Read LUKE 1:1-4 (NEW KING JAMES)
“Come closer to Me. I see you standing outside, not sure whether to come in. Your focus is on a thousand things at once ‘what must I do first?’ ‘Where should I go first?’ ‘What about this?’ ‘What about that?’ There is free time to visit Me, right now. I am here with you, to spend time with you.”
“Come inside the house and sit down. I am pouring you a drink of hot chocolate, I am adding three marshmallows to it as well. I am using real milk for the hot chocolate; and I am here to share with you.”
“Your heart is to meditate on the Nativity Story; and today; I am reminding you of players in the Nativity Story that get forgotten. Luke and Theophilus are the ones, in this case.”
“Luke was writing to Theophilus and sharing to him the good news about Jesus Christ. The first two chapters are his story of the Nativity. Luke and Matthew were two of the earliest writers to ever write about the Nativity. Luke wrote from eyewitnesses accounts. He listened to the stories of the Nativity and he took the testimonies together and weaved it into a narrative.”
“Luke was one of the first storytellers of the Nativity Story. Reading the Nativity Story and remembering, just as I am reading the Nativity Story to you; Luke was reading it; writing it out for Theophilus. This is where good, biblical study and meditation can come into play; as you meditate on why Luke writes certain parts; and other parts, and the messages he brings in his story.”
“The first person mentioned in his gospel is actually Theophilus, whose name means ‘Lover of God’. The second name is Herod; in which he begins to bring historical context to the situation surrounding the birth of Jesus.”
“There is a lot of meat in this first chapter that you have never thought about. The story of the Nativity begins with a reminder to the reader of the covenant between man and God. It also reminded the historical reader of the first century of the stories of old.”
“There is the historical reader; Theophilus that you can look at when you read the text. There is also how you read the text for the first time with fresh eyes.”
“Luke was writing a living story; a historical story and bringing that story to his readers. His writing was guided by the Holy Spirit.”
“Yes, there are differences between Matthew’s text and Luke’s text. Meditate on both, understanding that they do not contradict each other but complement each other. Much of Luke’s nativity story is from the point of view of Mary.”
“It should also be an interesting observation that neither Mark or John have any details of the Nativity story. This is very interesting when you think of the fact that John, the beloved disciple, became the caretaker of Mary after the death and resurrection of Jesus.”
“Historical information and understanding of the author helps you to breathe new life into your study of the material. I want to breathe new life into your studies.”
“It’s My heart to inspire you. This is what I am sharing with your heart today- you are meant to also share the Nativity Story. Luke wrote the Nativity story so that others could share the story. You are also a living message of the Nativity Story.”
“I want you to carry the Nativity Story inside of you. I want the message and presence of the story to change your heart and life. Of course, I want this with all of living Scripture. All of the Scripture, including the Law of Moses, is meant to breathe life into you. Your meditation right now is only on a small portion of Scripture.”
“Tell the story of the Nativity. Let the story of Christmas be alive in you; for I am alive in you. Jesus is the incarnation of Christmas. This is the story that I want to be inside of your heart.”
“Christmas is meant to be a special time of year for family and fellowship. The story of Christmas is the story of the birth of the Saviour. Let Christmas touch your heart again this year; let it be a living story that you tell everyone by the way you live your heart and life. Christmas is alive because Jesus is alive. Merry Christmas, the story never ends.”
Journal Entry: Merry Christmas, Father! How can I become the living story of Christmas?
Christmas Mountain: A Biblical Meditation on The Nativity Story by Jason Major contains 25 heart warming devotionals concerning the Christmas season.
This will provide you daily readings for the 25 days leading up to Christmas.
During this Christmas season, let the story of the Nativity bring a change that you carry all year long.
Christmas Mountain Kindle ebook available here.
Related Blogs:
Christmas Devotionals
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