Christmas - Gift of Love

Series Plan

Faith Realized - Mary's Song Luke 1:46-56

Our Faith is Realized in the unexpected

& the community around us

& what we think about shows our real faith

Hope Fulfilled - (or lightly shown) Zechariah's Prophecy Luke 1:67-79

You can lose Hope without losing your faith

Times of silence can help us realign to Gods big picture

Love seen and heard - Luke 2:8-20 The love the shepherds feel and share

Faith and Hope are by products of accepting Love

What the Shepperd's knew that we might not know…

1) Messiah

Messiah and Christ are the same thing - Messiah is a untranslated Hebrew word used in the NT and Christ is a Greek translation of the word anointed.

Hebrew word meaning anointed one

(māšaḥ) to anoint or the anointed one.

A public sing of God given appointment

OT Uses

Priests Exodus — Ex 25:6 talks about the anointing oil kept on hand at the tabernacle for consecration rituals

These rituals established holiness (set apart) and prepared priests for serving in God’s presence.

Later Kings (Solomon and David…) were anointed to set them apart as the protector and defender

This brings peace

The promise of a KING made to Abraham

Then great grand son of Abraham is Judea - a king will come from his line.

Then David is the first king from the line of Judea (anointed)

But David fights for the peace of Isreal - but not a priest

Yet God makes a promise to David that eventually the messiah would come from his line.

As Davids sons and grandsons and so on FAIL to KEEP Peace

Isreal splits in 2 kingdoms

then multiple nations take over yet

The profits keep telling Judea that a Messiah is going to come

2) Shepherds

One of the lowest classes in Jewish society at the time of Jesus

The elite who could read and write accused them of pasturing their animals on other peoples land, and stealing wool, milk, and kids from the flock.

Almost as low as slaves

Rabbis linked them with Gentiles

Being a shepherd was a dishonorable profession

Their testimony was consider invalid

Typically unable to join communal prayers.

This doesn’t make them sinners.

1+2 = LOVE

So when the ANGEL said The Savior - yes the Messiah, the Lord - has been born the shepherds knew what that ment

They realized who they were - I think they felt loved.

Love gives value

3) Wrapped in strips of cloth laying in a manger

For sacrificial lambs, this wrapping was particularly meaningful. The spotless lambs intended for temple sacrifices were swaddled to keep them pure

Some rabbinic sources suggest that certain fields near Bethlehem were reserved year-round for lambs intended for Temple sacrifices

These Shepherds were very much aware of these practices.

Like a mechanic talking about the timing belt

Love propels them to move!

Like first love that makes our whole world about someone

Or deep love that continues to change and challenge the way we show up in relationships.…

The shepherds feel the love of God and tell everyone!

Conclusion

Jesus is anointed to be the priest who represents the people to God

Jesus is the Lamb of God that take the punishment we deserve.

Jesus is anointed to be the king who protects and defeats the oppression bring peace

News is told to a group of low lives, that no one would believe.

And just like that the love of God up ends the power structure.

God comes to the ones no one would believe in a way they would totally understand.

Why is love the greatest?

Love sees value in people

Image & Character of God

God sees value in you

No one may understand

No one may see value you in

It is because of love that we faith and hope.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 “4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

Faith and Hope are by products of accepting Love