May 10, 2005

• Tonight I had to attend a Boy Scout Committee meeting as I am the advancement counselor, so Jim recorded Pastor Don’s Bible study. I will not be able to share that with you until he downloads it and I am able to listen. But I promise to get it to you asap.

  
  

  Some seem to be debating the woman’s place in church here and on other sites. I shared a bit of what I had been taught, but need to consult with Pastor Don about this some more before I comment anymore. He has references that may prove edifying. But until I do that, I am NOT going to comment about this as it is beyond the scope of what I am learning right now. I guess I could pull out my concordances and do the research myself, but right now time is stretched tightly.

  
  

  I sometimes think there is a fine line between Biblical and legalistic, and sometimes I think some of the things debated with such vehemence tend to be very close to that borderline.

  
  

  But right now I thought I would share a Biblical comparison that blew my socks off. The comparison between the birth of Jesus and the crucifixion.  (B) is birth of Jesus  (C) is crucifixion.

  
  

  1. (B) No room at the inn. Due to taxation and the vast number of people to be counted in the census Bethlehem was filled, so there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the inn.
       (C) The nation of Israel had no room for Jesus the Messiah, they did not want him to rule over them, or lead them.

  
  

  2. (B) Joseph and Mary stayed in a borrowed room (the barn) and the babe was placed in a manger, and there was where Jesus had his “first supper” which was from his mom. He was born in Bethelehem which means house of bread, and was the bread of life sent from Heaven.
  (C) Jesus celebrated the “last supper” in a borrowed room, the upper room. He broke bread and shared it with his disciples, take eat, this is my body…

  
  

  3. (B) Mary had labor pains, and when she gave birth, as in all births the water broke, there would have been blood and pain.
  (C) There was pain when the nails pierced him, and the soldier pierced his side and out came blood and water. When Eve was made from Adam’s rib, that happened after God put a deep sleep on Adam and opened Adam’s side and took a rib and fashioned Eve. This was Adam’s bride. We, as the bride of Christ, are fashioned from the sacrifice of Christ, the blood and water that came from Jesus’s side.

  
  

  4. (B) Shepherds were told about the birth at night.
    (C) When Jesus hung on the cross, it was dark from about 12-3pm, dark like night.
  
  5. (B) at birth Mary looked at Jesus’s body and heard him cry.
     (C) Mary stood at the foot of the cross and looked at her son’s naked body and cried for Him.

  
  

  6. (B) Jesus was born and placed in a manger, and the animals were round about Him.
   (C) When Jesus hung on the cross, he cried to His Father. As Psalm 22 says, he was surrounded by people who were like the bulls of Bashar, ravenous dogs, who roared like lions, and spit, and cursed, and shook their fists at Him.

  
  

  7. (B) Luke 2, shepherds bringing their flocks to Bethlehem.
     (C) Jesus, outside Jerusalem, said that if they smite the shepherd, the sheep would scatter. That is what happened, when Jesus was taken, the disciples scattered, except John who stayed near.

  
  

  8. (B) At His birth, Joseph and Mary saw the Lamb of God born. He became part of their family.
   (C) When the Lamb of God was sacrificed, Mary was there, Joseph wasn’t, but Jesus made sure that Mary was part of a family by linking her with John.

  
  

  9. (B) Joseph took the baby Jesus up and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes. Often the clothes were pieces of burial cloths which were soft enough for babies. And Joseph laid the baby in the manger.
    (C) Another Joseph, Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus, and wrapped it in burial cloths and laid it in a tomb.

  
  

  10. (B) Wise men were looking a a star that shown and saw a sign in the sky. They went to where Jesus was, bringing gifts, one of them was myrrh which is a burial spice.
     (C) Wise women went to the tomb in the morning when the sun (a star) was in the sky, and they brought spices, most probably myrrh to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus.

  
  

  11. (B) Shepherds tending their flocks in the field saw angels who told them to fear not, that they had tidings of great Joy, about the birth of Jesus, and that the shepherds were to spread the good news.
    (C) When the women came to the tomb they were told by an angel that Jesus was not in the tomb, that he had risen, that they should go and spread the good news.

  
  

  I am always amazed at how intricately God paints pictures that show what will happen, how Jesus’ death for our sins was portrayed in His birth, not to mention all the prophesies in the Old Testament. God truly is remarkable in what He shares in His word.

  
  

  Hope you have a great day. I hope to soon hear Pastor Don’s Bible study, but these next few days are rather busy. I almost can’t wait until summer vacation so that some of the after school activities are eased.

  
  

  Heather

  
  

   

  • 11:03 pm
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