Christmas Essay 3

(Probably because this essay was very long I could not view it from my phone so splitting it up and posting again in several instalments.) 

 The angel choir in heaven reflects the triumph of heaven.  

After that the angels sang they went back to heaven. The shepherds talked among themselves and decided to go to Bethlehem village to see and worship the Lord Jesus. When the shepherds went to see the Lord Jesus they found a baby in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. They worshipped the Lord Jesus and told others what the angels told them and what they had seen. Then they went back to the fields to continue with taking care of the sheep. They realized that in Bethlehem in the stable they had seen exactly as the the angel had told them. In other words the angel had given them very clear signs. The shepherds did not have to wander all around Bethlehem looking for Lord Jesus. The angel told them Lord Jesus would be a baby. Would be wrapped in swaddling clothes. Would be in a manger. 

The wise men were filled with great joy when they saw the star. The angel told the shepherds that the angel was bringing them good news of great joy. Thus the star who guided the wise men to Bethlehem and the angel who broke the news of the child Christ being born in Bethlehem both had to do with great joy. The star brought great joy to the wise men. The angel who visited the shepherds said the news he had that of baby Jesus being born in a stable in Bethlehem was a news of great joy. Does this mean that the baby Jesus Himself is a star? Or is the star the news of baby Jesus being born in Bethlehem. The news of the birth of Jesus ought to bring great joy and not a little bit of joy.  The news about the birth of Jesus ought to bring a above normal amount of joy. 

 Coming back to the song of Mary. 

Mary burst into a song in the home of zechariah and Elizabeth. It was Elizabeth who first acknowledged that Mary was blessed above all women because she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. Then immediately baby John the Baptist leaped in Elizabeth's womb. It would have been such a special moment that a baby who is not even born is cognizant and responds to happenings outside the womb. 

As soon as Mary reached Elizabeth's house Mary greeted Elizabeth. The person who heard and responded to Mary's greeting was baby John the Baptist. Elizabeth's child leaped within her and Elizabeth was filled with the holy spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary God has blessed you above all women. Elizabeth said or the holy spirit spoke through Elizabeth that why would the mother of my Lord visit me. Elizabeth goes on to say that Mary is blessed because she believed an unlikely story told to her by an angel from heaven. The story told to Mary is not a common occurrence. Mary was told that before she got married she would have a child. Mary believed the angel. Mary believed because she was actually visited by an angel. Mary did not see some bible verse and arrive at some conclusion on her own. She actually talked to the angel. 

Anyway Mary burst into song at this point. Mary's song is called the magnificat. It is Mary's song of praise to God and shows the attitude of humility and fear of the Lord. 

Mary praises God with her soul. 

Mary's spirit rejoices in God her saviour. 

Let us pray to God to help us praise God with our soul. 

Let us allow our spirits to rejoice in God our Savior. 

Heavenly father noticed a lowly servant girl. 

Because heavenly father noticed a lowly servant girl all generations will call her blessed. 

Mary sings that mighty God is holy. 

And the mighty God has done great things for her. Let us look for the great things God has done for us. The fact that we are not in Afghanistan itself is a great thing. 

Mary sings that God shows mercy from generations to generations to all who fear Him. 

God's mighty arm has done tremendous things. 

God has scattered the proud and haughty ones. 

I am not sure who exactly is proud and haughty in Mary's life. Who is Mary referring to when Mary says God has scattered the proud and haughty people. 

Mary sings that God brings down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. Mary means herself when she says God has exalted the humble. 

Mary says that God has filled hungry people with good things and rich who are not hungry go away from God with empty hands. 

God has helped the people of Israel and remembered to be merciful. I think this is an important thought. God has remembered to be merciful. 

For he made this promise to our ancestors

To Abraham and His children forever. 

Here the promise Mary is referring to is God's mercy upon us to give us the opportunity to lead godly lives in an unfriendly world. 

Mary was given the promise of being Lord Jesus' mother but all descendants of Abraham can have the mercy of God I think. 

Mary's magnificat is really nice. God is on the side of the humble and on those who fear Him. 

I do wish to fear God at all times.