If December 25th is a day you observe as a holiday and spend a ton of money on presents, there is something that came before all this commercial activity.  Right before opening presents, it has always been a family tradition to read the Christmas story.  It may surprise some to know the story has nothing to do with Dr. Seuss or the Grinch. 

I found this version here.

This Christmas story gives a biblical account of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. The Christmas story is paraphrased from the New Testament Books of Matthew and Luke in the Bible.

References:

Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-20.

The Conception of Jesus Foretold

Mary, a virgin, was living in Galilee of Nazareth and was engaged to be married to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter. An angel visited her and explained to her that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. She would carry and give birth to this child and she would name him Jesus.

At first Mary was afraid and troubled by the angel’s words. Being a virgin, Mary questioned the angel, “How will this be?” The angel explained that the child would be God’s own Son and, therefore, “nothing is impossible with God.” Humbled and in awe, Mary believed the angel of the Lord and rejoiced in God her Savior.

Surely Mary reflected with wonder on the words found in Isaiah 7:14 foretelling this event, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (NIV)

The Birth of Jesus:

While Mary was still engaged to Joseph, she miraculously became pregnant through the Holy Spirit, as foretold to her by the angel. When Mary told Joseph she was pregnant, he had every right to feel disgraced. He knew the child was not his own, and Mary’s apparent unfaithfulness carried a grave social stigma. Joseph not only had the right to divorce Mary, under Jewish law she could be put to death by stoning.

Although Joseph’s initial reaction was to break the engagement, the appropriate thing for a righteous man to do, he treated Mary with extreme kindness. He did not want to cause her further shame, so he decided to act quietly. But God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to verify Mary’s story and reassure him that his marriage to her was God’s will. The angel explained that the child within Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit, that his name would be Jesus and that he was the Messiah, God with us.

When Joseph woke from his dream, he willingly obeyed God and took Mary home to be his wife, in spite of the public humiliation he would face. Perhaps this noble quality is one of the reasons God chose him to be the Messiah’s earthly father.

Joseph too must have wondered in awe as he remembered the words found in Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (NIV)

At that time, Caesar Augustus decreed that a census be taken, and every person in the entire Roman world had to go to his own town to register. Joseph, being of the line of David, was required to go to Bethlehem to register with Mary. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Probably due to the census, the inn was too crowded, and Mary gave birth in a crude stable. She wrapped the baby in cloths and placed him in a manger.

The Shepherd’s Worship the Savior:

Out in the fields, an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds who were tending their flocks of sheep by night. The angel announced that the Savior had been born in the town of David. Suddenly a great host of heavenly beings appeared with the angels and began singing praises to God. As the angelic beings departed, the shepherds decided to travel to Bethlehem and see the Christ-child.

There they found Mary, Joseph and the baby, in the stable. After their visit, they began to spread the word about this amazing child and everything the angel had said about him. They went on their way still praising and glorifying God. But Mary kept quiet, treasuring their words and pondering them in her heart. It must have been beyond her ability to grasp, that sleeping in her arms—the tender child she had just borne—was the Savior of the world.

The Magi Bring Gifts:

After Jesus’ birth, Herod was king of Judea. At this time wise men (Magi) from the east saw a star, they came in search, knowing the star signified the birth of the king of the Jews. The wise men came to the Jewish rulers in Jerusalem and asked where the Christ was to be born. The rulers explained, “In Bethlehem in Judea,” referring to Micah 5:2. Herod secretly met with the Magi and asked them to report back after they had found the child. Herod told the Magi that he too wanted to go and worship the babe. But secretly Herod was plotting to kill the child. So the wise men continued to follow the star in search of the new born king and found Jesus with his mother in Bethlehem. (Most likely Jesus was already two years of age by this time.) They bowed and worshipped him, offering treasures of gold, incense and myrrh. When they left, they did not return to Herod. They had been warned in a dream of his plot to destroy the child.

What happened in the trial of Jesus? The Sanhedrin certainly had the right, the jurisdiction, to try Jesus because of the charges brought against Him; namely blasphemy. After all, He had claimed to be one with the Father (John 10:30), He had forgiven sin, the prerogative of God alone (Mark 2:7-11), and He had said He was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed (Mark 14:61, 62).

In the haste of the mob to try and condemn Jesus, almost every rule of the then existing law of Moses and Hebrew custom was violated, which, of course, made His trial illegal.

1.    To begin with, the Sanhedrin decreed that Jesus should be killed (Matthew 26:1-5). This was “pre-trial” judgment. “No judge could sit in judgment if he be at enmity with the accused or if he had formed a preconceived idea concerning him.”
2.    His arrest was effected through the information of a traitor, which violated the code of Leviticus 19:15-18. See Luke 22:1-6, 47-53.
3.    He was arrested by members of the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:52-54).
4.    The arrest was made without the issuance of any legal warrant. It was not the result of a legal mandate from a court whose intention it was to conduct a legal trial.
5.    His arrest was at night (Mark 14:17, 27-, 32,43-66).
6.    He was taken to the house of Annas, who was not the high prie4st at that time (John 18:12-14, 19-23).
7.    This trial was in a house, not in the Temple.
8.    All the Sanhedrin were not present in Annas’ house.
9.    Jesus was struck physically by a member (John 18:22) and spat upon (Matthew 26:67).
10.    He was judged and bound over to the high priest (John 18:24).
11.    The trial before Caiaphas, the high priest, was before the morning sacrifice.
12.    The witnesses could not agree (Mark 14:56).
13.    Jesus testified against Himself (Mark 14:56, 60-63).
14.    The high priest rent his clothes (Matthew 26:65). An ordinary Israelite could tear his garment as a sign of grief, but priests were forbidden because their vestments were made according to specific directions from God and were figurative of his office.
15.    The trial before Caiaphas was also in a house, not a Temple (Luke 22:54). Not only should a trial of this nature be held in the Temple, but any sentence of condemnation also had to be pronounced there.
16.    Jesus had two trials by the Jews, only hours apart, not on separate days (Matthew 27:1, 2; John 18:28a).
17.    The high priest could never say the accused was innocent or guilty. Yet Caiaphas did (Matthew 26:65.)
18.    Jesus was never afforded the opportunity for someone to speak in His favor (remember, all his disciples had forsaken Him; Mark 14:50).
19.    He was found guilty upon His uncorroborated testimony.
20.    All condemned Him to death (Mark 14:64). (to be continued)

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless, touch, strengthen, and heal you in Jesus Name, Amen.

The following references serve as a background study for His Trial: Matthew 26:57-58; 27:1,2,11,26: Mark 14:53-65; 15:1-15; Luke 22:66—23:25; John 18:12-14,19-24,28—19-24,28—19:16.

Considerable controversy concerning the propriety of the trial of Jesus has existed ever since His crucifixion. Volumes have been searched in an effort to find some legal justification for the verdict rendered, but nowhere is there to be found any logical or legal excuse for the absolute disregard of the then existing Hebrew code, nor the customs usually followed in criminal proceedings before Jewish courts.

Jesus had to undergo two trials: one ecclesiastical and the other civil; the first before Caiaphas and the second before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. This was necessary at that time because Judaea was under the jurisdiction of Rome and under the administration of a Roman ruler. In matters of religion Rome permitted the Jews to continue their ecclesiastical courts (the Sanhedrin), before which body all religious offenders were prosecuted and by which all punishment was meted out. In the case of Jesus’ trial, however, where the only punishment which would satisfy His accusers was death, the ecclesiastical court did not have the power to inflict the desired penalty, thus making it necessary to resort to the civil tribune to procure their object. Knowing full well that Jesus had many followers, the entire plan to capture, try, and convict Him was carefully laid, so that all would be fully completed after sunset and before daybreak. Then only a few persons beside the horde which made up the army of conspirators would know what was taking place and only the actual execution would be left to be done after sunrise.

There were a number of steps which had to be followed in a Hebrew trial, especially if the accused was guilty of a crime worthy of death.
1.  A court could not meet for capital punishment during Feast Days (Mattew 26:4,5)
2.  When a trial was in order, before anything was done, the morning sacrifice had to be offered first.
3.  There had to be the assemblying of all the Sanhedrin (Judges)—in their appointed place (the Temple in this case). The Sanhedrin was comprised of seventy men—the highest tribunal of the Jews. There were 23 priests, 23 scribes, 23 elders, and the presiding officer; namely, the High Priest (Numbers 11:16, 17).
4.  When convened, there was an examination of all witnesses, both in private and in the presence of the accused. No one could speak against the accused until someone spoke in his favor. Testimony was never admitted from women, minors, idiots, slaves, blind men, gamblers, relatives, or Gentiles. All evidence had to be heard. The witnesses had to agree on essential details. All evidence had to be established in the mouth of two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). If not, the testimony was rejected. Each witness was required to give evidence separately and in the presence of the accused and corroborated both times. The accused could testify on his behalf but was not compelled to do so . He could not be compelled to testify against himself, and a confession alone was not acceptable as a basis of conviction.
5.  Afterward, there was a debate and balloting on the innocence or guilt of the accused. If any member of the Sanhedrin had a preconceived idea about the guilt or innocence of the accused, the case was thrown out of court. The youngest voted first, then the next youngest, next junior jurors, and last the seniors. This was done so the youngest would not be influenced by the elders. If the defendant was acquitted, he was freed immediately. If convicted, the court met again the next day, re-discussed all the evidence, and took another vote (the second trial was like an appeal). If a judge voted “not guilty” in the first trial, he could not change to “guilty” in the second trial. But if he had voted “guilty” the first time, he could change to “not guilty” after due consideration of all the evidence. The verdict of the court could not be unanimous. “A simultaneous and unanimous verdict of guilt on the day of this trial had the effect of an acquittal.” If found guilty both days, there was no delay in the execution of the person (that is, if the sentence was death). The execution was at sundown, and the guilty was stoned to death (the Jewish method of capital punishment).

(To be continued)  May the Lord Jesus Christ bless, touch, strengthen, and heal you in Jesus Name, Amen.

Today is the day to share your stories, trials, tribulations, and victories of taking one full week and asking yourself What Would Jesus Do before you thought, spoke, acted, and reacted!  Wasn’t it challenging?  Wasn’t it mind boggling when you stop and thought about how many things we say and do without giving any thought to pleasing God before we did them?  How many good deeds did you do?  How many things didn’t you say this week that you normally would have said?  How many positive and encouraging things did you give to people and say to people?  How many lives did you change?  Did your life change?  

Please tell us how this challenge impacted your life and if you believe you can continue your daily Christianity asking yourself everyday What Would Jesus Do?  I looking forward to hearing what you have to say!

The phrase “What would Jesus do?” (often abbreviated to WWJD) became popular in the United States in the 1890s, and again in 1990s, as a personal motto for thousands of Christians who used the phrase as a reminder of their belief that Jesus is the example to be followed in daily life, and to act in a manner of which Jesus would approve.

Is that true for you and me?  You do claim to be a Christian don’t you?  You do want Christ to be pleased with your actions, reactions, deeds, etc. don’t you?  Let’s see if we can’t make Him just as proud of us, as we are of Him!

Let’s take one week and change our thinking.  Let’s take one week and try as Christians to get in the mind of Christ.  We have read the scriptures and heard the sermons; we know the difference between our actions and those of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Aren’t we as “Christ”ians supposedly striving to be Christ-like?  Aren’t we taking the Christ in Christianity and trying to identify with it and be like Him?  Well let’s do it together and then let’s talk about the change it made in our lives spiritually and naturally.  Stopping and asking What Would Jesus Do before everything we do, will certainly have an impact on EVERYTHING concerning our lives.  If we can promote Pay It Forward challenges, and weight lost challenges, and all kinds of reality challenges, let’s doubly promote this challenge!   It is the: 7daybuzz.com WWJD 7 Day Challenge!

Tell everybody you know what you are doing and invite them to join in the 7daybuzz.com WWJD challenge!  This challenge won’t cost you.  This challenge won’t hurt you. (well maybe your pride if you have to turn the other cheek or something flesh defying)  I can truthfully say, if done properly, the only thing this challenge can do and will do is make you more conscious of who you are and Whose you are.  This might be just the thing you need and I need to expose us to us!  We really don’t know who we are.  Fact:  we never see ourselves the same way others see us!  Maybe living this lifestyle for a week (hopefully it will be one we will choose to adopt forever) will close the gap between who we think we are, and who we really are.  So starting today, let’s do this!

Hopefully you have prayed for the last week and have programmed your mind to begin questioning yourself and asking, What Would Jesus Do?  Now let’s put it into action. 

Next Sunday I anxiously look forward to hearing the stories and life changing experiences the WWJD challenge brought about.  I think we will surprise ourselves, each and every one of us, when we realize how far we were from true Christ like actions and our own fleshly actions.  Don’t make this a burden but make it a joyful occasion for a renewal within your spirit.  There will be times when you/I fail.  WE will think about WWJD and then do the opposite because our flesh is geared toward self satisfaction.  Okay.  Get up.  Brush off, but don’t stop!  Get back on the horse and continue with the challenge.  If at first you don’t succeed, keep trying!  That’s what Jesus would do, right? 

Just remember, before you do it, ask yourself WWJD?  Before you say it, ask yourself WWJD?  Before you think it, ask yourself WWJD?  We’ll talk soon!

1.  We must forgive our debtors
Matt. 6:12, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

2.  Forgiving others is an absolute necessity.
Matt. 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

3.  Jesus says we must forgive often.
Matt. 18:21, 22. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”  Jesus answered, “ I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.
Luke 17:3, 4. “So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him and if he repents, forgive him, If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven     times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent, forgive him.

4.  The parable of the unmerciful servant shows how sinful it is not to forgive; God sends judgment on this sin.

5.  Put away bitterness and anger; forgive as God forgives.
Eph. 4:31, 32. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

6.  Be imitators of God.
Eph. 5:1, 2. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

7.  The father of the prodigal son forgave him and accepted him as completely as if he had not sinned. This father represents God. Thus Jesus reveals how God treats repentant sinners.  Luke 15:20-24

8.  Jesus commands us to forgive others.
Mark 11:25. “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him.  So that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

9.  Love keeps no record of wrongs.
1 Cor. 13:4,5. Love…keeps no record of wrongs.

10.  Love (overlooks) a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8. Above all. Love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

11.  Restore with gentleness one who has fallen into sin.
Gal. 6:1.   Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

12.  Paul tells us we must forgive and restore one who has sinned against us.  2 Cor. 2:5-11.

13.  Forgive a repentant sinner and affirm your love.
2 Cor. 2:7,8.  Now, instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

May the Lord Jesus Christ. Bless, keep, strengthen, and heal YOU today is my prayer for you.

Pastor Harold E. Sawyer Sr.

1Jo 4:7 ¶ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God;
•    As children of God, it should be our desire to ascribe to and passionately embrace anything that is of God.
•    God directed Who He was and what He did towards–others. Love and loving is about another, not about self or how we can be loved in return.
•    We only hear of God loving us or others.  He wanted to love and be loved.
Eph 4:2 ¶ With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
•    The success of anything under the heavens is contingent on how we love, interact and cohesiveness.  We can succeed at anything if we humans can retain unity.  The story of the Tower of Babel was proof.
•    Gen 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do
•    Although the situation was negative, godless and defiant, the essence of it remains true.  Only disunity can negate the efforts of humans who were born in the image of God.  We are, by design, creators.
•    And in a spiritual sense, if we “…all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1Co 1:10  nothing is impossible to us.
•    We have to artfully and carefully learn how to be involved with something and  still not make it about us.
•    The danger or extreme of what we call self-love is dangerous.  Perhaps the extreme is self-worship.  There is a self-love that numbers us among the wicked:
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy
•    The child of God is commanded to love their neighbors—as they love their selves, but first of God to love God with all that is within them. (Mt 22:37)
•    We need to achieve the balance of loving people as we love ourselves, not less than we love ourselves.  Under those circumstances, self-love is acceptable because it is love in context.
•    There is no greater love than one to die for a friend or just as you would only die for yourself.  It is an equal love because you are doing for them what you would do for yourself. Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends..
•    Nothing works short of love that expends itself painfully and patiently.  Love is dispensed at risk and almost foolishly.
Ro 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
•    Dissimulation commonly takes the form of concealing one’s ability in order to gain the element of surprise over an opponent. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissimulation)
•    Love does not hold back for the sake of gaining an advantage or hold information to release it later at another’s expense.
•    When we love someone, we wonder how we often wonder how we can show it. Love is manifested in what it does.  It cannot be contained, concealed or hidden. It burst forth and directs itself at its object which is—away from itself.
•    If you love someone, you can’t rest until you show it. Even then it is difficult to fully manifest sufficiently..
•    Unselfish people are known for preferring their fellow.
•    Certainly we do not keep them at arm’s length after they have hurt us.  It is a very tiring endeavor.  Only in selfishness can we withhold love until we trust our offenders.  If our love is true, we cannot hold it back.