In many ways, we are still novices playing with toy models seeking to understand the stars. The remaining 95% of the Universe is stuff that we can’t see, don’t yet understand. An extraordinarily vast portion of the cosmos is still unknown.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

-Luke 2:4-7

  

“There was no room in the inn.”

  

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation,...’

-Luke 2:28b-30a

‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.

-Luke 2:34-35

  

Christmas Story?

  

First: He was rejected because he did not meet the world’s standard for Messiah.

He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

-Isaiah 53:2-3

  

Second: He is rejected because he will reveal the hearts of many.

I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers (believers in God). It isn’t just that I don’t believe in God and naturally, hope there is no God! I don’t want there to be a God! I don’t want the universe to be like that!

-Thomas Nagel, Professor of Philosophy, New York University

People….suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

-Romans 1:18b-21

  

Think about the reasons people rejected Jesus when He first appeared

  

But the Good News of the Christmas Story?

  

Three: The reason Jesus was rejected is so that you and I could be accepted

  

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

-Isaiah 53:4-5

As for you, watchtower of the flock, stronghold of the Daughter Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.

-Micah 4:8

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

-Luke 2:6-7

  

  

  

  

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