In March of 1979 my father, Sherwood Hamilton, was attending a retreat for church leaders when he received an exciting announcement.  He had become a grandfather!  From that day forward he always had a special place in his heart for his first-born grandchild and “Pop Pop” always had a special place in the heart of my son Erick.  In 2010 I called my father with another special announcement.  “Erick and Becky had a little boy Dad,” I told him, “And they named him Samuel Sherwood.”   I will never forget the sound of my father’s voice repeating that name over and over again with such pride and tenderness.  It meant so much to him (and to me)! 

            Advent (the four weeks prior to Christmas) reminds us of several amazing announcements within the Christmas story.  A census is announced for taxation purposes and it propels Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem where prophecy is fulfilled when Christ is born (Mic. 5:2; Lk. 2:1-5). Angels announce to shepherds the birth of a Savior (Lk. 2:8-15) and a star announces to Magi that a king has been born which sends them on an international journey to find him (Mt. 2:1-2).  But the first announcement is perhaps the most amazing of all.  Imagine Gabriel’s thoughts as he approaches a young woman in her early teens living in the small village of Nazareth to proclaim she is to be the mother of God’s Chosen One (Lk. 1:26-38)!  Gabriel had carried messages to Daniel (Dan. 8:16-27, 9:21-27) one of God’s greatest prophets, and now he is sent to a simple and humble peasant girl, one who appears to be at the completely opposite end of the esteemed spectrum of humanity (Lk. 1:26-27).   Yet Mary’s devotion and faith are equal to that of Daniel’s which is evidenced in her response to this heavenly messenger (Lk. 1:38).

          It was no small thing for Mary to accept what God had willed for her.  As a betrothed woman she was legally bound to Joseph and to be found “with child” by someone else carried dire consequences.  The least of these would be public shame; the worst death by stoning.   And yet, once the obvious question has been answered (vs. 34), Mary humbly submits to God’s will.  It all seems so neat and tidy which has made us become so accustomed to hearing this aspect of the Christmas story that we’ve completely forgotten the impact of this announcement.  Or is it that we just do not recognize the significance of the announcement because we have minimized who brought the message?  Have we become so familiar with the promise given to David that we pass over the fact that between David’s time and Mary’s almost 1,000 years has gone by?  Whatever may have caused our disregard, it is time to listen again, to hear the words anew, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name, Jesus” (Lk. 1:31; Matthew’s version ties Jesus’ name to prophecy and purpose: Mt. 1:18-25.).

            The name of Jesus is significant both in the Christmas story and throughout the Book of Acts.  Most first-born sons would have been named after their father.  Jesus should have been Joseph Jr., but instead His name is a different name based on the same root word.  It is the translation of that name that propels the Gospel message in Acts- Yahweh Saves.  From Acts 1:1 to 28:31, the kerygma (the proclamation) is all about Jesus and the fulfillment of that name.  Each miraculous event, every speech, sermon, appeal or monologue is centered around Him and the finished work of the cross (Acts 2:22-24; 3:13-16; 5:30 etc.).  Every road or mode of travel and the places those roads lead to moves the message forward and throughout the Roman Empire (Acts 1:12; 8:5; 9:19; 13:1,4; 14:8; 16:1, 11, 12; 17:1; 18:1, 23; 19:1; 20:13-15: 21:1-4; 27:1; 28:1, 16).  The people who lift their voices to tell of this Good News (whether they are known or unknown) are willing to risk their lives to get the message out because they believe the meaning of that name has come to pass in Jesus (Acts 15:24-26).  In fact, within the 38 chapters of Acts, Jesus’ appears 70 times just to drive that point home.  When it is mentioned in other forms or phrases, such as “Christ”, “Jesus Christ”, or “Our Savior, Jesus Christ”, the number becomes too numerous to count!  Peter, John, Stephen, Paul and countless others do everything, “in the Name of Jesus” (Acts 2:38; 3:6; 4:10, 18; 5:40; 8:12; 9:5-27 and more of course!), underscoring that not only is the entire Book of Acts focused on it, but all of Scripture for that matter (Is. 9:6; Acts 4:12; Phil. 2:9-11).  My father was truly touched that his first great-grandson was named after him.  As Christ-ians we are named after the Savior whose birth we celebrate now.   But how often do we repeat it or proclaim it as it was in Acts?  It is just as important for the message to go out today as it was back then in a culture that was not much different than ours.  Therefore, like our faithful predecessors of the first century, we too must be about the business of spreading the Good News with every word we speak, with every deed we do and in every place that we find ourselves.  This is not a message to be kept to oneself! (Acts 5:42).  So, speak up!

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/

            It’s been a sad observation of mine (and many others) that children do not play outside as much as they used to.  I remember the entire block which I grew up on as a huge playground where the neighborhood kids spent hours riding bikes and playing tag.  One version of tag called “Red Rover” involved lining up on a base line and the “it” person designating who had to run across it to the other base by reciting a simple poem, “Red Rover, Red Rover, I call (at this point they would name a color) to come over!”  Then all those who had that color on, would have to madly dash to the other side and avoid being tagged.  If you did get tagged, then you were out and doomed to stay frozen in place until another player who was still free, could tag you and unfreeze you- thus- “saving” you.  I don’t remember how the game ended but it appears from my memory that this game could (and did) go on for hours!  Red Rover in its child-friendly simplicity gives us a perfect picture of a Savior.   Without someone’s help you could not get “unfrozen”.  You needed someone else to save you.

            Richard’s Complete Bible dictionary defines the Biblical concept of the word “savior” in this way:  One who delivers another from some physical or spiritual plight.  The Old Testament portrays God as Israel’s Savior from foreign enemies in such expressions as “God our Savior” (Ps. 65:5).  In this sense the term “savior” is not so much a name as it is a descriptive term, stressing that God is the One who intervenes with saving acts. In the New Testament, “Savior” is applied to the Father (1 Tim. 1:1; Tit. 1:3), but more often refers to Jesus (Jn. 4:42; Phil. 3:20; Tit. 3:6).  In His death and resurrection, Jesus became the “the Savior of the world” (1 Jn. 4:14).  His saving act rescues all who believe from every consequence of sin.

            Names are very important in Scripture for in their meaning they reveal such things as nature, character, position and accomplishment.  When either God or Jesus is “named” in such a way, the Scriptures are directing us specifically to that aspect of their Being.  This is particularly important in regard to Jesus.  God the Father through the angel Gabriel specifically tells Mary that the Son she will bear is the Savior by designating the name He will receive (Lk. 1:31).  Matthew fills in this picture even further when it is explained to Joseph why this particular name will be the name of this Child (Mt. 1:20).  The name Jesus (Yeshua in the Hebrew) is a variation of the name Y’hoshua (Ye-hoe-shoe-uh), or Joshua as we say it in English.  It finds its roots in the most holy name of God, Yahweh, and can also be used as the masculine form of the word salvation.  Literally translated it means, “Yahweh saves”.  The angel tells Joseph that he is to name the child “Yahweh Saves” in that it designates the nature, character, position and future accomplishment of this most precious child and signifying to us God’s way of salvation, an accomplishment that only He can fulfill.  For Matthew there is also a greater significance to this name as he sees God’s word through the prophet Isaiah being fulfilled in it (Mt. 1:20-23; Is. 7:14).

          The Book of Acts is filled with passages that attest to the fact that Jesus is the Savior and that He came to save people bound by sin (Acts 5:30-32; 13:23).  It also holds accounts of men who thought they could do the same.  Herod Agrippa (also called King Herod in Acts but not to be confused with his grandfather who was instrumental in the Christmas story) was such a man.  The account of his speech to the crowd at Caesarea Maritima is documented by several historians, most notably Josephus, but it is also recorded in the Book of Acts (Acts 12:1-4, 20-24). If you’ve ever been to the amphitheater there you can imagine the scene- the seats crowded with an audience out to pay homage to the emperor Claudius.  Herod Agrippa in a garment woven with silver threads is conducting the opening ceremony. The perfect acoustics allowed his voice to travel above the noise from the crowd and the waves.  The sunlight bouncing off the ocean gave his appearance a heavenly glow.  But his status and wealth most likely impressed the crowd even more.  Why wouldn’t a man like this be akin to a god?  When the crowd called him such he neither affirmed nor denied it but Luke notes this greatly displeased the Lord (v.23).  And like all human saviors it didn’t take much to bring him down.  Luke states he was “eaten by worms”.  Prestige, status, power, all these attributes seem humanly appropriate when it comes to the ability to save people.

          But who would have expected a baby to be the ultimate Savior?  A baby appears to us no more able to save the world than he is able to run across the playing field of a Red Rover game to unfreeze all the captured players.  Yet the Bible tells us that this is what Jesus came to do and did (Rom. 5:6-10)! Because the Law required a perfect sacrifice for the covering of sin, Christ lived a sin-free life in perfect fulfillment of those requirements (Mt. 5:17).  As the sinless One, He was able to save us from the fate of sin- death (Jn. 3:16-17; Rom. 3:21-26, 10:11-13; 2 Cor. 5:21:  Eph. 5:23; Phil. 3:10; 1 Tim. 1:15, 2:3-6; Tit. 3:4-6; Heb. 2:17-18; 1 Jn. 2:1-2, 4:9-10).  And that my friends is why the Baby of Advent is truly the Savior of the World (Lk. 2:10-11)!

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/

            You may have heard it said, “Timing is everything”.  In music this is particularly true for an ill-timed performance is often very hard to listen to- unless it’s a “shred” where someone mimics the act of singing or playing to a popular piece in the most ridiculous way and dubs it over the actual performance of that piece on a video by the original artist.  If you never heard or watched one they are really quite hysterical when done well- or should I say, “poorly”?!

            Timing in the Book of Acts is just as important.  Account after account of the spreading of the Gospel is related to the fact that the key personnel in the story “just happen to be” at the right place at the right time.  The Lord is given the credit for all these moments where a miracle takes place for who can really orchestrate the timing of these events other than God Himself?  Peter and John “just happen” to be at the Temple when a lame man is looking for healing (Acts 3).  Peter “just happens” to be in Joppa when Dorcas dies and those who mourn her passing are looking for mercy and the restoration of their dear sister in Christ (Acts 9:32-43).  Peter and Cornelius “just happen” to be within miles of each other when the Lord reveals the extensive reach of the Gospel to both of them in visions (Acts 10).  Philip “just happens to be traveling on the same road as an Ethiopian official who is seeking a better understanding of the prophet Isaiah (Acts 8:25-40) and the list goes on.

            If the aforementioned but brief list of well-timed events is any indication, Luke’s account of Christ’s birth definitively cements his ability to recognize the timing of events that can only be attributed to the hand of God and during the season of Advent this aspect of timing is an important undercurrent.  It begins with an aspect of government that is not much different than our experience today- taxes.  Luke notes that Caesar Augustus has determined to take a census in order to tax those in Judea by their family lineage during the time when Quirinius is governor.  This edict sends Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem since both have ancestry through the line of David.  Unbeknownst to Augustus, his financial needs for the empire have just fulfilled a 400-year-old prophecy (Mic. 5:2).  It also keeps them in the area for the grandest birth announcement ever recorded in history when shepherds who have their flocks in the vicinity of Bethlehem are witnesses to the angelic proclamation that Jesus has been born in “the City of David”, Bethlehem’s kingly claim to fame.  There were only certain times of the year that shepherds would be that close to Bethlehem.  All other times they would be further away due to the agricultural cycle and crops yet to be harvested.  However, on the night of Jesus’ birth, the crops are in- and so are the shepherds.

            Timing in the event of Christ’s birth continues with the advent of a star so spectacular it can only mean the birth of a king or other dignitary.  This celestial herald compels a group of Persian astronomers to begin an arduous journey that will bring them to Jesus about a year later even though most of our nativity sets have them joining the shepherds in welcoming the Baby Jesus.  But there are two other “coincidental” moments that are often over-looked in the Christmas story which take place long before the “wisemen” arrive to honor the king with their gold, frankincense and myrrh.  In Luke 2:21-38 Mary and Joseph take the short trip up to Jerusalem to fulfill the commandment given in Leviticus 12:3 and it “just so happens” that two very devout and faithful people are there to witness their arrival.  Simeon has been waiting to see “the consolation of Israel” before he dies and Anna confirms the words Simeon speaks over Jesus when Mary and Joseph arrive in the Temple courts for Jesus’ dedication and naming.  Luke makes a point in verse 27 that Simeon came to the Temple that day by “God’s Spirit” and that Anna arrived “at that moment”.  In other words, neither Anna or Simeon orchestrated the timing- it was all God’s doing.

            Advent is a season of dual waiting which emphasizes God’s timing.  The first aspect of waiting or timing was that of Christ’s birth (Gal. 4:4).  The second aspect of timing in Advent concerns Christ’s return but we do not know when that will be (Mt. 24:42).  However, if we are to learn anything from our faithful predecessors like Simeon, Anna, Peter, or Paul, it is to be aware of how God orchestrates our own “time”.  Does He put us in certain places at certain times to bear witness to what He has done in our lives?  Does He put us in the midst of people who need to hear about Him just at the moment when they need it the most?  The last thing we want to be at those moments is unprepared (Mt. 25:1-13).  When it comes to the Second Advent or our testimony, timing is everything!

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com/, https://www.linked.com/in/annhlefevre/, https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre/

             The mall was busy that day as shoppers went to and fro gathering up their gifts for family and friends.  At lunch many of them gathered at the food court to grab a bite to eat before dashing off to take advantage of the next sale.  Idle and happy chatter was in full force when suddenly a young man stood up and began to sing a chorus from the Messiah, “For unto us a Child is born…” and then other voices joined him as the surprised people looked on.  It could be said that this event was a modern version of that night long ago when a flustered group of shepherds received an angelic announcement that both surprised and stunned them, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you and He is the Messiah, the Lord” (Lk. 2:11). 

            Whenever I hear the opening notes of Handel’s Messiah I think of the fields where the shepherds were outside of Bethlehem on that quiet night so long ago.  They are not the lush, green fields that everyone imagines however there was enough vegetation to support the flocks of sheep which would have been raised there to support the Temple’s sacrificial system.  But no matter which way you envision that scene described by Luke in his Gospel (Lk. 2:8-14), the scenario itself is what is surprising.  Imagine the Good News of God in the flesh being announced to lowly shepherds of all people!  Why not to the rulers and leaders of the day?  Why not to the priests and Levites ministering in the Temple?  This is one of the great surprises in all of Scripture and so is the “proclamation” the angels bear: that the Magnificent Creator of the Universe came in the unexpected form of a baby to the least of all of us, and for all of us (Gal. 4:4-5; Phil. 2:5-8).  But who would believe this, much less hear about it during the hustle and bustle of Christmas commercialism that surrounds us in the days preceding this holiday now?  Yet this is the major reason Luke writes to his friend Theophilus in the first place (Lk. 1:1-4) and continues the proclamation in Acts (Acts 1:1-2).  The proclamation is of utmost importance for one’s eternal destiny hinges upon how one receives it.

            In Greek this announcement is called the kerygma.  Its roots are in the verb kerusso (care-ru-so), a verb meaning “to preach, discharge, herald, cry out” and in simple form it is a sermon, message or proclamation.   During the mid-twentieth century Bible scholars C. H. Dodd and Rudolf Bultmann presented the idea that the Gospels and the Book of Acts were a unique literary genre that combined the literary history of the early believers’ faith and the preaching of the Gospel message and named this genre after this Greek word.  Dodd summarized this concept by using Peter’s sermons in the Book of Acts in this way: 1) The words of the prophets were being fulfilled in the “latter days” (Acts 2:14-21, 3:24), 2) This fulfillment took place in the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:22-28, 3:11-16), 3) Jesus has become the Messianic head of Israel and by virtue of His resurrection is now exalted at the right hand of God (Acts 2:29-36), 4) the Holy Spirit in the church is a sign of Christ’s presence, power and glory (Acts 5:29-32), 5) The Messianic Age will reach its consummation at Christ’s return (Acts 3:17-21), and 6) thus an appeal is made for repentance, forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit in the believer and salvation (Acts 2:38-40).  This proclamation was so important when heresies threatened to weaken it in the 4th century, the Nicene Creed was formed.

            Do people hear what the shepherds heard today?  If they do, do they say, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see the baby” (Lk. 2:15-18)?  I don’t know.  The clamor of the world grows increasingly hostile and suspicious of the Gospel message, yet people still yearn to fill the emptiness inside their heart.  But the question must be asked, “How will people know of this amazing event if we don’t proclaim it (Is. 52:7, 53:1)?  This is the season for you to announce to the unsuspecting “shepherds” in your life that “a Child has been born for us; a Child has been given to us!”  You may not be announcing it to kings.  You may not be announcing it to the prestigious or prominent, but you will be announcing it to the very people who need to hear it. 
 
Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com, Olivetreeann@mail.com, https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre,
https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre