Love came down and it radically changed everything.

Listen along here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/2eaac1a9/love-came-down...

It is Christmas week--the fourth week of Advent, LOVE.

As such, I would like to take you on a journey to a distant land where

it all began--the land of Jesus' birth, life and ultimate sacrifice.

It was on my first trip to Israel in 2016, traveling with a large Southern

California church group, my awareness exploded. As is often the case with large groups, the itinerary did not include travel to Nazareth or Bethlehem. 'But,' my mind railed, 'how can I be this close to Nazareth and not see where Jesus grew up?!' I simply had to see. Obtaining permission from the leader, I grabbed my friend, Laura, and we jumped in a taxicab (actually a slick Mercedes), traveling through small sketchy Arab retail and residential neighborhoods, making the ascent to the town of Nazareth... When what I saw out the car windows gave me pause, I thought 'hey, if this woman is willing to drive her beautiful new Mercedes through here, then we are okay. And we were.

Come on, Friend, get in the backseat of the car alongside me, our eyes scanning from side to side, as we take the curve into town through an Upper Nazareth Jewish neighborhood. Suddenly, we hear the loud Muslim call to prayer, followed soon after by the bells of the Catholic church in the old Galilean town.  [and yes, that is the religious juxtaposition in various Israeli locales]

Take note: when the angel Gabriel came to young Mary to tell her she was to bear the Son of God, Nazareth was a poor Jewish village probably around 400 people.

*The Messiah was born in total humility.

*Both Joseph1 and Mary’s responses2 to the angelic news of the holy child 

could only be described as righteous and very humble.  

'May it be to me as you have said,' Mary responded to Gabriel.  After traveling to be with her ‘also expectant’ cousin Elizabeth who delivered Jesus’ cousin, John (who we refer to as ‘the Baptist’), Mary returned home to Nazareth to more challenging news from her betrothed. A Roman decree required that she and Joseph travel to the home of his ancestors in Bethlehem to register. What thoughts must have been young Mary’s!

The terrain between Nazareth and Bethlehem is rugged and oft desolate, even now.  Joseph and Mary’s difficult journey of about 90 miles south included dangerous, rough travel.3  Once in Bethlehem, you know the story: while the couple usually would have stayed with a relative of Joseph’s, not this time--in fact, there was no room in the over-crowded town to be had.  Instead, the Savior of the world was born in a cave where the animals grazed and bedded down.  

*The Messiah was indeed born in obscurity and in total humility. 

God’s birth announcement was performed by a melodic band of angels lighting up the skies for a band of Bedouin shepherds, lowest of the low in the local culture.  ‘Today has been born in the city of David a Savior!’  Why would the grand announcement be made to shepherds?  

*The Messiah was announced to the humble.

Does God favor the humble or is it that

he comes to those who have time to hear from Him?  Hmmm.

On each of the journeys I have made to Israel, I am greatly impacted by seeing the Jordan River, which looks different at various places. Where Jesus was baptized by John is north of the Dead Sea and not too far from Jericho [the included picture is in that area - Notice the rope in the water--on the side where I am entering the river, Israel--other side of that rope, the country of Jordan]. *Jesus was baptized without fanfare, without applause,

by his cousin in the same river we can enter today. Humble? Very much so.

Immediately thereafter, Jesus went into the desert for a time of great temptation.  To see that rugged terrain with my own eyes hurt my heart to think of Jesus being out there for 40 days and 40 nights - I cannot even imagine!  Yet this is what he was called to do at the onset of his ministry.  Humility beyond compare - all

*so that he would understand every temptation we would face in this life,

and yet…he did not fall, he did not sin.  

Today I am thinking of Jesus’ total sacrifice of anything royal, anything deserving of a King, to be born of a humble virgin, grow up in a poor village, enter ministry through a passageway of great suffering in the desolate desert, and ultimately die alone, naked on a cross.  What struck me was the incredible humility of Jesus Christ all because of his magnanimous love for you and me.

You are loved by the King.

STOP! Do not let noise block out the meaning of that truth. The greatest gift you will ever know is the incredible, overwhelming, magnificent, individual love God has for you.  And that is what Christmas is all about, Friend.  Because of that love, you have access to a personal relationship with the King of Kings. [sit with that thought a moment] 

One day we will see him face to face, but for now, you and I can meet with him each morning in the quiet - all because of that great love.  What a gift!

I am undone by such a love.  

Note: Joy is attractive. I know - I heard from you!

And we will dig a little deeper into joy after the first of the year...

But without the great love of God, there would be no joy, don't you see?

This song that is a brilliant work:

Labor of Love, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBmWtX9k6VY

The greatest gift of Christmas is the unfathomable love of God. 

Bask in that truth - it will change you,

-->Would you be interested in seeing the land with your own eyes, and walk where Jesus walked? I am going in May, helping my friend Eric, lead a group. Interested? Hit reply and I will send you the information.

Christine

PastorWoman.net

Footsteps of Jesus documentary, a visual narrative of the very trip we will take in May: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAbd69MAysc&t=5456s

^{1 - Matthew 1.18-25}

^{2 - Luke 1.26-38}

^{3 - great article on their journey for consideration - https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-12-23-me-17102-story.html}