assumed Jesus was with the caravan headed back to Nazareth, but He wasn’t. When an exasperated Mary asked her Boy, “What were you thinking?” (Webber paraphrase) Jesus responded, “Didn’t you know I would be in my Father’s house?” Again, Luke records that Mary “treasured all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)

 

Approximately twenty years later, rumors about Jesus reached His family. Mary and her younger sons couldn’t understand what Jesus was saying and doing. So, “they went out to seize Him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind.’” (Mark 3:21) Again, I’m guessing Mary is baffled by Jesus and spent many hours wondering how it had all come to this. 

 

As difficult and disturbing as these moments must have been, they could not compare to watching her Son’s execution. John tells us that Mary was there. In fact, from the cross, Jesus entrusted His mother’s care to John. Was it at that moment she remembered Simeon’s words and felt a sword piercing her soul? As she watched Him die, did scenes flash before her eyes? Gabriel’s visit, the shepherds, the stable, the dedication, finding Him in the Temple. Unforgettable, hard to understand moments.

Perhaps, as you read this, you're reflecting on some enigmatic or confusing person or circumstance in your own life. Like Mary, we try to “put things together" in a way that makes sense. What does it mean, or even matter, that God took on flesh and lived among us? 

 

The birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ are more than a historical reality. The life of Jesus calls all of us to do what Mary did — receive Him. Take a front-row seat.

Like Mary, we are sure to experience fear and trepidation when confronted with the overshadowing power of God. We’ll be confused by Jesus –- what He says and does. Every believer has experienced doubts. We may doubt and question God’s plan, or our ability and worth. We, like Mary, cannot understand it all. The choice is not believing it all or believing nothing. The choice is simple: accept Him, by faith. To live in the awe and wonder of Jesus includes treasuring up questions in a heart open to Him.

 

Jehovah-Rapha,

Despite the fear, doubts, confusion, I invite You to take center stage. Give me the courage to take a seat in the front row even when I don't understand everything. In the midst of my brokenness and confusion, I am throwing open the door of my heart and inviting You to come in and reveal Yourself.

Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.

The Music of Christmas, Day 15

 Sacrifice of Praise

Read Luke 2:21-24

This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons. – Leviticus 12:7-8

 

Jewish laws regarding post-partum offerings and the circumcision of newborn males are very specific. Mary and Joseph were careful to observe these laws. Luke’s account emphasizes that even though Jesus was God, He clearly “did not consider His rights as God as something to be held onto.” Instead, Christ was “born under the law in order to redeem those under the law.” (see Philippians 2:5, Galatians 4:4-5) It was a remarkable moment when God subjected Himself to His own law. While we see this ultimately demonstrated on the cross, it began much earlier. The first outpouring of Jesus’ blood was not on the cross at the hands of executioners but at the hands of the priest who performed His circumcision.

 

Luke embeds another important detail into the account of Jesus’ dedication: that Mary and Joseph brought a pair of turtle doves or pigeons. This is more than lyrical inspiration for “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” It’s an important detail about who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish. 

 

The law of Moses was specific about the offering a mother should bring after giving birth: “When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest … a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.” (Leviticus 12:6) Giving birth, economically speaking, was an expensive undertaking. In addition to providing for a new member of a household, a new mother had to offer a lamb and a dove at the dedication of each child. Because not everyone could afford such extravagant offerings, the law of God allowed families of lesser means to bring two birds instead — one as a burnt offering (in place of the lamb) and the other as a sin offering. Mary and Joseph chose the economy plan.

 

Throughout Luke’s Gospel, the author clearly wants readers to understand how Jesus emptied Himself of the riches and glories of heaven. After all, it was Luke who focused on the inn that had no room and Jesus being born, instead, in a barn. While Matthew narrates kings bringing riches from the East, Luke tells of lowly shepherds working the night shift. And here, at the dedication of baby Jesus, Luke doesn’t miss the opportunity to depict our Lord’s poverty in detailing the “poor man’s” sacrifice. 

 

While Joseph, a man of no great means, may have opted for the low-cost dedication solely for economic reasons, there is still more significance to the missing lamb. These animals had long been the preferred offering in the Jewish sacrificial system. Remember the Exodus story? On the eve of the very first Passover, God instructed His people to offer a “spotless” or “unblemished” lamb. They used its blood to mark their doorposts the night before, preventing the death angel from visiting their homes. As future generations continued the practice of sacrificing perfect lambs, they were reminded that God had spared the lives of their people and that redemption comes at a cost. Every time sacrificial blood spilled across the altar it was as if God’s redemption was poured out. 

 

Thirty years after His dedication in the temple, and just before launching His public ministry, Jesus visited His cousin John by the Jordan River. As Jesus approached, John proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world!” (John 1:29) John did more than fulfill his divine role as the one preparing the way for the Lord. He made an important statement about who Jesus was and what He had come to do. The Passover lamb was merely a placeholder. Every lamb sacrificed at a Hebrew child’s dedication had been a foreshadow. God was coming … the One who would be slain for the salvation of the world. 

 

Mary and Joseph had indeed brought a Lamb to the altar that day. In fact, they’d brought the perfect Lamb of God. And although He was not sacrificed on that day, a deposit of His blood was made. The full payment came thirty-three years later on an altar made of rough-hewn wood and nails at Calvary.

 

Lamb of God,

I am overwhelmed by the thought of the price You paid for my redemption. 

Your precious blood was poured out so that I might be spared. 

Thank You for leaving the riches of heaven to enter into the poverty of my sin. 

Thank You for coming under the authority of the law in order to rescue me from it. 

You are worthy, O Lamb of God, to receive my sacrifice of praise. 
Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.

The Music of Christmas, Day 16

 Simeon’s Theme

Read Luke 2:22-27

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 

– Hebrews 11:6 

 

We walked for miles along the long and narrow footpaths of the Kenyan plains, going from one village to another. Stephen, a passionate disciple of Jesus, knew the exact location of every community, no matter how small. I was one of a half dozen men following him, and the only mzungu (foreigner). Kenyans are known for speed, frequently winning marathons around the world. Despite my long legs, I struggled to keep up, even knowing they were holding back the pace so I wouldn’t fall too far behind. Exhausted, I just wanted to get to our next stop and sit down for a few blessed minutes while Stephen told people about Jesus.

 

Imagine my disappointment when the next village looked abandoned. A few huts scattered the bare dusty ground. As we passed, intending to pick up the trail on the other side, we noticed a man lying in the shade of a hut. A water bucket sat near and his long thin body was covered with a well-worn blanket. Old and frail, he also appeared to be sleeping. Stephen spoke softly to him. Opening tired eyes, the man replied in a voice too weak, as if stretched thin by a lifetime of talking. I couldn’t understand a single word, but quickly gathered that the man had been left there by his family. They went into the fields to work for the day and he was unable to follow. Lovingly, they’d placed their elder in the shade with water and a few other supplies to sustain him. 

 

Stephen spent a long time talking with the man, asking his permission for us to share the story of Jesus with him, as was Stephen’s approach in every village. The man, suddenly animated, spoke with renewed strength. I guessed that he wanted us to leave. He did not. Then Stephen turned and said the man was ready, waiting for me to tell him all about “this Jesus.” Confused and unsure, I began the story, pausing often for Stephen to translate. At the end, the man launched into another long and passionate conversation with Stephen. This time, I was certain we’d overstayed our welcome and were being asked to leave. But Stephen turned and said, “This man is now ready to pray for Jesus to save him.” Astonished, I prayed, as did Stephen, and the old man followed with a melodious prayer that needed no translation. My ears did not recognize his words but my heart understood and prayed along.

 

Leaving the quiet village in the distance, I asked Stephen to explain what happened. He recounted the old man’s story this way: “When I was a small boy, a mzungu came to our village and asked my grandfather, the village elder, if he could tell our people about a man named Jesus. I was hiding nearby and heard my grandfather tell this man to go away. I was sad because I wanted to hear what this man had to say. I wanted to know about this Jesus. That night I prayed that if this man was telling the truth, if Jesus was real, that one day another mzungu would return to our village and tell me the story my grandfather refused to hear. Today, I am much older than was my grandfather. I have waited and watched, and God has answered my prayer and proven that Jesus is real.”

 

Simeon was quite elderly by the time Mary and Joseph arrived at the temple to dedicate Jesus. He had spent decades waiting for God to fulfill a promise to reveal the Messiah. Having waited and watched for so long, Simeon recognized what many others missed. He saw it by faith, looking for what he had never before seen. Like the old man waiting in the shadow of his humble home, Simeon waited, seeking Jesus. And when the moment arrived, he did not miss "this Jesus.” His Jesus, the Messiah. 

 

The Kenyan and Simeon both believed. Both sought after God for decades. And God, ever faithful, rewarded that perseverance by revealing Himself and drawing them near. “You will seek me and find me,” wrote the prophet Jeremiah, “when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) This is a promise without an expiration date. There is no statute of limitations on God’s Word. Our problem is how quickly we give up. Have you forgotten that God is not bound by time? It takes faith to wait a lifetime for what you’ve always hoped was true. If only we are willing to wait.

 

Patient Father,

Give me the faith of Simeon. 

A faith that never stops waiting in eager expectation for You. 

Give me the faith to believe that You are the God who reveals Himself 

to those who earnestly seek after You and Your kingdom. 

Reveal Yourself to those who are patiently waiting even now. 

Reveal Your Son, Jesus to every man, woman, and child 

until the earth is filled with the knowledge of You and Your glory.
Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.

The Music of Christmas, Day 17

 Overture

Read Luke 2:27-35

“Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” – Simeon

 

After waiting a lifetime for this moment, Simeon took the infant Jesus into his arms and burst into a song of praise. “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace.” God had been gracious to Simeon. His long wait was finally over. “For my eyes have seen your salvation,” he declared. And that salvation was for all people, as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Again, Simeon saw in Jesus what His own followers would later have difficulty accepting: Jesus was the Savior -- of Israel and the entire world. God’s promise to Abraham to make his descendants a light to all nations would be fulfilled by the child Simeon held.

 

Mary and Joseph had only come to fulfill the law’s requirement concerning their firstborn Son. They left overwhelmed for they had not imagined a prophetic encounter that day. Of course, it wasn’t their first. Both had encountered heavenly messengers and moments. And then, an elderly priest said things that could not have been known apart from divine revelation. 

 

God reassured Mary and Joseph as He prepared them for what would come. “Behold,” Simeon said, “this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” This must have been confusing for overwhelmed parents, especially a mother whose foremost desire was the safety of her newborn, not greatness. Simeon didn’t stop by simply telling Mary that her baby would cause the rise and fall of many. He spoke of a sword piercing her soul. She had no way of knowing that the ultimate act of opposition to Jesus — death on a cross — would be the very thing that pierced her soul.

 

The small child in Simeon’s hands would one day be tried by the Chief Priest, stand condemned before Pontius Pilate, be mocked by King Herod, and then hung on a Roman cross between two criminals. Mary would be there, too. Standing at the foot of His cross, she would hear Jesus tell John to look after her. She would see soldiers gamble for His clothes. She would hear Him cry out, “I thirst,” and ask if God had forsaken Him. She would watch Him die, soldiers piercing His side until blood and water flowed. And then, she would hold her son, once again wrapping Him in cloth. But this time she laid her baby boy in a tomb, a pain sharper than any sword piercing through her, body and soul, every step of the way.

 

It is said that there is no grief like that of a parent losing a child. It defies the natural order. Children should bury their parents, not the other way around. Parents who have lost a child can imagine what Mary felt that day, something Mary’s younger self could not yet process as she stood before Simeon.  

 

The crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus really isn’t part of our normal Christmas festivities. Though we know Good Friday is coming, it's a healthy distance away. In December, we prefer to sing about angels and shepherds, peace on earth, and God’s favor upon all people. The reality is that, apart from Jesus’ death, none of those promises could have been fulfilled. Christmas forgets what Easter always remembers.

 

As you prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth, take time to allow His death to pierce your own soul. It’s not a cheerful exercise, but apart from the Resurrection, there would be no reason to celebrate His birth. 

 

 

Precious Jesus,

As I celebrate Your birth, may the reality of Your sacrifice pierce my soul.

My heart is broken when I consider my sin and what it cost You. 

Thank You for the cross and the love demonstrated there. As the world celebrates Your birthday, may we never forget that You were born to die.
Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.

The Music of Christmas, Day 18

 Widow’s Minuet

Read Luke 2:36-39
… at that very hour, she [Anna] began to give thanks to God and to speak 

of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The holiday season and waiting. The two are inseparable. We wait in lines and for checks to clear. We wait to hear from loved ones and for the Christmas turkey to emerge from the oven. We wait, impatiently, to open gifts.

   
God waits, too. In fact, He was silent four hundred long years between Malachi and Matthew. While people practiced the ceremonies and sacrifices required, at least two people thought to look beyond the religious routines, and truly longed for God: Simeon and Anna. On Day 16, through Simeon's story, we explored the concept of longing — expecting God, and actively looking for Him.

The Greek word for anticipation implies "waiting with anticipation." How did Simeon and Anna know they'd found the Messiah in the arms of a poor young couple? They recognized the fulfillment of their longing because they lived every day in expectancy, remaining fully present with the Lord.

While Simeon administered the priestly duties before the young couple, Anna was also nearby, perhaps within earshot. Anna is called a prophetess by the Gospel writer, but she would not have had a preeminent place among the priesthood. Scripture merely alludes to her as a fixture in the Temple after 84 years of serving and praying there.

 
Assuming Anna was married at age twelve (the youngest age permissible), and if her marriage spanned seven years and she occupied quiet corners of the Temple for eight decades, then she would have been a spry 103-year-old by the time Mary and Joseph showed up in the Temple. Given the trajectory of her life, she could have grown bitter thinking about all she had lost — a husband, the opportunity to have children, and a reliable source of income. Instead, she patiently waited on the Lord, fully present with Him in worship and actively praying for God's people.

Her story makes us wonder why bad things happen to good people. Why does God make us wait? It's simple. He wants our faith to grow. It is simple but never easy. Faithfulness requires patience. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1) And just five verses later, the author adds, "and without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

 

Live expectantly. Earnestly seek Him, like Anna, and lead a life of expecting to see God.

 
Questioning the wait is natural, especially when we consider the times in God's bigger story when believers were urged toward action. After Jesus' ascension, the angels said to the disciples, “Why are you looking into heaven?” Translation: “Why are you guys still standing here like you've got all the time in the world?”

 

Anna didn't need prodding from an angel or anyone else. Neither did she hesitate when the time came for action. She recognized her Savior, went directly to His family, and sang a prayer of gratitude. For those who, like Anna, grew old while anticipating the redemption of Jerusalem, their wait was finally over. Jesus had arrived at last, albeit in the form of a helpless child. As Anna's song began, God's lengthy silence came to an end.

 

 

Omnipotent God and Everlasting Father,

I praise You that though You are often silent, You are never inactive. 

Give me the faith of Simeon to see You in the unexpected routines of my life. Grant me the patient endurance of Anna that I might remain faithful in the face of adversity. Help me never to confuse Your silence with Your absence, and to always wait patiently for You.

Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.

The Music of Christmas, Day 19

 Serenade

Read Matthew 2:1-9
“Where is he who was born to be king of the Jews? 

For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” – the Magi

The wise men. Iconic and mysterious members of the Christmas cast. These sage travelers from a distant land followed a star, defied a tyrannical king, and stood among the few who recognized the Christ child. What’s even more intriguing is their aid in rescuing Jesus from Herod. They are to the Christmas story what secret agents are to a spy movie!

 

Bible students have wondered and speculated about the origins of this mysterious group of truth seekers. Based on Matthew’s account, the men had been watching for something, or someone, that many in Israel had long forgotten. The shepherds who worshipped Jesus that night received specific instructions from a heavenly chorus. The Easterners, as far as the Bible records, had no such instruction. They came from people who knew of an ancient prophecy and had faithfully waited and watched the sky, generation after generation. But how did they know, specifically, to follow the star? Who told them where it would lead?

 

The only possible answer is found in the Old Testament. Six hundred years before Jesus’ birth, King Nebuchadnezzar, the Assyrian king of Babylon, invaded Jerusalem and carried hundreds of Jews into captivity. Among those captives were four young men: Daniel, Hananiah, Michael, and Azariah (better known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). These four individuals achieved prestige while in captivity, securing significant positions of influence among Babylonian authority. In Daniel 5:11, we discover that Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel “chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers.” In other words, Daniel was the appointed leader of the Magi.

 

Assuming the Easterners who followed the star to Bethlehem were actually Persians hailing from Babylon, it stands to reason that their knowledge of a coming king was handed down from Daniel, a Hebrew. We don’t often associate Daniel with the Christmas story, but maybe we should. This faithful servant who, as a teenager, was forcibly taken by the enemy and then lived his entire life in captivity awaiting a Savior. Daniel’s godly character and integrity set him apart, and as he grew older, he also rose in authority. However, his accomplishments never distracted him from searching for the redemption of his people. Given the character Daniel demonstrated, it seems likely that he “passed the baton” to his protégés -- the elite group of Magi that he led -- in searching for the Messiah.

 

Daniel died having never seen the star. It’s easy to picture Daniel, as long as he had breath, teaching generations of young astrologers to recognize the signs, to pray, and to watch vigilantly for the movement of God. Six hundred years after Daniel’s death, his hope was realized. The Christ had come. Meanwhile, Jewish leaders living in Jerusalem, serving in the temple courts, and well-versed in the prophecy failed to look skyward. Only an old priest and a widow recognized the Christ child within easy reach. (see Luke 2:22-38)

 

We often take the obvious for granted. Christians across the Western Hemisphere have multiple Bibles, likely all gathering dust, while people groups in Asia have no translation in their native tongue. Church goers in America stay home when it rains, while their Chinese and African brothers and sisters gather in secret, many hiding from a tyrannical government. Those of us familiar with the Christmas narrative seem inoculated to its power.

 

What are you doing this Christmas to look up from the busyness and distractions of the season? When is the last time you did a little star gazing? Or praying? Is it possible that those far removed from holiday excess can see Jesus in ways we cannot? If the star had shone directly above our heads, would we have missed it, too? Or maybe, like Daniel, you’ve been patiently waiting, anticipating, gazing toward the heavens, and waiting on God. So, here’s a question for you, faithful watcher: are you inviting the next generation to lift up their heads? Though you may not live to see it, those young star gazers may one day kneel with you at His feet.

 

 

Light of the World,

 

Jesus, You are the Light of the World, shining in the middle of our darkness. 

As the wise men watched the sky and followed the star, may we, 

Your people, turn our eyes toward heaven. 

May we follow Your light to walk the road of faith. 

As Daniel faithfully waited and told younger generations about Your salvation, 

may we be found faithful to point others to the light of Your love. 

Shine on us, Lord Jesus, so that Your Light may shine through us.
Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.

The Music of Christmas, Day 20

 Rejoice and Sing

Read Matthew 2:9-12
And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, 

and they fell down and worshiped him.

One year, in an effort to fight the excess of Christmas in America, we decided to limit our children to get three gifts each. Jesus, as far as we know, received only three gifts from the wise men. So, if three was good enough for Him, it was good enough for the Webber kids. This was, in my humble opinion, a brilliant parenting moment. We even had biblical justification for our choice. While we were pleased with the decision, our kids and their grandparents were not.

But we failed to consider the quality and value of those three gifts. Gold was obviously valuable then as it is today, but what about the frankincense and myrrh? Both had a variety of uses in the ancient world—everything from incense and perfume to making sealant for a leaky boat. Myrrh was also used as an embalming fluid. Not exactly the kind of gift you’d expect from a baby shower. 

The pharaoh Hatshepsut, one of the world’s first female heads of state, first brought the myrrh tree to Egypt, centuries before Jesus’ birth, and had cornered the market on this valuable commodity. Frankincense and myrrh traded in the ancient middle east much the way oil does today. And in a world without common currency, travelling with valuable commodities like what the wise men possessed ensured that you could buy and trade with a variety of people, anywhere, anytime. 

While Matthew is specific about the three gifts, he does not specify the number of magi who brought them. With all due respect to the beloved Christmas carol “We Three Kings” there could have been any number of travelers in that caravan to Bethlehem. Rather than focusing on the specifics of the givers, Matthew chose to focus on the gifts laid before the infant king. He may have done this for a few reasons, but one was to emphasize how far these men traveled to worship the King. These truth seekers gave Jesus their most valuable resources. The very assets needed to make the trip were what they left at His feet. It is possible they set out intending to give these as gifts, but it’s also possible they were so overwhelmed by the Son of God that they simply gave the most valuable thing they had – their traveling money. 

Authentic worship and overwhelming joy will do that. A full heart overflows in acts of unexpected and extravagant generosity. Consider the father throwing a lavish party for his prodigal son (Luke 15), or the woman who pours out her life’s savings in the form of oil on Jesus’ feet (John 12), or the widow throwing her last two pennies into the offering plate (Luke 21). These. and many others, demonstrate what can happen when a sincere worshipper finds himself or herself face to face with Jesus. 

These extravagant gifts would also serve a practical purpose. The wise men did not know at the time that, by making this sacrificial offering, they were also underwriting the holy family’s escape to Egypt, the ancient world’s center for trade and commerce, where frankincense and myrrh were the favored commodities. Too often, we underestimate the meaning and expense behind the wise men’s gifts on that first Christmas. Oh, and our feeble attempt to scale down Christmas in our home also failed to recognize the extravagant worth of our Savior. So, a few extra gifts may be under the tree this year.

 

 

Precious Jesus,

 

You are worthy of my very best offering. 

If I were a shepherd, I would surely have brought a lamb.

If I had been a wise man, I would have left my treasure at Your feet. 

Yet, You need none of these gifts. You, in fact, are the Gift and the Giver.

I lay my whole life on the altar before You as a living sacrifice. 

May it be holy and pleasing to You.
Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.

The Music of Christmas, Day 21

 March of Herod

Read Matthew 2:1-12
“Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, 

that I too may come and worship him.” – King Herod 

Every epic story has its signature villain. Think of Star Wars and Darth Vader, the White Witch in Chronicles of Narnia, or Sauren in The Lord of the Rings. In the movies, these evil masterminds all have their own ominous theme music to remind the audience of their evil intentions. The conflict between these villains and their heroic counterparts always boils down to a clash of kingdoms. One is clearly good, and the other is obviously evil. 

This pattern was first established in the Bible. The Kingdom of the Empire versus the Kingdom of God. Think of Pharaoh and Moses, the kings of Babylon and Daniel, Artaxerxes and Esther. And as the New Testament begins, we see it manifested in Herod and Jesus — a relationship that spans the entire length of the Gospel but begins with the Christmas story.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem during Herod’s reign. (Matthew 2:1) Ironically, Herod wasn't the rightful king of Israel. In fact, he wasn’t even Jewish. History records that Herod was most interested in building projects and galvanizing a strong economy. He rebuilt the temple to outstrip the size and grandeur of the original. He did this in order to both gain the approval of the Jews and seal his own legacy as a great king. Then he placed the Roman eagle atop its entrance in an obvious play to gain Rome’s favor. Herod was a snake.

So when magi from the east showed up in Jerusalem looking for the newborn king of the Jews (Matthew 2:2), Herod was “troubled” and took immediate action (Matthew 2:3-5). He knew there were prophecies of a true king, something he was not. This insecure king — who had killed his own children, wives, mother-in-law, and siblings to maintain power — summoned the magi under the ruse of claiming to join them in worship of this newborn king (Matthew 2:7-8). God warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. God also warned Joseph about Herod’s evil plan. So, the magi headed home, and Joseph took his young family and escaped to Egypt where they remained until Herod’s death. 

But the passing of one Herod did not stop the march of his successors. 

 

Herod had three sons. Herod Antipas reigned in Galilee where he continued the hallmark insecurity and cruelty of his father. His most infamous act was the beheading of John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29). After executing John, Herod turned his attention to Jesus (Luke 9:7-9). Now a full-grown man, Jesus of Nazareth was as much a threat to Herod Antipas as Baby Jesus of Bethlehem had been to his father, Herod the Great.

Jesus’ response to Herod Antipas? If you’re hoping for a cinematic smackdown enjoyed by movie heroes, when justice prevails and the “good guy” physically triumphs over the enemy, then be prepared for a plot twist.

While Jesus did acknowledge Herod (Luke 13:32-33), He never let his threats detour Him from His mission. Really, Jesus pretty much ignored Herod – something every bully hates. Even when the Pharisees brought Jesus before Herod for trial, Jesus made no answer (Luke 23:8-9). He understood that Herod was a truth-posers worshipping at Temple and observing the laws of the Hebrews only when politically or financially expedient. Herod wouldn't have minded Jesus if only He would have bowed down in submission. Most importantly, Herod Antipas knew what his father had known, and what Jesus also knew: there can only be one King. 

The spirit of Herod is still alive and threatened by the presence of Christ today. The desire to eliminate anyone or anything that threatens our earthly kingdoms marches onward. That which we cannot control we seek to eliminate. We must ask this simple but critical question: who reigns in our church and homes? Who is the reigning king of your heart? Are we paying homage to the Kingdom of Herod or of Christ?

Know the difference between these two Kingdoms. Understand that “Herod” will promise you the world but quietly seeks to destroy you in the process. Jesus, on the other hand, demands your total surrender and has sacrificed everything for your salvation. This Christmas, how will you respond to the Savior? Like Herod, or like those wise men who bowed at the feet of an infant king? 

 

 

King Jesus,

 

One day, every king will bow before You. One day, all the earth will see You in all Your glory, and the nations will bow down. Until that day, we are confronted with lesser kings who attract us with power and wealth. But all they possess is passing away, while Your Kingdom stands forever. Forgive me for choosing to worship lesser kings. Turn my heart away from the kingdoms of this world and toward You and Your everlasting Kingdom.
Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.

The Music of Christmas, Day 22

 Hymn of the Refugee

Read Matthew 2:13-15 
“Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt…” – an angel of the Lord

Exhausted, they had traveled for days. With very little money, they’d waded through crowded airports in multiple countries along the way. By the time they arrived in our city, it was night. Our small delegation had been waiting nearly an hour when the family appeared in the concourse. We had balloons, American flags, and handmade “welcome home” banners. We embraced these travelers like we had known them for years, though it was our first meeting.

 

Esther and her four children arrived from the Middle East as political refugees seeking asylum on the grounds of religious persecution. Esther had become a Christian against the will of her Muslim family. She had been threatened with death and bore the scars of her decision to follow Jesus. One night, Esther and her children escaped across the border and into a refugee camp. After much waiting and wanting, her application for asylum in the United States was granted. This is who we gathered to welcome to their new home and country.

 

According to the Pew Research Center, more than half of the people applying for asylum in the United States are Christians. Of the world’s nearly 214 million international migrants, 49 percent claim to follow Jesus. Does that surprise you? Even Jesus experienced political pressures and persecution. His followers have experienced the same. Years before His first miracle, His first sermon, or calling the first disciple, His family was forced to escape their home country. And to run for their very lives.

 

Herod, determined to eliminate anyone he perceived as a threat, held ferociously to his power. Yet the Magi disobeyed his orders to report the location of the one born to be “king of the Jews.” Herod’s response to such dissent was brutal. But first, before he ordered the slaughter of hundreds of innocents, an angel warned Joseph to move his family to Egypt. Joseph faithfully obeyed and Jesus became, quite literally, the first Christian refugee. 

 

Throughout the Old Testament, fleeing to Egypt was seen as an act of desperation on the part of God’s people. Abraham did it (Genesis 12:10), as did his grandson Jacob (Genesis 46:3-4). Generations later, Jacob’s descendants went from being welcome guests to slaves. So God’s people remained in Egypt, enslaved, for 400 years (Exodus 1:8-14). The Exodus of Abraham’s descendants was an inaugural event for the nation of Israel. God rescued His people from the bondage of slavery. 

 

Matthew captures this history in a single reference to the prophet Hosea, who said, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hosea 1:1) God’s chosen people lived as slaves and refugees in a foreign country for four long centuries. And after their deliverance, they spent forty more years wandering homeless through the desert. They would later suffer captivity in Babylon. Later still, they endured oppression and occupation by Rome.  Coming “out of Egypt” had come to represent the hope of final deliverance from all oppression and slavery. The people of Jesus’ day waited for God to send the Messiah, yes, but also expected the coming of another deliverer — a new Moses — to rescue them from bondage.

 

Like Moses, Jesus narrowly escaped the brutal infanticide planned by an evil king (see Exodus 2). Like Moses, Jesus escaped to a foreign land until He could return and begin the work God appointed to Him (Exodus 2-4). Like Moses, Jesus entered into the suffering, scorn, and oppression of those He had come to save. Like Moses, Jesus would lead His people out of an Egypt of their own making, a slavery to sin. But unlike Moses — whose battle against political tyranny did little to release people from the bondage of sin — Jesus came to bring a freedom no government can give and no tyrant can revoke.

 

Esther and her children now enjoy freedom in America, not because of political asylum, but because a Savior who suffered the oppression of our sin and shame to rescue us, once and for all.

 

 

God our Savior,

 

Thank You that Jesus set aside His rights as God and took on the nature of a slave to make me free. Today, all across this planet, millions of people cry out, desperate for deliverance -- deliverance from tyranny, oppression, injustice, and sin. Your own Son lived as a refugee, fleeing evil men and corrupt governments. Lord, break my heart for the needs of those like You, Your fellow sojourners and aliens. Remind me every day that what I do for the least of these I do for You.
Amen.

The Music of Christmas is available in print or digital formats.