Ancient Words: The Spirit of Christmas
The Day the World Changed
The culmination of 4000 years was fast approaching. A day was coming to change the world forever. Rich and knowledgeable men from the east traveled for 2 years across land and sea, guided only by a bright star. Logistics and supplies were needed for such a journey along with servants to handle the additional work created by this determined caravan. The leaders were men of renown in their lineage and in their countries. Shem, Ham and Japheth were the founders of all nations on earth and rightfully, this royal contingent consisted of kings from Tarshish, Sheba, and Seba, each one from Noah’s sons. With the entire earth’s population and each and every country represented by these kings, the arrival of the caravan would precisely be on time and at the exact place needed for the world to be changed.
These wise-men were full of faith in the highest sense. They knew the writings of old, that a star would come out of Jacob. They knew a light would dawn and that darkness would no more prevail in the land. This bright star! It had to be right! Almost 2 years into the journey, yet the path seemed certain to Judea. The timing was also coming into the right calculation; all their planning for months in advance of this trip would payoff. The days had been given to Daniel for the coming of the Anointed One and now the light of the star and the end of Daniel’s days as given by Gabriel were fast coming to a single juncture. One last stop, just to make sure, would be made in Jerusalem. Surely the king of this country would know. The Jerusalem king’s assistants respond that something had been written about a special baby being born in Bethlehem. Now they remembered, yes, Bethlehem it was! The caravan was very close, just a few more miles to go, south of Herod’s town and the 2-year journey would be complete.
Bethlehem was cold on that winter night. A dusting of snow began late that evening and by the time the caravan arrived from the east, a pure blanket of soft fallen snow seemed to layer everything and the star which they had followed stopped right over a small stable just on the edge of Bethlehem Ephrathah. These journeymen and servants and livestock were tired. Yet, the treasures packed for the long trek needed to be unpacked and presented to a babe wrapped in strips of linen and lying in a feed-trough within the snow-covered stall. Out of the cold weather, a small fire inside provided warmth to the babe, the parents, the assembled guests from shepherds to kings, the creatures from oxen to lambs.
Their treasures were opened and gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh were presented to the newly born child as the virgin mother watched in wonder and amazement. Shepherds had come from tending their sheep just moments before; kings were now present after a journey of 2 years; creatures gathered as paying tribute to their creator; angels peered from their 4th dimension pedestal after their song in chorus from fields near-by; and the star, the light from the heavenly host, shined a bright beam from the sky to the crib…all while snowflakes fell from heaven and adorned the scene as a blessing and anointing of this birth, this event, this day, we call Christmas Day, which changed the world forever: King of kings, Lord of lords, The Great Shepherd, Redeemer, Savior, Messiah, Immanuel, First born of Creation, God in flesh, The Great I Am!!
Scott and Jane Johnson minister with East Faulkner Church of Christ and BRG Bible. Bible questions can be sent to [email protected].
Know Jesus, Know Peace
We are in the Advent season and this week we are focusing on peace. Peace is something I’ve been thinking about and singing about. I find myself singing the phrase “peace on earth good will to men” and “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me….”.
We often ask ourselves with all the turmoil in the world in which we live how can there ever be peace on earth.
Jesus, the Prince Of Peace was born into a sinful world so that we might know peace and love. He lived as a loving peaceful man in a world that wasn’t peaceful. Some time leading up to His death on the cross He was addressing His disciples and in John 14:27 He says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Earlier this year I experienced a beautiful peace in a very strange way. My father who had been ill for several years passed away peacefully. At that moment for the first time in over 10 years he was at perfect peace in the presence of his Savior, and my brother Steven and I were too. My brother and I were not with dad when he passed but we had peace in our minds and hearts knowing that our last words to dad and his to us were “I love you.” I am at peace this Christmas because of Jesus’ love. It’s that love that allows me to Rest In Peace, so to speak, as I live and love.
I saw a bumper sticker once that read: Know Jesus, Know Peace. No Jesus, No Peace.
May His peace that surpasses all understanding be yours now and forever!
Captain Jason Perdieu is corps officer of the Salvation Army of El Dorado.
