The Last Of The Magi(A Story For The New Year)

Dr. Mike Murphy
December 27, 2022

He was not prepared for what the stars had shown him.  The night before had shown a sight he wondered if his eyes would ever truly see.  The stars had revealed a promise, a promise that had been past down for generations.  The night before the sky had opened itself up for the world to see, and revealed a star that showed all the future had to offer.

As he stood on the terrace of his roof, dawn was just beginning to appear. As he looked to the east, he could watch the white haze of the morning clouds forming.  The beauty he saw filled his eyes, and the thoughts of what this day would hold filled his heart.  Today, the world had forever changed.  And today, a future promise had become the glorious promised future.

But this was a day he had prepared for, a day he had so longed for.  He had sold much of the wealth he had known in readying himself for this day.  With it, he had purchased three rare jewels.  A flawless blue sapphire, that shined with the brilliance of the night sky.  A perfect ruby, that glistened like the flames of a fire.  And a treasured, once in a lifetime pearl, that shined like a snow capped mountain. Three perfect gems for a perfect King, that he would place in the hands of a perfect Child.

He prepared that morning to find the child, the promised Messiah who had entered the world the night before.  He had made plans to meet with three of his fellow Magi on this morning, the day after the star had appeared in the sky. He hurriedly got all he needed together, gathered his prized steed, and rode off to meet the other Magi at the destination they had prepared to meet at.  He knew the time was short, and he would be pushed to arrive in the short time he still had to get there.

As he swiftly rode to their predetermined meeting place, his horse slowed and began to react with caution as he neared a large grove of date palms.  Soon his horse froze with fear, and as he looked ahead he could begin to see an image emerge from the shadows of the trees.  He watched as the figure collapsed, and soon found himself dismounting to see if he could help.  From the dress of his clothes and the wear on his face, it did not take him long to determine that the man who had collapsed in front of him was one of the poor Hebrew men that toiled in the area of the groves.  As he reached the man, he found him motionless, clinging to the little life he had left in him.  

His first thought questioned whether he should just leave the man.  He would surely not survive in his condition, and even the slightest of delays might cost him all he had prepared for. But as he looked into the man’s eyes, his heart would not let him leave this man.  He hurriedly lifted up the man, and carried him to a small mound at the base of one of the trees.  He gathered water from one of the nearby canals, and moistened the brow and the mouth of the struggling man. With his knowledge of medicine, he reached into his pouch and mixed a remedy he hoped would help the man, restoring what little strength he might still have left. For hours he labored in healing the man, and soon the man’s strength began to return.

“Who are you?”  “To whose hand to I owe so much?”, the Hebrew man asked.  “I am Artaban”, he replied. , “A Magi, and I am on my way to Jerusalem to honor the King that was born this past night.  One who will be more than just the King of the Jews, but the Prince who will deliver this world.  I am sorry, but I can no longer delay, as the caravan I am meeting may have already rode off without me. Here is all the bread, and most of the water I have.  As your strength continues to restore, I am now sure you will be able to make it back to the city.”  

“I have no way to repay you for all you have done for me”, the man told Artaban.  “I am poor by all standards, but I can give you information that will help you on your journey.  I remember the words the prophets taught us well, and the Messiah you seek will not be found in Jerusalem, but was foretold to be born in a small, neighboring town called Bethlehem. May the Lord keep you safe on your journey, and may your eyes see what they seek.”

Artaban mounted his horse, and rode his prized steed that night with the greatest of speed.  But as he arrived at the place they were all to meet, not a sight of his fellow Magi could be found.  As he searched the area, he found a note they had left for him.  The note simply read that they had waited for him as long as they could, asking him to ride on into the desert and catch up with them.  But without food, and limited in the supply of water he now had, Artaban knew what they asked would be impossible.  He decided that night that he would now have to take this journey alone, and must return to the city to gather all he would need. And with the reality of the moment, he was now faced with an even more troubling thought. He would have to sell one of his gems in order to pay for the trip he would now face.  As he neared the city, he reached into his pouch, and pulled out the sapphire he had purchased for the King.

As the days turned into weeks, Artaban made his way across the vast desert, seeking the face of the child who he knew was his King.  As he wearily arrived in Bethlehem, he could feel his heart again fill with hope.  At last he had found the place he sought, and at last he would look into the face of the One who would change the world.  But as he sought the house where the child would be, he soon became eerily aware of the desolation and quiet of the streets.  No one was present, isolation was all he saw.  

Suddenly, he saw a light from the door of a small cottage.  As he approached, he could hear the voice of a mother softly singing to her infant child. As he entered, he introduced himself to the woman, and asked about the child he sought, and about his fellow Magi that had come before him.  The mother told him of three Magi who had appeared in the village days before.  She told Artaban of the story they had told all in the village, and how the star had directed them to the place where Mary and Joseph were lodging with their child.  She went on to tell him that as quickly as they had appeared, they had also disappeared.  And soon after they left, Mary, Joseph, and the child had left also.  Rumor had spread through the village that they had left for Egypt.

The mother graciously offered all she had to Artaban  She placed the baby in a cradle, and prepared a meal for her guest.  Suddenly, the sounds of panic and chaos could be heard from the streets.  They could hear soldiers yelling and woman crying throughout the village.  As one woman came running by, Artaban caught her by the arm, asking her what was happening. “The soldiers of Herod, they are killing the children!”  

With hearing this, the mother reached for her child, and caressed him in her arms. She did all she could to quiet the young. infant boy, holding him close. As she held him, Artaban could see her begin to pray, and watched as the tears ran from her eyes with every word. Artaban made his way to the door. and closed it behind him.  He stood statuesque in front of the cottage, standing out in his royal attire.  As the soldiers approached the cottage, their captain came near him.  Steadily, and with a low voice, Artaban spoke to the captain.  “I am alone here, waiting to speak to the captain who will leave me in peace.”  As he spoke, Artaban reached into his pouch and showed the captain the ruby.  He effortlessly placed the ruby into the hand of the captain, and looked into his eyes.  Quickly the captain turned to his soldiers and said, “There is no child here, move on.”

Artaban watched as the soldiers made their way down the street, then raised his hands in prayer.  “I have failed you Lord!  I have spoke words that are not true in order to save the life of this child, and I have now lost two of the gems that I have brought as gifts for You.  I ask your forgiveness Lord, and I now wonder if i will ever be worthy enough to look upon the face of this Child!?”

Behind him he could her the woman praising God, and she reached for Artaban with the gentlest of touches.  “You have saved the life of my child, may the Lord always be with you, may He always bless you, and may He keep you in peace!”

The words the mother spoke were hardly heard by Artaban that night, and for over thirty years Artaban wandered the countryside of Egypt in search of the child he sought.  As Artaban searched through the years, he only found many in need.  Often he would stop and do all he could to help, feeding those who hungered, helping clothe those who were naked. Soon Artaban found all his money gone, and made his way back to Jerusalem, fearing his years of searching had gone in vain.

As he entered Jerusalem, he noticed the crowds that filled the streets, and soon discovered that it was the Passover season.  As he listened to the crowd, he could hear they were all talking about one particular man, one who was being crucified on the hill that overlooked the city.  As Artaban asked about this man, the details he received shocked him. “They call him Jesus of Nazareth”. one of the people told him.  “He was loved by many of the people, but the Sanhedrin ruled he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God. Pilate has also tried him, and has sent him to be crucified this day.”

Quickly Artaban thought to himself, questioning if this could be the One he had come to see, and wondered if the remaining pearl could be used to seek His ransom.  He quickly made his way with the crowds to see if this was his Savior. But as he followed them on the streets, several soldiers cleared the path and brought with them a young girl in chains.  As she neared Artaban, she broke away from the guards and fell at his feet.  She looked at Artaban and pleaded, “May the Lord God lead you to help me!  May you have pity on me!  I am the daughter of a Jewish merchant from Parthia.  My father has died, and I am to be sold as a slave to pay for his debts.”

Once again the old, familiar conflict found its way to Artaban.  Would he help the girl, or make his way to his King?  As he looked into the eyes of the young girl, his heart was no longer divided.  One last time he reached into his pouch, and placed the pearl that remained in the hands of the young girl.  “Here is you ransom. It is all that I have left, and I had brought it with me for my King.”

As Artaban finished the words, the sky suddenly turned dark, and the earth began to tremble.  Stones began to fall from the buildings around them, and soon the crowds and the soldiers started to flee.  But Artaban and the young girl remained still, beside the building she had ran to him at.  Artaban felt no reason to flee, he had given away all he had purchased for the King, and now knew he would never see Him.  But even knowing what he now knew, there was a peace in the heart of Artaban.  As the earth made its’ last tremble, the building that was beside them began to give way.  Instinctively, Artaban covered the young girl with his body, and a stone from the structure struck Artaban in the temple of his head. As the girl pushed the stones away from her, she felt the collapsed body of Artaban beside her.  She could see the blood trickling from his head, and she placed his head in her lap.

As she stroked the head of the man who had just rescued her, she could her a faint voice somewhere near the building that had just fell on them.  She could see no one, but she could hear Artaban trying to answer.  “I have searched for years, but when did I ever see you my Lord?”  Again the girl could hear the faint voice, and this time she could make out the words that were being spoken. “Many times you saw Me Artaban, many times.  Each time you helped one of My children you saw Me. For each time I have been there with you.”  As the words ended, the young girl saw a calm came over the face of Artaban.  And as his last breath exited his body, she could see just how much he was at peace.  Artaban had completed his journey. Each of his precious gems had been given to the One he had purchased them for. The last of the Magi had found his King.

Many times over the past years this story has been told in different versions. Often times as the Christmas season ends, and the New Year begins, I have preached my version of this little known tale.  A story that shows us just how much each day we seek to serve Christ can matter.  A story of hope, and a story that shows us just how valuable each opportunity is that Christ gives to us. Each time I have spoke the words, I have prayed the words will do more than just warm the hearts of those who hear them.  That the words will call into action the hands and feet of all those who have ears to hear in the coming year.

The words of Christ that drives this story tells us, “For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’  Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?  And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?  When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’   The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”(Matthew 25:35-40). These words do not lead us by what we feel, or by what we say, but by what we do.  It is in our actions that our words take on meaning, and an example can be found.  An example this world so needs to witness, that those around us so need to see.  For it is in the actions that He calls us to do that His reflection can be found.

As you sing Auld Lang Syne to bring in this coming year, I pray that each resolution you set will be more than just words.  That each resolution will carry with it a reflection of Him.  I pray that His Will drives each day of your life in the coming year.  I pray that each of your days will not just be viewed in the eyes of those around you by what you say about Christ, but by all you will do this year for Christ. I pray that each of your days will be like those of Artaban, that all of your gems will be used in serving Him. And as you finalize your list for the New Year, I pray above all that you will come to realize, the answer is not found in the life that we see so many choose to lead, but we can always find life in the Answer!  May all of your examples reflect Christ this coming year!

May each of your days be blessed!

The Christmas Gift(A Story Of Hope)

Dr. Mike Murphy
December 24, 2022

“I did not even know I could shed tears.  Often I have seen them on the face of those I watch, but my eyes have never experienced them before.  They brought with them so much more than water to my eyes, they brought with them emotions that overfilled my heart. Emotions I was not prepared for, emotions I did not have the words for.  But emotions that explained all, and emotions I have every moment since so desired to share.”

“As I looked around me, the eyes of Heaven were filled with tears that night. Every creature that was posed beside me stood in the silence on that night. Every angel, like me, found himself frozen in the glory of that moment, captured by the amazement of that night. So many years we had known it was coming, often proclaiming to man below the promise that day would bring.  But to see it, to watch it that night, brought more than just meaning to the words we had professed. What we saw brought purpose to every promise, it defined every emotions that poured from us.”

“We looked down on our Lord lying there.  So helpless, so vulnerable He looked to us that night.  The One we had watched create this world with a single sound of His voice, we saw lying in the presence of this world.  Surrounded by those He had created, placing Himself in the very midst of the danger this world below us had become.  But as we watched we did not have to ask why.  The why had always surrounded us, had been ever present to us.  His love and His mercy were always with us, filling every inch of the heavens around us.  And now we watched as He took that love to the world below us, to this simple and unpredictable creature we knew as mankind.  So that they too may know the love He felt for us, the mercy that He desired for each of them.  We realized that night even Heaven were not big enough to contain that love, as we watched that love overflow into the earth that laid below us.”

“For over thirty years we watched that love grow.  We watched as our Lord grew from a boy to a man.  We watched as that boy was taught the craft of his earthly father, a boy who so often found His hands in wood.  And it should not have surprised us to see that as a man, that boy would also die with His hands in wood. Hands that would craft before our eyes a plan of redemption, a plan of mercy. Hands that would even then still hold the hope that had filled the hands of the infant we had watched so many nights before.  It was what had been held in the hands of that infant that brought us to experience tears that night.  It was the hope those hands held that caused our emotions to overflow.  For in the hands of the infant that night was held the greatest gift this world would ever know. As we looked down on the earth that night, we saw reflecting in those Hands all the Hope the heavens and this world would ever need.”  

Each year we gather to remember with family and friends the miracle of that night.  And as we gather, we often create moments we will always cherish. Frames of time we hold tight in our minds, moments we pull out and reflect upon with the biggest of smiles on our faces.  But it was in one of these moments that I found myself far from family and friends, that I hold as my fondest Christmas moment.  A moment in time the Lord used to give me one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.

As a minister, Christmas can be a very hectic time.  We often find ourselves trying to play catch up, just struggling to keep up with all the events of the holiday. From live nativity scenes, to Christmas cantatas, to Christmas Eve services, we rush from one to the next trying to fit it all in.  It was after a Christmas eve service that my story begins, as I thought I was heading home following a very long day.

As I got in my car to head toward my house that night, I realized that I had not eaten all day.  Not wanting to go home and hurriedly fix a quick sandwich, I decided to stop and grab one at a fast food restaurant in the area.  As I pulled in, I realized that the drive thru was already closed for the night, and I would have to park and walk inside to place my order.  As I walked to the door, I noticed a middle aged man sitting on the sidewalk of the restaurant.  As I approached, he looked up at me and wished me a Merry Christmas.  Looking at the man, it became obvious he was homeless, and was out of place for the suburban part of town he was in.  I must admit, I expected him to ask me for money, but to my surprise all he gave me was a smile.  Taken aback, i stopped to talk to him for a minute.  His conversation surprised me, he talked to me about Christmas and how he loved the time of year. Soon he introduced himself, telling me his name was Doug.  Not once did Doug ask me for money, or even for something to eat. As a matter of fact, he did not ask me for anything.  But at that moment, I heard another Voice that did ask for something from me.  And at that moment, my night, and my life, would forever change.

I decided a change of plans was in order, and asked Doug if he would join me for dinner.  Doug was reluctant, telling me more than once that he did not want to take advantage of me.  But as most will tell you, I can be pretty persistent, so both of us ordered our burger, and soon sat down to eat.  As we sat, I began to pray, thanking the Lord for the meal we were about to receive. After the prayer, Doug told me that this was the first time he had prayed in a long time. 

Doug went on to tell me his story, and how he had found himself in the situation he was now in.  Doug had once owned a construction business, had a nice suburban home he shared with his wife and his teenage daughter.  As Doug’s company had become more successful, he hired a few people he had known from his childhood.  One of these was his childhood friend, a man who had struggled with alcohol, and Doug was trying to help.  Several times Doug had discovered his friend on the job site drunk, and on one particular day, ordered him to go home. He convinced Doug that he was going to sleep it off in the truck, and would then head home when he was sober.  Later that night, Doug received a disturbing call that his friend had been involved in an accident that had injured several people.  Doug soon realized that his friend had taken the company truck, and was heading to buy more alcohol as he ran off the road and into a busy parking lot.  Doug was devastated, and did not know where to turn next.

Doug soon realized just how deep his troubles were.  Doug soon lost his business, and was facing endless lawsuits.  As the lawsuits piled up, Doug also lost his house.  Soon his wife left him, taking his daughter.  She also convinced his daughter she should not have anything to do with him, and Doug had not seen his daughter for years.  As his business and funds left him, his friends abandoned him also.  And with all that had happened looming over him, Doug could not find anyone who would even hire him.  Doug soon found himself in another town, just hoping he could change his life.  But Doug could not run from his problems, and he soon found himself living on the streets just hoping to survive.

The whole time Doug told me his story, he never looked up, always looking down in shame.  A once prideful man, who now felt he had nothing to be proud of.  A man who was broken, and just wished he could find a single ray of hope for tomorrow.

As I listened to Doug’s story, I realized that Doug had looked for hope in every direction but the one direction it can be found.  Doug had never looked up. To make a long story short, Doug found hope that Christmas eve in a fast food restaurant.  For even there, Christ was present.  And as the restaurant began to close that night, Doug found Christ in his heart.  And Christ’ presence with Doug that night did not end as the restaurant closed.  A friend of mine, who headed a ministry that helps people find second chances, met us at the restaurant that night as it was closing.  He helped Doug find housing that night, and helped him to find work in the days ahead.

I have talked many times to Doug in the years since that night.  I wish I could tell you that Doug’s life had a fairytale ending, but I cannot.  Doug still deals with the demons that haunt him, but he has found One who is stronger than those demons who walks with him each day.  Doug has never been able to find his daughter, and to talk to her again.  Doug still owes more for the mistakes of his past than he will ever have the funds to be able to repay, but to his credit, he works to repay them everyday.  Doug now works for a company that helps restore houses for needy families.  And each day he heads a Bible study during their lunch break.  Doug is also the member of a great church, and is the first one there to help every time the doors are open. Doug may not have found a fairytale ending, but Doug did find the perfect ending.  Doug has found the only One who can make his life perfect, and who can show him the Perfect Hope that he has always needed.

As I drove home early that next morning after my night with Doug, it hit me just how perfect my night had been.  On that night, the Lord gave me an incredible Christmas gift.  He gave this simple, undeserving man a glimpse at what the angels must of witnessed that night so many years ago.  He allowed me to look into the hands of the life-changing infant that came into this world over two thousand years ago, and He gave me the absolute privilege to see the hope those hands brought into this world.  He helped me understand the love behind the emotions and the tears of that night.  And He let me feel the touch of the hand of the Child who would change the world forever.

As you gather with your friends and your family this Christmas, I pray your life will be filled with memories you will forever cherish.  As you sip the eggnog, slice the fruitcake, and rip open the presents, I pray your mind will be infused with precious moments you will never forget.  But as the day ends, I pray above all that you will take a moment and remember the greatest gift of all.  The cherished gift of Hope that was held in the hands of an infant child as He was born into this world on that beloved night.  And may that Hope always remind you, the silence of that night should never find you silent!

May your greatest gift this Christmas be filled with Hope!

Noel

Dr. Mike Murphy
December 23, 2022

Christmas!  A time of year that brings us together with familiar faces, often in the most comforting of places.  But on December 24, 1944, a group of young men found themselves spending Christmas without the familiar faces of family and loved ones.  They found themselves far from the comforts of home, in unfamiliar surroundings in an unfamiliar land.  

A company of American soldiers found themselves pinned down in a forest, several miles outside of the Belgian city of Bastogne that Christmas Eve night.  They gathered around the foxholes they had dug, hoping to enjoy a moment of silence that night.  That day had brought some of the most intense warfare they had experienced in Europe.  They were greatly outnumbered and encircled by the German infantry and two divisions of German Panzer tanks. They had watched a day of horror, as artillery fell all around them.  Many reported that bombs and artillery had fallen on them so much that day, it was as if the earth would not stop shaken. They had clung to their foxholes just hoping to survive, watching all the while as their companions and fellow soldiers were being carried from the battlefield.

The silence of that night brought a much welcomed peace.  But with the silence, also brought word that the Germans were planning an all out assault to overtake their position as day would break.

Many had come to accept that this may be their last few hours of freedom, or even worse, the last few hours they would experience here on earth.  One by one they gathered, telling each other about their family, their lives before the war, and their faith.  A calm fell over many as they relied on their faith to carry them through these most trying of times.

One by one they shared, until they came to one young soldier who found it hard to speak. His story also included his loved ones and family, but also the fact that he was Jewish.  The horrors of how the Nazis had treated the Jewish people had reached the battlefields, and he fully knew what his capture would bring.

As each of those in his company began to realize what their friend and companion might soon face, they unanimously came to one decision.  They would all remove their dog tags and bury them in a pile together so that they would never be found.  The dog tag was a large part of the soldier’s life line, carrying information about his identification, rank, medical history, and yes, his faith.  Your dog tag might save your life, or could be the only way of knowing the soldier had fallen in battle so that his family might be notified.  With this in mind, no soldier was ever without his dog tags.

Every soldier also knew that the enemy used the dog tags of a soldier as well.  It was also well known that the Germans were extremely harsh to any Jewish soldier they captured on the field.  They were taken to special work camps, imprisoned in conditions that no man could ever begin to imagine.  It was also known that the body of a Jewish soldier found on the battlefield was often brutalized and mutilated, with the dog tags taken so that the family of the soldier would never know what happened to their son.

So in the peace of that night, this company of soldiers decided what would be the fate of one, would be the fate of all.  They were willing to lay down their lives for their friend and companion, if that was what was asked of them in the day to come.

In the silence of that night, as they reflected on their fate and the day ahead, I have to believe they sang Christmas carols as so many of our soldiers did around the world that night. One of the most popular carols of that day was The First Noel. You have to imagine with the reality that would surround the coming day, just how such a moving song would bring them all together on the importance of what that night had once brought so many years ago.

The First Noel is one of the most amazing songs we sing each Christmas season. Despite the fact that most know its’ words by heart, little is known about how the song came to be.  Even less is known how the main word in its’ title came to be.  Most just know the word Noel as the French word for Christmas, but the origins behind it are far different!

The origins of the word have been traced to many different sources, but none can be confirmed.  Ask ten linguist, and you will get fourteen different answers! Some say it is of French origin, meaning “shout of joy”.  Many say it comes from the Latin word “natalis”, meaning “birth”. They say it originated from events describing the birth of Christ.  Others trace it to the Latin word “novella”, meaning “news”.  They link it back to the angels announcing the Good News to the world of Christ birth(Luke 2:10).  Even more claim the origin of the word is Old English, going back to the original spelling of the word as “nowell”.  Just as over time the phrase “God be with you”, was shortened to the word we know now as “goodbye”, the word “nowell” was shortened from the popular greeting most used to embrace others at Christmas, “now all is well”.

My personal favorite of all these goes back to a Biblical language expert who said they all had it right.  He said that no single word could describe the meaning behind the word “Noel”. That Noel encompassed all the events and meaning that first Christmas had to offer.   It was a word impossible to capture the meaning of on a piece of paper, it was best understood by the simple phrase, “we know it when we see it”!

So you may ask, what does a Christmas song, a group of soldiers in the field, and the events of that miraculous night over two thousand years ago all have in common?  Everything!

When we hear this popular Christmas song, or see it performed, it often touches our heart and connects to us in ways that words cannot describe.  But we know it when we hear it or see it.  As that company of soldiers sat in their foxholes facing what daylight would bring, their faith guided them in ways words could not simply explain.  It brought them to act in honor beyond words.  But I can promise, those that witnessed it that night understood it because they saw it.  And as the shepherds sat in the field that night so many years ago, I am sure they did not have the words to capture the events they witnessed firsthand.  They watched as God came in human form, so that He could one day offer His life so that each of us may live.  Each that night had to have realized the world had changed forever, although I am sure they did not have the simple words to explain what they were seeing.  But they knew it when they saw it!

This Christmas as we hear the song, remember our history, and reflect back on that remarkable night, I hope each of you will say this simple prayer.  Ask the Lord to use your life in ways words cannot easily describe.  But without words needed, those around you will know it when they see it!   

To each of you, I wish Noel!

The Night The Angels Cried

Dr. Mike Murphy
December 22, 2022

So many times, I have wondered what it must have been like.  To have been present in the small town of Judea on that incredible night.  To have watched the crowds as they filled the city.  To have heard the first cry of an infant born.  As those in Bethlehem that night looked into the peacefulness of the sky, I wonder if any knew how those cries would soon and forever change the world?

As beautiful as the stars must have shown that night, I also wonder what the view was like that night from the midst of those stars.  What must the heavens have seen as they looked down on the world that night?  What sights and images must have filled the eyes of the angels?  As they so intently gazed down on what was happening in that ordinary little town, what extraordinary thoughts and emotions must have filled their minds?

For years the angels had proclaimed that night.  And I believe they must have been overwhelmed each time they had been called by God to announce those words.  To tell us of a day when the Lord would again stand in our midst, walking each step we walk, feeling each emotion we feel.  Of a day when He would offer His life so that we might live.  It is one thing to declare those words, but to watch as those words took shape, as each promise came to life, must have caused the heavens to stand still.  They watched that night as the Lord not only showed His love, but poured out His love.  Pouring out every ounce of that love to the most undeserving and unappreciated creature that is called man.  As they looked down on the earth that night, they must have realized that if the Lord was willing to pour out His love on this rebellious creature of humanity, there was no limit to His love.  They served a Lord each day with a love as endless as the heavens in which they stood.

Countless years before, they had watched as this creature was created. Formed from the dust of this world, but given a mind and a will that stretched beyond this world.  A mind to understand His Word, and the will to choose or to reject Him. A will that each of them also shared. A will that had led many of their fellow brothers to turn from God, to follow one who tried to make himself like God. A will, where the choice of each became a reality that night. A will that could be seen that night, as they watched the Lord crying as a newborn baby in a manger. A will, that I believe, caused the eyes of many of those angels to be swell with tears of joy, as they watched the truth they had chosen being fulfilled.  A will, that I also believe, led a third of the angels to have their eyes filled with tears of sorrow and despair, as they realized where their rejection would soon lead.  If the old saying were true, that the tears of those in the heavens fill the raindrops of the skies, then the world would have flooded again that night .

“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”(Luke 2 10-12), the angel joyously proclaimed to the shepherds that night.  And as the angel spoke, a magnitude of other angels gathered and added voice, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”(Luke 2:14).  In each word they proclaimed, you can hear their tears.  In each shout, you can feel their joy.

In the midst of their tears, the angels rushed to the shepherds that were in the field outside of Bethlehem that night. Tears of joy, that lead the shepherds to hurry to see the Child whom the angel had proclaimed.  Many may ask, in the midst of their joy, why would the angels rush to proclaim His birth to these shepherds in the field?  Why would they not have rushed to the great halls of the world’s kings?  Or have hurried to the Temple, to proclaim their joy to the priests? The angels knew the shepherds of Bethlehem were unlike any other shepherd, as the flock they keep was no ordinary flock.  In a field outside of Bethlehem, stood Migdal Eder, the Tower of the Flock.  The place where the lambs destined for the Temple were born and raised.  Where every firstborn male lamb was set aside, inspected for blemishes, and raised to be sent to Jerusalem as a holy sacrifice.  The men who the angels came to that night, were the keepers and protectors of these precious sheep.  They would raise these sheep, then take these sheep to the same place where Abraham had once offered his son to the Lord.  These shepherds would watch as the lambs they brought would offer their blood so that atonement could be given.

Who better for the angels that night to first speak and lead to see the Child, than the ones who knew a Perfect Lamb when they saw it?   It was by no mistake that the angels rushed that night to the shepherds, and shouted with joy as they spoke to these men. Telling these men that the Firstborn Lamb of God had just been born.  A Lamb that would one day make the jobs of these shepherds necessary no more.  A Perfect Lamb that would one day shed His blood to atone for all sin.  A Lamb that John the Baptist would one day see(John 1:29).  A Lamb that would one day be proclaimed the Good Shepherd to twelve who served at His feet.  A Lamb that would one day be the Passover Lamb, taking away every sin that man had ever known.  A Lamb that filled the eyes of the angels that night with tears, tears of both joy and of despair.  A Lamb that brought to life the words they had heard the Lord speak to Jeremiah, “I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the Lord.  “Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely, and do justice and righteousness in the land.”(Jeremiah 23:4-5).  A Lamb who would be our King. A Lamb, whose image could not be blurred by the vision of their tears.

As the angels looked down that night, they knew that each word they had proclaimed to man was now being shouted with joy, announcing why the Lamb had to be born.  Born because of mankind’s sin.  To take away the wall of sin that separated the face of God from man.  Knowing that God so longed to get back to the Garden, finding Himself again in the midst of a personal relationship with each of us..

The angels knew the Lamb must be born so that man could see God’s perfect character.  The Lamb would reveal to all, God’s perfect plan for man, and God’s divine purpose for each of our lives.  They knew that Lamb would bring mankind a perfect and lasting sacrifice.  Without the blood of the Perfect Lamb, humanity would be left to its’ own failure.  Death would mark our doom.  And without the Lamb, eternity could offer no hope.

The angels knew the birth of the Lamb would bring to mankind a perfect and needed Intercessor.  One who would not write God’s words on pages, but One who would write those words on each of our hearts.  They knew the Lamb had to be born to fulfill each promise that God had given us.  Each proclamation the angels had brought us, demanded each cry they heard from the Child that night.

The angels knew the Lamb must be born because the Holy Spirit was waiting, waiting to take His place in each of us.  Waiting to come to us, so we could voluntarily share a loving and personal relationship with God.  And they knew the birth of the Lamb would bring to this world a needed Redeemer.  Just as Adam had brought sin into this world, the Lamb would bring hope back to this world.  A Lamb that would wipe away our tears of sorrow, and leave us with only tears of joy.

As the angels looked down on the world that night, I have no doubt that tears filled their eyes.  As the heavens stood still in silence, the tears must have flowed.  Tears of every emotion.  Tears of joy.  Tears of wonder. Tears of encouragement.  Tears of sorrow.  Tears of despair.  Tears of hope,  Tears of promise.  Every angel, both those that called Heaven home, and those that had been cast to this earth, felt the tears run down their face that night, as they watched our Lord place Himself in that manger.  Tears of awe, as they watched our Lord so vulnerable below, willing to give Himself so this undeserving creature called man might live.  Tears of amazement, as they watched His love completely fill the world that night, shining brighter than all the stars He had placed in the sky.  As I reflect back on the night the angels cried, I find I share with them in those tears.  Tears that leave me to believe that night was indeed holy, but one that left this world far from silent.  Tears that humbly take me to a Child that was laid in manger. Tears that remind me of the incredible sacrifice He brought to reality that night, so He could reach someone as undeserving as me.

Praying this Christmas, you share with me a tear.

A Candy Cane For Christmas

Dr. Mike Murphy
December 21, 2022

From his lap, you could see how the town had grown, how the world had progressed, and how our society had changed.  For twenty-six years he had filled Santa’s chair each Christmas season at the local department store.  He had watched as the faces had grown, and how so many of those faces now placed children in his lap that had similar faces.

He loved every chance he got to don the familiar red suit.  To get into character, and watch as the children’s eyes would light up, and a smile would come to their face.  To listen to each of their words as they told him what they wanted under their Christmas tree. And to bellow in the deepest of laughs, as he wished each a very Merry Christmas.

To him, Christmas was about so much more than just the gifts that Santa would bring, it was about the hope that only One could bring.  Each Christmas, he saw the “red suit” as the greatest of opportunities.  A chance to show the kids that the season was not about the toys they wanted, but was about the One they needed.  Several times each night, he would stop, and ask the children to gather around.  And as the children sat at his feet, he would hand each a candy cane, and ask them if they knew what the candy cane represented.  He would point out to them its’ shape, and show them how it looked like a shepherd’s staff.  Then pulling out his Bible, and turn it to John 10:11, reminding each that Christ is our Good Shepherd.  He would then point out the colors of the candy cane, the red and white stripes that spun down each.  He would explain to them that the red represented the blood of Christ, blood He shed so that each of us might live.  And he also told them about the white stripes that covered the cane, showing each how that represented us, as Christ washed away all our sins, and made us pure. He would then look into the eyes of each, and let them know that as they enjoyed the gift of the candy he had given them, to remember Christ, and to never forget just how sweet of a gift God gave each of us that first Christmas. And with a tear that he made to look like a twinkle in his eye, he would pray for each of those children.

Through all of his twenty-six years, those moments each Christmas that he spent with the kids, became more than just a tradition, it became a way of life.  A way of life that not only filled his life so many nights during the Christmas season, but filled his vision each Sunday morning.  See, it was not just from Santa’s chair that he saw their faces, but he saw so many of them from the pulpit he called home. So many faces that had come to fill the church the Lord had blessed him to be able to lead.  So many faces that had not just heard the words he spoke as children gathering at his feet, but had taken those words out of that department store, and into a world that desperately needed to hear them.  And it was in those moments that he realized how he did not sit in Santa’s chair alone, because the Holy Spirit was firmly sitting in that chair with him.

But as the twenty-six years had passed, he had watch as growth had changed the town.  And with each spurt of growth, the changes became even greater.  Growth that looked to the world more for progress, than it placed value on tradition.  And in the past year, he had also watched that change come to the department store.

The store had been purchased, bought out by a conglomerate who controlled a chain of stores.  Cashiers soon became replaced with self-check kiosks, and "hellos" as you entered, soon became nothing more than offers of a new store credit card.  The personal touch of the mom and pop store, soon became replaced with the lure of lower prices and greater selections.  And as he watched the store change, he learned that his role would have to change too.

Management pulled him into their office, letting him know that they wanted him to continue to be their Santa each Christmas, but that his role as Santa was going to have to change.  They made it very clear, no longer was he to step out of his chair, and gather the children around.  No longer was he to hand out candy canes, and tell them the story of how they represented Christ.  And under no circumstances, was he to ever pray over the children.  They explained to him how some might be offended, and how others might choose to shop elsewhere.  They went on to tell him how Christmas was about meeting retail goals, not about fulfilling any religious purpose.  They also made it very clear how past traditions carried risks that they were just not legally willing to take.  In the end they made their point well known to him, he was welcome in Santa’s chair, just as long as he did not try to bring Christ to that chair with him.

As he heard their words, he could hear the words of Christ speaking to him even louder.  “I am with you always, even to the end of the age."(Matthew 28:20).  As these words echoed through him, he began to speak.  “I thank you for each year that I have been allowed to be your Santa, but I am afraid I have sat in the chair for my very last time.  You see, if Christ is not allowed to sit in your chair, then that leaves no room in your chair for me. If Christ is not aloud to speak in your store, then your store does not wish to hear my voice. And if Christ is not a part of your plans, then your plans have no place for me.  Where I go, Christ always goes.  When I speak, I pray Christ is always heard.  And I cannot imagine a day without Christ being at the center of my plans.  Without Christ, no plan can have a future.  Because without Christ, there is no future.  I could no more leave Christ at the door as I entered your store, than I could leave myself there.  Christ is a part of me, and where I am, Christ will always be.”

As he exited the store for one last time, he reached into his pocket for his keys.  But as he did so, he instead pulled out a candy cane.  And as he looked at it, he could not help but smile.  He remembered back to all the candy canes the Lord had blessed him to be able to hand out through the years. He remembered each time he had been blessed to share his candy cane story, and the lives each of those candy canes had touched.  And he know that this was not an opportunity lost, but an opportunity gained.  Knowing that in the faith and willingness he had shown in standing up for Christ, the Lord would find other even more amazing ways to use him.  And as he started to bring the candy cane to his mouth, he looked down, seeing the face of a small girl as her family entered the store. Smiling at her, he reached the candy cane out to her, and with the biggest of smiles, he began to ask her. “Sweetheart, has anyone ever told you the story of the candy cane?”

Praying that Christ fills your stockings with more than just a few candy canes this Christmas!

Belong(A Home For Christmas)

Dr. Mike Murphy

December 20, 2022

“Where you are takes you one step closer to where you are suppose to be.”

So many times growing up he had heard his grandfather speak those words.  Words spoken so often, they were etched in his very thoughts.  And in just a few more days, he just knew his grandfather’s words were about to came alive.

As he sat in the sanctuary of the small church that Christmas Eve night, he could not help but look forward.  To a time in just ten days from now, where he would soon find himself sitting in the sanctuary of a much bigger church.  He had served as the pastor of the small church for over three years, and he had enjoyed the time he had been there. Memories of the small church would be with him forever, and several of those in the church would be friends that he would always hold dear.  In those three years, he had seen the church grow. Not in overwhelming numbers, but a growth that had brought stability to the church, and new faces to the congregation.  But his desire was for so much more than he thought he could ever find in this church, a destiny to speak to thousands, not just to a faithful few.  So as he sat in the sanctuary that night, and looked around the small church, his grandfather’s words filled his mind once again.  And in just ten days, he knew he would be one step closer.

It had been tradition for the church to open up the sanctuary to the public on Christmas Eve, for all to come by and say a prayer before travelling or gathering with family on Christmas Day.  A time for all to reflect on Christ, and to thank Him for all His birth had brought to each of their lives.  But as he looked out at the sanctuary that night, it was only a couple of faces he could see.  Soon, only one face was left, Jim Norris, a man who had started coming to the small church with his family a little over a year ago, but a man who had probably not spoke more than a handful of words to him in the past year.  Being alone now with Jim, he made his way over, and sat down on the pew next to him.  For what seemed like an eternity, he sat in silence next to him, before he began to hear Jim start to speak.

“I came alone tonight pastor, because I wanted to let the Lord know this Christmas all I have to be thankful for.  And I wanted the chance to also thank you, and to let you know what you have done for my family.”  He was surprised by the words of Jim, but smiled as Jim continued.  “You see, when we began coming to this church, I was not sure I would even have a family much longer.  I had just recently lost my job before we visited the church that first Sunday.  We were in desperate financial need.  My wife had all but given up, and was ready to take the kids and move back to her parents house out of state.  I could not have blamed her if she did, all we seemed to do was argue.  And each day I watched as the kids grew distant, as both our anger and frustrations became greater.”

“I am really not sure what brought us here that first Sunday, all I can think of is that God did.  But from the first minute He did lead us here, my life began to change.  You were so welcoming in greeting us that first Sunday, and every one here made us feel right at home.  Many in this little town knew we were struggling, that was no surprise to anyone who saw us that Sunday.  But all those that Sunday talked to us like family, not like the outcast we felt like we had become.  I still remember the sermon you gave, you spoke on Matthew 25:40, telling us that there were no “least” with Christ.  I did not understand why, but those words stuck with me.  And it seemed like all week long, we would come home to find where someone had left food at our door, or clothes for the kids. The next week, you preached on John 13:34, telling what it meant for us to love one another as Christ loves us.  Those words also stuck with me, and made me think if I was showing my family and others that love, as i had become so bitter because of all I had lost.  That week, the Lord really amazed me, I got three offers for a new job.  Later I learned that two of those had created a job just to help me and my family.”

“As the year went by, I watched my life change, and I watched my family change also.  My wife and I begin to remember why we had fallen in love so many years ago.  And the more we remembered, the more we watched as our children began to smile again, and we could hear the joy return to their voice. Each week your sermons spoke to me, pastor. And as the year went on, I found myself pulling out my Bible more and more, going back and reading each verse you talked about.  And soon, I found our whole family talking about what we had heard on Sunday, and the kids talking to us about what they had learned in Sunday School.  In this past year pastor, I cannot begin to tell you how much the life of my whole family has changed, and we have come to realize that we are a part of a bigger family.  We are part of the family of Christ.”

“I came by tonight to do more than just pray pastor, I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you.  Over this past year, my wife and I have accepted Christ into our life, and I was hoping that this Sunday, before you left, you would baptize all of us, and help us to join the church.”

No matter how hard he tried, he could not speak.  He could not find a single word to answer Jim back.  No word seemed enough, no sentence could express to Jim the way he felt.  All he could think to do was to reach out and hug Jim, to put his arms around him as tight as he could.  And as he felt the arms of Jim around him also, he realized at that moment just how wrong the words of his grandfather had been.  Each of his steps had led him to this moment, showing him that where Christ needs us, is exactly where we belong. He now knew what his future would hold, and what his next phone call had to be.  He would have to tell the larger church that he had reconsidered, because right there, in that small church, was where Christ needed him most.  Right there is where he belonged, right there is where he would call home.  And soon he began to realize, that from the quietness of that small sanctuary, just what an amazing gift God had given him that Christmas Eve.  A home. Because where Christ is, is where his home would always be.

This Christmas, let Christ give you the greatest of gifts.  Let Him show you that wherever He is, is exactly where you will always call home.  And as you open that gift, I pray you also open your heart, letting Him show you that in His arms is right where you belong.

Praying you are right where you belong this Christmas!