Shepherds

Our Special Muslim Friends

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

Last year we moved from a house along a busy city street to a planned community. We miss the hustle and bustle and choice of Latino, Asian and Italian food, but we are happy to live in a neighborhood where the people next door aren’t moving in and out every six months. We were also pleasantly surprised to learn that at least two of the other families on the street were Evangelical Christians like us.  What we didn’t expect was to learn that the nice people who lived right across the street from us were Muslim. Now that almost eighteen months has passed since we began to unpack our boxes I have come to some startling conclusions.

The first surprising thing is that even though our Christian neighbors like us and we get along fine, it is the Muslims who are the easiest to talk to.  Secondly they not only greet us with friendly smiles and small talk but also loaned us their pressure washer so we could clean our driveway. Then Christmas rolled around and guess who came to give us a beautiful tin of cookies at Christmas? You got it! What a blessing that our Muslim neighbors are now our Muslim friends!  All of this has made me stop to reevaluate how Jesus looks at our Muslim neighbors all over the world .

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Luke 2:10-12 KJV

If the angels were sent to Bethlehem today they would be probably waking up Muslim shepherds. Stranger still is that this idea is more than okay with God. Notice how in the story from Luke there was no special guidance given to the angels. They were not directed to find only folks who attended synagogue regularly. Instead they were sent to people who would be willing to have a conversation and do something about the news. Then consider the message itself. God sent a message of “Great joy…for all people.” Who better to send a missive on joy to than some shivering shepherds who had to stay up all night watching stupid sheep!  Last of all God decided on people who He was certain were going to tell others. Christmas was not some sort of top secret “For your eyes only” communication. If God wanted to keep Christmas quiet He could have gone to the high priest or some of the higher ranking members of the Sanhedrin. They would not have agreed with the good news for everyone part of things so they probably wouldn’t have told a soul. But instead God chose shepherds and a carpenter and strange wise men from Persia to show His love to that night. Since the first Christmas the angels have passed on to us their job of good news telling. Maybe we should ask ourselves who God might be wanting us to tell tonight!

Back to Normal?

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In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5 ESV

Often our Christmas celebrations end on Christmas Eve. We’ve remembered the stable, the star, the wise men shepherds and Mary. But don’t forget that the next day the shepherds went back to their sheep, the angels to Heaven and Joseph probably got a room at the inn. In other words life pretty much got back to normal – or did it?

The Bible tells us that in Him was life and the life was the light of men. When did that tiny baby begin to shine God’s light? Could it have happened as Mary comforted his cries when they fled from Herod’s soldiers? Could it have begun in Egypt where they lived for years as immigrants and fugitives? The Bible isn’t specific about the details, but tells us that all through those supernatural days and every other day, God’s light was still shining in Jesus.

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So on Christmas morning, whether you are watching your children open gifts or if you are alone with a cup of coffee remember His light is still shining for you. He didn’t come just for days when the wise men opened gifts, the angels sang and shepherds wondered. Jesus came for every dark day. Jesus was born to walk through every war-zone, sit at every kitchen table and ride along in the ambulance to every emergency room. He doesn’t leave us when we fail, get in trouble, or fall ill. He stays through good times and bad. He is not only the light of the world: He is the light of our world and no darkness can ever put it out!

 

On the other Side the Door

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 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:6-7 ESV

The first people to see Jesus were Joseph and Mary. Theirs had been a long a difficult journey. They had faced the rejection, and disapproval of families and neighbors. On that final night their faith was rewarded with the sight of tiny eyes opening as Jesus came into this world. He took His first breath as they watched and He was held by Mary when He cried. Then Joseph wrapped Him in cloths and gently laid Him in the hay for His first nap!

Today, think of the Inn keeper who stood just behind the door he had closed. He missed His chance to see the birth of the Son of God. But shepherds came breathlessly hurrying into the village to see if what the angels had told them was true. While shepherds were shouting praises we have no record of neighbors just down the street joining in the crowd. That night they were next door to Jesus but missed holding his hands or kissing His cheeks.

Do you long to see the face of Jesus Christ th

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is Christmas? He could be just behind a door we ourselves have shut. Jesus is still waiting and God calls us to come and to see Him. Why not, “Come and behold Him born the King of Angels”?