What is the spiritual significance of Joseph and Mary traveling though "Galilee"? In Galilee stands the Sea of Galilee. Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee six times during His walk as the Son of God. (Unger’s Bible Dictionary, map). In the same manner He turned the water of the six water pots of stone into wine at a joyous occasion—a wedding. At the wedding each stone pot was filled with the natural life-sustaining water, but when Jesus came, He turned all that water into the Life giving wine of His Spirit. He showed at the wedding feast, that there would be a day, when all those consumed in death would be animated with the wine of His Life.
Over and over again, Jesus made an open show that death was coming to an end in the presence of the Son as He sailed back and forth across the sea of humanity performing miracles upon it and all along its coasts. In that region He healed the sick and lame, cast out demons, walked over boisterous waves, and raised the dead.
It was during one of those trips with His disciples, "...there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm" (Mark 4:37,39).
There are times of darkness when we also embark with Jesus across this foreboding sea of humanity’s course in life, the circuit we ride. It is common for troubling storms to blow without a moments notice. The deluge of waves pound relentlessly upon our breaking ship. In the midst of its fury, it looks as if all will be lost; and with Jesus asleep in the back of the ship, we may think that He isn’t even concerned about it.
But like those of little faith that night, we forget that He always accomplishes what His Father sends Him to do. If He is sent to cross over the circuit to the other side, He will cross over and will lose no one who travels with Him. In the course, as it was that dark night of death’s storm, Jesus arises, rebukes the wind, says to the sea, "Peace, be still," the wind ceases, and there is a great calm -- all is calm (Mark 4:39). All is still. Silent Night, Holy Night.
When The Voice of the Son of God is heard, it is always obeyed. When the Spirit moved and God said, "Let there be light..." there was light. When the Spirit moved and God said, "Let the waters bring forth..." the waters brought forth. And when the Spirit moved and God said, "Let the earth bring forth..." the earth obeyed and brought forth the energy of life.
Then they had to travel through Samaria.
The New Testament mentions Samaria in Luke chapter 17:11-20, in the miraculous healing of the ten lepers, which took place on the border of Samaria and Galilee. John 4:1-26 records Jesus’ encounter at Jacob’s well with the woman of Sychar, in which He declares Himself to be the Messiah. In Acts 8:5-14, it is recorded that Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached there.
In Jesus’ time, his people had little to do with the people who lived in Samaria. The Jewish people painted the Samaritans as mongrels or half-breeds due to intermarriage with non-Israelite groups after the Assyrian invasion of 722-721 BCE. Their priesthood and sanctuary were judged illegitimate, and their text of the Scripture was considered as corrupt. The Samaritans returned the fury with interest.
John 4:4-42 depicts Jesus masterfully transcending human divisions and inviting the woman, the disciples, the Samaritan townspeople, and ultimately all people to worship "in spirit and truth" (vv 23, 24). Jesus models for us, an openness to new people and new ways of doing things. Jesus shows you and me how to rise above prejudice in order to give testimony to the truth and draw others into spiritual union with him.
SO to have joy this Christmas, you and must have a new outlook on the world--Open to new ways, new ideas about God, open to people who are different from you
The only way God can reach out to others in this world is through you; So the Christmas event is an invitation to you to journey through a period of a new awakening, a new perception about life. Many times we journey through a time when we say, "Oh, come on. How can this be? I’m too old. I can’t do this. After all, I have limitations."
On from Samaria to Judea we travel with Joseph and the pregnant Mary.
If we’re smart, we’ll pass on by our own doubts and go to Judea which is the preparation for the birth of the Christ. It literally means "praising the Lord".
Many events in the life of Jesus occur in this province as recorded in the New Testament gospel accounts--from His birth at Bethlehem in Judea, through His youth at Nazareth in Galilee, across His public ministry in Capernaum, Samaria and Judea, along His travels to Tyre, Sidon and Caesarea-Philippi, and on to His suffering, death, resurrection and ascension in Jerusalem.
I’ve never been to Israel but I am certain those of you who have remember visiting many of the places in Judea where Jesus lived and walked this earth. All the locations associated with Jesus are situated just as described in the New Testament. The Pool of Siloam, for example, where Jesus healed the blind man of John 9, is still there, and still flows with water. The Jewish capital was Jerusalem in Judea, where Jesus visited a number of times, finally to be arrested, tried and crucified by the Jewish and Roman authorities.
What obviously is the significance of the word Judea? Praising God, allowing the magnificence of the Christmas spirit to work in your life and flow to others—every day –not just during this holiday season.
Now, most Biblical scholars and historians say this birth most likely took place in August.
Now I probably need to digress and explain for a minute why we celebrate Christmas in December. December 25 as a birth date for Jesus is merely traditional, and is not thought to be his actual date of birth. It is unknown exactly when or why December 25 was originally associated with Jesus’ birth. One theory relates December as developing into the celebration of Christmas in this way:
The Romans held a festival on December 25 called "the birthday of the unconquered sun." which became an empire-wide holiday. December 25 was also considered to be the date of the winter solstice. It was therefore the day the Sun proved itself to be "unconquered" despite the shortening of daylight hours. This annual celebration has a "strong claim on the responsibility" for the date of Christmas, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia Several early Christian writers connected the rebirth of the sun to the birth of Jesus. "O, how wonderfully acted Providence that on that day on which that Sun was born . . . Christ should be born," Bishop Cyprian wrote.
Again Biblical scholars and historians say this birth most likely took place in August. Here you are, walking with your nine month pregnant wife on foot in the desert. It is a distance of seventy-five miles. You can walk about three miles an hour. Usually you could only walk in the cool hours of the day, which would be about four hours a day. This would mean that the journey took at least a week.
Now, one of the joyous parts of my job is that I visit women in the maternity ward. Do you know what they have them do? If they want to induce labor, they have them walk. Well, this lady had some walking to do. She was ready to deliver a child when they arrived at their destination.
"While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." ..In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ’Do not be afraid, for see--I am bringing you good news of a great joy for all the people; to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you; you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger,’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ’Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those who he favors!’
"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ’Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told to them."
I close with the first words in John [Chapter 1, verses 1-14]. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came to witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth."
Many people forget what this season is about. This is what it’s about. Never forget. May the joy of this message live anew in you starting tonight. These are the 4 gifts of Christmas that I have talked about during this Advent and Christmas season—hope, peace, love and tonight joy. Merry Christmas and may you find the joy of this season as gift that will last throughout the next year. Will you pray with me?
PRAYER / MEDITATION
I ask you to rest quietly and turn within to that inner place of joy in you. As you do so, it will become a celebration of Christmas.
How joyous this year is! This year is like no other Christmas has ever been. It is the birth of Christ again, but anew, ever-unfolding, widening inside of you. The wonders of the wondrous are upon you. The wonders can be felt in the recesses of your prayers. The birth of Jesus Christ is the birth of a new beginning for humankind, and the birth of a new message, a new way for you to live, to pray, and to believe.
A soul prepares for eons of time, and then a Babe is born in a manger with a mission to bring a message. He is the great messenger of all time. Born as a human infant by his mother, the virgin Mary, He was born as we were born, into a human body but born with a spirit that knows the power of God. He was born a Babe who does not know human limitation.
Here was a Child who grew in body and mind; a child about God’s business. Truly, this was a king within the kingdom of expanding minds; a prince of hope, a prince of peace, a prince of love and prince of joy. This Babe was bearing a gift from God for the minds of men and women of all the ages; a gift that is given to you now with no strings attached; a gift so great that it releases the chains of bondage on you--the shackles of illness, the prison of self-doubt, and the weight of poverty
God’s message has come to earth in the temple of the body of the Babe to tell you of your divinity and of your temple. As the Star lead the wise men, Jesus’ message shine to lead us to a brand new way of life and a new way of thinking. I ask you to rest in the silence, and again feel the Christmas story and allow the spirit of Christmas to be born inside of you anew . . .
Will you let the prayer now that I am about to speak be your prayer in your own way tonight:
Dear Lord, this Christmas I accept the gift. I unwrap the package that has been wrapped since my birth. Dear God, may Christ be born in me this sacred holiday. May I unwrap the sense of your presence in me. Dear God, I now accept the gift. I accept the challenge, for it is my right to do so. I am a child of the living God and I follow the Jesus Christ teachings to better my life and the lives of those everywhere. By following these teachings I become joy to my world. I rest in the message of the Prince of Peace, and I dwell on that message in the silence of my heart.. In the silence, in the silence . . .
As I prepare to open my eyes, I realize what I have. Indeed, I have unwrapped the gift –the Spirit of Christmas inside of me. As I open my eyes, I realize that I will perceive differently and, indeed, I have received the greatest Christmas gift of all--the gift of the realization of You in my life. Thank You, dear God. O be born in my heart tonight. Thank You . . . Amen.
