Paul boasts in weaknesses (not sinful weaknesses) but in limitations, illnesses, distresses, or circumstantial adversities. Why does Paul boast in these afflictions? Paul knew that it is not human achievements that showcase the grace of God…it is human helplessness. This is the Christian paradox. When we are weak in ourselves, we then reach out to Christ and are provided His strength and divine grace. God has given us our weaknesses for our joy. What do I mean? Because the more aware I am of God’s grace, the more humble, prayerful, thankful, patient, gracious, content, and joyful I will be. That’s exactly where I desire to be.

Weaknesses are there to display most clearly the grace and strength of God.

He bore our sorrows and infirmities (sins) and cast no blame on us.
He was scourged (not under the more merciful Jewish law, which allowed no more than 40 lashes to be given to the worst of offenders) under the Roman law. His scourging was even more severe as Pilate intended it as equivalent to his crucifixion. Not a bone was broken, as ordered, however, there was hardly any part of his body, from the crown of his head, which was crowned with thorns to the soles of his feet, which were nailed to the cross, that was not covered with wounds and bruises.
Because of their hate for him, they thought that God did as well (that he was his enemy and actually was fighting against him); so, they became enraged against him, saying: “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him.” Psalm 71:11

The cross, resurrection and exaltation portray both suffering and healing, rejection and triumph, humiliation and glory.

Praying today that we all reflect on the sacrifice of the beautiful and innocent Lamb of God and the incomparable mercies and riches of God on those who formerly were His enemies. “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Romans 5:10

Jerusalem has been ravaged by the Chaldean’s and is in captivity.  The glory has departed from the royal city, for the King of Judah is taken prisoner and the principal officers have been put to death.  All hope appears lost for the “thrones of the house of David,” Salomon’s temple was burnt to the ground, and the sacred vessels are carried away to Babylon.

After thirty-seven years while the King is imprisoned, a glimmer of light appears. Hope is restored to the captive people. The King of Jerusalem is invited by the King to dine daily at his table.  He is also given minimum security prison conditions. 

In the midst of a storm or tribulation…Jesus speaks tenderly to us through His Word, gives us new clothes…robes of righteousness, and positions us at a seat of honor at His table. He invites us to come and eat with Him and feast at His table of abundance.  He provides life…abundant life!  Jesus brings release from bondage and bestows instead foretastes of the infinite pleasures at His right hand. Are you troubled?  Are you weary?  The temptation can be to seek TV, a hobby, work, or anything else that can provide a distraction or what we think can soothe us.  Seek Him!   Seek the source of life…Christ.  He is our bread.  He is our fountain of life.

“They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.” Psalm 36:8

“My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.”  Psalm 63:5

In Micah 5:2 is the prophesy regarding the place of Christ’s birth, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. “

How truly amazing is the birth of Jesus in so many respects.  Micah prophesied long ago of the exact town in which Jesus would be born.  God chose to have the true manna from heaven, which was given for the life of the world born in the small and insignificant town of Bethlehem, which means House of Bread.  Jesus doesn’t come as we would think in grandeur and born in a major city…He comes in insignificance and littleness.   It’s so fitting for God to do this…no human can claim any glory, so that God receives all the glory.  Jesus was placed in an animal trough, so that no craftsman would say “He chose my well-crafted bed.”

To God be the glory!

Though God chose that Jesus be born in the insignificant and not very populated town of Bethlehem; He chose a town where princes of Judah had been born…King David.  This is where Bethlehem would receive it’s honor, not in the multitude of it’s people, but in the magnificence of the princes born there.

To God be the glory!

Note also that God makes His announcement of Jesus’ birth not only to the Jews through the scriptures written so long ago, but also to the Gentiles by the star.  The Gentiles know the time of His birth by the star and the Jews know the place of His birth by the scriptures.

To God be the glory!

So, what about the meaning of Ephrathah?  That was the old name of the place which the Jews loved.  It means, “fruitfulness” or “abundance.”  Jesus was born in the House of Fruitfulness.

To God be the glory!

Jesus, the true manna from heaven, comes down from heaven…His life which is given for the life of the world to be born in the House of Bread.  The One who provides and enables my fruitfulness to God is born in the House of Fruitfulness.

Only God could have planned this…to God be the glory!

Glory to God in the Highest!

On the surface, it may appear that Christ is being taken out of Christmas, but is this what is really going on?

Symbols from the early church

The early Christians used the symbol of a fish when persecution was great by the Romans.  This symbol was an acronym for the Greek word for fish, ichthus.   Early Christians wrote this symbol on the ground when they met someone they didn’t know to discover if the person was Christian.  Now the ichthus is the universal symbol for Christendom.

When we see the X we think of the English letter, but in actuality it is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ, Christos.  Which is transliterated into our English alphabet as X. So, the X has come through the history of the church to be a shorthand symbol for the name of Christ.

The intention of the X

There is a long history of Christians using the symbol X for Christ.  Just as the early Christians used the fish symbol to distinguish other Christians, so there is no disrespect intended in using the X in Xmas.  X = Christos (Greek word for Christ)