Grace Community Church of Ramona Podcast

Easter 2019

Many of us are familiar with today’s story: 12-year-old Jesus spent three days in the Temple astonishing Jewish theologians while Mary & Joseph frantically searched for him. How was it that Jesus was so smart? How did he know the Hebrew Scriptures so well he could converse and even challenge the chief rabbis of Israel?

Joseph and Mary had just been visited by Magi from the east. These Babaloyan scholars, or wise men, had traveled to see the King of the Jews. Joseph must have thought, "Now this is the way that it should be." His young family was settling into life in the small town of Bethlehem. Their world was becoming normal.This must have been more like what they expected.

That nativity set is very special to me as I’m sure your nativity set is special to you. My purpose is not to bash nativity sets. But to be honest, they’re not historically accurate. First, archeology indicates that in first century Israel, animals were sheltered either in caves or on the ground floor of human dwellings. Barns or stables in first century Israel were probably unknown. Indications are that Jesus was born in a cave.

As we look into our passage today, we will see, that although there is a number of promises and blessings regarding what this Yeshua will be and do, there are also some hard truths about him, both for Jews and Gentiles, as well as for his mother Mary.

Palaces, royal heralds, trumpets, crowds, feasts, gifts and a massive celebration. That is what one would expect for the birth of a king. We have recently studied the birth and early days of John the Baptizer (Luke 1:5-24; 39-80) and we saw an Angel, a priest, miracles, prophecies, and crowds of people leaving the event thinking of these things, saying in expectation and excitement “What will this child be?”.

We all face many different challenges in our lives. Some small, some seemingly insurmountable. In this section of our study, massive challenges abound for every character including our author Mathew!

Undoubtedly baby John, born to his parents in their old age, touched something deep in Zechariah & Elizabeth. I imagine their wrinkled faces wet with tears as they cradled their newborn son for the first time. Great must have been Zechariah’s regret over his unbelief unable as he was to whisper and coo over his son. He must have wondered when God was going to lift his punishment.

As we continue to tell the story of Yeshua Messiah King our story focuses on two extraordinary women, Elizabeth and Mary.

God delights in using people who, in the eyes of the world, are nothings. God chose a “nothing” named David, a shepherd boy little valued by his own father, and raised him up to be the greatest king in the history of Israel.