200 years before the birth of Christ. A Syrian King by the name of Antiochus Epiphanes ruled over Palestine. Antiochus was Greek by ethnicity and led a campaign to convert the Jewish people to Greek culture and religion. Those converted were called Hellenized Jews. Those who wouldn’t convert, rebelled against Antiochus.

Angry, Antiochus invaded Palestine and attacked Jerusalem, He tore down its walls and took over the temple. Previously he had allowed Jews to freely practice their religion. No more. He entered the temple and placed a statue of the Greek god Zeus in the holy of holies. He then stood before the alter and slaughtered a pig, took the blood from the pig, and rubbed it over everything in the Temple. Defiling it.
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The Temple was taken over by him. Inside it, all forms of debauchery took place. Outside of it He banned all Jewish religious practices.

An earthly perspective is vastly different from a heavenly perspective.  We see dimly.  God sees with clarity.  We see a small slice of the truth.  God see eternally.  We only see now.  God sees beyond.  Perspective changes our perceptions. 

Try walking into our worship service/building with the eyes of a first time person.  What do you see?  What is confusing?  What makes sense?  How easy/difficult is it to figure out about the nursery if you have children?.... a thousand questions.  Over the years I have brought people into this building on a Saturday or week-day encouraging them to return on a Sunday.  I want them to see it ahead of time so they can visualize where they might sit, what they might see, the fellowship hall.  Perspective.  If you desire to share the gospel with another person it is incredibly important to understand who they are, /background.  The words I say to one of the wonderful Summer blueberry pickers from Texas is different from the depressed woman in the foothills or from the seven year old child.  The need for salvation is the same, the message of the cross is constant, but the questions being asked, the needs that need to be met are different. 
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Perspective.  Here is how you change your world: Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to enlarge your heavenly perspective so that you can see the world through the eyes of God. 
The coming of Jesus allows us to gain a heavenly perspective.  God has made it easy for even those of us with the thickest heads to penetrate.  God sent his one and only Son into the world that we might see the One that has lived forever with God.  We grow by leaps in our faith as we begin to see the world from God’s perspective.  

My daughter Bianca told the story of some of her friends in college that were coming home from a trip back to Newberg, OR.  They went right instead of left, heading east instead of west.  100 miles later they discovered their error.  That’s lost! 
 
This is the season of Advent, anticipation of the coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas.  Many Christmas sermons focus on the WHO of the Christmas story and the wonderful lessons of Joseph, Mary, Shepherds, The Wise Men, Baby Jesus and the other inspiring characters of the Christmas story.  Other sermons emphasize the WHEN, the coming of Jesus foretold through the prophets, the times in which he was born.  The HOW of Christmas, the virgin birth, the flight to Egypt, the search of Herod, the worship of the Magi.  WHERE involves Bethlehem, Egypt, Jerusalem, Israel, Egypt…

This Advent season, a simple reflection of WHY Jesus came.  The story of the birth of Jesus Christ is more than a heartwarming story of a young couple that traveled to Bethlehem and gave birth to Jesus in a stable and was greeted by ordinary folks from near and royalty from far.  WHY Jesus came is the bottom line truth the world needs to hear.  Not Who was at the stable, not When it took place, not the details of How it happened, those are all wonderful elements of the Christmas season, but if we stop there then we have missed the point.  

Anna the prophet has the final word in the nativity stories in the book of Luke to underscore the importance of the world changing birth of Jesus Christ. What burns within Anna is the need to tell others about the life transforming salvation offered through Jesus Christ.  Simeon, in last week’s scripture, knew Jesus was all about Salvation, but he held Jesus in his arms and responded by saying my life is complete, I can now die in peace (Luke 2:29).  Mary, the mother of Jesus, famously responded to her newborn child by “pondering in her heart” what it all means (Luke 2:19).  She knew something amazing had taken place, but she is not a prophet and is not able to put it all together.  Anna response is different, READ Luke 2:38.  “spoke about the child…” 
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I am reminded when Esther, our oldest was born.  Sally’s mother had come from California.  The truth is that Sally and I are private people.  I may stand in a public setting every week but there is much you do not know about our family life because we are both introverts.  A few days after Esther was born we went to Bellis Fair with her very proud grandmother.  I will never forget strolling through the mall, and Lucia is so excited about Esther, she starts telling every stranger we meet, “This is my grandchild… this is my new grandchild…” and she tries to strike up conversations with people we’d never met….  

​The cross of Christ is central to the Christian faith.  It is both a symbol of shame and a symbol of victory ~ a symbol of shame because it represents death and punishment.  Nobody brags that the one they love is in jail and sentenced to die.  One N.T. writer called it “a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles” meaning it gets in the way and it makes no sense.  Yet we are invited to embrace the cross on the pathway to victory for it is on the cross Jesus Christ willingly hung.  Jesus died on the cross because of his great love for us and it is on the cross that he took our place paying the price of sin.  Today in this Christmas season we celebrate the cross of Jesus Christ.  A wise man, a forward looking prophet, sees beyond the stable as he holds the baby Jesus in his arms and he prepares the mother of Jesus for what is to come.  

The meaning of names:
Carl: a peasant or man of low birth
Linda: Beautiful
John: The Grace of the Lord
Herb: Illustrious Warrior
Janet: God has been gracious
Connie: Strong willed or Wise
Barbara: stranger, traveler from a foreign land
Steve: Crown, Victorious
Patricia: Noble
Paul: Humble
Ian: Gift from God
Michelle: “who is like God?”
Diane: Beauty and Swiftness ~ a huntress
Elizabeth: God is satisfied

Luke 2:21 highlights a couple of truths about Jesus: When and Why named Jesus.

#1 WHEN.  the custom in the days of Jesus of naming children is different than for us.  In those days, children were NOT traditionally named until 8 days after the baby was born.  We don’t do it that way ~ parents often select a name well before the child is born.  There were customs having to do with the father and the birth order, names being handed down, but the reason to wait for the 8th day was to give the parents an opportunity to know their child, the character, significant attributes ~  parents could see the character of the child and select a name that has to do with personality, or perhaps something unusual about the birth….

The name “Jesus” is given by the angels before Jesus was even conceived.  This is unusual!  God revealed the character of Jesus before he was even born.  This is prophecy.  This is an announcement of the character, the role of Jesus.  He will be called Jesus! 

#2 WHY:  something highly significant about the name of Jesus.  Most names (maybe not all) but most names have something to do with the character of the person that has the name, beautiful, royalty, strong, leader, humble, lovely, or maybe a physical characteristic like red complexion, or born at a significant time. 

The name Jesus, announced by the angels before he was even conceived, is not at all about the character of the baby, some significant personality or physical attribute.  The name Jesus means GOD SAVES.  Even the name Jesus is a message to the people that he came for YOU.  He CAME to save you, to rescue you from sin.  Of all people who have walked this earth, this man deserved a kingly name, a highly exhalted name, a royal name, a GREAT Name, but no, the name chose to give the savior is a name of what he came to do, his role in the world, his purpose.  God SAVES. 

There is no other name like Jesus.  The name gives hope and expectation.  The name cause wonder and joy.  Jesus, the name above all names.  The name Jesus means "Savior." It is given to our Lord because "He saves His people from their sins." He saves them from the guilt of sin, by cleansing them in His own atoning blood. He saves us from the oppression of sin by putting in our hearts the life giving Spirit.

Jesus is a very encouraging name to weighted-down sinners. He, who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, deserved to be given a more high-sounding title. The rulers of this world have often called themselves great, conquerors, bold, magnificent. The Son of God is content to call Himself Savior.  Jesus wants to most be identified by what he does for us.  Those seeking salvation may draw near to the Father with boldness, and have access with confidence through Christ. "For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him" (John 3:17).

Jesus, the name above all names ~ he came to save you!  

(NOTE: shorter than normal to make room for the Christmas Play during the service) 

Television interviewer Larry King was asked if he could only interview one person in history, who would it be.
Larry said, "Jesus Christ."
"And if you could only ask Him one question, what would it be?"
"Were you really born of a virgin?"
The reporter asked, "Why would you ask that question?"
King replied, "Because that would define history for me."

I've got news for Larry King: Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, and, history is defined by the birth of Christ! The virgin birth of Christ is a game changer!

The virgin birth of Christ is as radical as the fault line of an earthquake ~ in Point Reyes, California stands a fence that is offset a good ten feet from the 1906 earthquake (a replacement fence). The shift of the earth was so great... the virgin birth is like a shift in history, told simply, straight-forward, the simple acceptance of a young girl named Mary...

(I know this is a silly joke and women aren't shallow like this joke suggests!)

A young woman hears about a store in NY that caters to single women who want a reliable way to find a potential life partner. It's called "The Husband Store", and it comes with excellent references. So, she decides to give it a whirl. Upon entering, she is in a hallway with stairs leading up to 5 different floors of available men, all with various characteristics that appeal to single females.
      Hmm, she thinks, as she reads the 1st sign: Once you enter a floor, you cannot go back or  to any other floor. Thank you for your cooperation.
     With that she proceeds to the 1st floor, where she sees another sign: On this floor are nice guys with good jobs. She decides to try the next one.
     On the next floor, the sign reads: On this floor are good-looking guys with good jobs and nice cars. "Not bad" she thinks, but decides to try the next floor anyway.
     On the next floor, she sees: On this floor are good looking guys with great jobs, nice cars and they all love kids. She's impressed, but goes up to the next floor anyway.
     On this floor, the sign says: on this floor are great-looking guys with fabulous jobs, love kids, have expensive cars and are very passionate and romantic. "Wow" she exclaims. She hesitates for a bit, but then takes the plunge to go up to the final floor.
     Upon reaching the top, there is a door, which she opens. Inside, the is a sign which reads: "Hello, you are visitor number 1,269,135 so far, and are further proof that women are IMPOSSIBLE to please. Have a Nice Day."