At
This time of year some people will see a Christmas pageant, whether it be put
on in a small church by children clothed in bed sheets or by a
grand production in Branson, MO with a full budget for props and live animals, the characters remain the same.
However, even though you may have never ever been in a
Christmas pageant you do have a role in it too.
So Who are you?
What character do you play?
Lets do a character study and see.
The Angels
In Hebrews 1:14 scripture says they are ministering spirits. They are also God's Messengers and proclaimers of
good news, They hear a word and bring it to people.
Mary
Mary was a young lady in her teenage years.
She was highly favored by God.
Mary was a Receiver of the word of life which was to be her son Jesus. It was an Angel who came to Mary (Luke 1:28)
and she received the promise.
She was a Worshiper of God, Her Soul magnified the Lord
(Luke 1:46)
Being not yet married and pregnant I am sure she had to be
an over comer of fear. Fear of not only what Joseph and her parents would think, but what others might
think as well.
Joseph
Must have really loved Mary, because after finding out she
was pregnant, had the grace to take her away and not make a public example of her
(Matthew 1:19)
Since they were still under the old covenant Law, he had every right to do
this
(Deuteronomy
24:1). But he didn't want to
shame her.
I am thinking Joseph went to bed possibly doubting what Mary
had told him, He needed to be comforted.
Once Again we can find an Angel to bring him a message of comfort.
Behold, an angel of
the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be
afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of
the Holy Spirit. And she will bring
forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people
from their sins.”
(Matthew 1:20-21)
The Wise Men
They were highly educated and well to do
people maybe even in the loop of royalty.
The wise men assumed the new King was born in Herod's house, so they went
to Herod's house to worship him. Later
the Wise men Divinely learn that this is not where the new King was born. They then departed from
Herods to continue to follow the star to the true destination of the infant King.
The Shepherds
These were the working class, like the blue collar workers
of our day
Outwardly mundane but inwardly Heroic. Often over looked.
They were responsible for watching out for enemies defending and
protecting the sheep, healing the wounded sheep and finding and saving the lost
sheep. In Luke 2:8 the Shepherds were
keeping watch over their flock when an angel came to them
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. For there
is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord. And this will be the sign to you:
You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)
What is cool about the shepherds and the wise men is that
they are 2 different ends of the spectrum in society
however In proverbs 22:2 it says
The rich and the poor have this in common,
The Lord is the maker of them all.
They were both seeking the new King.
The Taxed out and Maxed out
Lastly We have the taxed out and the maxed out.
These are all of the people that were descending upon
Bethlehem to be counted for the Mandatory Roman census and to pay taxes. These people being So stressed out that they
probably didn't even notice the unusual star in the sky.
I think there are tons of taxed out and maxed
people in our society today. Too busy to
even notice what the true Christmas season is even about.
What Character do you Identify with the most?
Are You an Angel?
Are you Mary? Maybe need to over come fear?
Are You Joseph? who
needs to be comforted?
Are you a Wise Man trying to find God but have looked in
wrong places?
Are You a Shepard?
Hard working and tending to the flock (family) and feel you are over looked from God's promises?
Are you the Taxed out and Maxed out? So busy engulfed in things of the world that
you forgot or don't know about God's Promises?
BUT WAIT!!
there is one more character
JESUS
For
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
2 Corinthians 1:20
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Romans 8:37
this was taken from a teaching at my church, if you would like to hear that actual sermon I will get you a copy.
Merry Christmas!
