23
December
2007
December
2007
When Strangers Arrive
Shepherds:
2:8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 2:9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 2:10 And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 2:11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 2:12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” 2:15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 2:16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 2:17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 2:18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Magi:
2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 2:2 “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” 2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 2:4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 2:5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: 2:6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.’” 2:7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; 2:8 and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 2:9 When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; 2:11 and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 2:12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Prophet/ess:
2:21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 2:22 And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 2:23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 2:24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 2:26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 2:27 And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, 2:28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 2:29 “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; 2:30 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation 2:31 which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, 2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel.” 2:33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; 2:34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against 2:35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” 2:36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phan’u-el, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, 2:37 and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 2:38 And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Key Point: God’s will for our lives is sometimes revealed through strangers; therefore take the risk of welcoming and listening to strangers
What can we learn from the story of the Nativity?
Two responses to “strangers”
#1 W__________
Natural Response = _________________
#2 L__________
Spiritual Response = ________________
Life of faith: free of vs. free to risk!
Where/how are you being challenged to take a risk?
What stranger might be your angel, shepherd, wise man, prophet?
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Pastor Gary Downing, Combined Service, Sermons 
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