Thoughts From Luke - Day 7

                                              Luke 2:15-20
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

       Why do we as Christians witness? Why do we feel compelled to violate the rule that the two things you don't talk about are politics and religion? I think we see the answer in this passage. Look at the shepherds. They are going door to door running through the streets apparently at night. What is their message? Is it turn or burn? (there is a place for that - see Jonah) No. It is let me tell you about all the wonderful miraculous things I've seen and heard!
 That's what a witness is in a court case. The person is called to the stand and tells what they have seen and heard. In this case it is good news or gospel. Jesus has come and He is the one we have all been waiting for. As I witness in my office, I think of all different ways to share the gospel. Why not today just tell people what I have seen and heard? Why not tell people how God has revealed Himself to me? And if, like the angels, I can get them to look into Jesus, they will find Him and not be disappointed.
    
      The other thing I see here is that they go back to Jesus again. This is the pattern of a saved life. The gospel is not only that salvation has come but a restored new relationship with God has occurred. Why do church teens fall away when they leave home for college? Partially because they never went back to God. Sure they went back to Youth Group but was that their Christ substitute? Sure they were saved and testified to that but that isn't the end of it. That all happened so that they could go back and glorify, praise, worship God on an intimate daily basis. Salvation without relationship is probably no salvation at all. And what did Mary do - she pondered the Word of God. She meditated on the things that she had seen and heard. Are we meditating, ruminating, memorizing, pondering God's word? I started this blog about a week ago thinking what am I going to get out of the Christmas story that I have heard for the last 60 years. However as I type and return to it over and over, God keeps giving me new thoughts. That is so essential in our spiritual growth.

     Are you testifying? Are you returning? Are you pondering? Have you gone to Jesus to check Him out? He is all and more than people claim He is.

Lord, thank you for bringing people across my path that told me how great Jesus is. Thank You for showing Yourself to be even bigger than that. Thank You for Your Word that is alive and always teaches me something. Amen