Thought for June 23

History:

• 930: World’s oldest parliament established—Iceland
• 1810: John Jacob Astor founds Pacific Fur Company in Astoria Oregon [location of the Astor Memorial Tower and the school used in Kindergarten Cop]
• 1863: Battle of Tullahoma
• 1888: Frederick Douglas nominated for vice-president
• 1922: Walter Hagen is first American to win British Open
• 1926: First SAT exam in the U.S.
• 1949: First 12 women graduate from Harvard Medical School
• 1960: First contraceptive pill sold in the US
• 1970: Last Red Skelton Show
• 1979: Charlie Daniels releases “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”
• 1980: David Letterman Show premiers
• 2016: Britain votes for Brexit
• Born: Alan Turing [computer], Bob Fosse [Cabaret], June Carter Cash, Wilma Rudolph, Clarence Thomas, Frances McDormand
• Died: Chuck Taylor [Converse shoes], Jonas Salk, Maureen O’Sullivan [Jane to Tarzan], Ed McMahon, Peter Falk, Ralph Stanley [Bluegrass]

Thought:

Reading the story of the wise men in Luke 2 this morning. We have all heard many sermons preached at Christmas about this event. Perhaps the focus was on the theme, "Wise men always seek Jesus." This is certainly true and thankfully Jesus promises, "seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you." Or maybe the focus of the sermon was on the gifts the wise men brought--gold, frankincense and myrrh---and the meaning of each gift. Or maybe the sermon dealt with the Christmas star. I always look back to why the wise men knew to look for the Messiah in Bethlehem while all the priests, scribes and Pharisees did not. Many scholars trace the wise men back to Babylon and the ministry of Daniel who may have introduced them to the prophets of the Jews. We know that Jerusalem was sacked by the Babylonians and many things were carried back to Babylon--perhaps the scripture was among those things stolen. 

Today, however, I am struck by the two Old Testament references in this passage in Luke. 

• Micah 5:2 is the source for the place of Jesus' birth. Micah [Who is like Jehovah] lived around 700 BC and would have seen the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 BC. He was a contemporary of Isaiah. He prophesied during the days of King Hezekiah and would have seen the fall of Samaria and the attack on Jerusalem--and God's miraculous intervention when 185,000 Assyrians were killed by an angel. Take a look this morning at chapters 5 and 6 and notice:
• 5:2 answers the question of the location of Jesus' birth, but 5:4-5 tell us who this baby will be--our shepherd. Just as the prophesy of His birthplace was predicted 700 years before it occurred, so also His role for us---the Great Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. And note 5:5--this ONE will be our peace. Peace with God and the peace of God are found no where else. The wise men were seeking the birth of the king of the Jews. today, seek the King of Kings, the shepherd who is our only hope for peace.
• 6:6-8 addresses the gifts that wise people should bring to the Lord--not just gold, frankincense and myrrh. What shall I bring to the Lord--do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with Him. Today, be wise and bring gifts worthy of the King.
• Hosea 11:1 tells us that Jesus will come out of Egypt. This book is a great love story, perhaps for another day. But today, just turn the page from chapter 11 to 12:6. While Jesus will come out of Egypt to save His people, His word to us is return to your God, observe kindness and justice, and wait continually for your God. Sounds a lot like Micah. In Micah, kindness and justice are coupled with walking with God--here they are coupled with waiting for God. Perhaps there is a lesson for me here. Walking humbly with God means I walk at His pace, not mine; I walk in His direction, not mine; I stop to rest and serve where He leads, not where I want to; and I never start walking until He starts and I do not stop until He does.

Today, be wise. Seek Jesus and bring the right gifts.

Blessings

Larry