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For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are being saved, it is God. 1 Corinthians 1.18 Dear Lord Jesus, we stand in awe of your incarnation, humbled that you would choose us to witness your love and grace. Fill our hearts with reverence for your holiness. Give us the boldness to share your good news without fear of rejection or failure.
We know that the message of your gospel holds the power to change and transform lives. May we press forward with boldness and joy, sharing with others the same message that has changed our lives. May our lives echo the shepherd's song of hope and redemption. Empower us with your spirit to be bold, brave, and humble in the presence of others. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Thank you for praying with me today. Stay tuned now for another episode of Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider.
As he spoke, the choir of angels slowly rose their voices. The lights swirled to the rising and falling of their harmony. Finally, the song crescendoed into a resonating song of praise. Then, as suddenly as it had come, the light dissipated, leaving the valley bathed in the soft glow of the stars once more.
The melodies of heaven were replaced by the gentle whispers of the evening wind and a few chirping crickets. The shepherds sat, stunned and silent, their minds reeling from the vision they had just witnessed. The oldest shepherd turned to his companions. "Did we all just see that or is this old man finally losing his mind?"
The two others nodded their heads in confirmation that they had all borne witness, still stunned by what they had seen. Slowly, their eyes turned towards Bethlehem, where a few torchlights still flickered in the distance. Resting above the city was a new star, radiant and singular, unlike any they had seen before. The older shepherd turned to his young friend and laughed.
You may get to see royalty after all. They all laughed with unexplainable joy. With a shared understanding, they rose, leaving their belongings behind, their steps quickening as they ran towards Bethlehem. Their hearts were aflame with a joy they could not contain and a purpose they could not deny.
Hello and welcome to another Christmas episode of Stories of the Messiah. I'm your host, Rabbi Schneider from Discovering the Jewish Jesus, here to guide you as we behold the newborn King. This episode explores the themes of reverence, evangelism, and the humbling joy of being chosen to witness God's goodness. In our last episode, a small group of shepherds were visited by a choir of angels proclaiming the newborn King.
With passion in our hearts, the shepherds will embark on a search for a child lying in a manger. Their search for Jesus mirrors our own. We stumble in darkness looking for hope around every corner. And when we finally find Jesus, joy abounds in our lives. I pray this story will be a beacon of hope for everyone lost in darkness. The Gospel of John describes Jesus as a light that darkness cannot overcome.
The closer you are to Christ, the further you are from darkness. That is why Stories of the Messiah was created, to draw you closer to the light of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, let's place ourselves in the sandals of these shepherds. Let's step into the presence of Christ and feel the gravity of his goodness. This story will showcase the transformative power of Jesus' presence and how it changes us from the inside out.
After this story, we will unpack themes and lessons to take into our daily walks with God. The city of Bethlehem was still asleep. Silence covered the night like a warm blanket. Dawn was approaching to welcome the chirping of birds and the humming of vendors preparing for the day. The tranquil silence of the morning was interrupted by the ragged breaths of shepherds desperately searching for a child swaddled in a manger.
"Are we sure we heard the angel correctly?" one of them asked. "Would the child really be found in a feeding trough?" It seemed absurd, but then again, it was absurd for a choir of angels to visit a few lowly shepherds. The wisdom of God seemed like foolishness to the world. "None of it makes sense," the older shepherd said with a chuckle. "But we know what we heard and saw."
The companions paced through town, looking behind fences and walls for any sign of a baby in a manger. Their enthusiasm didn't wane, especially when they heard the faint cries of a newborn baby in the distance. The shepherds followed the sound down a cobbled stairway of an inn. Carved into the side of the hill, a flickering oil lamp revealed shadows of two people leaning over a crying baby. The baby's crying turned to soft whimpers, eventually soothed by his mother's voice.
The shepherds inched closer, finally stopping at its entrance. When they reached the stable, their bodies froze in reverence. Their minds grappled with the enormity of what lay within. Like Moses near the burning bush, they knew that they were on holy ground. The air was thick with expectancy as they peered into the shadows. Joseph met their eyes and stood up. He stepped forward, blocking their view of his wife and child. "'Who are you?' he asked sternly."
Mary reached out and touched his arm, her eyes filled with understanding. They came to see him, she whispered, her eyes soft and tired. Joseph's eyes softened and he nodded, stepping aside to allow the shepherds to approach. With hesitant steps, the shepherds came closer, their hearts fluttering with awe and eyes brimming with tears. The humble surroundings faded away as they beheld him. The
The baby Jesus lay in a manger, his tiny form wrapped in swaddling clothes, his face radiant with innocence and promise. They were overwhelmed with joy and humility. God chose these simple men to witness his newborn son. The knowledge was a weight and a blessing, a secret that filled them with a reverence they had never known. The younger shepherd of the three stepped forward with humility. He
He pulled out a woolen blanket he had woven himself from his lambs. He handed it to Mary. His voice, choked with emotion, faltered as he spoke. "For the child! A humble gift!" Mary's eyes beamed with gratitude as she accepted the offering, her lips curving into a gentle smile. "Thank you," she whispered. Her voice was warm and soothing. The shepherds bowed to Jesus, their bodies trembling with the enormity of the moment.
A profound and unbreakable connection had been forged, a moment in time that would resonate throughout the ages. Mary didn't say anything. She pondered everything in her heart, wondering what the future held for Jesus. The shepherds stood and bowed their heads to Mary and Joseph. They exited the stable, stealing one final glance at the child before they left. The sun began to rise over the hills, painting the sky with hues of gold and pink.
Their hearts were filled with an overflowing well of joy. Their contemplative walk slowly turned into a dance of praise and worship. Soon enough, the shepherds were shouting through the streets, their voices raised in worship and faces glowing with a light that drew curious onlookers. Some shook their heads, thinking the shepherds were crazy, drunk or both. But the shepherds, undeterred by scorn, proclaimed that the Messiah had been born and they had been privileged to see him.
Word began to spread like ripples in a pond, the whispers growing in strength and conviction. The shepherds' testimony, although unlikely, rekindled hope in a few who heard it. If the Messiah had truly been born, then hope for Israel was alive. The testimony reached the ears of some of the servants of Herod, the land's ruler. Their faces paled, their hearts pounding with fear and hope.
They did not tell Herod, choosing instead to hold silent, their minds filled with dreams of redemption from the oppression of Rome. Once weighed down by sorrow and suffering, the land seemed to awaken to a new possibility. The whispers grew into a chorus of voices, a community united by faith and longing. In that humble stable, a child had been born, a king who would change the world.
The shepherds, once forgotten guardians of their flock, had become heralds of a new era, their voices resonating with the truth that would transcend time and space. As the day unfolded, the sun casting a golden glow on the land, the shepherds returned to their fields. Their souls were forever changed. They looked to the bright blue skies and basked in the sun's warmth.
Their eyes would permanently be filled with wonder and gratitude that God had chosen them to bear witness to his greatest gift. It was a story they would tell for the rest of their lives, a tale of faith and providence, of humility and grace. They had stood on holy ground and they had witnessed God incarnate.
In the silence of the fields, as the sheep grazed and the world moved on, they would remember, and they would give thanks, their voices raised in a song that would echo through the ages, a melody of hope and redemption. I want us all to pause for a moment and consider how strange this scene would be to an ancient reader. The God of all creation chose to dwell among us, not in the form of a tyrant or warrior, but as a child.
When he was born, he chose to be born from a poor family in a stable set in a feeding trough. And as he lay there in the manger, his first worshipers were a few lowly shepherds. God packaged a remarkable event in unremarkable circumstances. This is proof to us that God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wisdom of the wise.
We often want to see God move in mighty and miraculous ways, like Moses parting seas or Elijah calling down fire from heaven. Still, the Christmas story reminds us that God is also at work in life's mundane and unremarkable margins. God chose to move in a run-down stable surrounded by ordinary shepherds. Therefore, He can work in your life as well. The shepherds' reaction as they entered the stable was pure awe.
They felt the weight of the moment. They were in the presence of something holy and divine. In today's fast-paced, noisy world, the concept of reverence can seem outdated. Yet these simple men teach us timeless lessons about reverence and worship. What does it mean to have reverence and awe for God? First, it means to recognize God's holiness. Just as Moses stood before the burning bush, the shepherds realized they were on holy ground and responded accordingly.
This encounter invites us to recognize God's sanctity in our lives. Do we approach God with the recognition He is holy and set apart from us? Second, the shepherds allowed themselves to be suspended in wonder. Their hearts were fluttering with awe at the presence of Christ. This awe and wonder at God's nature is something we can cultivate by reflecting on God's greatness, love, and works in our lives.
It requires us to pause, ponder, and press into the glory of God. When was the last time you stepped back and allowed yourself to be in awe of God? Lastly, the shepherds responded to God's holiness with evangelism. The shepherds didn't keep their experience to themselves. They went out into the streets proclaiming the birth of the Messiah. Despite scorn and misunderstanding, the shepherds boldly shared the good news.
We are called to share our faith with others, not fearing rejection. Their testimony ignited hope in the hearts of those who heard. Sharing our faith can catalyze hope in a world often weighted down by despair. Some people will doubt your testimony and others will receive it gladly. 1 Corinthians 1:18 tells us that the gospel is folly to those who are perishing, but to those who believe it is a source of power.
The realization that they were chosen to witness this event overwhelmed the shepherds with joy and humility. The shepherds were simple men, yet they were chosen. This is a profound reminder that God's choosing is not based on status or worldly qualifications, but on His grace. My friends, you are chosen. You are chosen to be witnesses to the light and love of Christ.
Just as the shepherds proclaim the Messiah in the city streets, so too should we boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus. May this Christmas season awaken in us a renewed reverence, a boldness to share the joy of Christ, and a profound gratitude that we have been chosen to be part of God's marvelous plan. Join us for our next episode of Stories of the Messiah as Jesus is revealed to a man named Simeon. Words of prophecy, glory, and warning will be given to Mary.
If you've enjoyed this podcast, consider sharing with a friend. We want the story of Jesus to change lives. If you're interested in my ministry, you can visit DiscoveringTheJewishJews.com. For more engaging and transformative biblical stories, download the Pray.com app.
