The first and most common response of the fallen creature to sin is to try to cover it. We attempt it with those around us, and with the God who is over us.----How do we attempt to cover our sin- By secrecy, denials, lies, redefinitions, excuses, minimising, comparing, blameshifting, forgetting, waiting, or compensating. Nothing really works. God sees all, and in his providence often uncovers our desperately hidden sins.----The contrast is confession to God, demonstrated by the forsaking of our sins.----The consequences of each path are clear- -He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.-

Luke records heavenly action and heavenly revelation as the Christ is born. He does so through the eyes and ears of the shepherds.----So we must first consider the shepherds themselves, both part of the fulfilment of prophecy and witnesses of it.----Next we look at the angels, at the assurance they gave, the announcement they declared, and the appointment they made.----Then we turn to the child - the Saviour who is Christ the Lord. The shepherds response to his coming was immediate, fruitful and developed.----Finally, we take account of four reactions- the hearers who marvelled, Mary who pondered, the shepherds who rejoiced, and our own.

Romans 16 gives us a glimpse into Christ-s church in Rome and Paul-s heart for Christ-s church. The root of all those relationships is the fact that these men and women are -in Christ- together.----A survey of the chapter reveals further elements of interest- ties of blood, range of concern, breadth of experience, and scope of affection.----In summary, these believers are united by affectionate love and ardent labour. It is a beautiful portrait of the best of Christ-s church.----This portrait gives other churches something to aim for, something to pray for, something to work for, something to fight for, and something to praise for.

Luke is not telling a fairy story, but recording history.----He tells us first about a family summoned, describing the bureaucratic order of Augustus and its physical impact on families in Israel, and providing what might first appear to be incidental detail about Joseph and Mary. Behind it all we discern the heavenly design by which all things are brought to pass in accordance with God-s will.----With this in mind, we can consider a family line- the detail is not incidental. Luke is making plain that all of this fulfils God-s promises concerning the Son of David who will sit on the throne of David. This is a royal household indeed-----Finally, we see a family growing. Mary-s child is born - born in humility, poverty and obscurity. The Lord of heaven stoops down to earth, coming into the world to save his people from their sins.

Here are three convictions expressed by David that will be shared by every convinced sinner who comes to God for mercy- I must be convinced that I am not clean- I must be convinced that I cannot make myself clean- I must be convinced that God can make me clean.----Sharing such convictions with David, we will also share the cleansing enjoyed by this penitent sinner.

Luke completes the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth- they become the lens through which we view God-s tender mercy magnified toward his people.----The birth of their promised son, John, is a time of celebration because of God-s kindness- it is a time of faith with regard to the name and role of the child- and, it is a time of prophecy, as Zacharias, his tongue loosed, moves from silence to song, with a hymn of faith concerning Messiah and his herald.

Paul is consumed by the prospect of knowing Christ in this life and in the life to come. This gives rise to a holy dissatisfaction with his present attainments. In these verses, we have a guide, first, to assessing the present. Out of this, we - like Paul - should give ourselves to one thing. We must -abandoning the past and attacking the future- set out to attain to that great goal- the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.