Christmas - A Time for Family

Part 2

As mentioned last Friday, this series of readings focuses on Jesus’ family of origin – individuals from his human ancestral lineage are identified through each reading. 

As a reminder – not all the passages are produced in full.  You could use what is given here or open the family bible together to read the whole passage and consider its context. 

I trust your family enjoy reading the nuances of God’s weaving of the narrative of Jesus’ ancestors through the pages of the Old Testament.

(And, while I’ve got you here, don’t forget to have a look at Page 2 of this newsletter – it details our VCE results and pays tribute to our Year 12 class of 2022).

A New Parade

The wolf shall live with the lamb, 

the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the yearling together, 

and a little child shall lead them. 

The cow and the bear shall graze, 

their young shall lie down together; 

and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp. 

and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. 

                                                                                                                                     Isaiah 11:6-8

Prayer: God, I’m excited for the day when we can have a parade with lions and bears. I pray that your kingdom would come soon! Amen.

A Dark Fish Belly

The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying. "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And he cried out, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shalt be overthrown!" And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. 

                                                                                                                                        Jonah 3:1-5

Prayer: God, help me to obey you so that other people can know you. What things do you want me to do to follow you? Amen.

The Best Lion

The conspirators came and found Daniel praying and seeking mercy before his God. Then they approached the king and said concerning the interdict, "O king! Did you not sign an interdict, that anyone who prays to anyone, divine or human, within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions?" 

Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!" 

Then, at break of day, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions. When he came near the den where Daniel was, he cried out anxiously to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you faithfully serve been able to deliver you from the lions?" Daniel then said to the king, king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong. 

                                                                                                            A selection from Daniel 6

Prayer: God, thank you for being powerful and protecting me. Would you help me trust you? Amen.

A Promise Of Peace

But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, 

who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me 

one who is to rule in Israel, 

..And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, 

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. 

And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great 

to the ends of the earth; 

and he shall be the one of peace. 

                                                                                                    A selection from Micah 5:1-5

Prayer: Prince of Peace, you are a good and loving king. I can’t wait for you to come back. Amen.

A Long Silence

Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 

When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. ... 

He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years." The angel replied, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur." 

                                                                                                     A selection from Luke 1:5-25

Prayer: God, I’m calming down and trying to listen to you. What do you want to tell me? Amen.

A Time To Get Ready

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, 

"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 

'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." 

Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 

                                                                                                                                  Matthew 3:1-6

Prayer: Lord, what parts of my heart are messy? Would you help me clean up and be ready for you to come? Amen.

A New Normal

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her. "Do not be afraid, Mary. for you have found favor with God. And now. you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 

                                                                                                  A selection from Luke 1:26-38

Prayer: God, thanks for becoming a human being. Thanks for choosing to become one of us and for saving the world. Amen. 

A Special Request

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 

                                                                                          A selection from Matthew 1:18-25

Prayer: God, Joseph reminds me that you can use me in amazing ways when I let you. What part do you want me to play in your story? Amen.

A Long Journey

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 

                                                                                                                                          Luke 2:1-5

Prayer: Jesus, I’m excited for you to come again. Will you help me be ready? Amen.

A Birth Announcement

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord." … 

So [the shepherds] went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 

                                                                                                     A selection from Luke 2:6-21

Prayer: Jesus, we’re so glad you’ve come! Thank you for being born into our world. Thank you for loving us enough to come save us and live with us. Amen.