Next Step - December 20

Hi Everybody,

We are just finishing week three of Advent. It has been a season of waiting and spiritual preparation for the coming celebration of the birth of Jesus. Although the Christmas story is one we hear every year, it is a story that must never lose meaning or significance. Each Sunday this Advent season, we have been using the Advent Wreath and an Eastern Nativity Icon to tell the Nativity Story. There are 5 candles in the Advent Wreath; one candle will be lit each Sunday leading up to Christmas. Each candle will allow us to enter the Nativity Story from a different person’s perspective and experience. The final Candle, representing Jesus, will be lit this Thursday night at 8:00 -- Christmas Eve.

We have created a guide that tracks directly with Sunday morning’s devotions for you to use or adapt. I hope you have been following along.

The first week we entered Mary’s story, then Joseph’s story, and next we entered the story of the Shepherds. This week we entered into the story of the Wise Men.

Week Four. The Wise Men. A Sense of Urgency and Danger.

In the picture above, you see the wise men on horseback on the left-hand side of the picture, galloping uphill, their faces turned up looking for the star, which has led them here. The uphill angle of the horses tell us about the long, hard journey made by the wise men, and how important the event was to them. The wise men bring not only strange and exotic gifts, but also the world of politics and power into the Christmas story.

From the book of Matthew, Chapter 2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.’” Matthew 2:1-2

King Herod was a violent and cunning ruler, paranoid about his hold on power. He is alarmed by his unexpected visitors, alarmed by the mention of another king who could threaten his power. He encourages the Magi to continue their search, and to report back to him their findings, so that he too could worship the Christ.

The speed of the wise men’s horses tells us of the urgency and danger living in their part of the story, for they were aware of Herod’s true intent. Maybe they alone in the story had realized something of what was truly happening and that they would be risking their lives to disobey the commands of the most powerful ruler of that time. The wise men show how the story of the birth of Jesus was rooted in the real world of political corruption and intrigue, of a ruthless ruler who was prepared to kill anyone who stood in his way.

We learn later that when the Wise Men do not return to Herod, he orders the murder of every single newborn baby boy in Bethlehem so that he can be free of any challenge to his throne and his power, regardless of how young that challenger might be. It was this real world of oppression, death and danger, which Jesus had come to save.

This week we enter the story of the wise men, who made their long, exhausting journey to Bethlehem, and stirred fear and suspicion in the powerful leader, and risked their own lives to not only see Jesus, but protect His life as well.

Question: There are still many people around the world who suffer and die because of the corruption of powerful people and governments. How are you willing to take on powerful governments, systems and forces to worship Jesus and to bring his message of hope and peace to those suffering?