{"id":8516,"date":"2022-12-12T10:09:04","date_gmt":"2022-12-12T17:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/?page_id=8516"},"modified":"2022-12-12T10:39:28","modified_gmt":"2022-12-12T17:39:28","slug":"and-suddenly-glory","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/?page_id=8516","title":{"rendered":"<div style=\"font-size:40px\" style=\"color:rgb(0,0,0)\">And Suddenly\u2026: Glory!<\/div>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<html>\n\n<head>\n<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\">\n<meta name=Generator content=\"Microsoft Word 15 (filtered)\">\n<style>\n<!--\n \/* Font Definitions *\/\n @font-face\n\t{font-family:\"Cambria Math\";\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Calibri;\n\tpanose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:\"Open Sans\";\n\tpanose-1:2 11 6 6 3 5 4 2 2 4;}\n \/* Style Definitions *\/\n p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing\n\t{margin:0in;\n\tfont-size:11.0pt;\n\tfont-family:\"Calibri\",sans-serif;}\n.MsoChpDefault\n\t{font-family:\"Calibri\",sans-serif;}\n.MsoPapDefault\n\t{margin-bottom:8.0pt;\n\tline-height:107%;}\n \/* Page Definitions *\/\n @page WordSection1\n\t{size:8.5in 11.0in;\n\tmargin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}\ndiv.WordSection1\n\t{page:WordSection1;}\n \/* List Definitions *\/\n ol\n\t{margin-bottom:0in;}\nul\n\t{margin-bottom:0in;}\n-->\n<\/style>\n\n<\/head>\n\n<body lang=EN-US style='word-wrap:break-word'>\n\n<div class=WordSection1>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>A\nChristmas sermon (Luke 2:1-20)<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>Three\nwidening circles<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.5in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>I.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>The basic\ncircle. The basic event.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.25in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>A straight\nforward event. Place, time, and occasion set the setting. <\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.25in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>2.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>A very normal, <b>ordinary<\/b>\nbirth story, but we tend to embellish it. It is not a drama, a trauma, an\nemergency. <\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>a.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>She was\nexpecting, therefore they went in plenty of time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>b.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>Joseph was of\nthe house and lineage of David in Bethlehem. He was related, and so they stayed\nwith relatives. The \u201cinn\u201d was the home of one of Joseph\u2019s relatives.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>c.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>Bethlehem was small,\non a side road, not a trading road, and probably did not have a public inn. <\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>d.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>The guest room\nwas occupied. (See also Luke 22:11; Mk 14:14, the same word is used, not a room\nin a public inn but a guestroom.)<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.75in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>e.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>The normal house,\nas even recently in peasant houses in Europe, had several levels. A guest room\nwas on an upper level. The family lived on the main floor slightly above the animals.\nThe manger was a warm place for a baby and swaddling clothes were usual. A\nnormal, <b>ordinary<\/b> event.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.5in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>II.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>The second\ncircle. Luke 2:8-12. The widening, the big picture. What this event is all\nabout. What it means.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.25in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>Shepherds. No\nsheep dogs. Night, dark, danger lurks. Out of nowhere, like lightning, the\nshepherds are terrified and \u201cthe glory of the Lord shone,\u201d (Lk 2:9), a \u201choly\nlight.\u201d They were sore afraid, \u201cfilled with fear.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.25in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>2.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>\u201cGreat joy\u201d to\neveryone. Luke 2:10 is creedal: A \u201cgreat joy,\u201d the Gospel.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.5in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>III.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>The third\ncircle. Luke 2:13-20. The ultimate widening, the big picture.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.25in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>\u201cAnd suddenly\u201d\nGod suddenly: David kills Goliath with a sling shot; Jesus is alive again.\nGod\u2019s \u201csuddenlies\u201d are not arbitrary. They seem out of nowhere. In fact they\nare outside of us, in spite of us. <\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.25in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>2.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>The multitude of\nangels. In cities today one does not see the night sky, but in the plains and\nplaces away from cities, the night sky can be bright with stars. Rev 5:11: \u201cthe\nvoice of many angels numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands\u2026.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.25in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>3.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>The angels. They\nsee what ultimately this is all about: This is how our Lord is solving the\nproblem of sin, death, and the devil, by going himself to die on the cross and\nrise again. <\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.5in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>IV.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>Singing glory\nand peace. <\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.25in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>We rejoice with\ngreat joy in the gospel of Luke 2:10-11. <\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.25in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>2.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>Our hearts are\nlifted up as in Luke 2:14: \u201cGlory to God in the highest and on earth peace\namong men with whom he is pleased!\u201d Handel echoes in our ears with the singing\nof Luke 2:14 and the sevenfold acclamation in Rev 5:12: \u201cWorthy is the Lamb who\nwas slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory\nand blessing!\u201d And the fourfold acclamation in 5:13 and his great Amen of 5:14\nechoes in our ears.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p class=MsoNoSpacing style='margin-left:1.25in;text-indent:-.25in'><span\nstyle='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>3.<span style='font:7.0pt \"Times New Roman\"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/span><\/span><span style='font-family:\"Open Sans\",sans-serif'>There\u2019s a\nwideness in God\u2019s mercy. (LBW 290).<\/span><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/body>\n\n<\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Christmas sermon (Luke 2:1-20) &nbsp; Three widening circles I.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The basic circle. The basic event. 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A straight forward event. Place, time, and occasion set the setting. 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A very normal, ordinary birth story, but we tend to embellish it. It is not a drama, a trauma, an emergency. a.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She was expecting, therefore [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8516","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8516"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8516\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8534,"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8516\/revisions\/8534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crossalone.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}