An Unexpected Christmas

A Series on Advent
The hymns of Luke’s birth narrative: Gloria in Excelsis Deo by Angelic chorus
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Luke 2:1-21 

[In Luke’s Gospel, there are four songs attributed to different individuals that were involved in the story of Christ’s birth. In this series, we will look at the meaning of those songs, how the person(s) or angels were involved in the birth story and what it means for us today.]

  

Christmas traditions are wonderful! Decorating is a popular tradition. My wife goes all out. She decorates the whole house using every available space.

 

When you enter our home, the first thing you see is a snowman scene. In the living room, a nativity scene adorns the mantel. Across from it, on top of our piano, are myriad angels with lights gracefully wrapped around them. Finally, in front of the French doors, is our Christmas tree with an angel on the top glowing brightly.

 

Normally, Bethlehem was a sleepy little town a few miles outside of Jerusalem. However, because of the census that Caesar Augustus had decreed, it was bustling. This was the town where David was born. Therefore, anyone who was in David’s lineage had to come to Bethlehem for the census, including Joseph and Mary.

 

Despite Mary being nine months pregnant, this teenage couple had traveled 70 miles from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. Most likely, they had planned to stay with relatives of Joseph. But because it was so crowded and because Mary was about to have her baby, they stayed in a stable.

 

That same night, in the outlying rugged Judean hills where David had watched his father Jesse’s sheep, were shepherds watching their flocks. Like Mary’s baby, these sheep were unblemished so that they could be used as sacrificial lambs at the temple in Jerusalem for the sins of the people.

 

Suddenly an angel appeared among the shepherds “with the blazing glory of God”. At first the shepherds were terrified, but the angel told them, “Do not be afraid”. Then he gave them this good news.

 

¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.                         NIV

 

The angel told them to look for a sign: “a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger”. But then something even more remarkable happened!

 

¹³ Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”    GNT

 

This angelic choir filled the heavens and earth with the Gloria in Excelsis Deo, or “Glory to God in the Highest”. Following this, the shepherds decided to go into Bethlehem to see if they could find the child. They did!

 

Christmas traditions are great! They can help to give it meaning. But they can also make it routine so that we don’t expect the unexpected. And everything about Jesus’ birth was unexpected.

 

From the supernatural appearance of angels to the miraculous virgin birth. From the king of the Jews being born in a stable, to the praise of the angelic choir. From angels announcing the birth of the king to lowly shepherds, to a common couple parenting the Son of God. It was an unexpected Christmas.

But this is how God works. His values, his priorities and his kingdom turn our world upside down. For this, we give “Glory to God in the Highest” and he gives us a savior who brings “peace on earth”.

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

Unexpected… even Extraordinary

A Series on Advent
The hymns of Luke’s birth narrative: The Benedictus by Zechariah
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Luke 1:67-80 

[In Luke’s Gospel, there are four songs sung by different individuals that were involved in the story of Christ’s birth. In this series, we will look at the meaning of those songs, how the singer was involved in the birth story and what it means for us today.]

When I was about eight years old, I was playing with some friends near the intersection of a residential side street and M46 – a busy two-lane highway. A boy started chasing me, so I ran from him. Without thinking, I darted across M46, right into the path of an oncoming car driving at least 45 mph.

 

Thankfully he missed hitting me, but both he and I were visibly shaken. Before this, I’d played on the same street many times without an incident. There was no reason to believe that it would be different this time. It was totally unexpected.

 

Zechariah and Elizabeth lived in the hill country of Judea, outside of Jerusalem. They were very old and had no children as Elizabeth was unable to conceive. Despite this, they were both considered righteous in God’s eyes.

 

In fact, Zechariah was a member of a priestly order. On one occasion, while serving at the Temple, he was chosen to keep the incense burning in the Holy Place. This once in a lifetime experience led to something unexpected… even extraordinary.

 

As he performed his duties, the angel Gabriel appeared to him. That was surprising enough, but then he told Zechariah that Elizabeth was going to have a son. Not only that, but their son “would prepare the people for the coming of the Lord”.

 

This was amazing news! Except, Zechariah didn’t believe it. As a result, Gabriel told Zechariah that he wouldn’t be able to speak until the day his son was born. Can you imagine what that would have been like for him?

 

He couldn’t tell anyone what had happened, particularly Elizabeth. Even more frustrating, he couldn’t tell her what was going to happen that would change their lives. However, any doubts must have gone away when Elizabeth became pregnant.

 

During the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Mary arrived with unexpected news of her own. When Mary greeted her, Elizabeth’s baby moved in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary stayed with them for about 3 months.

 

Finally, when the baby was born, Zechariah must have been bursting at the seams to talk. Afterall, he’d had nine months to contemplate what had happened to him and Elizabeth, as well as Mary’s miraculous pregnancy. Also, he’d considered how the Old Testament prophecies applied to both Elizabeth and Mary’s babies.

 

Because he still couldn’t talk, Zechariah wrote on a writing tablet, “His name is John”! Immediately, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he pronounced his prophetic hymn of praise, the Benedictus, or “praise be”. It began like this.

 

⁶⁸ “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.   NLT

 

Continuing, Zechariah praised God for sending a Savior from the line of David; for remembering his covenant with Abraham; for rescuing Israel from her enemies. Then he praised the Lord not only for his son, but also for Mary’s.

 

⁷⁶ “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord. ⁷⁷ You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.     NLT

 

Paul wrote, “We are God’s handiwork created to do good deeds”. Even with his doubts, God worked through Zechariah. The same is true for us. Even with our shortcomings, God works through us. And the results will be unexpected… even extraordinary. 

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

She’s a Keeper

A Series on Advent
The hymns of Luke’s birth narrative: The Magnificat by Mary
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Luke 1:26-56 

[In Luke’s Gospel, there are four songs sung by different individuals, or a group, that were involved in the story of Christ’s birth. In this series, we will look at the meaning of those songs, how the singer was involved in the birth story and what it means for us today.]

 

On September 14, 1974, my wife Debbie and I were married. We were young and in love. Debbie was beautiful in her wedding gown. She was the one for me. And, over the years my love for her has grown as I’ve learned that she was even more than I could have hoped for or expected. She’s a keeper!

 

Following the custom of her day, when Mary was probably between the ages of 12-14, she was betrothed to Joseph. She was a normal Jewish girl growing up in the small town of Nazareth of Galilee. Her future was pretty much mapped out for her. That is, until her life was turned upside down.

 

Gabriel, an angel of the Lord, came to her and gave her some startling news. Even though she was a virgin, he told her that she would conceive and give birth to a son who was to be named Jesus. He would be called the Son of God. The Lord would give him the throne of David. His Kingdom would never end!

 

At first, it was disturbing news for Mary because, as a poor young Jewish girl, she had no social status. This meant that if Joseph refused to marry her, then her father would have to take her into his home. And if he didn’t, then she would have to fend for herself by either begging or prostitution.

 

It was also disturbing because she was already betrothed. How would she tell Joseph? Who would believe her story of an angel? What would become of her and her baby? What would her friends and family think and say about her?

 

Despite having so much to lose, Mary said yes and emphatically embraced her call.  “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” 

 

Having been told by Gabriel that her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant also, Mary decided to visit her. Elizabeth’s story was just as miraculous, as she had been childless and was now too old to have a baby.

 

When Mary greeted Elizabeth, her baby “leaped for joy within her”.

 

⁴² Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. ⁴⁵ You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”    NLT

 

In this meeting of the miracle moms, Mary responded in spontaneous song. Her hymn of praise is known as the Magnificat which is the opening word in the Latin translation. It means glorifies, or praise.

 

⁴⁶ Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. ⁴⁷ How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! ⁴⁸ For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.                        NLT

 

Mary continued her song with a litany of the Lord’s mighty deeds. With Old Testament themes of helping the poor and humble and casting down the proud and wealthy, she wove Scripture seamlessly into her song of praise.

 

Imagine God and Gabriel looking down at Mary and discussing her good traits as she sang. “She’s a keeper”, says Gabriel. “I know” says God. Mary believed that the Lord would do what he said. She trusted in his faithfulness; that nothing was impossible for the Lord.

 

^37 “For the word of God will never fail.”             NLT

 

Thanks be to God!

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

One Thing

A series on the book of Micah
Week 5 – What does the Lord require?
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Micah 6:1-16 

[In the book “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, Robert Louis Stevenson explores the struggle between good and evil in human nature. “Two sides of the same coin”, if you will. Similarly, Micah contrasts God’s hatred of sin but his love for sinners. In this series, we will look at both sides of God’s character and what that means for us today.]

  

Growing up, I went to church every week. Back then, we didn’t have children’s church. So as a little boy I had to find ways to entertain myself – particularly during the sermon. My most common distraction was to create “pretend battles” on the folds of my pants. Needless to say, church was just a ritual for me.

 

In this chapter, Micah wrote to the Israelites who had turned their faith into a series of meaningless rituals. To make this point, he rhetorically asked, would it please the Lord if you offered him “thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil”. Or if you “sacrifice your firstborn children to pay for your sins”.

 

He answered his own question with a resounding “NO”! And then he explained what would please the Lord.

 

⁸ He has told you, O man, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?        ESV   

 

Unfortunately, many of the Israelites had already not only gutted their worship with mindless rituals but also turned their backs on God in rebellion. This was obvious through their actions.

 

¹⁰ What shall I say about the homes of the wicked
    filled with treasures gained by cheating?
What about the disgusting practice
    of measuring out grain with dishonest measures?             NLT  

 

Continuing, Micah went on to describe how the rich used extortion and violence; how the people were so used to lying that they couldn’t discern the truth; how officials and judges took bribes. Even close friends and family weren’t to be trusted!

 

"Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God”. What would these words mean to a little boy trying to get through a sermon, or to an old man whose heard thousands of sermons? Below are two different translations of a verse in Romans that give Paul’s perspective on how to please the Lord.

 

¹ So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.        GNT

 

¹ So here’s what I want you to do, with God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.             MSG  

 

In the 1991 movie City Slickers, Curly, played by Jack Palance, told Billy Crystal’s character "Do you know what the secret of life is? It's one thing... just one thing. And that's what you've got to figure out".

 

For you and me as followers of Christ, the “one thing” is to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. If we do that, then our faith will less likely be a ritual, and more likely we’ll experience the presence of the living God.

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com