Grosey's Messages

Luke 16:1-13  Ecclesiastes 11   How To Have A Successful Year 

1 Cast your bread upon the waters,  for you will find it after many days.
 2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,  for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
 3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
 4 He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

 5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

 6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

 7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.

 8 So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.

 9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

 10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Most irritating song heard on HOPE FM this year was… Everywhere you go always take the weather with you.   What?  Every time I am in the car I hear this song?   Maybe they have limited songs?

Crowded House:

Walking 'round the room singin' Stormy Weather At Fifty Seven Mount Pleasant Street
Well it's the same room But everything's different You can fight the sleep But not the dream

Things ain't cookin' in my kitchen Strange affliction wash over me Julius Caesar And the Roman Empire Couldn't conquer the blue sky

Everywhere you go Always take the weather with you
Everywhere you go Always take the weather
Neil Finn told the story of the song, which he wrote with his brother/bandmate Tim

Ultimately, the theme of the song is, of course, that you are creating your own weather, you are making your own environment, always."

The promise of prosperity. Success is big business.  Curiously, however, few ever address what most folks want (but seldom find) in their pursuit of success: contentment, fulfillment, satisfaction, and relief. On the contrary, the roads that are supposed to lead to success are not only rocky; they're maddening. As the Executive's Digest once reported, "The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown." And what formula is that? Work longer hours, push ahead, let nothing hinder your quest—not your marriage or family, not your convictions or conscience, not your health or friends. Be aggressive and, if necessary, mean, as you press toward the top. You gotta be smart, slick, and sly if success is the bottom line of your agenda. It's the same old fortune-fame-power-pleasure line we've been fed for decades. At the risk of sounding ultra-simplistic, I'd like to offer some counsel that stands 180 degrees in contrast to all the above.

And Solomon's directives here in Ecclesiastes 11 are actually recognised today as best practice for business. It is called "Soft Skills!" and it works!

While Solomon was a wise man, particularly later in life, he learnt how to bring his life under the big picture of his relationship with God.  Here he gives some practical wisdom for achieving business goals.  Project planning.  There are courses in this at colleges and universities.  Here is Solomon's directions to overcome the Paralysis of Analysis.

PROFITER   BE:

Proactive not passive

1 Cast your bread upon the waters,  for you will find it after many days.

Responsible not reactive

2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,  for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
Life isn't just about the job. In fact if you are a project development manager, you are in fact managing people. Managing people is about demonstrating that you have the best interests of each person at your heart. There is a willingness to share.

Stedman: The idea expressed there is one of openhanded generosity. Give freely, wisely, but generously to the needs of those about. This phrase, "Cast your bread upon the waters," was a proverb in Israel for what looked like wasteful expenditure. No one would take good bread and throw it in the river; he would be regarded as a wastrel for doing that. But here we are enjoined to do that very thing. This is not encouraging us to be spendthrifts, to thoughtlessly and carelessly give away our money, spending it like a drunken sailor. What is meant is, be willing to take a chance where a real need is evident.

Wiersbe: Solomon used two activities to illustrate his point [life is an adventure that must be lived by faith]: the merchant sending out his ships (vv. 1-2) and the farmer sowing his seed (vv. 3-6). In both activities, a great deal of faith is required, because neither the merchant nor the farmer can control the circumstances. The ships might hit a reef, meet a storm, or be attacked by pirates and the cargo lost. Bad weather, blight, or insects might destroy the crop, and the farmer's labor would be in vain. However, if the merchant and the farmer waited until the circumstances were ideal, they would never get anything done! Life has a certain amount of risk to it, and that's where faith comes in.

These are the "soft skills" I mentioned earlier. Recently a friend wrote a Phd on just this.

What are hard skills? Well, the hard skills of a Marketing Coordinator might include things like UX design, SEO and SEM skills, social media skills, or marketing analytics. But what is lacking and what the employers are increasingly looking more for are people who have the right soft skills for the job.

Soft skills are the things that help you fit in at the workplace, work well with colleagues, connect well with associates. They include things like attitude, communication, listening, motivation and manners. Both hard skills and soft skills are needed in any workplace and you're not going to get very far in a role without either one. Soft skills are "a really big focus right now". Some of the current trending soft skills from LinkedIn's research were: resiliency (which is probably no surprise given the pandemic we've all been living through) digital fluency emotional intelligence, and humour

Open not Obstructive

3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.

Remember.. everywhere you go you take the weather with you. Your attitude colours how you look at everything, even the weather.  It is what it is. But how you look at it is affets your lives.

If it rains.. it rains!  If a tree falls it falls!  So what are you going to do about it? Our feelings dominate how we look at a thing. As we get older plenty of odd feelings arise.

Some struggle with the sense of uselessness: "I'm over the hill, in the way, and have nothing to contribute anymore." This sentiment is especially prevalent among people who were once prominent, resourceful, and highly respected. Kenneth Gangel catches this idea well when he writes concerning the feelings of many retirees, "Above all the physical and emotional changes looms the question, 'Who am I now?'" Are your identity and value as a person inseparably tied to what you do for a living or to your role in your home or community? If you were to lose this position, who would you be?

Another feeling that often grows with age is guilt. People think, I blew it! If only I could go back and give life a second try, but I can't. these feelings of remorse, regret, and guilt can dominate our thinking and our lives.

A common feeling among that all people must negotiate is a combination of bitterness and resentment. These feelings result in thoughts of self-pity: "I have been so mistreated. My life would have been so much better if it hadn't been for such-and-such. I've had it rough!" There are few people more difficult to be around than those who have lost the battle against bitterness. They are hardened, unpleasant, and brittle. What they lack is a perspective like Joseph's. Though severely mistreated by his own brothers who sold him into slavery, Joseph held fast to his faith in God's enduring presence and sovereignty over the events of his life, concluding, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive" (Genesis 50:20).

Perhaps you're holding on to bitterness. You know it's wrong to refuse to let go, but the feeling seems so justified! The Bible doesn't deny that unjust things happen; they do. But it teaches that God is the One who will avenge, not us. God's Word challenges us to forgive despite what's been done to us.

A final feeling that often heightens with age is fear. "I'm so afraid of losing my home! What if I get sick? I'm scared to be alone." As we age we face several realistic fears, but much of the time we imagine the worst-case scenarios and plan our lives around things that may never happen! Irrational fears can rob us of all the potential joy we could experience in life. Christ told us that rather than fear the people and things of our temporal existence, we should fear (revere) God, who has complete control of all things (Matthew 10:28).

Though we know that God has good things in store for us at every stage of our lives, Solomon painted a bleak picture of aging that drives home his point: why wait to seek the good things of God?

Remembering our Creator means more than just thinking about Him now and then. It means keeping Him at the forefront of our minds so His will affects our attitudes and actions. The important thing to realize from this verse is that we're exhorted to remember God while we are young, not to put it off until we're older. Solomon told his readers that as we age, we will find it more difficult to remember God and to enjoy the good days He's given us as a gift. Sorrow and guilt will rob us of our peace and joy, and our adjustment to the difficulties of aging will be even more challenging.

3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.

Focussed not fearful

4 He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

A farmer, ragged and barefooted, was standing on the steps of his tumbledown shack. A stranger stopped for a drink of water and just to pass the time of day he asked: "How is your cotton coming along?" he asked. "Ain't got none," replied the farmer. "Did you plant any?" asked the stranger. "Nope," was the reply, "afraid of bollweevils." "Well," continued the stranger, "how is your corn?" "Didn't plant none," came the answer, "'fraid there weren't going to be no rain." The visitor persevered: "Well, how are your potatoes?" "Ain't got none. Scairt - of potato bugs." "Really, what did you plant?" pressed the stranger. "Nothin'," was the calm reply, "I jest played safe."
Where are you making excuses for failing to step out in faith and trust God and get busy in building His kingdom? Why are you procrastinating?

Why are you scared to take risks? – "All authority is given unto me … Go .. Make Disciples"

Intelligent not Impulsive

5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

Don't Try to Unscrew the Inscrutable – leads to being overly cautious and paralyzed – you don't have to have everything figured out – Trust God to work

"Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things."

You might object: I don't see how my investing in the kingdom will really make much of an impact … What can God possibly do with this mysterious teaching ministry over the internet? I can't see the process or the results?? When I witness, I don't see any amazing conversions … doesn't seem like it matters …

How about if the obstetrician threw up his hands and said .. I'm not going to use my skills to help with this delivery of this new life into the world … I don't fully understand how it all works … I know the facts of life … but they don't make a lot of sense to me … How does God create a new life … How do the bones form and grow?? I give up.

Be intelligent. Act on what you know.  Acknowledge what you don't know. If you are not a doctor don't claim to be one. If you are not a solicitor, don't give legal advice.

Trusting  not tentative

6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

Enjoy not endure

7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.

 8 So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

1Peter 4:1-5 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

There are two sorts of judgments here.. the judgements we bring on our lives by not acting wisely, and eternal judgment. It is pretty clear that eternal judgment is in mind. But don't forget, if you don't live godly you will bring pain on your body no matter what age you are.

Wiersbe: "Walk in the ways of your heart" (NKJV) is not an encouragement to go on a youthful fling and satisfy the sinful desires within (Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:20-23). It is rather a reminder for young people to enjoy the special pleasures that belong to youth and can never be experienced again in quite the same way. Those of us who are older need to remember that God expects young people to act like young people. The tragedy is that too many older people are trying to act like young people.

Rejoicing Not Revelling

10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

But this vexation is that struggle between anger resentment anxiety and fear.

Remove vexation from your heart. It brings pain. Now.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added t:o you. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Worry is Unprofitable

²⁵ "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Worry is Useless

²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?²⁸ And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

In verse 27, we read, "Which of you, by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span?" In other words, Jesus is asking, "Which of you can solve your problem of worrying?" By asking this rhetorical question, Jesus wants us to understand that worrying doesn't do us an ounce, a "cubit", of good—not even a little bit! So the first reason why we should never worry is because worrying never profits us; it is useless. The second reason why we should never worry is because it is needless. In verse 30, we read, "If God so arrays the grass of the field . . . will He not much more do so for you?" In other words, "If God looks after birds and lilies, is it not foolish to think that He would neglect us?" Sure, things don't always go as smoothly as we would like, but you must take quite a leap to reach the conclusion that God does not care for us. Jesus reminds us elsewhere, "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father . . . Therefore do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows" (Mt.10:29,31). The point Jesus is trying to make is that, if God, the ultimate Power of the universe, cares for us, and promises to provide for us, it doesn't make much sense to worry; it is needless.

Worry Is Ungodly

³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴ "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Anxiety and fear is heathenish. In verse 32 Jesus reminds us, "all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek". When we worry about "these things" we are doubting God's care. And when we doubt God's care we resemble unbelieving Gentiles—we resemble people who do not depend on the provisions of our loving Heavenly Father.

Friends, the reason so many people are anxious is because so many are living apart from Christ. Be we, who have trusted in Christ, must not live as the heathen do.

It makes no sense for us to be anxious. It is useless. It is needless. It is heathenish.

So how do we fix this? How do we escape our tendency to worry about things? Thankfully, Jesus offers us an alternative to anxiety that makes perfect sense. Jesus calls us to make the honour of God our chief aim, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Mt.6:33).

Your Top Priority  is Personal SEEK ye FIRST"

In Papua New Guinea, the Pidgin English spoken is a very simple straight foreword language.  "Nambah One!"

Psa 105:4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
1Chron 22:17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people. 19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God;

Christ's Deity Demands It

Col 1:18 He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything.

Christ's  Death Demands it 1 Cor 6: 20 for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

If you seek the Lord you will Experience Peace "All these things shall be added unto you"

The Lord Jesus has instructed the disciples about true treasures The Lord is showing that there is only one thing that deserves Numbah 1 place in your life. And He says that your heavenly Father will look after the rest.

If you Seek the Lord You Will Experience God's Presence
Deut 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

2Chron 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

Luke 16:1-13  Ecclesiastes 11   How To Have A Successful Year 

1 Cast your bread upon the waters,  for you will find it after many days.
 2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,  for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
 3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
 4 He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

 5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

 6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

 7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.

 8 So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.

 9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

 10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Most irritating song heard on HOPE FM this year was… Everywhere you go always take the weather with you.   What?  Every time I am in the car I hear this song?   Maybe they have limited songs?

Crowded House:

Walking 'round the room singin' Stormy Weather At Fifty Seven Mount Pleasant Street
Well it's the same room But everything's different You can fight the sleep But not the dream

Things ain't cookin' in my kitchen Strange affliction wash over me Julius Caesar And the Roman Empire Couldn't conquer the blue sky

Everywhere you go Always take the weather with you
Everywhere you go Always take the weather
Everywhere you go You always take the weather with you
Everywhere you go Always take the weather The weather with you

Neil Finn told the story of the song, which he wrote with his brother/bandmate Tim

Ultimately, the theme of the song is, of course, that you are creating your own weather, you are making your own environment, always."

The promise of prosperity. Success is big business.  Curiously, however, few ever address what most folks want (but seldom find) in their pursuit of success: contentment, fulfillment, satisfaction, and relief. On the contrary, the roads that are supposed to lead to success are not only rocky; they're maddening. As the Executive's Digest once reported, "The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown." And what formula is that? Work longer hours, push ahead, let nothing hinder your quest—not your marriage or family, not your convictions or conscience, not your health or friends. Be aggressive and, if necessary, mean, as you press toward the top. You gotta be smart, slick, and sly if success is the bottom line of your agenda. It's the same old fortune-fame-power-pleasure line we've been fed for decades. At the risk of sounding ultra-simplistic, I'd like to offer some counsel that stands 180 degrees in contrast to all the above.

And Solomon's directives here in Ecclesiastes 11 are actually recognised today as best practice for business. It is called "Soft Skills!" and it works!

While Solomon was a wise man, particularly later in life, he learnt how to bring his life under the big picture of his relationship with God.  Here he gives some practical wisdom for achieving business goals.  Project planning.  There are courses in this at colleges and universities.  Here is Solomon's directions to overcome the Paralysis of Analysis.

PROFITER   BE:

Proactive not passive

1 Cast your bread upon the waters,  for you will find it after many days.

Responsible not reactive

2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight,  for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
Life isn't just about the job. In fact if you are a project development manager, you are in fact managing people. Managing people is about demonstrating that you have the best interests of each person at your heart. There is a willingness to share.

Stedman: The idea expressed there is one of openhanded generosity. Give freely, wisely, but generously to the needs of those about. This phrase, "Cast your bread upon the waters," was a proverb in Israel for what looked like wasteful expenditure. No one would take good bread and throw it in the river; he would be regarded as a wastrel for doing that. But here we are enjoined to do that very thing. This is not encouraging us to be spendthrifts, to thoughtlessly and carelessly give away our money, spending it like a drunken sailor. What is meant is, be willing to take a chance where a real need is evident.

Wiersbe: Solomon used two activities to illustrate his point [life is an adventure that must be lived by faith]: the merchant sending out his ships (vv. 1-2) and the farmer sowing his seed (vv. 3-6). In both activities, a great deal of faith is required, because neither the merchant nor the farmer can control the circumstances. The ships might hit a reef, meet a storm, or be attacked by pirates and the cargo lost. Bad weather, blight, or insects might destroy the crop, and the farmer's labor would be in vain. However, if the merchant and the farmer waited until the circumstances were ideal, they would never get anything done! Life has a certain amount of risk to it, and that's where faith comes in.

These are the "soft skills" I mentioned earlier. Recently a friend wrote a Phd on just this.

What are hard skills? Well, the hard skills of a Marketing Coordinator might include things like UX design, SEO and SEM skills, social media skills, or marketing analytics. But what is lacking and what the employers are increasingly looking more for are people who have the right soft skills for the job.

Soft skills are the things that help you fit in at the workplace, work well with colleagues, connect well with associates. They include things like attitude, communication, listening, motivation and manners. Both hard skills and soft skills are needed in any workplace and you're not going to get very far in a role without either one.

Soft skills are crucial for job-readiness

In the example above, the Marketing Coordinator would probably feature their hard skills front and centre on their resume.

But if all an employer sees are their hard skills, they may be left asking:

But, do they have the right personality and temperament to fit in with the team?

Do they have the communication skills to run a marketing event?

Do they have the persuasive skills to sell their ideas?

Do they have the networking and negotiation skills to forge partnerships?

Poorva explained that soft skills are "a really big focus right now". Some of the current trending soft skills from LinkedIn's research were: resiliency (which is probably no surprise given the pandemic we've all been living through) digital fluency emotional intelligence, and humour

Open not Obstructive

3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.

Focussed not fearful

4 He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

A farmer, ragged and barefooted, was standing on the steps of his tumbledown shack. A stranger stopped for a drink of water and just to pass the time of day he asked: "How is your cotton coming along?" he asked. "Ain't got none," replied the farmer. "Did you plant any?" asked the stranger. "Nope," was the reply, "afraid of bollweevils." "Well," continued the stranger, "how is your corn?" "Didn't plant none," came the answer, "'fraid there weren't going to be no rain." The visitor persevered: "Well, how are your potatoes?" "Ain't got none. Scairt - of potato bugs." "Really, what did you plant?" pressed the stranger. "Nothin'," was the calm reply, "I jest played safe."
Where are you making excuses for failing to step out in faith and trust God and get busy in building His kingdom? Why are you procrastinating?

Why are you scared to take risks? – "All authority is given unto me … Go .. Make Disciples"

Intelligent not Impulsive

5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

Don't Try to Unscrew the Inscrutable – leads to being overly cautious and paralyzed – you don't have to have everything figured out – Trust God to work

"Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things."

Cf. Jesus using this thought in his conversation with Nicodemus in John

You might object: I don't see how my investing in the kingdom will really make much of an impact … What can God possibly do with this mysterious teaching ministry over the internet? I can't see the process or the results?? When I witness, I don't see any amazing conversions … doesn't seem like it matters …

How about if the obstetrician threw up his hands and said .. I'm not going to use my skills to help with this delivery of this new life into the world … I don't fully understand how it all works … I know the facts of life … but they don't make a lot of sense to me … How does God create a new life … How do the bones form and grow?? I give up ..

Trusting  not tentative

6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

Enjoy not endure

7 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.

 8 So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Wiersbe: "Walk in the ways of your heart" (NKJV) is not an encouragement to go on a youthful fling and satisfy the sinful desires within (Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:20-23). It is rather a reminder for young people to enjoy the special pleasures that belong to youth and can never be experienced again in quite the same way. Those of us who are older need to remember that God expects young people to act like young people. The tragedy is that too many older people are trying to act like young people.!

Rejoicing Not Revelling

10 Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added t:o you. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Worry is Unprofitable

²⁵ "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Worry is Useless

²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?²⁸ And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

In verse 27, we read, "Which of you, by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span?" In other words, Jesus is asking, "Which of you can solve your problem of worrying?" By asking this rhetorical question, Jesus wants us to understand that worrying doesn't do us an ounce, a "cubit", of good—not even a little bit! So the first reason why we should never worry is because worrying never profits us; it is useless. The second reason why we should never worry is because it is needless. In verse 30, we read, "If God so arrays the grass of the field . . . will He not much more do so for you?" In other words, "If God looks after birds and lilies, is it not foolish to think that He would neglect us?" Sure, things don't always go as smoothly as we would like, but you must take quite a leap to reach the conclusion that God does not care for us. Jesus reminds us elsewhere, "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father . . . Therefore do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows" (Mt.10:29,31). The point Jesus is trying to make is that, if God, the ultimate Power of the universe, cares for us, and promises to provide for us, it doesn't make much sense to worry; it is needless.

Worry Is Ungodly

³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴ "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

The third reason not to be anxious is because it is heathenish (term taken from C.H. Spurgeon). In verse 32 Jesus reminds us, "all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek". When we worry about "these things" we are doubting God's care. And when we doubt God's care we resemble unbelieving Gentiles—we resemble people who do not depend on the provisions of our loving Heavenly Father.

Friends, the reason so many people are anxious is because so many are living apart from Christ. Be we, who have trusted in Christ, must not live as the heathen do.

It makes no sense for us to be anxious. It is useless. It is needless. It is heathenish.

So how do we fix this? How do we escape our tendency to worry about things? Thankfully, Jesus offers us an alternative to anxiety that makes perfect sense. Jesus calls us to make the honour of God our chief aim, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Mt.6:33).

Your Top Priority  is Personal SEEK ye FIRST"

In Papua New Guinea, the Pidgin English spoken is a very simple straight foreword language. Jeff and Joe will be learning this soon. "Nambah One!"

Psa 105:4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
1Chron 22:17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people. 19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God;

Christ's Deity Demands It

Col 1:18 He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything.

Christ's  Death Demands it

1 Cor 6: 20 for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

1 If you seek the Lord you will Experience Peace "All these things shall be added unto you"

The Lord Jesus has instructed the disciples about true treasures

Matthew 6: 19 "Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Lord Jesus has instructed the disciples about the true focus of their lives.

25 "This is why I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky: they don't sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying?

The Lord is showing that there is only one thing that deserves Numbah 1 place in your life. And He says that your heavenly Father will look after the rest.

2. If you Seek the Lord You Will Experience God's Presence
Deut 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Psa 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
Psalm 42:1As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

2Chron 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.

Ecclesiastes 12

¹                Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them";² before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain,³ in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed,⁴ and the doors on the street are shut---when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low---⁵ they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets---⁶ before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,⁷ and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.⁸ Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.

Fear God and Keep His Commandments

⁹                Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care.¹⁰ The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.

¹¹              The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.¹² My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³              The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Eaton "It is twentieth-century man who is supremely troubled about being 'thrown into existence' and asks why is there something rather than nothing. Probably the twentieth century, at least in the Western world, is the most bored epoch the world has yet seen. 'Stop the world, I want to get off' is a popular cliché. Western intellectual tradition from Schopenhauer onwards has been preoccupied with 'life's ultimate certainty', the fact of death. Albert Camus wrote, 'There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide.'¹

Modern man is also a striking confirmation that the universe sours when secularism grips his thinking. He loses his love of nature which becomes caught up in his weariness. 'The sun shone, having no alternative on the nothing new' begins a twentieth-century novel,² giving Ecclesiastes 1:3 a further turn of the screw. Similarly, history is no longer seen to have any purpose. The Judeo-Christian tradition with its linear view of history has been replaced either by some kind of determinism in which man, individually or collectively, plays no significant creative role and so has no meaning, or by a cyclical view in which all human achievement returns inevitably to chaos and so is ultimately futile.³

This purposelessness is no mere academic stance, but a hideous reality that permeates the consciousness of the whole of society and gnaws away mercilessly at the human soul. There is no exit. The universe is silent before all questions and mankind knows what Blaise Pascal meant in saying, 'I am terror stricken before the silence of infinite space.'⁴ He shuns talk about death as the Victorians shunned talk about sex. Meanwhile the 'man in the street' spends his time shielded by the television screen or by the popular newspapers with ready-packaged thinking and diverting entertainment.

To such a world Ecclesiastes has something to say. He does not come as a formal philosopher; it is a word from God he has to share, despite his reflective low-key approach. He does not present half-a-dozen arguments for the existence of God. Instead he picks up our own questions. Can you cope with life without having any idea where you are going? You don't have all the answers to life's enigmas, do you? Your neo-pagan view of life doesn't give you any hope of achieving very much, does it? Nature will not answer your questions, and you are bored by it anyway. History baffles your attempts to understand it. You don't like to think about your own death; yet it is the most certain fact about your existence.

What would it be like, asks the Preacher, if things were utterly different from what you thought? What if this world is not the ultimate one? What if God exists and is a rewarder of those who seek him? What if one of his supreme characteristics is his utter, incredible generosity, his willingness to give and give and give again, his utter acceptance of us just as we are? Could it be, asks this provocative and seemingly negative Preacher, that the barrenness and hideous purposelessness of life stems only from the fact that you will not believe in such a God?

We leave the Preacher there. His message is not complete, for he lived before the full light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He saw 'afar off', and still leaves us with some questions. How can God accept us in such a way? What is the explanation of the hideous mess of this world? On what grounds can he feel confident that some future judgment will put it all right? Is there not a missing link in all this? The missing link is Jesus Christ the Son of God. It is in Christ, the Saviour and sin-bearer, that God says to us: 'God is reconciled to you … You be reconciled to God' (2 Cor. 5:18ff.). He has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man whom he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:31).

The whole section is a sustained call to decision, presented in such a way as to call attention to the nature of that decision. We must respond to God without delay, in whole-hearted faith, whether life is adverse or comfortable, for we are marching towards the day of our death.

Perhaps you struggle with these yourself or know someone who does. Being aware of these common pitfalls can help equip you to counter them with compassion and godly perspective.

First, some struggle with the sense of uselessness: "I'm over the hill, in the way, and have nothing to contribute anymore." This sentiment is especially prevalent among people who were once prominent, resourceful, and highly respected. Kenneth Gangel catches this idea well when he writes concerning the feelings of many retirees, "Above all the physical and emotional changes looms the question, 'Who am I now?'"1

Another feeling that often grows with age is guilt. People think, I blew it! If only I could go back and give life a second try, but I can't. A poem by Thomas S. Jones, Jr illustrates these feelings of remorse, regret, and guilt.

SOMETIMES

Across the fields of yesterday
He sometimes comes to me,
A little lad just back from play—
The lad I used to be.

And yet he smiles so wistfully
Once he has crept within,
I wonder if he hopes to see
The man I might have been

Experiencing an occasional "what if" in life is normal and can actually help us make decisions for the remainder of our lives, but dwelling on the lives we could have lived or imagining the person we could have been is fruitless. We can't change the past, only our attitudes toward it.

A third common feeling among the aging is a combination of bitterness and resentment. These feelings result in thoughts of self-pity: "I have been so mistreated. My life would have been so much better if it hadn't been for such-and-such. I've had it rough!" There are few people more difficult to be around than those who have lost the battle against bitterness. They are hardened, unpleasant, and brittle. What they lack is a perspective like Joseph's. Though severely mistreated by his own brothers who sold him into slavery, Joseph held fast to his faith in God's enduring presence and sovereignty over the events of his life, concluding, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive" (Genesis 50:20).

Perhaps you're holding on to bitterness. You know it's wrong to refuse to let go, but the feeling seems so justified! The Bible doesn't deny that unjust things happen; they do. But it teaches that God is the One who will avenge, not us. God's Word challenges us to forgive despite what's been done to us.

A final feeling that often heightens with age is fear. "I'm so afraid of losing my home! What if I get sick? I'm scared to be alone." As we age we face several realistic fears, but much of the time we imagine the worst-case scenarios and plan our lives around things that may never happen! Irrational fears can rob us of all the potential joy we could experience in life. Christ told us that rather than fear the people and things of our temporal existence, we should fear (revere) God, who has complete control of all things (Matthew 10:28).

Rejoice 11:9,10

Remember

As the years of our lives slip away, we're less dependent on birthdays to remind us that we're getting older. Stiff joints, gray hair, and poor eyesight point out the obvious. Many of us try to fight the effects of time with vitamins, hair growth formulas, and antiaging creams, while others simply ignore it. But none of us can stop the steady march of time.

The question for those of us living in the real world shouldn't be, "How can we stop aging?" but, "What can we do with the time we've got?" Accordingly, Ecclesiastes 12:1–8 presents a realistic picture of the aging process and couples it with some down-to-earth advice: don't put off your relationship with God and the enjoyment of His good gifts; remember Him today.

Remembering our Creator means more than just thinking about Him now and then. It means keeping Him at the forefront of our minds so His will affects our attitudes and actions. The important thing to realize from this verse is that we're exhorted to remember God while we are young, not to put it off until we're older. Solomon told his readers that as we age, we will find it more difficult to remember God and to enjoy the good days He's given us as a gift. Sorrow and guilt will rob us of our peace and joy, and our adjustment to the difficulties of aging will be even more challenging.

Solomon described in vivid terms the "dark days" that are coming upon all of us who reach old age. His description serves as a reminder that we ought to remember God and his good gifts today.

Solomon gives us a poetic picture of getting older. Let's work our way through this passage looking at the phrases he chooses:

The day when the keepers of the house tremble. Those are your arms and hands. As we get older, they begin to shake and tremble more.

And the strong men bow down. Knees and shoulders grow weaker, more frail as we age, bending and bowing and slumping.

When the grinders cease because they are few. What are "grinders"? Your teeth, of course! We can be thankful for improved dental care, but we still lose a tooth every now and then.

And those that look through the windows grow dim. Are you getting the idea? Our eyes, the windows of mind and body. No one had spectacles in Solomon's time; they had to live with blurry vision.

When the doors are shut in the streets, and the sound of the grinding is low. Our ears and our hearing begin to fail. We can't hear the old street sounds or the mills grinding away.

When one rises up at the sound of a bird. Teenagers can sleep until noon, but that's a skill we lose as we age. We old-timers are up with the chickens. My parents used to stay at our house. No matter what time I got up in the morning, my dad was sitting at the kitchen table. I'd ask him, "Dad, did you go to bed last night?" Sure—he just liked those early hours.

And all the daughters of music are brought low. Your voice starts to quiver and weaken. You don't sing as loudly or clearly as you once did.

Also they are afraid of height, and of terrors in the way. We become much less eager to climb ladders and stairways as we grow older. We don't even like a high curb.

When the almond tree blossoms. What tree blossoms as you grow older? Your hair puts forth white shoots! Rather than informing your spouse you've spotted another gray hair, why not say, "Nice almond tree, honey!"

The grasshopper is a burden. By summer's end, grasshoppers lose their hop. They're more like "grasslimpers."

And desire fails. You can work this one out for yourself. Hint: there's a whole new line of pharmaceuticals to help.

For man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets. This is referring to the unavoidable funeral and funeral procession.

Solomon goes on in verse 6 to give us four images of what it's like to die.

Fallen. Crashed. Shattered. Broken. These are all images of lost beauty. Together their picture is heartbreaking.

Then again, Art Linkletter once said that it's better to be over the hill than under it. Whatever life is for us, wherever we find ourselves in age or stage, every moment is a gift of God—brightly wrapped, waiting to be opened, admired, and delighted in. The bittersweet nature of loss makes the present more precious; knowing that the silver cord will one day slip away, we cherish it all the more while it is in our hands.

Reflect

1. We must face the fact that we aren't getting any younger. Ignoring old age won't make it go away. Aging is inevitable and can propel us toward greater dependence on and a deeper relationship with God. But if we fail to remember our Creator today, our golden years can become "dark days," rather than the joyful times He intends.

Now is the time to prepare for eternity. Preparing for retirement is commendable, but it's nothing when compared to the importance of investing in the eternal relationship we have with God. The Lord wants us to entrust our lives to Him so we can enjoy His presence endlessly. If we see the effects of aging as signposts that point to our heavenly home, we'll be all the more ready to endure them with patience and even joy.

Reverence  fear the Lord

God has designed us to be empty without Him. As we've seen before, Augustine once prayed to God, "You stir man to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you."⁸ Our souls will have no peace in life until we remember our Creator. The process of aging and the inevitable tough times in life will only make it more difficult to turn to God if we continue to delay a complete surrender of our lives to Him.

The English word Christmas dates from before the twelfth century. In Old English it was two words, Christes maesse, and in Middle English, Christemasse. Literally it meant "Christ's mass" and referred to the special worship service held on December 25 in honor of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As most of you know, we aren't certain about the time of the year when Jesus was born, but it's safe to infer He wasn't born around December 25. This is a date the Roman Catholic Church set centuries ago for the wrong reason. When Constantine legalized Christianity in the 4th Century, there was already a pagan celebration called Sol Invictus that took place a few days after the winter solstice. It was a celebration of the fact that once again light had conquered darkness. When the Roman Empire became "Christian" they adopted many of these pagan practices and tried to Christianize them (they eventually paganized Christianity), thus we celebrate "Christ's mass" on December 25.

Initially the Church celebrated the birth of Christ, the coming of the shepherds, and the adoration of the Magi on January 6, a day also associated with the Lord's baptism. By AD 336, December 25 was recognized in Rome as the day of Christ's birth (although December 25 was in use by the early 200s). By the sixth century, the entire Western Church had moved the celebration of the nativity to December 25, along with the shepherds' visit and adoration of the Magi. The Eastern Church continues to link the adoration of the wise men with Epiphany, January 6. Jesus might have been born in late December or early January, but we can't know for sure.

Over time, Christmas became a festive season that lasted until Epiphany, giving us the twelve days of Christmas (the twelve days begin with the day after Christmas). For Christians, the giving and receiving of gifts follows the example of the Magi. The use of lights reflects both the increasing natural light of the time of year and the growing spiritual light of Christ, who is the Light of the World.

The best clue in the narrative for the time of year was the fact that shepherds were out in the fields at night with their flocks. This was only done during the warm months, certainly not in December.

It snows in Bethlehem in Winter!

There are two main sites that have their own Shepherds' Field, where the angels appeared to the shepherds announcing Christ's birth. Less than a half-mile (1 km.) separates them from one another. 

Franciscan Shepherds' Field (the most visited as it's more easily accessed and is set up for tourists).

The Greek Orthodox Shepherds' Field. Both sites have substantial archaeological evidence and tradition supporting them. However, the Greek Orthodox site has more ruins and longer continuous usage. Both places are located about a mile (2 km.) east of Bethlehem in the Beit Sahour village. The Church of the Nativity can be seen from each site. Because the sites are so close to one another, it's very possible that the angels' appearance was seen from both places as there could have easily been numerous shepherds in close proximity. There are also various other ruins, churches, and monasteries in the area, which testify to the fact that this event happened here.

The date of the birth of Jesus isn't the point – the good news is that HE HAS BEEN BORN. For that reason, we should study this event at times other than at Christmas. So, without trees, presents, and crowded stores, let's read about this awesome experience: (Luke 2:1-20). At the end of the 4th century, Jerome, who was translating the Hebrew and Greek Bible manuscripts into Latin at the Church of the Nativity, mentioned that the church in Jerusalem celebrated a feast-day at the Church

In 384 AD, the pilgrim Egeria was shown the church called "At the Shepherds" in a valley near Bethlehem. She reported, "A big garden is there now, protected by a neat wall all around, and also there is a very splendid cave with an altar." 

First, the Miracles Mary pondered and, Second, the Message God proclaimed.

I. THE MIRACLES MARY PONDERED

It's obvious that Luke conducted a personal interview with Mary many years later or how else would he have been able to write what he did in verse 19? It says, "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Mary experienced so many miracles that night that she had to store them in her heart as precious treasures. The word "pondered" is a word that Aristotle used frequently; it is the word sunballousa which means to "constantly rethink and evaluate even the tiniest details" of an experience. What were "these things" that she pondered? When we look at what took place that night, there were actually three miraculous journeys. Each of these three journeys came to a conclusion that night and they all arrived at the same place in Bethlehem.

First, there was

1. The difficult arrival in Bethlehem

The first journey that came to a conclusion that night was the difficult journey Mary and Joseph made from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It was a difficult trek of over 80 miles, 130 km, either down the the road beside the Jordan river and then up the hill towards Bethlehem, or across the hills from Nazareth to Jerusalem then on to Bethlehem. The chapter begins with Luke setting this event in a literal historical and political context. He is writing to Theophilus, who probably was an important official in the Roman government. Luke is careful to ensure that the readers comprehend that the birth of Jesus is firmly rooted in history. It was not a once-upon-a-time story. There was a real Jesus just as there was a Caesar Augustus and a governor named Quirinius.

Can you imagine the fear and anxiety Joseph and Mary experienced when they heard that because of this census, they had no choice but to travel to Bethlehem? They knew Mary was going to give birth any day and it would be a long and difficult trip but they had not choice, did they? After all, the Emperor Augustus was in control. Really? Actually, the heart of this king was in the hand of the Lord, and God was behind this decree. This massive registration plan was simply God's way to get Mary in the correct place for Jesus to be born. The scripture had prophesied 700 years earlier that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 says, "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." That last phrase literally reads, "whose beginning is from the days of eternity." Caesar Augustus, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, was the first Caesar to be called Augustus. His real name was Octavanius. The Roman Senate voted to give him that title, Augustus, which means "holy or revered." It was a title reserved for gods. They wanted to make the Roman emperor like God. So here was this "Augustus" making his political decree, thinking he was god and he is simply a pawn in the hand of the true God. Man proposes, but God disposes. Augustus was a man who wanted to become a god and what we see in this text is God who is becoming a man! Now we often see pictures of Mary on a donkey, but she probably walked the 80 miles, 130km.

So Joseph and Mary finally arrived in Bethlehem, only to find every hotel had a "no vacancy" sign out front. Actually, Bethlehem was such a tiny town, that when it says there was no room in the Inn, it means there was only one and it was full. So Jesus was born . . . where, exactly? The Bible doesn't say. We only know He was laid in a manger, which is a wooden feed box for cows and sheep. That's why we assume He was born in a barn. Most miniature Nativity scenes employ a wooden shack as the barn, but we are fairly certain it wasn't a wooden barn. In Bible times, and especially in the region around Bethlehem, farmers and shepherds didn't have enough wood to build wooden building. Instead they used the natural shallow caves that dotted the sides of the limestone hills.

If you ever get into the Church of the Nativity, and there is a shallow cave, or grotto, that is the traditional site of the birth of Jesus. Of course, this huge church has been built over it.

There  was a second journey that arrived at the same place that evening. I call it

2. The quiet arrival of God

In the silence of a starlit night, Mary simply gave birth to a little baby – and his infant cry was the first time the voice of God was heard speaking through human lips. How far was this journey? It was a journey in which the Eternal Son of God laid aside His glory and traveled down through time and space at the speed of thought and took upon Himself our likeness.

II Corinthians 8:9, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."

The reason Jesus was born in such a poor humble circumstance was for our sakes. About 2km from Bethlehem sitting on top of the tallest hill was the massive palace that Herod the Great had built for himself. Called the Herodium, it had 200 polished marble steps leading to a series of towers and arches. It contained a swimming pool twice as large as an olympic pool. It would have been clearly in sight that night blazing away with its torches and candles. Why wasn't the King of the Jews born there? Did God know what He was doing? Was it a mistake for the Messiah to born to such humble surroundings? Shouldn't there have been a palace instead of a cave? Shouldn't there have been a solid gold cradle, not a manger? Shouldn't there have been the finest physicians present instead of just Mary and Joseph? Did God know what He was doing? Absolutely.

Ray Stedman writes: "Now you would think that if God so rules the world as to use an empire- wide census to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, He surely could have seen to it that a room was available in the inn. Yes, He could have. And Jesus could have been born into a wealthy family. He could have turned stone into bread in the wilderness. He could have called 10,000 angels to His aid in Gethsemane. He could have come down from the cross and saved Himself. The question is not what God could do but what He willed to do. God's will was that though Christ was rich, yet for your sake He became poor. The "No vacancy" signs over all the motels in Bethlehem were for your sake. "For your sake He became poor." God rules all things – even motel capacities, for the sake of His children. The Calvary road begins with a no vacancy sign in Bethlehem and ends with the spitting and scoffing and the cross in Jerusalem."

"Hark the Herald Angels Sing.", "Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace, hail the Son of righteousness, Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings, mild He lays His glory by," (that's the incarnation), "born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King." She also pondered

3. The surprise arrival of shepherds

Now, picture little Mary for a moment. She is exhausted from the difficult trip from Nazareth, and she is weary from the physical ordeal of giving birth to her firstborn. But she is too excited to go to sleep so she and Joseph are taking turns holding the baby Jesus. Sometime that evening, a group of shepherds arrive and say, "Yes, here He is, just like the angel said . . "

I wonder if Mary had begun to entertain some doubts about the visit of the angel nine months earlier. After all, if her child was the Messiah, would she have been out in a cave, putting her child in a feed box? But now these unexpected visitors show up – and they are excited! One of the shepherds proceeds to tell Mary about the angel and then about the whole army of angels who appeared in the sky. This had to be a pleasant surprise as, once again; Mary receives confirmation that this little baby was to be the Saviour of the world.

This journey they traveled from the fields into Bethlehem, and then they returned to fields, rejoicing and praising God. What a night that was!

There were three miracles that caused Mary to ponder God's greatness and grace. The couple arrived safely in the city of David, God arrived in the form a baby, and the shepherds arrived to investigate this unique birth. But the main thing about the shepherd's journey was the message that they proclaimed. And it was God's message!

II. THE MESSAGE GOD PROCLAIMED

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.¹⁰ And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

In the King James Version of the Bible, the phrase "fear not" is found three times in Luke's Christmas narrative and four additional times in his Gospel. The New International Version translates it, "Do not be afraid." The author of this Gospel was a physician—Paul called him "our dear friend Luke, the doctor" (Col. 4:14)—and often doctors have to say to their patients, "Now, don't be afraid." No wonder Luke used the phrase seven times in his Gospel! Don't be afraid. It's the most frequent command in the Bible. Maybe it's because we're prone to fear. Maybe it's because we're prone to forget, because we live in a dangerous world filled with dangerous things. Or because it's the right response to the good news. Most likely, it's all of these.

Don't be afraid. It's the command of Christmas. Two thousand years ago, some shepherds were out in the fields at night, likely counting sheep and trying not to fall asleep. Without warning, the angel of the Lord stood before them. They were terrified. But the angel commanded them, "Don't be afraid."

Don't be afraid. This command isn't heavily featured in the Bible by chance. There's always a "because." God doesn't give commands without purpose. So, the angel said, "Don't be afraid, for look …" God doesn't expect us to grit our teeth and push down fear. For look, he shows us why we need not be afraid. He wants us to see the end of fear.

It is Good News not Bad News

Whenever there was an angelic appearance in the bible, the first thing the folks thought of was "oh no I've had it!" The angel of death was very real to them and probably was their first thought about angels.  The shepherds probably thought "oh no no, this is bad news!" But the Lord says no this is good news of great joy!

Fear was a great problem at the time Jesus came into the world. According to Matthew 4:16—a quotation from Isaiah 9:2—the people were "living in darkness . . . in the land of the shadow of death." Death was a terrible enemy that kept many people in bondage to fear (Heb. 2:14–15), and the pagan religions had no answers or assurances to offer. People lived in spiritual darkness and longed for light. It was not until Jesus "destroyed death and . . . brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Tim. 1:10) that the darkness fled and the fear of death vanished for those who believed.   "Do not be afraid,"

It is Salvation not Judgement

Don't be afraid. With this news is great joy. The angel had come to deliver a message — a good message — not to bring harm or punishment to the shepherds. In the same way, the message of Christmas does not destroy us; it destroys our fear. The shepherds likely feared for their lives when the angel of the Lord appeared to them. Imagine their surprise upon learning that they would not die but were invited to visit the newborn king. With the coming of Christ came great joy — not depression, not punishment, not destruction, but long-awaited relief and happiness. A Savior has been born, the Messiah, the King promised to David. And he is the Lord — God in the flesh, come to dwell with us. His name is Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Jesus is the end of fear. Jesus himself is the good news. And Jesus is great joy.

John 1:14 says, "The Word (God) became flesh and dwelt among us."

Philippians 2:5-7 "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."

Dr. A.W. Tozer writes: "If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was for forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior."

It is Real not Folklore

Next, the angel invited the shepherds to travel into Bethlehem to investigate and confirm this message. He said the way they would recognize this Savior/Messiah/King in an unusual way. He would be lying in a feed trough (we have made the word "manger" too religious). To me it is significant that God didn't command them to travel into Bethlehem, He simply delivered the Good News. After the angels left, the shepherds said, "Let's go into Bethlehem to see this thing that the Lord has told us about." (vs. 15) They heard God's invitation, and by their own choice they accepted His invitation and traveled into the town to find the baby. I can just imagine what must have happened. They hurried into town asking everyone they met if they had heard of a baby being born who was placed in a feed trough; finally they arrive at the correct location and they see Mary, Joseph, and little baby Jesus. The baby is wrapped tightly in strips of cloth and is resting in a wooden feed trough. They had seen enough! The angel was right: the Savior, Messiah, Lord had arrived! They not only heard the announcement, they came into His presence and met Him.

The Lord invites you to check out who Jesus is. You can know with certainty that this Saviour is your Saviour.

It is for all people not the elite

The fact that God chose shepherds to hear the first gospel message is not an accident. Shepherds were the lowest people in the socio-economic order of that day; they were a despised class with a bad reputation. Shepherds were known as thieves because they were nomadic, and as they moved their sheep around the country, sometimes they got confused about what was "mine" and what was "thine." They were not allowed to give testimony in a Jewish court of law. Their work made it impossible for them to observe the Jewish ceremonial laws and temple rituals, so they were considered religiously unclean and unacceptable. It's pretty amazing to think this heavenly invasion came to such social outcasts!

Jesus came to earth as God's gift for everyone—the group gift that can be appreciated by every person. Isaiah wrote, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6 KJV). Who is "us"? Initially, it was the people of Israel. But it was always God's plan to bring salvation to all the peoples of the world through the nation of Israel.

On the night Christ was born, the angel said to the shepherds, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11 KJV). The "you" was the shepherds, who were Jews; and the "you" was the Jewish nation. But the angel had also said, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people" (v. 10). We find the word people in the phrase "people of God." In the Old Testament "the people" or "my people" refers to the Jews (Exod. 5:1). But in the New Testament the phrase "people of God" means those persons who belong to God's family through saving faith in Jesus Christ (see Acts 15:14—"how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself"; see also Titus 2:14, 1 Pet. 2:9–10). . The fact that God delivered the first gospel message to shepherds instead of a king tells us that the good news is for all people, not just the wealthy or the educated. Let's notice four things God said to those shepherds 2,000 years ago, because He is saying the same thing to us today. He is saying here's some good news that will give you great joy:

It is for you to Accept.

"Unto us" a child is born—unto Jews, Gentiles, the human race, the whole world of people. "Unto you" is born a Savior—unto you personally.

What will you do with God's gift?

Don't be afraid. Jesus is joy proclaimed to all, and Jesus is joy proclaimed to you. Jesus is joy proclaimed to all, and Jesus is joy declared to you in the very real fears, distress, and challenges we experience. What objections spring up when you hear "Don't be afraid?" How does the good news of great joy speak to them? 

Don't be afraid. "But it feels like everything is against me." He has overcome the world. "But my spouse left me!" He will never leave or forsake you. "But I can't pay the bills!" Seek his kingdom, and these things will be provided for you. "But they're lying about me!" If God is for us, who is against us? "But I am dying!" He himself bore our sicknesses. "But I am suffering!" He carried our pains. "But I have a life of rebellion!" He was pierced because of our rebellion. "But I am a prodigious sinner!" He was crushed because of our iniquities. "But I deserve my torment." The punishment for our peace was on him. "But I have a story of shame!" The one who believes in him will never be put to shame. "But everyone who ever loved me has stopped loving me." Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

It is for you to proclaim.

So these shepherds traveled into the little town and they met the baby Jesus and they were so excited that verse 17 says, "they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child." That means they became the very first evangelists for Jesus. I believe each of those men were changed from having entered into the presence of Jesus. They couldn't keep quiet about what had happened to them since they met Jesus. They were joyfully skipping along, sharing the good news with everyone they encountered. Verse 18 says, "and all who heard it were amazed."

You see, once you meet Jesus, you can't stay the same. The birth of this little baby made all the difference in the world. Have you ever met Jesus? He will change your life too. One of the ways you can tell is that you will be telling everyone you meet that your life is different. When was the last time you acted like those shepherds and informed everyone you know that you have met Jesus and things are different in your life?

John sent me a video of a couple of young kids.. they were in church on Sunday.  On Saturday they were out at the main street of St Mary's preaching about the Lord Jesus. How thrilling is that?

My friend, God has delivered a Good News Invitation to you today. He says, "Come to me all you who weary and burdened and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28) Your name is embossed on the invitation. He says, "I love you and I want you to live with Me forever." He has added "RSVP" to the invitation. Now, what is your response?