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PINNACLE

Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole ~ Quarterly Newsletter I VolUME no 10 WINTER 2021

angels

in our midst pg.4

a disciple to follow pg.8

the best neighbors pg.13

to be a c o m m u n i ty, Rooted in Christ, reaching out in love

Table of Contents Volume NO 10 I winter 2021

R E F L E C T I O N S O N C h rist m a s

PINNACLE

The Winter Pinnacle edition is a compilation of reflections on various aspects and people of the Christmas Story written to you from a variety of fellow PCJH members and friends. Our hope is that you will learn something new and be able to apply it to your everyday life as a disciple of Jesus Christ. We encourage you to take some time during Advent to reflect on the meaning of the season, which is all about Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” uLuke 2:16-19

angels in our midst

~ Re v. Ben Pascal

a disciple to follow

~ Re v. Tammy Mitchell

the best neighbors

Joy Steiner

the maGi

~ Cindy Dahlin

courage of the shepherds

~ Dylan Wade

Compassion is the right way

10 14

~ Caryn Haman

character matters

A middle eastern perspective

~ Andre Moubarak

~ Re v Dr. Paul Hayden get to know us

cover Photo: Beth Ricciardi

2 reflections on the christmas storY ~ winter 2021

~ calendar @pcjh.org/events � Please check pcjh.org calendar for updates as all PCJH events subject to change due to COVID �

DECEMBER wednesdays

(4 Wenesdays of Advent): “Names for the Messiah” Advent Class on Zoom

Habitat Build Day (8:45am-4:30pm) Greening of the Church

~ 9~ 16 ~

SMALL GROUPS

Christmas Caroling during Wednesday take-out th dinners PCJH parking lot

16 ~ 17 ~ 25 ~ th

Blood Drive in PCJH Lobby (11:30am-6pm) (7:30am-12:30pm)

9~ 10 ~ 11~ 24~ th

th th

FELLOWSHIP

MINISTRY

Facilitator Training

ST JOY Summer Camp

Sign-Ups Facilitator Training Webinar Winter Session Begins

7~ 10 ~ TH

Early Bird Registration begins PCJH Annual Meeting 11:30am Encounter Storytelling Event

PCJH Offices Closed

4:30 PM

Christmas Eve

outdoor service

services

@ PCJH

Services th

Ordination & Installation of Elders and Deacons

DISCIPLESHIP

FEBRUARY

JANUARY 3~

6:15 PM outdoor service

@ JHMR

youth Ministry

Various small groups Meeting in-person, reach out to Liz Collins; lcollins@pcjh.org to get plugged in.

Young Adult Ministry ASCENT 20s & 30s

Pre-recorded

Stream PCJH Christmas Eve Service In Your Homes

6pm Wednesdays In-person and online, reach out to Liz Collins; lcollins@pcjh.org for the schedule of studies / fellowship.

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angels

An interview with Dr. Mary Neal

ANGELS IN

~ Rev. Ben Pascal our MIDST

recently had the opportunity to sit down with New York Times bestselling author and PCJH member, Dr. Mary Neal, to talk about the angels in the Christmas Story and the reality of angels in our midst today. Mary is an orthopedic surgeon and author of two books: To Heaven and Back and 7 Lessons from Heaven: How Dying Taught Me to Live a Joy-Filled Life. Many of you know Mary’s unforgettable story of her kayaking accident in Chile in 1999 where she drowned to death, went to heaven, and came back to life here on earth to share the promise of God’s love for us. Her book To Heaven and Back was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than a year, including several months at number one. I hope our conversation comforts you and also challenges you to consider the reality of angels in our midst.

Ben: Thank you Mary for taking the time to talk with me about angels. As we reflect on the Christmas Story in the Pinnacle newsletter, we are taking a close look at all the various characters that show up in the birth narratives of Jesus found in the Gospels. We are told an angel appeared

separately to Mary and then to Joseph, and again to the shepherds in the field. We are also told that the Magi were warned in a dream not to return to King Herod.

What should we make of these angel encounters in the Christmas Story? Mary: When I think of the Christmas angels it brings up a lot of wonderful things. First of all, I love the fact that they showed up for this event, because they always show up. It is easy to look back at biblical times and think, “Of course there were angels back then!”, but question the reality of angels in our midst today. Angels showed up in biblical times, and they still show up today. Angels are real. Angels are present. They attend to all sorts of business, often bringing messages, guidance, and protection. Why do you think it’s hard for people to notice angels in our midst today? Mary: I think it’s because our awareness of angels is almost always retrospective. After an angel encounter we

4 reflections on the christmas storY ~ winter 2021

might say something like, “Wow, that was strange… that was out of the ordinary.” In the present moment we don’t always realize or recognize the angels in our midst. It’s not until later, after reflecting on it, that we realize it was an angel encounter. I think it was the same for the people who saw the angels that first Christmas. They too, had their doubts and questions. But eventually they realized they had encountered an angel, and it changed their life.

I have never thought about that before. Have you found that this is a theme with people you have talked to about angel encounters? Is it always something they realize later? Mary: It’s almost always later. Even for myself. You’d think that having had my experience of going to heaven and back, I would recognize things in real time but, actually, I don’t always realize things right away. I do it quicker than I used to, but it is still almost always retrospective. I could give more recent examples, but when I look backward, I can also recall times in my childhood when I probably encountered an angel without recognizing it. One time occurred when I was a teenager on a group camping trip to Minnesota in the 1960s. It was evening. I was walking down an isolated dirt road, lost in my own thoughts. I was alone and vulnerable. A large man appeared out of nowhere, seeming to fill the road with his presence. It is difficult to describe, but rather than feeling fear, I had an overwhelming sense of being loved. So when he gently suggested that I turn back to the camp, it didn’t strike me at the time as anything that unusual, but after my kayaking accident decades later, when I was more in tune with the spiritual crossover between this world and heaven, I look back on that experience and remember the feeling of pure love. I did end up turning around and going back to camp. There was a flash flood further down that road later in the evening. Would something bad have happened to me? I don’t know. Was that man an angel who showed up to protect me? I look back on it and wonder.

Is the awareness of an angel encounter always a retrospective thing or are there exceptions to this? Mary: The only time I think it is different is at the time of death. If you talk to hospice nurses, you’ll find that every one of them has stories of a dying person seeing angels, seeing relatives, and experiencing that spiritual crossover. At the time of death, all is stripped away. When people are dying, they are not concerned about things like the presidential election or what they are going to have for dinner. All the worldly concerns are stripped away, which allows them to be open and aware of the

surrounding spiritual world. At the time of death people recognize our spiritual reality. It’s often frustrating to them because the people with them in the room don’t see it, but they do. They are like, “What’s wrong with you? You can’t see this?” Other than the time of death, I think it is very unusual for people to recognize angels in real time.

Many of our readers have likely already read your books but for those who haven’t or for those who have forgotten some of the details of your story, can you please tell us about the encounter you and your friends had with angels? Mary: My experience with angels while kayaking in Chile was remarkable. We were on a section of a river that was inaccessible. Imagine a deep canyon. The hillsides where I drowned were very steep and thickly covered in bamboo. It was not accessible except by water, and nearly impossible to get out. After I was resuscitated, my friends were wondering, how are we going to get Mary out of here? My legs were mangled. I had just drowned. Then, these Chilean guys just appeared. They were wearing regular clothes. They didn’t come in a boat. There is no way they could have been there. They never said anything. They just walked over very calmly. Think about it… if you had come upon this scene at the river you would probably be like “Oh my gosh, what’s going on here?! Can I help?” But they didn’t say anything. They seemed to know what was going on. They walked over calmly, helped move me up the hillside. When we emerged on the dirt road there was a waiting ambulance. When I tell people about the ambulance in the U.S., people are like, “Oh wasn’t that lucky, what a great coincidence.” But in this part of Chile, in 1999, there weren’t ambulances or medical services nearby. This was a very remote part of the world. If you are in Wyoming today you could pull out your cell phone and get rescued. But we didn’t have cellphones or satellite phones in 1999. And there was no one to call even if we had those things. The fact that there was an ambulance that just happened to be at that point along the road where we emerged is preposterous. The driver popped out, and Chad, one my friends, recalled how the driver was dressed like a 5-year-old would imagine an ambulance driver to be dressed. It was odd… it wasn’t quite right. The scene didn’t look good. I was strapped to a kayak, I was mangled, I had just died. My friends didn’t look so good either, they were in a state of shock. None of us looked good. This ambulance driver didn’t say anything, he didn’t ask any questions, he didn’t hurry over… he just sort of casually got out, walked over, and �

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when Chad looked at him and asked, “What are you doing here?!” The ambulance driver just looked at him and said, “Waiting.” It’s so beyond possibility or happenstance, even his response to the situation wasn’t normal… it wasn’t what a human ambulance driver would have done in an emergency. After the accident, my friends tried to search out the ambulance driver and the two guys that helped us and they were essentially laughed out of town. Even today when I mention to Chileans that there was an ambulance, they say, “No, that is not possible.” When I look back on them, do I think they were angels? Yes. Absolutely. Their appearance, demeanor, and disappearance cannot be explained. Do I think they participated in a miracle? Yes. There really are no other plausible explanations.

Wow, your story always gives me goosebumps and brings me so much comfort. What have been people’s reaction to your story? Mary: It’s varied. What’s interesting to me is that sometimes people of faith don’t really want to believe what the Bible tells us is true. It’s an interesting disconnect. We accept that miracles happened in biblical times, angels were present, bringing comfort, guidance, and protection, but these same people don’t believe it still happens today. I know there are angels at work in our world today. I know there are angels at work within each of our lives. It’s a matter of whether we are willing to recognize them. Miracles happen. We can brush them off as coincidence, or we can acknowledge that maybe God really is present. I think it is a mindset. Someone once said, “You can live life like everything is a miracle or nothing is a miracle.” I don’t think everything is a miracle, but I do believe some things are miracles. God has made it clear through Scripture. God will meet us where we are and communicate with us in ways we will understand.

When I think of the angels in the Christmas story I think of an angel dressed in white with a trumpet, with light shining all around, it’s very dramatic. You are describing angels differently. Your description of angels is very earthy. Mary: Yes and No. I think angels can take any form that needs to be taken. Angels can assume whatever form to communicate what is needed. I think angels showing up with such intense glory and brilliance in the Christmas story is a beautiful thing because I think it reflects the overflowing joy and excitement heaven had for the world-changing events that were unfolding. Of course, their glory is described through analogies because it is difficult, at best, to describe spiritual realities. Actually, it’s impossible. It’s impossible because we don’t even have the language to

do it. It would be like trying to describe a beautiful rainbow to someone who has been blind from birth. They don’t know what color is. So how do you explain color to someone who has never seen color before? How do you describe something that we not only don’t understand, but don’t even have the language to try to describe it? Yes, I experienced very earthly angels, but I also experienced other angels in the spiritual realm that were, indeed, brilliant and exploding with love, wearing robes that seemed to be woven together with the very fibers of love. I know this doesn’t make sense in our language. But like everyone else, including witnesses in the Christmas story, I must come up with analogies because there is no other way to describe angels.

So do angels have halos? Mary: No, I don’t think so. But I do understand the analogy. Angels are surrounded by their incredibly brilliant radiance, which could be described sort of like a halo. When I think of the angels in the Christmas story I think of the brilliance, the incredible light, every ounce of beauty and color and love all woven together, brighter than the sun but not blinding. Yes!! That is the description of angels in their most pure form.

It sounds like angels can take a lot of different forms. Mary: Yes. When I think about the angels in the Christmas Story, I can imagine the brilliance and glory. I also think the ambulance driver was an angel. Angels can appear to us as people, animals, or in whatever form God knows will communicate the needed message.

That is cool to think of angels as animals. Mary: The more we learn about animals, the more we recognize that they are sentient and intricate creations of God. They have emotions that are more complex than we give them credit for. Now, I love animals but am not one to attribute human traits to them. However, I once had an encounter with an owl that came to my house, that was very different. It evoked a very deep response within me. I think that deep response was a spiritual connection, and I think the owl was sent from God to comfort me. I know some people will disagree with this. I think Biblical verses are often interpreted in very narrow ways, perhaps in an effort to contain and control God. But the truth of God is big. Really big.

In your book, you go into the different things angels are tasked to do. They are messengers from God on assignment, escorts from this life to the next, envoys of encouragement, couriers of warnings and guidance, and an army of protectors. Tell us more about this.

6 reflections on the christmas storY ~ winter 2021

“...the message that the angel communicates is always the same; “You are loved. You are worthy." Mary: Through my travels and speaking engagements I have heard thousands of people’s stories of spiritual experiences. Many of those stories have to do with angelic presence and angelic intervention. The stories are all very similar, and always fit into one of those categories. They are stories of someone at the end of their rope, often feeling suicidal, and feeling they are not worthy. An angel appears to them. The purity of the love, and the message that the angel communicates is always the same; “You are loved. You are worthy.” That communication of love and acceptance and value radically changes people’s lives. I’ve heard that story thousands of times. I’ve heard stories similar to my story of the man who appeared on the path and told me to go back to camp. I’ve heard thousands of stories of someone intervening, and that intervention prevented a disaster. I’ve heard so many stories of protection and so many stories of comfort.

Our conversation is stirring within me a desire to reflect on my own life. If I spent some time reflecting on my past I wonder if I could identify a moment when an angel came across my path and I didn’t know it at the time? Mary: I can guarantee it. Human nature is such that if we don’t write something down, like when something miraculous occurs, we move on and forget about it. That also is no different from the people shown in Biblical stories. You have a great miracle one day, but question the reality of God’s presence the very next. It’s a recurring question to God of, “What have you done for me lately?” (laughs).

In Scripture, angels typically say “Fear not!” What is this all about? Mary: It’s really interesting. I can’t say I understand it, because I had a different experience. However, this past summer I was talking with my friend, Tom, who was with me in Chile when I had my kayak accident. It was the first time we had a chance to talk about it, and his experience that day was very different from mine. He was very clear that he experienced God on the river that day. But he was terrified. He said he was in “fear”. I was confused by this because I strongly believe that where God’s love is present, there is no room for destructive emotion like

fear. But Tom was describing a different use of the word “fear”. When we talk about fear we usually think of being in trouble, or that something bad is going to happen. Tom used that word “fear,” but he described it as an overwhelming sense of awe… he used the word “fear” to describe the sheer power of the presence of God. So when I read the words “fear not”, I think it’s that use of the word. Usually when I talk to people who have encountered angels, they don’t describe it with fear, but as an experience of incredible compassionate love.

In the Christmas story, if the angels hadn’t appeared to the shepherds, do you think they would have made it to the manger? Would they have encountered Jesus? Mary: If the angels didn’t get their attention, I think God would have gotten their attention some other way. Angels continually try to get us back on track. The Christmas story was important enough that God would have told them a different way. When there are important things, God will continue to intervene. I wonder, how many angels appeared to them before those angels finally convinced the shepherds to go? Maybe there were other attempts before that the shepherds ignored.

Have you found that some people take the reality of angels a bit too far? Mary: Yes, some people worship angels, but that’s not what they are meant for. God alone is the One who we are to worship. Angels are messengers from God. They are worker-bees. It’s like God is the president and the angels are the staff who go and get the work done. Any last words to share as we finish time together? Mary: The angels in the Christmas story should be glorious, and there should be trumpets, because what they were announcing was a really, really big deal. Jesus was born. Jesus changed our relationship with God and gave us the two greatest, prioritized above all others, commandments: Love God and love others. This is an incredible revelation that will continue to change our world, and should continue to change each of us. ✝

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Interview with Lissa Hunter & Kyle ?

m a ry

A Disciple to

~ Rev. Tammy Mitchell

hen I read the Biblical story of Mary, she is far from a naïve, mild, genteel woman that is often represented in statues or portraits. As history shows, Mary was not only the mother of Jesus (as beautiful as that is); she blossomed to be a true disciple of Jesus. As the early church grew, Mary was elevated in her significance and importance, particularly in Orthodoxy and Catholicism. However, Reformed Protestants have not given much attention to the role of Mary in their theology. The growth of Mariology in the Middle Ages was met with harsh criticism from the reformers who insisted that there was only one mediator between God

and humanity and that was Jesus Christ (I Timothy 2:5). Furthermore, the extreme exultation of Mary clouded the essential Protestant doctrine that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. They also firmly taught that all people have direct access to God and need not pray to saints, the doctrine otherwise known as the “priesthood of all believers”. However, Protestants do stand with Orthodox and Roman Catholics in recognizing Mary as a model Christian believer and a symbol of the relationship between Christ and the church. The Scriptures reveal a powerful portrait of a true disciple of Jesus.

8 reflections on the christmas storY ~ winter 2021

“ Her hope for God’s salvation rests on what God has done and what he will continue to do." T h e Fa i t h o f M a r y Mary was a humble, peasant woman, engaged to a simple carpenter, in a small town. Why did God select her? Some say it was because she was without sin and was perfect herself. However, the scriptures never mention her piety. What they do mention is her faith. The angel Gabriel said she is “blessed by God” (Luke 1:42-58). It’s important to note that God did not choose her because of her disposition. He chose her out of God’s own gracious character. Mary’s selection points to God’s persistent intent to be with us. As John Calvin said, “He joined together His divinity with us, so He also joined our humanity together with His divinity. Otherwise there would not be a union close enough or strong enough to be able to give us hope that God might dwell in us and help us.” Mary was overwhelmed by the visit from Gabriel, but she must have been more overwhelmed at the grace of God. Her faith and her obedience was a loving response to the outpouring love of God toward her. She is the first to express her limitations to this calling. Nevertheless, her willingness to trust God and dedicate herself to God’s will is profound. Augustine says that, “Mary first conceived Christ in her heart by faith, before she conceived in the womb.” Her cousin, Elizabeth, later says, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!" implicating Mary was a woman of deep faith. “Be it unto me according to thy word” is a beautiful posture that we can all pray to adopt in our own lives.

The Hope of Mary Mary is probably best known for her hope in God’s promises. Perhaps the greatest example is the well-known Magnificat, in Luke 2. Mary thanks God for what he has done for her personally (vs 46a-49). And then she honors God for what he has done from generation to generation (vs. 50-51a). She knows that He brings down the arrogant and proud and lifts up the lowly (vs. 51b-53). Then Mary praises God for His faithfulness to His promises. Her hope for God’s salvation rests on what God has done and what he will continue to do. She knows God to be good, and just, and faithful. Again, as a model of a disciple, she has an unshakable hope in God, evident in her song of praise. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “The song of Mary is the

oldest Advent hymn. It is at once the most passionate, the wildest, one might even say the most revolutionary Advent hymn ever sung. This is not the gentle, tender, dreamy Mary who we sometimes see in paintings; this is the passionate, surrendered, proud, enthusiastic Mary who speaks out here. This song has none of the sweet, nostalgic, or even playful tones of some of our Christmas carols. It is instead a hard, strong, inexorable song about collapsing thrones and humbled lords of this world, about the power of God and the powerlessness of humankind”. Like Mary, we have hope in a powerful God who will not disappoint.

The Love of Mary Mary never quit being a mother. She loved her son from day one. She sacrificed her reputation to give him birth. She risked her life to give him refuge from the genocide. She provided him with a home, food, and security. She committed to raise him in the Jewish faith. But mostly, she personally walked in the presence and love of God. To Mary, God was not distant, but ever intimate. She is the first witness of Jesus’ humanity and divinity. When Jesus began his public ministry, she gracefully committed him to God’s will. She engaged in a new life as a companion and follower, one who travelled with Jesus, listened to his teachings, watched his miracles, and witnessed his compassion for the poor. Her deepest sorrow came when in agony, she stood beneath the cross after witnessing the humiliation, the blasphemies, the torture, the degradation and the death of her son. Jesus loved Mary deeply. Before he died, He commended her to his best friend, John, to take care of her. One cannot imagine the joy of her heart seeing Jesus after his resurrection. Mary’s love for God and Jesus was again reinforced when the Holy Spirit came upon all the disciples at Pentecost, where she resided among all Christ’s disciples. As far as we know, she stayed with John throughout her days. Her bond of love between her and Jesus reveals the bond of love between Jesus and His church. This season let us give thanks for Mary, the mother of Jesus. And as people of God who long to follow Christ, let us also go forward with faith, hope and love. ✝

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COURAGE

of THE

SHEPHERDS

~ Dylan Wade

“It makes me want to have courage like these shepherds as we await the second coming of our Lord... "

10 r e f l e c t i o n s o n t h e c h r i s t m a s s t o r Y ~ w i n t e r 2 0 2 1

s h e p h e r d s

av e y o u e v e r b e e n r e all y af r ai d ? P e r ch e d precariously on the edge of a cliff or had your car lose traction on an icy road? Maybe you are afraid of contracting a contagious disease during a pandemic or losing your job because of it? Or maybe your greatest fear is that of the unknown, being out of control. How we react to this fear tells us a lot about ourselves. Do we learn from our fear ridden experiences? Do we face it head on? Do we look for Christ? I think the Shepherds in the Christmas story can tell us a lot about fear and how we should handle it. In the Gospel of Luke chapter 2, after Jesus has been born, an Angel of the Lord appeared to a group of shepherds living out in the fields nearby. The first words from the Angel to the shepherds were, “Do not be afraid…” (verse 10) before going on to describe the “good news” (verse 11-12). Keep in mind that most scholars believe that 1st century shepherds in Palestine were poor, uneducated and were looked down upon by Jews and Gentiles. As a result shepherd’s rights were suppressed, along with the rights of other tradesmen such as sailors, dung collectors, tax collectors, among others. As a result they were not given the same freedoms and opportunities as the rest of society. I have not encountered an angel appearing before me in the middle of the night, but if I did, I am sure it would frighten me too. But that is not all the shepherds would have been afraid of. As Kenneth Bailey says in his book “Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes” the shepherds may also be afraid of visiting the Messiah, which they probably thought would be in an upper class home--someplace they most likely would NOT be welcome. Thus to them the word “manger” (verse 12b) may have brought them some relief because it meant that the baby would be in a welcoming house of a similar social class. With this in mind I have found three key ways that helped the shepherds in the Christmas Story calmed their fears and to trust in God. First off, I think it is important that Luke does not distinguish one or two shepherds but describes them as a group. This is not surprising for the time, as being a group would be a way to protect themselves and share their experiences together. Being in a community helps one feel safe and allows one to confide in others. Who do you share your fears with? What communities are you a part of that help you and comfort you when you are afraid? Secondly, they trusted God through his messenger (the Angel of the Lord) and acted on it. Curiosity, excitement, a little fear, why were we chosen?--these are all things I would be thinking if I were in their shoes. Would these thoughts have allowed me to trust the Angel and go with the other shepherds to find Jesus? There are plenty of compelling reasons to stay comfortable and safe with the sheep in the fields. Though, not nearly as direct as hearing it from an Angel. How many times have I heard God tell me to do something and I ignored it, choosing the more comfortable path rather than acting on it? Even though they were afraid and did not have all the answers, the fact that they dropped everything and “hurried off” (verse 16) for Christ is compelling. Maybe we should do likewise. Finally, the shepherds found the house where Jesus lay in the manger and were emboldened to share their story with others, including Mary and Joseph. As they went through Bethlehem looking for Jesus, I am sure at least one was a little incredulous that the whole thing was real. But when they did find him and the story was true, they decided to tell everyone “what had been told them about” Jesus (verse 17). Later they glorified and praised God for all the things they had just witnessed (verse 20). They returned changed people, having a new perspective on life and were willing to share their story. Maybe when we act on messages we get from God we will also be rewarded as such. It makes me want to have courage like these shepherds as we await the second coming of our Lord... ✝

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joseph

Compassion is Always the Right Way

~ Joy Steiner

to n e h e r ! T hat ’ s th e law ! I t ’ s th e r ight thi n g to d o ! ” Joseph turned over on his pallet. He thought about what the villagers would say if they learned that Mary was expecting a baby that was not his child. Joseph had heard of adulterous women who had been dragged to the threshold of their own homes and stoned to death while their families watched helplessly. And yet, Mary’s face had glowed with joy when she told him. “Joseph, I have known no man. The Holy spirit came to me. This child is the very son of God!” When Mary told him, Joseph was too stunned to react, but now that he was alone, heat rose to his face. His jaw clenched in anger. “How could this be possible? The Holy Spirit?” Betrayal hit his stomach like a fist and threw Joseph into a fetal position. All of the marriage agreements were signed and paid. Mary had promised to be faithful. Anguish roared out of a deep place. “Dear God! What should I do? If I tell anyone, the villagers will ostracize Mary, or hurt her.” Tears soaked Joseph’s cheeks. Spent and weary, he lay still until the ragged sobs that caught in his throat changed to slow, even breaths. “I love Mary. I can’t let them harm her. If I divorce her, then I will be blamed for breaking the contracts. The villagers will think the baby is mine. I will carry the shame. I put myself in your hands, Lord. Please tell me what I must do. I am listening.” Fiction gives us the opportunity to imagine the human reactions in Bible stories and helps us understand the life lessons embedded within. Surely, Joseph experienced a churning stew of emotions when Mary told him she was pregnant. His poignant moment of turmoil gives us a powerful role model. Has an event hit you so hard that you could barely process the feelings, let alone make a decision? Each of us is given the freedom to make our own choices, but Joseph shows us the highest and best way: to consider the well being of another person before our own. We are given the chance to choose compassion every day. When God reviewed all the men on earth and selected Joseph to be the human father of His only son, He trusted Joseph to be a patient mentor, showing young

Jesus time after time how to think of others first. By his daily example, could Joseph have prepared Jesus to live in humility and love? Perhaps Joseph’s quiet leadership gave Jesus the strength he would need for the ultimate gift of his own life. There are other promises in Joseph’s story. God allowed Joseph to make the decision to shoulder the shame of Mary’s unexpected pregnancy; God’s promise of free will was fulfilled. Only then was God’s second promise revealed: I am always with you. Once Joseph gave himself to God, the angel brought a message of hope. “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). Likely, Joseph’s broken heart was healed in that very moment. He could trust Mary and move forward as her husband. And didn’t he do a terrific job of providing and protecting? From the moment he heard the angel’s message, Joseph was all in! Carry Joseph’s story with you. Process your emotions. Give yourself to God. Listen. Then choose compassion always. If you are interested in reading further about the life of Joseph, check out, “Faithful,” by Adam Hamilton. ✝

12 rgerfolwe ci ntgi oynosuonng t h~e cwhirni sttemra2s 0s1t9o r Y ~ w i n t e r 2 0 2 1

t h e g u e s t r o o m

the BEST

Neighbors

~ Caryn Haman

h, the beloved story that Christmas pageants celebrate every year. We wince that there was no room in the inn for such a divine moment. We know that Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register for the census. There would have been many people making the journey and there was no way to email to make a reservation in perhaps the only inn. But wait! There is more to the story. In Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, Kenneth E. Bailey presents a more accurate account. He tells us that through the centuries the Hebrew translation has been changed particularly, by the Greek translations, and others through time. Some translators were not familiar with the geography of the land and misinterpretations were made. First, Joseph’s lineage traces back to King David. He would have been considered “royal”. Second, Mary had relatives nearby, as Elizabeth and Zechariah were just a short distance from Bethlehem. They could have gone there. Third, a manger invokes a barn or stable in Western minds. A place that is unclean. Now let us consider the real story that gives a more accurate understanding and actually turns out to be even better. This is a story of hospitality. You see, a home at that time might have been in a large cave or even if not, a house built of stone. There would have been a Family/Living Room, a Guest room in the back and yes, a stable. The stable was generally lower than the family room but was open to it. The animals were brought in at night to keep them warm and safe. At the same time they provided some heat from their bodies help warm the house. Each morning, the animals were taken out and the stable was cleaned. Mary and Joseph were likely recognized by the hosts, who felt badly that the guest room was full with other travelers. So taking them in to the family room was

honoring them with hospitality and including them with the family. Men were not allowed in a room where a woman was giving birth. They would have possibly gone outside to wait. The women were there with Mary to help her. She was not left alone. When the birth came, a manger was likely lifted and placed on the level with the living room. They would have placed fresh straw in it to keep the baby cozy. Yes, truly a humble birth. Mary, Joseph, and the baby were well cared for. The rest of the story continues over several weeks in time as shepherds and wise men came following the magnificent star or light. Imagine God presenting an opportunity for us to practice this kind of hospitality. In “normal” time we invite family and friends to stay with us for a holiday visit and they are given the guest room, the sofa, maybe a roll-away bed, but we joyfully greet them—not so much different than the family in Bethlehem. More importantly, we invite Jesus to be present in our home during this time when we celebrate his coming into the world. Yes, we decorate the tree with sentimental ornaments or the newest color themes and we usually put the angel on top. But have we really made room in our inn for Jesus? Are we spending time in devotion and reading and prayer? Or do we open one more little door on the advent calendar and rush on with the day? All of this is certainly part of honoring him, yet is HE at the center of our readying for commemorating his birth? This is not a year for showing hospitality through giving social parties. We do miss gathering with friends and coworkers during this special time. Let’s make this a special year of inviting Jesus in to stay with us. Begin the day talking with him. Bring him to the table. Tell others about your special guest. Thank him for being present at the day’s end. Most of all, bring Jesus into your heart and like a beloved guest, stay close to him throughout the year. ✝

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king herod

Character Matters

~ Re v Dr. Paul Hayden

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. ~ Matthew 2:16

ith the exception of his name being mentioned in Luke 1:5, the murder of Bethlehem’s infant sons is the only record and ghastly incident of King Herod in the pages of the Bible. The full account can be read in Matthew 2. But who was this earthly “king” of the Christmas story? Herod’s family had its roots in the Negeb of Palestine. They traced their ancestry to Abraham through the oldest of Jacob’s twin sons, Esau. Officially they embraced the Jewish religion in the mid second century BCE. His grandfather, Antiper I, was the first to officially align with the Romans and began what is known as the Herodian dynasty. Herod the Great of the Christmas story knew Palestine, Judaism, and the Roman Empire. Herod was politically savvy. Josephus, the Roman historian tells us that Herod was • Appointed procurator of Galilee when he was only twenty-five years of age (Ant. 14.9.2). • Mark Antony gave Herod a tetrarchy (Ant. 14.13.1–2; Wars 1.12.5) and, afterward he persuaded the Roman senate to make Herod a king (Ant. 14.14.4). • Augustus (Caesar) enlarged his privileges (Hist. 5.9). • He exerted his royal rights over Palestine when he had captured Jerusalem, 37 BCE • He successfully ruled Palestine until 4 BCE, shortly after Jesus’ birth. He was a visionary builder. • The Mediterranean port at Caesarea • The palatial retreat, Herodium • The fortress palace of Masada • The renovation of the Jerusalem temple He knew Judaism. • Herod was a 3rd generation Jew. Some believe that he rebuilt the temple as an expression of his faith. It was an incredible project (Luke 21:5). It was the temple Jesus ‘cleansed’ and where he taught during Holy Week. We don’t know if he practiced the faith, but he certainly knew its history. He also knew the political hold the religion had over the people. He restructured the priesthood so he could use the religion for his political advantage. During his 33 year rule he placed 7 men in the role of High Priest.

He had a flawed character. Leaders do not accomplish these types of things without a large ego. Herod’s family tree was known for those egos. But, as we are aware, power can corrupt and, when culture does not have means of holding that corruption in check, the consequences can be devastating. Herod’s paranoia about lack of loyalty and loss of power riddled his soul. When he felt threatened, he exerted his incredible and unchecked power. Here are some of his historic recorded actions: • On the merest of suspicions, he put to death his favorite wife (of whom he had 10), Mariamne (Ant. 15.7.1–7), and her sons, Aristobulus and Alexander (Wars 2.11.6., closing sentence; cf. Ant. 16.10.1– 16.11.7), • On his own deathbed, just five days before he died, he ordered his son Antipater to be slain (Ant. 17.7.1; Wars 1.33.7). It is no wonder that Augustus should have ridiculed this Jewish king, saying, “It is better to be Herod’s hog than to be his son!” • Also on his deathbed, he commanded “that all the principal men of the entire Jewish nation” should come to his presence. Then he shut them up in the hippodrome and surrounded it by soldiers. He ordered that immediately after his own death, which he expected soon, they should all be killed, that it might seemingly, at least, afford “the honor of a memorable mourning at his funeral ” (Ant. 17.6.5; Wars 1.33.6). The royal wretch died but the order concerning the men at the hippodrome was never carried out (Wars 1.33.8; Ant. 17.8.2; 17.9.5). Herod was well informed, politically savvy, an incredible builder, and nominally religious. Underneath it all Herod had an ungodly character. Even though Rachel wept over the massacre of Bethlehem’s sons (Matthew 2:18), it does not seem that Roman history was outraged. It doesn’t mention his massacre. It seems to say, “what do you expect from someone whose power led to paranoia that led to murder.” Character shapes behavior. Behavior reveals character. It mattered then. It matters now. ✝

14 r e f l e c t i o n s o n t h e c h r i s t m a s s t o r Y ~ w i n t e r 2 0 2 1

maGi

THE maGi of tHE christmas story

~ Cindy Dahlin

y name is Melchior and I am the King of Arabia. My companions and fellow scholars, Gaspar, who is King of Sheba and Balthazar, King of Tarse and Egypt and I were priests, who studied astrology, which was considered a reverent science. By all accounts, we were scientists who based our deductions on facts. We travelled from a land in the east to Judea during the rule of King Herod because of a prophecy of old that told of a star that would lead us to the Christ Child. Once in Judea we inquired “Where is this child who has been born King of the Jews? For we have observed a star rising, and have come to pay him homage” ~ Matthew 2:2 According to today's standards of measurement, our journey could have been 800 miles. We prepared for a long journey based on the scriptures we had read and studied. King Herod was fearful of this news of the King of the Jews being born and what power this purported king held. “When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. “When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them, where the Christ was to born” ~Matthew 2: 3-4. He secretly summoned us to search for this child so that he too may worship the promised Messiah, which was far from Herod’s intentions. Herod questioned us concerning the exact time and location for the new star we had seen and had been studying. He not only respected us for our wisdom but also feared us for our knowledge. Being obedient to the command and our own zealous quest, we set out on our journey to the Town of Bethlehem, always following an unusually brilliant new star in the skies that appeared and then reappeared to us. This star had also become known at The Star of Bethlehem. We had no doubt that this phenomenal in the sky would lead us to something only that could have come of God. I had heard of the coming of the Messiah from when the Jews were held captive in ancient Babylon several hundred years before, and from our former prophet, Daniel.

The prophecies were passed down through generations, and we believed that God spoke through the prophets of old, but also that God still spoke directly to man through dreams. We were outsiders, foreigners and strangers to the things of God but trusting in the scripture. We travelled on camels with servants, ample supplies, and gifts for the newborn King. We chose the gifts for the Messiah, making our own prophecy. Gold was a gift suited for a King. Frankincense was an incense used for prayer and represented deity. Myrrh was a precious fragrant perfume used for embalming bodies - knowing the fate of the Christ Child. All of these treasured gifts were fit for the promised Messiah. We were pilgrims in search of the Christ child. When the star’s movement stopped over the stable in Bethlehem, we were overjoyed! “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother, Mary and they bowed and worshipped him and presented them with their gifts” ~Matthew 2:11-12 Having been warned in a dream, not to go back to Herod, we returned to our country by an alternative route. The Maji’s presence in Scripture is never spoken of again I often wonder if we were the first to bow down to worship our Lord? Did our gifts help support Jesus and his family while in Egypt? Was our presence affirmation of his worthiness to the world? We may have started out as outsiders, but Jesus became our King of Kings, Lord of Lords - our Messiah. We did not come to Christ as arrogant scientists but as humble believers. Our hearts were open to acceptance of the miraculous love he represented. Today, we come from all points of the world seeking to know Christ, just as the Wise Men sought Jesus. They came with knowledge, curiosity, hope, faith in what was written. For centuries now, we continue to search to find Jesus, to know him better and continue to worship the Son of God, who came to save us all. ~ Amen ✝

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A Middle Eastern perspective

~ Andre Moubarak

JESUS ' Birth

16 r e f l e c t i o n s o n t h e c h r i s t m a s s t o r Y ~ w i n t e r 2 0 2 1

wo u l d lik e to sha r e with y o u som e

information about Jesus' birth from a Middle Eastern perspective, with the hope to increase our understanding of what Christmas is and the meaning behind it. Let me begin with a few facts in order to clear up any possible confusion.

Fact one: The date of the Messiah’s birth is not specifically mentioned in the Bible. Even today, scholars speculate when Jesus was born. However, they are in universal agreement that he was not born on the 25 of December in the 1st century AD. Most likely, he was born sometime between the years 4 – 6 BCE. We know that, because when Jesus was a child, Herod was alive, until his death in 4 BC. Most likely he was born in the springtime, probably at the end of March or beginning of April, and not during winter or in white snow. Fact Two: The December 25th date corresponded with the Roman calendar to the festive pagan celebration at which time citizens throughout the Roman empire celebrated Solis Invicti—the (re)Birth of the Invincible Sun. According to the ancients, the Sun (god) seemed to be perishing or diminishing through the autumn, arriving at its lowest point on the 25th of December. Under the influence of the church in Rome, the nativity celebration on December 25 was applied in the West at the end of the fourth century. In other words, nearly four hundred years after the actual event in Judea, the celebration of the Messiah’s birth on December 25 became widespread in the Western church.

Fact Three: Look at ~ Luke 2:8 (New King James): 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Based on this verse we can better understand in what season Jesus was born. This is a very interesting clue. According to the agricultural Jewish calendar, in the area around Bethlehem, when farmers are done harvesting barley and wheat in March and April, they allow the shepherds and their families to bring the sheep to their fields. Shepherds in the ancient Middle East would then take their flocks to pasture in early spring. The verse says that the shepherds are out in the fields and not in the wilderness. Normally, sheep would be grazing in the wilderness. However, since this is the breeding season, it was common that the shepherds would actually be in the fields at night watching over the sheep in case they were going to give birth. Clearly, shepherds would not be out in the fields at night in December. This makes us believe that Jesus was born March/April, which would be after the rainy season and before the dry season starts again.

jesus

SYMBOLISM OF PASSOVER LAMB AND JESUS It was customary in the first century, for shepherds to raise their new-born lambs in the fields and then sell them in Jerusalem to be sacrificed in the temple. • • •

The lamb should be a male The lamb should be the firstborn The lamb should be whole, i.e. no broken legs

The manger was the place where the animals came to feed. The manger was also considered a symbolic place of obedience. So when Luke writes, "You'll find the child in a manger", it means "You'll find the child in a place of obedience." Jesus, like the sheep, was born as a lamb in Bethlehem, in a manger. He grew obedient to the Father (the Good Shepherd), and then was sacrificed (atoning for sin) in the temple of Jerusalem during Passover. The very deep truth that Jesus is born as a humble, obedient lamb is core to our faith. As Christ-followers, we, too, should be obedient to the Father. How are we to be salt and light during the upcoming Christmas season? How are we to keep the profound edge to our witness? The problem is not so much that we celebrate Christmas, but that we do not celebrate it well. In the Western culture, Christmas centers around shopping. It’s about how we can get more, acquire more, and consume more. I would urge you this year to find creative ways to celebrate Christmas by remembering Jesus as a lamb, humble and obedient. He came to the world to give more and take less. Be generous. Let’s be honest. Western society during this season often is more about satisfying the flesh than the Spirit. During the Christmas season, the homes, sadly are known more for the presents than for the Presence of the Spirit of Christ! Consider simplifying and sanctifying this Christmas season. Let simplicity and humbleness in the spirit emerge, instead of being submerged by consumerism. Be redemptive with your giving: buy less and give more. Why not take a portion of your planned gift money and give it to the poor? Redeem your money this year. Give more to charitable causes than you ever have before. Let us make every effort to focus on Jesus the Messiah— his incarnation, his life, and the joy of his Spirit. Let’s be more concerned about Christ showing up Christmas morning than Santa Claus! May our homes be known for the sweet spirit of the Messiah permeating the festivities, rather than for the gifts and food. Christmas actually is one of the most impressive ways we can bear witness to our Lord to friends and family, and even to our society. So let us redeem the time! ✝

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S P iRiT

sightings

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during

the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” u Matthew 2:1-2

PHOTO: Asheley farland Lee