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What do the texts have in common? Jesus is under the authority of the Father. He is a tangible extension of the Kingdom of God. All things are for Him and He is truly over all. The earth is the Lord's. The Magi knew it and acknowledged it with their literally seeking Him for months of their lives. Those that don't yield to Him have missed the point of this life. From the beginning the plan was for people to have a relationship with the Lord. People that find Him put their life in order around Jesus as their King. The Magi came from the east, far from the sphere of God's people. God's plan was for His people to be filled and covered with His glory and minister to the rest of the world. God spoke to the Magi to come, regardless of how others would feel about these foreigners. Jesus was and is every man's Messiah, because He came as a "light to the Gentiles ...", and the Magi confirm our far that light is meant to reach. How wonderful to know that in the roots of Babylon, or Persia, is the official government position to honor Jesus as God's one true Messiah.

Gifts of the Magi - Kings and leaders historically gave these kind of gifts to each other. They spoke of honor and respect for their Kingdom and position. Solomon received extravagant gifts which were declarations of honor and respect. These specific gifts were practical and prophetic. Gold acknowledges placing tangible value on this child king. Frankincense speaks of the child's position as worthy of worship. Myrrh speaks of the child's being anointed as God's Messiah. We can learn from the Magi to give good gifts from the heart. Acknowledge in the giving of our substance that today Jesus is our Lord. We give our body and heart as an expression of worship to the Lord. He is the object of our worship today. We yield ourselves to receive His anointing and go forth as His ambassador to bring Messiah, Savior, to others.

They are men who understand rank, and are demonstrating that there position is one that it's appropriate to honor a greater king, even though a baby. The interaction with Herod tells us they've heard of specific prophecies concerning this child. Their behavior suggests they are believing this child they have been led to is the fulfillment of those prophecies. They believed they had finally found the object of their search. It was clear to them the child was the Messiah from God. We must remember that Jesus is King of Kings today. He wears many hats as Elder Brother, Friend, Savior, and Redeemer to name a few. Lord of Lords is also who He is and these men have worshipped. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Their worship was practical. It was worth time, treasure, and effort. It should be the same for us today. We worship and serve the one Who served us and is worthy of our worship.

The stars significance - The star, mentioned in Numbers 24:17, sends these wise men on a quest for a king. It isn't clear how they know the prophetic word and is possible God is working a wonder through nature to affirm Jesus as the Christ for millennia to come. We can assume that God wanted them to cross paths with Herod, as they lose their bearings without it and are compelled to speak to the local king concerning the birth of the child. Their question confirms that Bethlehem is the prophesied location for the Messiah to be born. We don't know if rumors had circulated from the angelic visitation that lit up a hillside, motivated shepherds to share what they'd seen, and stirred the imagination of Bethlehem months earlier. Why did they come? They came to worship. Their belief was that a honorable king had been born. Apparently their background in astronomy lent itself to interpreting certain anomalies in the heavens. God has found ways through nature to speak to people and this is no different. We can't know exactly what it was about the star or prophetic words that motivated them. What we do know is that respected and well positioned men from the east (Persia, Babylon, or a desert kingdom) came with expensive gifts befitting a great king. The prophecy is underscored by wise men and the star that spoke to them. This prophetic word recorded close to a millennia before the star, provided a credible witness for the message received by the wise men as they pursued this new king. They believed a great ruler had been born and the prophecy identified the great ruler as the Messiah. As often is the case, a prophecy may have more than one fulfillment as it can speak to a current situation as well as to one far in the future.

Thankfully all are experienced. Although the awareness of shortcomings are very real to me, I do meditate on Him, share my faith, look for Him in the things I do, praise Him for what He has done, and enjoy fresh amazement as His Word and presence open to me. I am blessed. My wife and I like to take time with people we meet in day to day activity, and find genuine opportunity to share Jesus there. I have neighbors that don't know Christ and have been stirred in this season to look for ways to reach for them again. They will be getting a Christmas gift of a Christian book and cookies. I am praying for a breakthrough in their souls. Reading the Word in different translations facilitates meditation on key thoughts. I have enjoyed thinking about the shepherds being the lowest common denominator of their culture, and being the ones God chose to testify to much of Bethlehem of Jesus. This is a good time in my personal life and church life to enter into fresh seeking of the Lord, so I will walk closer with Him. I find I still get muted by partaking of too much television or internet trivia or just plain selfishness. My wife and I will be doing some fasting and prayer to begin the new year, in hope that it will yield a closer walk with Jesus and more fruit for His kingdom. In the words of the old chorus "I want more of Jesus, more and more and more - I want more of Jesus than I ever had before. I want more of His great love so rich and full and free. I want more of Jesus so I'll give Him more of me."

The three titles given to Jesus by the angels: Savior - Deliverer. The translators consistently translated this word "Savior", but the root it comes from gives insight into it's meaning. The root it comes from is commonly translated: save, heal, deliver, and whole. It means the one who saves completely. Christ - Anointed One or the Messiah. On the Day of Pentecost, the Lord Jesus CHRIST, God's anointed gave the Holy Spirit in fullness to His disciples gathtered in the upper room. Lord - Owner, Lord, Master. This is a word the people would have associated with a high position and could be used with Jehovah God. The meaning: To those hearing these words, it was a declaration that told them God's Anointed One to save them had just been born in Bethlehem. Jesus is the Anointed One that now anoints us to reach those that He has redeemed through the cross. Jesus is the one anointed to bring us this great salvation that restores us into fellowship with God. In those three titles we see who He is, Lord, what he came to do, save, and how He would do it, anointed. "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God!"

Why are the shepherds the first to know? This reminds us that God looks on the heart, although man doesn't. The first people you tell things to often indicates a desire to make sure they aren't left out. They were considered by many to be some of the lowest of society. Their reputation was poor yet God is making it clear that Jesus is a message of God's good will to ALL PEOPLE. Even in the community of faith their is the kind of prejudice that can easily leave out some God intends included. Why is Jesus born in a stable and using a manger for a bed? The humble circumstances speak to us that Jesus has come to be among us one of us. Philippians 2:7 tells us "but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men" What point is God making? A clear dichotomy is presented between Heaven's treasure and earthly treasure. If people are going to see Jesus for who He is, it will be by faith, and by God's Spirit revealing the truth. It won't be by impressive trimmings. In Matthew 16 Peter answered "Thou art the Christ ..." and we are told that was a revelation given from the Father. From the beginning God's intention was for Christ to be the "Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world."

Journey difficult for Mary - It was late in the pregnancy, she was sitting on a donkey, there were no real conveniences, and they were poor. Additionally they had to deal with a non-typical start to their relationship which likely yielded less family support. Does pleasure indicate being in God's will - Only if God is your pleasure. Being in God's will can have a high degree of discomfort and trial. Joseph in Genesis would say no. Job in his trial would say it was difficult. Samuel transitioning through kings and cleaning up some large people mess would say it was difficult. Acts 14:22 "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Even Jesus sought for a way to "let this cup pass" and clearly reveals being in God's will can be costly and painful. Before the Kings show up with gifts, Joseph and Mary have likely taken a significant financial, and social hit to walk in the will of God. Does being a Christian cause more hardships? Yes & No! Yes - To follow the Lord has meant making choices that at times were to our hurt. My wife stayed home with young children and we went without. Over the years we faced failures and consequences when many would just avoid them. Honesty and integrity will at times make life more difficult when peers are confronted or you have to own up to mistakes. John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." No - Prov. 13:15 "Good understanding gains favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard." I believe many more hardships are created by living outside of God's will. My adult children love and respect me as we serve the Lord together. It would be harder to live without that. I have peace in my heart and mind from making Christ-centered choices. It would be a lot harder to live without that peace.

Providing the political and governmental leaders places Christ's birth in a time context. The amazing events of shepherds seeing a hillside lit up like mid day and coming into town, would be spoken about for a long time to come. Similar to a priest offering a sacrifice, coming out of the temple mute, and then having a baby in their old age. Jesus birth was as real as any other.

Joseph's character is commendable. It would not be the ideal for a man in his culture to embrace a future that requires his wife and child not his own to be central to the families planning and future. To hear in a dream, discern that God is speaking, and then act in agreement reveals a mature believer. He has faith to act on what He can't see. I believe Joseph has love driven faith because he is now acting in the best interest of God and others in a spirit of humility. When Joseph names the child Jesus, he is legally accepting Jesus as his child thus making Christ a legal heir to the throne of David. Also, he is coming into agreement with the prophecies that have declared a coming Messiah that will save the people from their sins, and a descendant of David that will be King forever.

A virgin conceiving is impossible with man. The Scriptures had declared it for centuries in Isaiah, but until it happened no one really grasped what God would do. It is a miracle that everyone from Mary to us has to take by faith, as science won't illustrate it for us. It isn't just any child that has been conceived within Mary. The prophecies declare He will save the people from their sin, which leads us to Immanuel. "God with us" to become one of us, far surpassing showing concern. "God with us" by being the seed of God, born from a woman, living sinlessly in perfect union with the Father, and giving His pure life as a sacrificial payment for the sins of the world. We should feel the love as become more aware that "God with us" is the ultimate expression of love.

The angel's announcement clarifies that this is unlike any other birth before or since. - the child is to be named Jesus - "whose help is Jehovah" - the child will become great - Jesus will become the greatest servant to ever live in human flesh - He will be called "Son of the Most High" - Jesus will be intimately connected to God - "one" - He will inherit the throne of His father David - the promised King that will bring in the fulfillment of the promise of an everlasting Kingdom - The Kingdom will never end

The significance of the name - "Whose help is Jehovah" - Jesus came as God's great answer for our need to be cleansed from sin and healed from brokenness. Our help for sin and brokenness is paid for by the Lord Jesus. The text declares "... for he shall save his people from their sins." Why tell both of them the name? They are the only couple that will ever have to deal with a virgin birth, therefore they will benefit from the clarity of confirmation. Luke bears out the amount of pressure placed on John's parents to give him a family name. This type of guidance confirmed for them the depth and personal involvement in God's Salvation plan.

Mary's options were limited. She would be dependent upon family willing to shoulder the disgrace with her. Unmarried with a child was done in that day but it carried a measure of reproach for her, her family, and her illegitimate child. Joseph showed care for her and her family by being willing to walk away without requiring a harsh judgment against her. His approach verifies that love for her was not the issue but he didn't feel it was appropriate to marry her or take responsibility for a child conceived in questionable circumstances.

As the oldest son He would have learned all aspects of the business: technical, social, and economic. He'd come to understand how to repair and make things, observe a broad range of people dealing with money and business, and how to resolve a variety of conflicts with others.