THEY WERE INVITED

They were invited.

Something, strange, wonderful and unexplainable is happening to people around the world. Birth pangs of anticipation grip them.

They are in an upheaval. A centrifugal force spins away all clutter, lesser purposes and pursuits. They are being pulled toward some great event.

Hollywood tries to imitate this. In the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind from the 1970s we see the counterfeit version.

The military has connected with aliens. The mother ship will meet them at Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. But the public cannot know about this. So the Army fakes a pandemic to keep people away from the site.

Their elaborate scheme does not keep a special group from coming. The military decides to gas them to put them to sleep so they can be removed.

Here is the actual dialog from the movie where scientists confront the officers:

“These people have come from all over the world to a place where they have been told will endanger their lives. Why? This is a small group of people who have shared a vision in common. It is still a mystery to me.

I believe for every one of these anxious, anguished people who have come here to see this, there must be hundreds of others also touched by the implanted vision who never made it this far, simply because they never watched the television.

We didn’t choose this place. We didn’t choose these people. They were invited!”

This is an imitation of both the first Christmas, and of something God is doing right now.

4 main characters in the Christmas story were disrupted, endangered and driven to a special event. They were invited! Each of them chosen for a special reason.

THE SHEPHERDS

Luke 2: 8 “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

These men were not sissies. Remember David, a shepherd, had killed a lion and a bear. They were blue collar workers not given to emotion or fantasies.

Their unique role was to bring validation to the baby’s identity and Mary’s innocence. They ran to the manger and then went about telling everyone tidings of great joy for all people.

THE MAGI

Matthew 2: 2 “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

History tells us that these mysterious men came from the school of the Magi. This was not only the school where Persia chose their leaders, it was also the fruit of Daniel’s prophecies in Babylon.

They were looking for the coming of the Messiah. When they saw the star. They made the impossible decision to leave their realms for years in order to worship Him.”

All they wanted to do was worship the newborn king. What they did not know was the other big reasons for their journey.

They would give treasure to fund Joseph and Mary’s escape to Egypt. But the big reason was to establish beyond a doubt to Israel that Jesus was the Messiah.

SIMEON

Luke 2: 25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Simeon is proof that God keeps His promises. But he also something bigger. His assignment is to infuse the holy family with the power to bear their suffering and bring this mighty miracle to its conclusion on the Cross and in the Resurrection.

ANNA THE PROPHETESS

Luke 2: 36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

While still a very young woman she lost her husband and remained single. She devoted herself to seeking God for the redemption of Israel. She carried great authority and respect among the people. Her part was to empathically tell all that this baby was the Messiah.

God is doing this again. Choosing a variety of vessels. Selecting from all walks of life servants who will once again fulfill prophecy and enforce a might act of God in the world.

It is a new day in America. We have not seen a Christmas of hope in a very long time.

If you are in divine anguish. If you do not fit in organized religion take heed. You are being recruited. The pull of Heaven for special assignments is on you. Leave all the trivia and the noise right now.

You have not been punished with frustration. You are not a victim of some mental breakdown. What is happening within you is simple: YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED!

Now obey the commission of that great old Christmas Carol: Join the triumph of the skies.

Merry Christmas to all of our precious friends in the Gospel from Mechelle and me.

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