Luke 1:28-38
An Angel Appears to Mary
Luke 1:28-38
How do we know we love God because we obey him – Obedience is greater than sacrifice. Thank you to Mary for saying “YES” to God. When you hear that small voice in your spirit asking or telling you to do something good, obey it? Or do you ignore it?
Matthew 1:18 “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about, his Mother Mary was pledged to be married To Joseph, but before
They came together; she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband was faithful to the law, and did not want to expose her and was going to quietly divorce her. When Joseph was asleep an Angel came to him and said:
“Joseph son of David do not be afraid, to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived is from the Holy Spirit. “She will give birth to a son and, you will give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” 22 all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet.
“A Virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means God with us!”
THE PROPHET ISAIAH
If you’re wondering who the prophet Isaiah was, he was one of the greatest prophets that ever lived! Isaiah was major Old Testament prophet around 740 to 680 BC Who prophesied about Jesus Christ’s coming, virgin birth, suffering servant (Isaiah 53), and the triumphant reign (Isaih 9:6), literally centuries before (700 to 800 years approximately Isaiah would prophesize of the birth of Christ Jesus!
The book of Isaiah gives a detailed account of the Messiah’s life, death and resurrection (I’ll just add you need to read about the story of Isaiah so many amazing miracles and prophecies that happened during his time on this earth). Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel” God with us!
One of my favorite songs is “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” which is situated approximately 5 miles from Jerusalem in the West Bank. It was composed by Episcopal priest Phillips Brooks in 1868, inspired by his visit to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, in 1865. He crafted the lyrics for his Sunday school children in Philadelphia, while his church’s organist, Lewis Redner, created the well-known melody.
This song is not frequently heard, even on the radio, as the art of composing music for Christ Jesus during the Christmas season has evolved significantly from earlier times. Nevertheless, these songs remain available for us to read and enjoy if we take the time to listen. The Simplicity of Truth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHKORmpW4Cg&list=RDEHKORmpW4Cg&start_radio=1
“Proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the King, And Peace to men on earth”. It Is December 18, 2025, just a week until Christmas.
Right now the Jewish people are celebrating the Festival of Lights and you are familiar with it as Hanukkah.
Often referred to as the Festival of Lights, it recalls a moment in history, 160 to 167 BC, when Jews were targeted for their Jewish practices and identity. It celebrates the brief period in which they managed to overcome attempts to suppress their faith and culture, rededicating the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated, and restoring a measure of Jewish leadership and autonomy in the land of Israel.
Today, Hanukkah is one of the most widely celebrated Jewish festivals around the world. Its proximity to Christmas led American Jews in the 20th century to elevate it to as a major Jewish holiday.
We were not alive over 2000 years ago and it is hard for us to understand the struggles of the Jewish people and the cruelty they endured at the hands of an evil “antichrist figure” king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king who brutally persecuted Jews. Banned their religion and desecrated their temple. There was a family called the Maccabees who you will not find in a King James or most protestant bibles however you will find it in a Catholic Bible. You will also not find it in the Torah however you will find It in the Talmud and the account of history Based on the Greco-Roman model of celebrating a military triumph, Hanukkah was instituted in 164 B.C. to celebrate the victory of the Maccabees, a ragtag army of Jews, against the much more powerful army of King Antiochus IV of Syria.
I bring this up because right now around the world the Jewish people are celebrating Hanukkah and the “Miracle of the Oil”. You will have to do your own research to read but I find it interesting as each night they light the candles which is symbolic of the miracle of oil (they only had enough oil for one night yet the oil burned for 8 days). As Christians we are aware a Great light has come in to the world. Isaiah 9:2 “A great light has come into the world” which signifies the coming of the Messiah the hope and Salvation of the World.
Jesus was a Jew, born to a Jewish mother, Mary, and raised in a Jewish household by Mary and Joseph. It is important to remember that Jesus came to liberate all captives and to draw the world to him through his selected Disciples, all of whom were Jewish. Over 2000 years ago, the Christian Faith was established when the gentiles were also grafted into God’s plan. The Jewish people and Christians were meant to unite through Christ Jesus for all who believe in the Son of God! Anyone that is a non Jew is a gentile so anyone from any culture any religion can turn to the one true God and Jesus will accept you, he is waiting…. He loves you!
I imagine that night on Christmas over two thousand years ago…..
On the night of Christ Jesus’ birth, I believe a profound silence enveloped the land. The air was chilly, and the sky was adorned with numerous stars, while the animals remained quiet. However, one star captured the attention of all those below. It seemed almost alive, pulsating brightly as if a magnificent orchestra was performing, with angels gathering in the heavens to celebrate the arrival of their king, Jesus. It was a tangible sensation for anyone who ventured out to observe and listen, feeling in their hearts that something was different and beautiful a feeling of JOY, LOVE, AMAZING GRACE, and GREAT AWE for God that had long been absent.
Something extraordinary was occurring, and those who were attentive recognized that the prophecy was being realized. Three kings, having traveled an immense distance. They gazed with eager anticipation at the king destined to be born into the world to redeem it. They followed the Star and arrived just in time to witness Mary who just gave birth to a small, beautiful baby boy named Jesus.
The animals surrounding them lay peacefully, gazing at the one true King. The children in the fields and the shepherds tending their sheep that night were reassured by the Angels who instructed them to “Not be Afraid” Luke 2:8-10 recounts the Angels announcing the Birth of Jesus: Shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem, taking turns watching over their flock during the night. 9 Suddenly, an angel from the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord illuminated the area, filling them with fear. 10 The angel reassured them, saying, “Do not be afraid! I will bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
Don’t you wish you could have been there to see the birth of Christ Jesus to be part of a great prophecy fulfilled of old?
To be a part of something so amazing, yet we are, right now and every minute and every breath we take we are missing the Shepherd calling to us! Do you hear his voice? No, pray and ask and listen. Matthew 7:7 Ask, Seek, Knock 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Evil may prevail for a little while but be of Good Cheer, Jesus has overcome this World!”
When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem inquiring, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2), their inquiry unsettled a formidable ruler named King Herod. The Gospel of Matthew elucidates that Herod’s response was marked by fear, deceit, and ultimately violence. To comprehend why he sought to eliminate Jesus, it is crucial to understand his identity and governing style. King Herod, frequently referred to as Herod the Great, was appointed as the ruler of Judea by the Roman Empire around 37 BC. While he was recognized for his extensive building endeavors, including the renovation of the Temple in Jerusalem, he was equally notorious for his extreme brutality. Historical accounts indicate that he executed several members of his own family, including his wife and two sons—due to his belief that they posed a threat to his authority.
Herod was not of Jewish lineage, but rather an Idumean (Edomite) governing a Jewish populace. This rendered his title, “King of the Jews,” tenuous and politically precarious. When the Magi proclaimed the birth of a child who had a legitimate claim to that title, Herod perceived Jesus not as a savior, but as a danger to his reign. Matthew recounts that Herod clandestinely met with the Magi and instructed them to return with details about the child, feigning a desire to worship Him (Matthew 2:7–8). However, his true aim was to eliminate any potential rival.
When the Magi failed to return, Herod commanded a tragic massacre: the execution of all boys in Bethlehem aged two years and under (Matthew 2:16). This incident is referred to as the Massacre of the Innocents. In response, Joseph received a warning in a dream, prompting him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt, thereby fulfilling another prophecy (Matthew 2:13–15; Hosea 11:1
Herod’s actions reveal a profound truth: the advent of Jesus challenges worldly power. Jesus did not confront Herod with armies or political movements. He was merely an infant born into poverty. Nevertheless, His identity as the true King posed a challenge to false authorities rooted in fear and control. Herod reacted with violence because his governance was predicated on self-preservation rather than faith in God. If we reflect on this, we can see how the arrival of Jesus disrupts the status quo of power and authority.
Does the last sentence resonate with the state of our government today in 2025 “Herod reacted with violence because his governance was predicated on self-preservation rather than faith in God”.
The Christmas season is here, my gift to you is just telling the truth of our King Jesus and I am putting my Nativity scene outside for all to see that Christmas is because of Jesus.
However, in the hearts of many others, there exists evil—an evil that seeks to harm Jews and Christians worldwide because they refuse to accept Jesus as their Savior.
Have you forgotten that the one who is in the world embodies evil and harbors hatred towards anything that represents God? Satan believes he is akin to God and desires for the world, including you, me, and all global leaders, to bow before him. His time is limited; the signs are evident around us. Numerous antichrists have emerged in the world to persecute God’s chosen people, the Jews and Christians, and the worst is yet to come. “The time of Jacob’s trouble is upon us.”
America will be under a great testing as if the whole world has been waiting for this moment in time. As a woman who gives birth the time is coming —a land that once made a covenant with God Almighty but has now forgotten him, much like the Israelites when they faced judgment due to great sin, rebellion against God. Yet, even now, God’s hand remains extended towards us, urging us to repent, and He has a remnant that will be saved.
There are many in America that Love God and repent and praise God, he sees you and loves you and we are a remnant, it is many leaders that have led us off a cliff not in just government but in the churches, and judgment starts in the house of God first!
Let your light shine bright with Love in your hearts and forgiveness’. The thing is time is a riddle. No one knows how much time they truly have, like the man who saved and stored up all his wealth and built another barn to keep it in only to find that his life was required that same night. He stored up the things of this earth not sharing, not helping and meanwhile where was his treasurers in heaven in his heart for mankind? Our time is short here and have we discovered the truth of Love? Agape Love? Love never fails.
Do you hear the good shepherd calling you? John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
Who is the good shepherd? John 10:11-18
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my father.”
