Here’s Something YOU Have Never Thought of About April Fool’s Day

Posted on April 12, 2023 by admin

Since April Fool’s Day was on the calendar during Easter Week, I wasn’t able to publish this on April Fool’s Day. But, before we get too far past that, I wanted to chase a theological rabbit for a minute. This is NOT an April Fool’s joke, but it has to do with my take (purely conjecture) on a possibility about WHY we call April first a fool’s day. In so doing, I’ll share some quick opinions about Jesus’ birthday and the Real April Fool: and offer the perspective that perhaps there is a reason we can’t nail down the exact date of Jesus’ birthday…The Scripture says it like this:

“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 when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2, NIV)

No Certain Date

The historical birthday of Jesus has been debated and even disputed in modern times. Because of a lack of clarity over the timing of Herod’s reign and Quirinius’ term as governor of Syria, several theories have arisen around the exact day Jesus was born. Most scholars agree that Jesus was born in 3-4 BC, and was probably not born on Christmas day itself.

Our modern date for Christmas probably started around 400 AD, when the Church moved Christmas there from January 6 to compete with (and perhaps redirect) the pagan celebration of the birth of the sun. At any rate, there is no purely Biblical reason to use December 25 as the true historical day of Jesus’ birth.

Based on Jewish Holy days, and the fact that shepherds were out in the fields with their flocks, many scholars feel that the most likely birth date might be in the Fall of the year. Interpretations based on lambing season, climate. flock locations all have good points to help justify a Fall annunciation. Other scholars choose to place it in the Spring (and for some of the same reasons!), but it’s just not conclusive. As a result, men have disputed and debated the true birth day of Christ ever since… I would submit that anywhere there is division, dispute, and debate, we find opportunities for the great deceiver to bend and twist the truth.

As Paul Harvey Might Have Said

If I were the devil, I would love anything that creates doubt or confusion about Jesus. (Even his birthday.) I would certainly be opportunistic enough to take anything not explicitly stated in Scripture and try to use it for division or doubt. (As a parenthetical note, there is NO real debate as to whether Jesus of Nazareth was an actual historical figure. There are still people who continue to try to change that history today. But then there are also those who still claim the earth is flat, or that the Holocaust never happened…)

Even though the exact date may be obscure, there is NO DOUBT that Jesus of Nazareth had a birthday! We just don’t really know if it was in April or not.

A New Theory That Makes Sense to Me

My lovely wife Nancy has a very interesting idea about April first. She has often noted that it seems like Satan loves to mess with days that are special to Christians. Several significant church holidays have been tied to pagan activities or worldly festivals and traditions, and are therefore subject to criticism, or worse, to perversion.

Easter, for instance, was loosely related to Ishtar festivals, which celebrated fertility and spring. Even though our liturgical Easter probably was not related to Ishtar, it has received criticism for its proximity to it, since all manner of pagan activities took place around THAT celebration! Halloween has been tainted by ties to Satan and evil (so much so that many Christians refuse to celebrate it and have renamed it “Fall Festival”. But there’s very little “hallowed” about Halloween these days.) So where did Christmas come from? It was never really tied historically to the exact birthday of Jesus, and the very year it occurred is not really clear from Scriptural and historical accounts. (In fact, it probably happened around 4 BC to account for Tiberius and likely census dates).

Misdirection?

We celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25 because it came from a traditional church feast day that started in the 4th century AD (which was also based on a pagan feast day!). Scripture never gives the exact date, but the fact that sheep were out grazing in Luke’s account could indicate early spring. My wife Nancy speculated that since Satan likes to 1) mess with anything godly; 2) cast aspersions about who Jesus was; and 3) make Christians look foolish, then perhaps the most logical date for the birth of Christ would be April 1.

If the great Deceiver wanted to call attention away from Jesus, why not make the day of his birth an annual Fool’s day? Make it day of pranks and foolishness rather than a day of reverence and celebration? It’s not based on scholarly research, but to me it makes sense because it is just the kind of thing that the great deceiver would do: he would try to make Christ look foolish and to create a case for doubt around His birthday.

However, if Satan did that, the joke is on him. As Paul said, “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. (I Corinthians 12:7, KJV). If Satan is somehow behind turning the day of Jesus’ birth into a Fool’s day, then his little joke is just like the Cross: he thinks he won a battle when he actually lost the war!

So, What does April Fool’s Day Have to Do With Jesus?

Scholars just cannot agree, from all the evidence they can see,
The very day of Jesus’ birth. They know for sure he came to earth,
And has a place in history, but there is ambiguity
Because the Bible does not say which year, or month, or week, or day.
I know the Devil roams about to cast destruction, death, and doubt–
Using falsehood to disguise, and shrouding truth with outright lies!
I’m sure he’d love to use his tools to turn us into April Fools,
Prompting men to cast some scorn about the day that Christ was born.

But please o seeker, just remember, whether in April or December,
Jesus Christ was really here. On that, we can be crystal clear.
We may not have the day exact, but Jesus came, and that’s a fact.
So if you’d like to have debate, I wouldn’t wait, or hesitate–
Let’s talk about eternal fate, and whether Jesus shot us straight,
And if the things he said were true. I’d research that, if I were you!

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr

Eyewitness Accounts Exist; But are They Enough to Convict YOU?

Posted on January 18, 2023 by admin

The Christmas season always has so much meaning to me that I hate to see it end. But the tree and the Christmas lights are now officially down. Before we get TOO far into 2023, let’s pause to reflect one last time about the Christmas story. I love it because it’s a story filled with humility and surprise, full of unexpected details that validate the arrival of a long-awaited king. And it’s also amazing because every year it presents evidence through eyewitness accounts. It’s a yearly reminder that Jesus was a REAL person who was born and walked among us.

Really

His arrival was witnessed by shepherds and magi, by townspeople and angels. At the time, men recalled Scriptures from long ago and quoted them while celebrating the birth of Jesus; they still do today. Why do so many people commemorate his life every year? We’re a long way from first century Judea, and there is so much legend and commercialism today around the Christmas baby Jesus it might be easy to forget who he really was and what he really did.

Lest the story seem ancient and quaint, I thought it would be good to play “Eyewitness News” through the gospels and get some first-hand accounts from people who were there, who saw Jesus, talked with him, and witnessed what he did. After all, eyewitness accounts can get someone convicted in a court of law; maybe they are worth listening to about this man Jesus.

Actual Testimony

Do those accounts provide any real evidence about him? The story of the baby Jesus reminds us how he came to earth; the things he did as a man reveal WHY he came to earth. One of the early reporters was his cousin, John the Baptist, who said this: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire…” (Matthew 3:11 KJV) and this: “Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:35-36 KJV)

Before Jesus ever drove money-changers from the temple or performed a miracle, and before his wisdom changed the way everyone looked at religion, John identified him as a game-changer. Long before the cross, and long before Jesus said, “This is my body”, John pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, the sacrifice who would take away the sins of the world.

This past Christmas season, we’ve celebrated the birth of the baby Jesus, the newborn king. Let’s not forget who he grew up to be. Christmas may begin in a manger, but it ends on a cross. Reliable witnesses provided proof of Jesus’ birth; they also remind us throughout the Gospels that we should celebrate his life as well! If a reliable eyewitness account can get someone convicted of murder, perhaps we should allow a few good eyewitness accounts to get us convicted about how to live…

The Shepherd’s Account

I saw him there, your Honor, in the manger where he lay;
I saw him in the village, with the other kids at play.
He taught there in the temple court when he was just a lad;
The elders were astonished at the questions that he had!
I saw him heal the sick and lame, and heard him preach and teach,
While hundreds fed on fish and bread extended from his reach.

You asked me here and swore me in to give my testimony.
I raised my hand and told this court that not a word is phony!
The angels told us we would find a new-born baby boy,
Whose birth would change the world, and bring us tidings of great joy!
I swear, Your Honor, on my oath that every word is true;
That many people heard his words and saw what he could do–
I’m sure you would believe in Him, if you had seen him too!

The Gift that keeps on Giving: Better Than Jelly of the Month!

Posted on December 28, 2022 by admin

It’s that time of year that we leave Christmas behind, isn’t it? Gifts have been unwrapped (and exchanged), gift cards have been redeemed, and we are putting away Christmas lights and decorations until next year… Here’s the thing: don’t stop celebrating the season when the season is over!

Why Christmas?

When you think about it, for many of us Christmas was all about giving and opening gifts! It is a tradition that goes back to the gifts of the Magi, which were presented to Jesus as a young child sometime after he was born. Some folks relate it to Saturnalia, a pagan Roman festival which pre-dated the birth of Christ, and which was supplanted by the Christian celebration of Jesus’ birth.

Since people gave each other small gifts during that winter festival, the custom was appropriated by early Church Fathers. (Although some Christians today refuse to celebrate because of those early roots, but I say, why let the devil have all festivals? It’s ok to celebrate the birth of Christ and give gifts!) Which gift was your favorite this year?

The Gifts of the Magi, and Some Others Worth Mentioning

We give each Holiday season to commemorate the actions of the Magi in Matthew 2:11: “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Gifts are a wonderful part of our Christmas celebration. But as you start enjoying the presents you received on Christmas, remember that there are gifts, and there are GIFTS:

There is the gift of life. There is the gift of love. And then there’s this: “For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, KJV).

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the GIFT of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, KJV).

“But the free GIFT is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the GIFT by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded unto many.” (Romans 5:15, NIV)

“For God so loved the world that he GAVE his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, KJV)

It’s About Living

No matter where you are and no matter what your circumstances today, never forget that Christmas is not about toys or things. It’s about a new history being made. It’s about new life. And it’s about a new KIND of life. To me, eternal life is an attitude that not only transcends time and space but it begins here and now! I like to think it is what Gus McCrae meant in “Lonesome Dove”. He said, “It ain’t dying I’m talking about, it’s living. I doubt it matters where you die, but it matters where you LIVE.”

This new year, don’t limit Christmas gifts to a single day. Celebrate it all year long! Embrace life wherever you are. Live with an awareness of the gifts that matter. Don’t get so caught up in your new iPhone that you miss the greatest gift of all! Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Rhyme

Sing Hosanna, peace on earth! Celebrate the Savior’s birth!
As Angels sing, Rejoice with them! This baby, born in Bethlehem,
Made every earthly power shift, and offered us His matchless gift.
Give “Peace on earth” and spread “Good Cheer”! But tell me, if this isn’t clear:
Since Jesus showed that “God came near”, why celebrate just once a year?
Don’t take your faith from Christmas nights and pack it away with the Christmas lights!
In winter, summer, spring, and fall, open the greatest gift of all—
At home, abroad, at work or play—Celebrate Christmas every day!
Whenever you recall this rhyme: it’s Him, it’s you, it’s Christmas time!

Decisions, decisions: This Christmas Business was Tougher than you Think

Posted on December 27, 2022 by admin

Before and after Jesus was born, Joseph had some tough decisions to make. In our previous post we discussed the decision to flee from Bethlehem to go all the way to Egypt. Imagine Joseph and Mary in Egypt, away from friends and family, forced to become refugees in a strange land. Then this: “After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

“So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:19-23 NIV)

More Than Meets the Eye

Joseph’s relationship with God was not limited to the pre-Advent announcement about his first son. Obviously, he had to deal with issues that were beyond the scope of most typical First-century Jewish husbands and fathers, and he had to make some tough decisions. He had to deal with 1) a bride who was pregnant before the wedding; 2) the messengers of God coming to him with directions; 3) a pretty dicey political situation, what with the local king trying to kill his son and all; and yeah, 4) he had to make some pretty difficult travel arrangements under adverse circumstances.

On top of all of that, he and Mary also had to decide where to live and how to raise the Son of God who had been placed under their care. There was no Century 21 office to advise them, and I’m sure buying a home was not easy in their circumstances. They still had to evaluate neighborhoods and make assessments about what was happening and where to settle geographically so that the Christ child would be safe.

Details Matter

I think it’s interesting that, even under the protection of the Most High, Joseph and Mary still had to make decisions about where to go; they still had to take action to be obedient. They had been warned of Herod’s treachery and had to get up at night and escape to Egypt, to live among strangers in a strange land. It doesn’t say they were told HOW to do those things. They were certainly vulnerable and in danger, but they trusted God and responded to His word. I’m sure that those weeks were lonely and fearful, and that there were moments of doubt and uncertainty for the young couple as they began their life together.

Perhaps there is something in their story for us. A walk with God is not a magical Union that takes place in spiritual realms; it is a journey through hard times in an uncertain world where bad things can happen. I think it’s instructive that Mary and Joseph 1) listened to God’s word to them; 2) made decisions based on what He said; and 3) demonstrated obedience to God by acting upon his instruction. You think maybe we could learn from that? If it worked for Joseph and Mary, maybe it would work for us.

The Honeymoon (Joseph’s View)

I hope these dreams are whose they say they are;
We’ve left our family, and we’ve traveled far
To live down here in Egypt. It’s been rough,
(As if this birth had not been hard enough!)
So now we have to take a different tack;
The angel says that we should travel back!
Judea isn’t safe; so, where to go?
I guess when we get closer, we will know…
But Mary is amazing. We will make it,
And if God has some more advice, we’ll take it.
We are strangers living in this land–
Something that I never would have planned–
But we have both obeyed the Lord’s command:
So in Him we will trust, and take our stand.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Christmas Untold: The REST of the Story of Fear, Flight and Faith

Posted on December 26, 2022 by admin

After you have celebrated the Nativity scene, considered the angels’ announcement, and are anticipating the birth of Jesus, it is time to think about what Christmas was all about for Mary and Joseph. Yes, there were the messengers who came, but there was more to come from his time in Bethlehem than the stable and the manger.
“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:12-15, NIV).

A Very Creepy Christmas

The Christmas story doesn’t end with the Nativity. It begins there. For Joseph and Mary, it meant a hasty departure under cover of darkness to a strange land. It meant hard travel in open country with a young mother and an infant whom Herod was seeking to kill…

Come to think of it, it had to be a scary trip, maybe the scariest road trip experience of all time. Yes, there was an aging and jealous king trying to eliminate a potential threat to his throne, but it wasn’t just Herod who wanted the baby dead. Paul reminded us in Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places…”

It was not only Herod, but every dark power in this world had to be uneasy, sensing this sudden goodness which was now present on planet earth. Surely every evil force could feel a shudder of its own death knell, and stirred blindly and restlessly, reacting with vague disquiet against God’s work in the world. Against a creepier background than any horror film could conjure up, Joseph took his little family in the dead of night and set out for Egypt.

Spiritual War

Behind the holy family, Bethlehem was about to experience the slaughter of the innocents; before them lay a long and uncertain journey to Egypt. Satan has never been omniscient, or surely he would have known who this baby was in advance, and ended the Christmas story at the manger… But the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of evil.

Undoubtedly, throughout the millennia Satan had anticipating the arrival of a coming king, and was ready to do battle with God’s royal emissary and savior. Perhaps, like the Pharisees, he was looking for a majestic, powerful king who would come heralded in glory, ready to fight the Romans. After all, that was how power asserted itself in his domain, so the logical thing would be to sow corruption and evil wherever men wielded it.

Start At The Top

Satan certainly worked hard in the courts of both Judean kings and Roman emperors (and most royal houses throughout history), using ego and treachery to corrupt and contaminate almost everyone who attained a position of strength. Winston Churchill, who was a pretty astute chronicler of history, said “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

The devil has been pretty effective at corrupting leaders (he’s still doing it today, even in our hallowed Republic), but Satan did not foresee God’s unusual plan. God chose weakness to confound strength. He heralded not a military kingdom but a spiritual one. Against all logic, He sent humility to oppose power. God chose a frail baby in all humility to end an evil empire based on selfishness and pride; and He sent Jesus to begin a new kingdom based on peace and love. And guess where it starts, the week after Christmas? Look no further than your own heart…

Just like the Holy family, you too are on a journey facing uncertainty and choices. There is a selfish, grasping evil that wants you to fail; yet there is a humble, loving Savior who wants you to succeed. As you consider Christmas and all that really happened around the birth of Christ, remember why he came and the person to whom it matters the most: YOU.

Christmas Mayhem

Forced to flee in the dead of night,
Joseph had disturbing dreams
Which warned him that they must take flight
From Herod’s mad and murderous schemes.
Commanded by his jealous word,
Assassins through their village crept,
And performed their duties undeterred
As mothers wailed and fathers wept.

But Herod’s minions missed the mark,
As Joseph took his wife and infant son
Traveling hard to safety in the dark:
Their long and dangerous journey had begun.
And every evil power on this earth
Was restless as it sensed this new-born king,
Uneasy since the announcement and the birth,
Uncertain of the changes it would bring.
The powers of darkness felt the child’s great good,
Felt the Spirit around him as it flowed,
And stirred to end this danger, if they could,
From the family alone, out on the open road…

If Bethlehem Was on the Bayou… a Different Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2022 by admin

Imagine, if you will, that Bethlehem had been located on the bayou in Southern Louisiana. Let’s celebrate the birth of Jesus today the way it might have been…

De Bayou was cold, and de weather was hard,
And de Hound dogs an’ animals lay in the yard;
De crickets was chirpin’, an’ de bullfrogs dey sing,
Never suspecting the birth of a king.
From a beat-up pirogue stepped old Joseph an’ Mary,
And she was so pregnant dat, Man, it was scary!
At ol’ Thibodeaux’s Inn Dey knock on de do’,
But he said, “Dey’s no room, not even on de flo’.”
They turned, disappointed, But Thibodeaux said:
Jes’ wait you a moment—you can sleep in de shed!”
So Mary an’ Joseph went roun’ to the back,
Where they made up a bed in ol’ Thibodeaux’s shack.

Now, out on the bayou, some fishermen sat,
When dey saw such a bright light, dey wondered where dey at!
For, high up above them at the top of the trees,
Dey saw such a sight, dat dey fall on dere knees!
Ol’ Gaston, he say, “Whew—boy! I must be dyin’!
For over the Bayou, dose Angels be flyin’!”
“Fear not!” Said de Angels, “For we just came to say
Dat Jesus the king will be born here today!

Go to Thibodeaux’s Inn, aroun’ to de back,
And you’ll find the baby, asleep in de shack.”
So those fishermen pulled in their nets an’ their bugs,
And put up their line, an’ put down their jugs,
An’ paddled on over towards Thibodeaux’s place,
Where they could encounter de King face to face.

Now, meanwhile, dis same night, on de far side of town,
The three Chutney sisters had just settled down.
Now, the oldest was Grace, and the youngest was Sue,
An’ Evangeline, she was de middle one, too!
They all settled down for a midwinter’s sleep,
An’ were driftin’ off down where de slumber is deep,
When an angel appeared, and said, “Get outta bed,
And shake all dose cobwebs right outta your head!
Go out to de yard, an’ look high an’ look far,
And search de night sky for a bright shining star.

Jus’ you follow dat star all de way across town,
An’ you’ll find a place where a baby lays down,
In the shack in the back of ol’ Thibodeaux’s Inn…
An’ dis baby will save us from all of our sin!
So get up! Get a move on! An’ Give God the glory;
Go honor dat baby! An’ tell men the story
Of the fact God is with us!” Then dose angels left, blazin’!
An’ then said her sisters an’ Grace: “That’s amazing!”

So the Chutney girls went out and followed the star,
till it led them downtown past Jerome’s grill & bar,
Till they came on to Thibodeaux’s , where dey saw the sight
Of the newborn king, who was just born dat night…
The fishermen came and had gathered around,
Just watchin’ the baby; no one made a sound,
Not even the houn’ dorgs who sat still & quiet:
Dis must be de king! Why, how could they deny it?

So up walked the Chutneys; in a straight line they filed
To the star that now rested right over the child;
Then Grace spoke up quietly: “I t’ink dat maybe
We ought to deliver our gifts to de baby.
We’re po’, but we brought out a couple of things,
That might help us worship the new king of kings.”

So Sue stepped on up, with a smile soft an’ sweet,
And she lay her best coat at the new baby’s feet.
She said, “Mary, I know that like me, you are broke,
So I hope you can use this as some kinda cloak,
That will give you some cover and keep you from harm,
And help you to keep our new king safe and warm.”

Evangeline came to de crib in de room,
And she said, “I have only my bestest perfume,
But I offer its fragrance, and hope it is able
To cover the smell of this musty old stable.”
And, finally, Grace said: “I feel sorry and sad
That we only can give him what little we had,
For I know that a king should have wealth—so I’m told,
And that Jesus deserves to be showered with gold.
So I give you this gift, and it makes me quite happy,
To give you dis watch that belonged to my pappy.”

As she lay the gold watch at the feet of the child,
Miss Chutney believed for a moment he smiled;
And the angels appeared, an’ were singing again:
“Let’s have peace on the earth, an’ Good will toward men!”
Gaston and his friends, they hitched up their pants,
and they grabbed all the Chutneys and’ started to dance!
Then they ran through the town, and they sounded dey horn,
And dey tol’ ev’ry body dat Jesus was born!

From den on, all the Chutneys and fishermen said
They could never forget what was put in dere head,
Dat a king would be born, an’ his work would begin,
That would save ever body from all of dere sin.
After the Chutneys and Gaston had came,
De t’ings on the Bayou could not be the same.
An’ dat was the very first Christmas dat day,
Which caused all the folks on the Bayou to say,
From then on, “Laissez les Bon temps rouler!”

Well, friend… What about you when you hear of dis story,
Do you know of dis child? Do you know of his glory?
Can you hear what the angels proclaim as they sing?
Do you bring all you have to the feet of the king?
May you follow de star; may its light draw you near,
And may Christmas live in you t’roughout the whole year:
As you gaze on the child: as you look on his face,
May you say with Gaston: “That’s amazing, Grace.”

To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Magi: There’s a Reason why They call Them the “Wise Men”

Posted on December 20, 2022 by admin

“After they [ the Magi ] had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:9-12, NIV)

Mysterious Visitors

Most Nativity scenes show three wise men at the manger, and Christmas lore is rich with images of and legends about them. The Magi are a fascinating part of the Christmas story, with their camels and trappings and gifts, and they deserve some study because of their place in the series of events spoken of in Matthew. They are mysterious figures, thought by some to be kings of Persia, or possibly Zoroastrian priests who studied the stars as part of their religion.

It has also been suggested that perhaps they descended from Jews who had been exiled to Persia but rose to positions of prominence, (think: Daniel, or perhaps Esther and Mordecai) That possibility seems logical because it might explain their familiarity with OT prophecy about the Messiah.

Stars Weren’t on TV

They also seem to be ancient amateur astronomers, but consider this: We sometimes forget that the ancients had clearer views of the night skies than we do (no city lights to cloud their view), and plenty of time on their hands (no sitcoms or prime time TV to distract them). The average shepherd probably knew as much about the position and movement of the heavens as some current astronomers do, and the Magi grew up studying the stars religiously.

Here are a few quick trivia facts about them: 1. Nowhere does the Bible mention only THREE three wise men; it explicitly mentions three gifts, brought by Magi.

More Magi Trivia

2. It is highly unlikely that there were three guys traveling alone through the desert on camels. With gifts of such value, there had to be a group large enough to protect itself, and they probably had some soldiers or cavalry with them… (Probably the famed “Persian cavalry”. That might be why Matthew says “Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him”. A large party of armed men made folks nervous in those days.)

3. They didn’t make it to the manger. At the time of Christ’s birth, they were probably approaching Jerusalem to talk to Herod.

4. Lots of folks have tried to associate the star with a known astronomical event, and there may have been one initially; but at the end, since the star rose and led them to the child, it is likely that it was a unique manifestation, such as God’s radiance in the Shekinah, that provided guidance for the last leg of their journey.

5. They saw not a baby, but a young child (clear difference in the original Greek), and came to a house, not a stable. Jesus was weeks if not months old when they presented their gifts…

6. The tradition of our Christmas gift giving comes at least partially from the gifts of the Magi. Like them, we should bring what we have and lay it at the feet of Jesus!

7. Joseph isn’t mentioned here, which doesn’t mean he wasn’t around, just that he wasn’t mentioned. (He is around later when Jesus is 12 and they find him teaching in the temple, but that is our last Biblical reference to Joseph).

So, How Do the Magi Matter?

Finally, after seeing the young boy and worshipping him, they returned home by another route. My BSU Director Glen Norris used to teach the version of the Bible that said, “They went home another way.” He always maintained that anyone who really meets Jesus, and truly worships Him, will be fundamentally changed by that experience, and go home “another way”.

So, the wise men not only took another route, they became different types of men, fulfilled by faith and encouraged by events. As result, they went home with new perspective, new motivation, and new direction. My Christmas and New Year’s prayer is that our world could open the true gift of Christmas and do the same thing. As you reflect on the origins of Christmas, may you, too, be wise…

(Even though the Magi may have been accompanied by cavalry, there were probably some camels along, and it is entirely possible that the tradition of camel transport still makes sense. So that is where this poem came from…Not necessarily historically accurate, but I like the idea)

The Camel

Slow he rises! Hideous, hairy: hollowly he plods his course,
His hump-backed and misshapen body carries its express remorse.
Glaring eyes with bushy eyebrows–stinking, spitting ugly beast!
Of all mankind’s domestic creatures, he must be the very least.
Men for centuries have mocked him: used, abused him without care–
Silently he bears their scorn, ungainly walks the earth aware
Of comfort in his secret: “Fools! These men will never know
That once I heard the baby’s cry, saw where the star did go,
And brought my Magi bearing gifts, and watched them bowing low.”

Shepherds Were Lower Class. Why did Angels Come to THEM?

Posted on December 18, 2022 by admin

The Christmas story starts with shepherds. Really? It’s quite a humble start to an amazing story…
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But, the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:8-10 NIV)

The News Nobody Had Heard

Normally if a King was coming into the world, it would have been in a palace, and there would have been great fanfare over the birth of an heir to the throne. In such cases, an announcement of a royal birth would have been sent out from the palace with trumpets and proclamations so that everyone could hear the big news! Royal family members and political insiders would have been the first to hear the news, and it would have spread from there.

However, in Luke’s account about the new-born king, the news did not come from the palace but from the pasture, sent to a group that was more often than not marginalized by religious society. Even in God’s economy, this did not seem like a logical choice. Shepherds were not the first group almost anybody would have picked to receive the good news of Jesus’ birth. (Why not priests or soldiers, or somebody from the palace?) Any Messiah maker with good sense would have proclaimed the news of the Savior’s arrival to the High Priest, or a governor, or someone with influence and a platform; maybe somebody who could get the news on TV.

You Have to Question the Timing

It is easy to wonder, why was Jesus born then and there, before God could take advantage of all of our modern media and technology? Looking back, doesn’t it seem like God used really poor judgment in His timing for the Advent? As a point of fact, because of their remote workplace and pastoral schedule, shepherds were usually ceremonially unclean, and unfit to even enter the Temple. Because of that, they were far down the list that any Hebrew sage or leader would have used to announce something important.

As it was written in “Jesus Christ, Superstar”: “You’d have managed better if you had it planned; why’d you choose such a backward time and such a strange land? If you’d have come today you would have reached a whole nation; Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication.”

Really, Shepherds?

Why was Jesus born in such a primitive time? Why did God choose to send angels out into the countryside to announce the news to mere shepherds? They lived with a bunch of sheep! Consequently, those guys were loners, always out by themselves following sheep around. It was a humble job, far away from the limelight. Students of First Century culture say shepherds were not the most social of guys, maybe not too high on the Bethlehem social ladder. The probably weren’t the first guys you’d invite home to dinner…

These particular shepherds watched over the ceremonial flocks kept outside of Jerusalem near Bethlehem, full of unblemished lambs and goats destined for slaughter at the temple. Ironically, such men were often considered unfit to enter the temple they served…

On the other hand, David was a shepherd, and he developed pretty fair fighting skills, wrote songs and Psalms, and ended up having a pretty notable career. I think the angel appeared to shepherds as a subtle nod to Jesus’ ancestry, and as a reminder that great things can have humble beginnings. If these shepherds indeed watched over the flocks destined for sacrifice, then it’s impossible to overlook the direct connection to the lamb of God.

Telegraph, Telephone, Tell a Shepherd…

As a result, when they heard the announcement, these shepherds carried the “good news that will cause great joy” into town and out to the surrounding areas; out of the hillsides and into history. And you know what? They did not have TV or the internet, but amazingly enough the shepherds’ story is still being told. Most folks in today’s modern media age can repeat it verbatim… Perhaps God knew what He was doing after all by announcing the good news when and where He did!

Two things: does this good news bring you great joy? (I hope so!) And who are you telling about it? Perhaps someone you know is waiting to be carried from the hillsides into history. And into heaven as well.

The Message

There, on the hills near Bethlehem, our plaintive, restless flock
Was destined for Jerusalem as sacrificial stock.
Trying to sleep on a fitful night,
We heard a sound–almost took flight–
Awakened by a glorious light, astounded by the startling sight
Of a messenger whose voice instills
Great fear, and brought us shepherds chills
Out there, alone up in the hills…
He gave us tidings of great joy!
“There is a King! A newborn boy!
They’ll call his name Immanuel!”
With that, a choir began to swell
And sing of glory, peace as well,
As we were captive to its spell:
He told us, then, to go and tell…

Well after that, what could we do?
We went! We found the babe! It’s true!
Of all the things I’ve done, and not done yet,
That is the thing I can’t –I won’t– forget.
Whatever I may do, or men may say,
Say this: I was in Bethlehem that day,
And saw the child, in the manger where he lay…

Herod May Have Been Great, But Here’s Something Else: He’s Really Obviously Depraved

Posted on January 7, 2020 by admin

“When [Herod] had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ (Matthew 2:4-6, NIV).

Herod acted like he was helping these wise men from the East, but he was actually trying to use them for his own ends. Probably because of his declining health, Herod stayed and sent them to find out where the Christ was located so that he could then eliminate this new threat to his throne.

We’ll look at the Wise Men a little closer tomorrow. But, “When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:16-18, NIV). This is when the birth of Jesus started getting REAL, ya’ll.

Herod murdered a bunch of young boys in Bethlehem, just playing the odds and assuming that he would catch this newborn king among them. He chose to kill all boys two years and under to spread a wider net because some time had passed since he sent the Magi to Bethlehem and then waited for their return, so he wanted to make sure he got the would-be Messiah. That means a number of babies were killed senselessly in his attempt to eliminate the threat to his power.

Reliable estimates suggest anywhere from six to twenty children would have been murdered by Herod’s men. (Hmm, I wonder if these men covered their identities and wielded swords.) This despicable act—not so different from some of the things we read about in the paper today—became known as “the slaughter of the innocents”, and has been questioned by historians because it was not widely mentioned in extra-Biblical sources.

However, historian R. T. France, addressing the story’s absence in “Antiquities of the Jews”, argues that “the murder of a few infants in a small village [is] not on a scale to match the more spectacular assassinations recorded by Josephus”. After all, Herod killed people who were well-known in Jerusalem—including his wife, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and three of his own sons—so the act of killing a few unknown infants out in a small village may not have been front page news at the time… This event is still today one of the main things we remember about Herod the Great—and one of the great tragedies connected with the birth of Jesus. Yes, his birth is good news, tidings of great joy; but that good news still comes to a fallen world full of people who need to hear about God’s love.

Amazingly enough, a little baby who could save the world and who would teach nothing but love had evil and implacable foes, men who would kill rather than acknowledge him. I’ve always felt like the persistent hatred and vitriol about Christ (don’t people use his name to swear?) actually validates his identity. If he was just a passing nobody, he would have been forgotten long ago, as forgotten as the Scribes and Pharisees who argued with him in the temple. The fact that so many folks from both now and then resist him so vehemently makes me think that there are larger spiritual stakes involved, and that he must have been something more than a pretty good rabbi.

There was passionate resistance against Jesus, enemies who would twist words and commit murder to keep him from fulfilling his mission. There were men who bristled at the very name of Jesus, who didn’t want it mentioned or valued. Amazingly enough, there still are! Have you ever why so much hate is directed at a man who taught nothing but love? Why his very name is used as a curse word? This Christmas season, people here in America are demanding that manger scenes be removed, and that Christ be taken out of Christmas. Apparently there are still people who don’t want to allow him to be king… After all these years, men are still trying to eliminate the baby Jesus. Some things, it seems, never change…

Herod’s Boast

The winter had been hard; so when they showed up at the gate,
Armed to the teeth and sitting horse, of course I made them wait.
Their coming caught us all off guard. And yet they brought that news,
Something about a star they’d seen, and a new king of the Jews…
My counselors confirmed the Scriptures also contained some clues:
The rumor was, a king would rise somewhere in Bethlehem;
I must admit my humor was not the best it’s ever been,
Confronted with these Magi and their horses, and their men…
But I kept my composure, sent them out, told them to bring
Me any information they could find about this king–
This tiny new usurper who would dare to steal my throne!
My family learned when they could not leave well enough alone,
That Herod is not pleased with other applicants to his court:
I’ll see to it this infant’s reign–just like his life–is short.
This little king, his family and all the world will learn
How Herod treats his rivals, when the Wise Men all return…

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Not Your Average Genealogy. Not Your Average Result

Posted on December 20, 2019 by admin

The Bible is the story of the coming Messiah, but average person in 7 BC certainly didn’t see THAT Coming! Heck, even the above average Bible scholars missed it, too! I mentioned recently that Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus was distinctly different than most Hebrew scholars would have expected. Here’s why:

The fact that Matthew’s genealogy included women was highly irregular in a patriarchal society. Since their inclusion was such an unusual thing to do, we are going to take a closer look at those women to see why on earth Matthew flaunted convention to mention their names…

Tamar was the first woman mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy, and has perhaps the most unusual story, from Genesis 38. She was a Canaanite woman married to Judah’s son Er, who died prematurely (it says the Lord ended his life because he was evil). In that culture, it was incredibly important to honor God by having offspring to carry on the family name.

Your average family today would have a hard time relating to what came next: Judah instructed Er’s brother Onan to fulfill his duty by impregnating Tamar. He had sex with her but stopped short of impregnating her. Apparently God took this very seriously, because He ended Onan’s life then and there. Judah had a young (remaining) son Shelah, but he didn’t want to risk him, so he sent Tamar home, hoping she’d forget all this and go away.

The young widow Tamar– alone, traumatized, used, rejected by Judah and his sons, separated now from Yahweh’s people, and mistreated in the eyes of the law — could have slunk home and into obscurity. But she apparently wanted God’s blessing and favor so much that she’d do anything to get it.

So she veiled herself, posed as a prostitute, and got Judah to stop while traveling and have sex with her. Apparently it was not unusual for an average guy to take a “rest stop” while traveling. Because she was veiled, he did not recognize her, and she required him to leave his ring, his corded belt and his staff as payment. (I said it was an unusual story).
Normally for her to act as a prostitute would be punishable by death. But Tamar’s motives were pure, and in this circumstance she was acting to fulfill God’s law and honor God’s intent. Upon being found pregnant, she revealed her actions to Judah: “As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.” Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not sleep with her again. (Genesis 38:25-26 NIV)
Tamar was restored to honor, and her son Perez is listed among Jesus’ forefathers. Long story to say this: by including women at all, Matthew has broken more than just traditional genealogical lines. He has served notice that the coming Messiah is not necessarily what the Elders expected. His lineage not only involved a woman, but a NON HEBREW woman. It was not a random, pristine royal birth, but an incredibly complex series of events, woven into a human history replete with evil men and messy circumstances. God’s preparation for the coming one was amazing in its details and astounding in its intent. This Jesus, born in Bethlehem, did not have your “average” genealogy. But then, he was not your “average” guy.

Tamar

This story in the Bible has me just a bit confused;
It seems to be about a girl who’s sexually abused.
There’s cheating and betrayal, there is intrigue and there’s lying;
Men are out on business trips with hookers! Men are dying,
And this story’s in the BIBLE! The Messiah’s family tree!
The Bible says some stuff that I just didn’t expect to see!
It’s honest and it’s real, and I believe it must be true;
I wonder, when you read, what does the Bible say to YOU?

No Certain Date

As Paul Harvey Might Have Said

A New Theory That Makes Sense to Me

Misdirection?

So, What does April Fool’s Day Have to Do With Jesus?

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Really

Actual Testimony

The Shepherd’s Account

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Why Christmas?

The Gifts of the Magi, and Some Others Worth Mentioning

It’s About Living

A Christmas Rhyme

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More Than Meets the Eye

Details Matter

The Honeymoon (Joseph’s View)

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A Very Creepy Christmas

Spiritual War

Start At The Top

Christmas Mayhem

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Mysterious Visitors

Stars Weren’t on TV

More Magi Trivia

So, How Do the Magi Matter?

The Camel

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The News Nobody Had Heard

You Have to Question the Timing

Really, Shepherds?

Telegraph, Telephone, Tell a Shepherd…

The Message

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