THE JOURNEY OF THE WISEMEN

Merry Christmas From The Ortega Family

Read:  (Matthew 2:1-12)

Research:
     

(v. 1, 2) Bethlehem is a small town five miles south of Jerusalem. It sits on a high ridge over 2,000 feet above sea level. It is mentioned in more detail in the Gospel of Luke. Luke also explains why Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem when Jesus was born, rather that in Nazareth, their hometown. Not much is known about these Magi (traditionally called wise men). We don’t know where they came from or how many there were. Tradition says they were men of high position from Parthia, near the site of ancient Babylon. How do they know that the star represented the Messiah? (1) They could have been Jews who remained in Babylon after the exile and knew the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah’s coming. (2) They may have been eastern astrologers who studied ancient manuscripts from around the world. Because of the Jewish exile centuries earlier, they would have had copies of the Old Testament in their land. (3) They may have had a special message from God directing them to the Messiah. Some scholars say these Magi were each from a different land, representing the entire world bowing before Jesus. These men from faraway lands recognized Jesus as the Messiah when most of God’s chosen people in Israel did not. Matthew pictures Jesus as King over the whole world, not just Judea. The Magi traveled thousands of miles to see the king of the Jews. When they finally found him, they responded with joy, worship and gifts. The Magi said they saw Jesus’ star. Some say this star may have been a conjunction of Jupiter. Saturn, and Mars in 6 B.C., and others offer other explanations. But couldn’t God, who created the heavens, have created a special star to signal the arrival of His Son? Whatever the nature of the star, these magi traveled thousands of miles searching for a king, and they found Him.
     

(v. 3) Herod the Great was quite disturbed when the Magi asked about a newborn king of the Jews because (1) Herod was not the rightful heir to the throne of David; therefore many Jews hated him as a usurper. If Jesus really was an heir, trouble would arise. (2) Herod was ruthless and, because of his many enemies he was suspicious that someone would try to overthrow him. (3) Herod didn’t want the Jews, a religious people, to unite around a religious figure.
     

(4-6) The chief priest and teachers of the law were aware of (Micah 5:2) and other prophecies about the Messiah. Matthew repeatedly highlighted their knowledge and unbelief. The Magi’s news troubled Herod because he knew that the Jewish people expected the Messiah to come soon (Luke 3:15). Most Jews expected the Messiah to be a great military and political deliverer, like Alexander the Great. Herod’s counselors would have told Herod this. No wonder this ruthless man took no chances and ordered that all the baby boys in Bethlehem killed (2:16)!
     

Most religious leaders believed in a literal fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecy; therefore, they believed the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem as foreseen by the prophet Micah seven centuries earlier (Micah 5:2). Ironically, when Jesus was born, these same religious leaders became his greatest enemies. When the Messiah, for who they had been waiting finally came, they didn’t recognize him.
     

(v. 8) Herod did not want to worship Christ - he was lying. This was a trick to get the Magi to return to him and reveal the whereabouts of the newborn king. Herod’s plan was to kill Jesus.
     

(v. 11) Jesus was probably one or two years old when the Magi found him. By this time, Mary and Joseph were married, living in a house, and intending to stay in Bethlehem for a while.
     

The Magi gave these expensive gifts as worthy acknowledgement for a future king. Bible students have seen in the gifts symbols of Christ’s identity and what he would accomplish. Gold was a gift for royalty; incense, a gift for deity; myrrh a spice for a person who was going to die. These gifts may have provided the financial resources for the trip to Egypt and back.
     

(v. 12) After finding Jesus and worshipping him, the Magi were warned by God not to return through Jerusalem as they had intended.
    
Reflect:

• What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
• Why was it important that Jesus be born in Bethlehem?
• Since the Magi were pagan astrologers, why would they leave everything in order to follow the star?
• Notice the responses of the Magi upon seeing Jesus. How is that similar to the response that Christians make to Jesus? How is it different?
• What do the star, the Magi, the gifts, the homage, the hostility and the prophecy teach about the significance of Jesus?

Respond: 

• In what ways has Jesus affected the direction of your life?
• Have you recognized Him as your personal Messiah? Why not?
• Have you acknowledged Jesus as the rightful King of your life? Why not?
• In your journey towards God, how are you like the Magi? Unlike them? Have you had to leave anything to follow Jesus?

Request: Would you offer a simple prayer offering yourself up to Jesus this Christmas season?

Excerpted from: Serendipity Bible & The Life Application Study Bible by Zondervan

Looking forward to a wonderful New Year!

THE IDEAL CHRISTMAS GIFT

Read:  (Matthew 1:18-25)

Research:
After reading the verses above, read the comments below to better understand the passage.

A Jewish marriage involved three basic steps. First: the two families agreed to the union. Second: a public announcement was made. At this point, the couple was “pledged.” This was similar to engagement today except that their relationship could be broken only through death or divorce (even though sexual relations were not yet permitted). Third: the couple was married and began living together. Because Mary and Joseph were engaged, Mary's alleged unfaithfulness carried a severe social stigma! According to Jewish civil law, Joseph had a right to divorce her and the Jewish authorities could have had her stoned to death. (see Deuteronomy 22:23, 24)

Why is the virgin birth of Jesus so important to the Christian faith?  Take a moment and answer that question. Jesus Christ, God's Son, had to be free from the sinful nature passed on to all other beings by Adam. We talked about this last week and how we were all born sinners. Because Jesus was born of a woman, he was also a human being. But, as the Son of God, Jesus was born without any trace of human sin. He is both fully human and fully divine!

Joseph was faced with a very difficult choice after discovering that Mary was pregnant. Perhaps he thought that he had only two options: divorce Mary quietly or have her stoned. But God had a third option – marry her! In view of the circumstances, this had not occurred to Joseph. But God often shows us that there are more options available than we think. Although Joseph seemed to be doing the right thing by breaking off the engagement, it was God's guidance that helped him make the best decision. But that still did not make it an easy decision! Consenting to still marry Mary surely cast doubt on his own innocence regarding the pregnancy, as well as leaving them both with a social stigma that they would carry for the rest of their lives! Yes, Joseph chose to obey the angel's command. We must always seek God's wisdom and then be willing to follow through no matter how difficult it may be!

The conception and birth of Jesus Christ are both supernatural events beyond human logic or human reasoning! Because of this, God sent His angels to help certain people understand the significance of what was happening. (see 2:13, 19; Luke 1;11, 26; 2:9)
The angel declared to Joseph that Mary's child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and would be a son. This reveals an important truth about Jesus – He is both God and human! The infinite, unlimited God took on the limitations of humanity so that he could live and die for the salvation of all who believe in Him.

Jesus means “the Lord saves.”  Jesus came to earth to save us because we can't save ourselves from our sin and it's consequences! No matter how good we are, we can't eliminate the sinful nature present in all of us. Only Jesus can do that! Jesus didn't come to help people save themselves; He came to be their Savior from the power and penalty of sin.

Joseph changed his plans quickly after learning that Mary had not been unfaithful to him. He obeyed God and proceeded with their marriage plans. And although others may have disapproved of his decision, Joseph went ahead with what he knew was the right thing! Sometimes we avoid doing what is right because of what others might think. Like Joseph, we must also choose to obey God rather than seek the approval of others!

Reflect:

• What kind of man was Joseph?

• If you had been Mary when she found out she was pregnant, what would be the first thing to pop into your mind? What about Joseph’s thoughts ?

• What could Joseph have done after hearing that Mary, his fiancé was pregnant?

• Why do you think the angel instructed Joseph not to be afraid?

• What reason do we have for any hope according to verse 21?

• How is God with us today? How does he give us hope?

• Jesus was called Immanuel:“God with us”. How do you feel about viewing Jesus as a role model?

Respond: 

• Thank Christ for his death on the cross for your sin, and then ask him to take control of your life. Your new life begins at that moment.

• What area of your life needs to be totally submitted to Christ? Are you willing to obey God at any cost?

• How do you plan for your relationship with Jesus to grow this coming year?

• In all honesty, what difference does following Jesus make in your own personal everyday life?

Request:
Give thanks for the specific ways God has been with you and has given you hope. 

Excerpted from: Serendipity Bible & The Life Application Study Bible by Zondervan

Merry Christmas from the Ortega family!

HOW TO PREPARE FOR CHRISTMAS

The Ortega's in Mesilla

Personal Comments:
     

I have been reading a book that was given to me titled, Pagan Christianity. I am thoroughly enjoying it, however, I have to be honest...it has caused me to challenge and question many of the things that I practice as an evangelical Christian. At the begging of the book a question is made that goes something like this, “Where did the practices of the contemporary church come from? ... Most of them were borrowed from pagan culture.” This ought to make all of us stop and think. Yes, how much of what we practice is really found in God's word?
     

Thank God for His word and that it reminds me, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” (1 Corinthians 6:12) [NASB] I am so grateful for God's liberty. However, let's remember that to break any of God's commandments is sin!
     

So, during this Christmas season, stop and ask yourself what practices from your cultural and religious past is acceptable to engage in as a “born again”, evangelical Christian?
     

This is a great question to ponder since many of you who are reading this have backgrounds similar to mine, culturally and religiously.  And even if you haven't, this still also applies to the culture and belief you embraced.
     

Let's not ignore the obvious: Santa Claus, reindeers, Christmas trees, and stockings are all obvious traditions that have nothing to do with the Christ child or the Christmas the bible speaks about. Did you realize that we are never even told to remember the birth of Christ, but only His death? However, should we stop incorporating those traditions? You decide...pray about it and ask the Holy Spirit to show you.
     

My children are now adults and we still trim a tree and exchange gifts. All three of them and their children sleep over at our house on Christmas Eve only to be awakened by me in the early morning hours to open gifts. We gather around the tree before we open gifts as Gayla or I read the Christmas story reminding us of the greatest gift ever given and what the season is truly about. Of course, we probably do this more for our grandkids than for our adult children. But we are building memories and family traditions centered around biblical truth.
     

For me, the Christmas season always evokes memories of my own childhood with my abuelos (grandparents) and other extended familia. Grandma always led the way. She was a very religious person. She got us involved in dancing with the “Matachines” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matachines) on December 11 & 12  and also in “Las Posadas” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Posadas). My grandmother led “Las Posadas” for all of us in San Pablo (village community just south of Mesilla). Then came the “Matanza” (pig “slaughter”).  And let's not forget the wonderful foods that followed: menudo, tamales, atole, and champurrado, which are both chocolate-based drinks, and the ever popular bizcochos (cinnamon-sugar anize cookies).
    

During the Christmas season my childhood church would also celebrate “Advent”.  If you are unfamiliar with Advent, it is derived from Latin meaning “to come.” As Christians, we remember the coming of God as a child, the coming of Christ into our lives, and the promise that Christ will come again. We celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Day, but our preparation would start with the Advent, which is the first season of the Christian year. It begins four Sundays before Christmas day.  It is a time of honoring God through prayer, reflecting on our relationship with Christ, and the manner in which we live our lives as Christ’s disciples/followers.
     

During the Advent/Christmas season, we have a wonderful opportunity to draw closer to each other and to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Ironically, this becomes the busiest time of year when we find ourselves being pulled apart, as schedules become crowded with what we believe to be the demands and needs for this holiday season! This year, join me, as we recommit ourselves anew, as a church and as families, to slow down, clear-up our schedules and make the time over the next few weeks to truly worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
     

(We have provided “Advent Devotional Guides” at the Resource Table to help you with this daily discipline.)
     

If you choose to use an Advent candle holder, light one candle, which represents Christ as the Light of the World.

Read: 

John 1:1-5; Luke 1:26-38

Reflect: 

Jesus comes as a light in a world of darkness and sin. Many stay in the darkness, but what was Mary’s response to God’s call?  How would you have felt if you were Mary?  What do these passages say about God?  How does knowing these things about God make you feel?

Pray:

 Thank God for humbly coming as one of us, offering us forgiveness of sin and an opportunity to spend eternity in His loving presence.

Action: 

Take time this week to be Christ’s light to others and demonstrate His love and kindness.  For example: visit a nursing home, take canned goods, blankets or toiletries to a shelter, bring a treat to a neighbor, rake leaves for the elderly...the possibilities are endless!

Matthew, Nathan and Tara with Santa.

Boy, do I wish I could have those years back!

"A JOURNEY TOWARDS SIGNIFICANCE"

Personal Comments: 

“When He was in the house, He [Jesus] asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’  But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.  He sat down and called them around Him and said ...” (Mark 9:33-35) [NIV] 
     

What drives you to be on top, to be number one, to be the greatest?  When I was a kid, we played a game back behind our modest adobe house where there was a high piece of ground. The game was called "King-of –The-Hill". Ever played it? It's where you try to knock everyone off until you're the last one standing on top of the hill. The problem is, the game is never over because everyone who isn't on top does everything in their power to knock off the next "King". This seems to be common in our nature. I don't know of anyone who is immune to this “game” in life.  Are you?  Have you ever gotten "knocked off" at work by some over-ambitious person who thought you were in the way?
     

Maybe, like me, you've been one “knocking down” others. A perfect example of this is the office Christmas party. Just go to observe at one this year. Watch to see who's “king of the hill” and what people do to each other to get a chance at being higher on the hill. People are a fun study if we can pull ourselves away from the struggle long enough to watch it! Here in America, we have “King-Of-The-Hill” down to a science. Not too long ago, Michael Vick, the quarter back for the Philadelphia Eagles, was proclaimed a "hero".  On July 18, 2007, a Federal Grand Jury in Richmond indicted him and three other men on charges related to their alleged operation of a dogfighting ring based at a property owned by Vick.
     

So why is he considered a hero? Did he run into a burning building to save an old woman? Did he give some of his fortune to research a cure for AIDS?  No! He was a hero because he was “King-of-The-Hill” in football. Each of us has some “hill” we want to be king of.  Just how far will we go to be first, the best? There's nothing wrong with us having ambition, but it's very dangerous when ambition has us!
    

The disciples had ambition, too. The Bible records 3 years of their living together with Jesus. During that time, the Gospels record only one subject they argued about. You guessed it: Who will be “King-Of-The-Hill” amongst them? Jesus had a way of turning things around for them and he often did so with the disciples. This time, was different though.  First, He embarrassed them by asking about the argument they were having over who would take His place. Then, He flipped the whole subject upside down by telling them: “... ‘Anyone wanting to be the greatest must be the least – the servant of all!’”

Biblical Comments:

Jesus and the disciples had arrived in Capernaum. The disciples had kept somewhat to themselves as they followed Jesus along the road, but Jesus knew they were having a heated discussion. They had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. Jesus already knew what the disciples had been discussing; even though He had asked the question, they didn’t answer him. But he then gave them an unforgettable lesson in true greatness.  Jesus had his work cut out for him in teaching these disciples who would be responsible to carry on his mission. So he sat down and called the disciples to sit at his feet. In only one sentence, he taught the essence of true greatness: “Anyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else” (see 10:45). Greatness is determined by servanthood. The true leader willingly serves, just as Jesus exemplified in his life and in his death. Being a “servant” didn’t mean occupying a servile position; rather it meant having an attitude that freely attends to others’ needs without expecting or demanding anything in return. Seeking honor, respect, and the attention of others is contrary to Jesus’ requirement for his servants. An attitude of service brings true greatness in God’s Kingdom.  Jesus didn't mind the disciples' ambition, He just wanted to change the nature of the struggle. He didn't want them  knocking each other off. He wanted them to lift each other up; to replace power, influence, wealth and celebrity with submission, cooperation, generosity and transparency. He did it by injecting one word into the "formula for success": servant. But, like all true leaders, He did more than just say it, He lived it! Paul tells us to be like Jesus, “... who being God, took on the nature of a servant, allowing Himself to be killed so that we could be served salvation.” (Philip. 2). In Jesus' kingdom, leadership and greatness aren't measured by how many people serve us, but by how many we serve.

Biblical Comments Excerpted from “Life Application Commentary

Application:

1. Would you consider yourself a servant? Why?
2. How could the disciples lapse into an argument about personal greatness at such an important time in their lives and with such an important person in their midst?
3. Share an example from home, work, church, LIFE Group and recreation where your “servant meter” can go up a notch.
4. Describe a time where God humbled you to silence.
5. Are you ready to truly be a servant, wherever He sends you? What would it take to make it so? If not, what needs to change?

"Ruins of Peter's house in Capernaum" Photo taken by Pastor Ruben