What Are You Pondering And Treasuring These Days?

What Are You Pondering and Treasuring Up These Days?

Luke 2.1-20
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

We know there were times Mary spoke from John 2.1-5
 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,2 and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.”u

4 “Woman, why do you involve Me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
Such good counsel for everything in life. We could talk about that all day!
We do not have a lot of records of Mary’s words. She seemed to speak only when it was necessary. A worthy characteristic to emulate. More often than not when she appears she is silent. For her the tumultuous birth of Jesus was a Silent Night. When she did speak it was memorable and noteworthy. Like in...
 The Magnificat
Mary’s Song
Luke 2.46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the LORD
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for He has been mindful
    of the humble state of His servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is His name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear Him,
    from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;
    He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped His servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as He promised our ancestors.”
What an example of a testimony! All focused on God, on what He has done, very little mention of herself.


We see her conversing with the Angel Gabriel in that same chapter.
In fact all the time we hear Mary she is doing something spiritual. But this verse is one we have heard each Christmas and it is a haunting one!
Luke 2.19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
It is in the context of the Shepherds
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  The idea was to publish it like a book having huge circulation.

The shepherds spoke all over the mountains of Bethlehem.
Mary pondered and treasured in her heart.


Christmas Memories
Sweet
Album

Christian Memories?

Pondered=  symballo
to throw together, to bring together

1. to converse

2. to bring together in one's mind, confer with one's self

3. to come together, meet
    1. to encounter in a hostile sense

    2. to fight with one

    3. to bring together of one's property, to contribute, aid, help


Treasured=  sün-tā-re'-ō.
1. to preserve (a thing from perishing or being lost)

2. to keep within one's self, keep in mind (a thing, lest it be forgotten)
Like flowers from a funeral or wedding
Precious gift
I have some gifts my Grandkids made with their own hands, just for me. I will treasure them!
Tristan’s ornament



Mary was more of a thinker than a speaker, more of a quiet example than one who used her voice.
What are you keeping close to your heart... things unspeakable..?
Have an intimacy with Jesus so you have such an attitude towards things you see and experience with Him.
Note: Mary did not allow the uncomfortable situation of having the Baby outside, away from family (and the assistance her female relatives would have been) and friends and the warm home Joseph had provided for them in Nazareth to steal the joy of what God was doing.
We look for God in our comfortable settings and He is over in a stable working wonders.

She pondered what she was seeing and hearing and treasured then all up in her heart.

1. We Should Come Away From Prayer Times Like This Occasionally.
Our prayer times ought to be precious!

Burdens are lifted. That is wonderful.
God speaks to our hearts.
Listen!
Samuel: The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” I Samuel 3.10
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

2. We Should Experience As We Read God’s Word.
We should be pondering and treasuring the things God speaks to our soul.
Because For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4.12

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. Psalm 119.105
Meditate on it both day and night. Joshua 1.8
Psalm 119.114 I put my hope in Your Word.

It is dynamic. You can read a passage at one point in your life and it means one thing and later you see it in a different way.


3. Is There Room In Your Life For Silence?

For Thinking

For Silence

For Listening to God

For Quiet
Psalm 46.He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

A good New Year’s Resolution is to make time.
Hear the words of Jesus: "Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Mark 6.31
Bob Pierce’s story

Galatians 4.19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.

What an example Mary is!
Ponder, treasure the things the LORD does in your life.
Be like Mary.

The Word Moved Into The Neighborhood

The Word Moved Into The Neighborhood

John 1.14

The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood.

The Old Testament shows us God on Mount Sinai, speaking from Heaven, speaking through His prophets.
The New Covenant is God with us, taking on flesh and blood, being born of a woman.

In the Old Testament we see God speaking from heaven.
In the Gospels it it through His Son on earth in a human body.

Hebrews 1.1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, Whom He appointed heir of all things, and through Whom also He made the universe.

The Hymn Love Divine, All Love Excelling
“Joy of Heaven to earth come down...”

Christmas is:
Christ is born.
God in the flesh.
God with man is now residing.

Making His dwelling among us.

The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood. John 1.14


1. The Word

Thoughts of God
Sayings of God
Expression of God

Hebrews 1.3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.
He is the image of God.
Colossians 1.15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him,20 and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.

We are told here in this opening of John’s Gospel certain things about the Word, God’s Son:
*In the beginning the Word was. Eternal Nature of the Son of God
*The Word was with God.
*The Word is God.
*He made everything. We know from Genesis that creation came about through the  Spoken Word, God spoke the worlds into existence. Psalm 33.9 For when He spoke, the world began! It appeared at His command.
*In Him was life.
*That life was the light of men..

We know Him as Jesus, the name the Angel Gabriel told Joseph to give Him.(Matthew 1.25)
Mary was His mother.
She became pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

The Word became flesh.


2. Flesh and  Blood
There is the flesh.
There is the Spirit.

When Jesus asked the disciples Whom men said He was, Peter gave the great confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” What a confession that was! So great that Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew ‪16.17-18‬)

Flesh and blood= man, human
Spirit= God

Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2.7
He has  set eternity in the hearts of men. Ecclesiastes 3.11

The LORD put His Spirit in man in the beginning.
In the New Testament He sent His Spirit to a virgin in Nazareth of Galilee so He could become flesh and blood.

He gave two emblems representing flesh and blood to remember Him by.
This is My Body. Broken for you
This is My Blood. Shed for you

The Lamb of God, The Word of God, Jesus, was laid in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes... what the Shepherds in Bethlehem did with the new born lambs. They were raising temple sacrifices and they had to be perfect, no blemish or spot. So they would take them to a cave when their mother was ready to give birth and after she did they would make sure they were kept from harm so they could be used in the temple.

So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. I Corinthians 15.45



3. The Move Into The Neighborhood.

From Heaven
God
With God before the beginning


Earth
Born of a virgin

The Word was born of a woman by God’s Spirit.
We are born again, we who are flesh and blood, of God’s Spirit.

Ecclesiastes 3.11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Christ became like us, in our bodies.

II Corinthians 5.1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.  Dwelling in John 1.14
This is the idea of camping, of pitching a tent, a temporary place to live in.
Jesus did that.
Spurgeon: Great commanders have readily won the hearts of their soldiers by sharing their hardships and roughing it as if they belonged to the ranks.
We do that.
Peter spoke of departure in thise terms... Breaking camp.
II Peter 1.12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
Put is aside= put off or away
Tent= tabernacle.... folding up the tent when we are about to break camp... My Dad and camping. The Israelites
Departure= exodus, exit, close of one’s life’s work The end.

Here on earth...
In the new birth His Spirit  is regenerating us.


Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the son of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King !"


He was born in Bethlehem, not Jerusalem. Bethlehem was a place of shepherds, low end of the social scale. Jerusalem, place of scholars, Yeshivas, Sanhedrin, royalty.

He grew up in Nazareth, “Can anything good come from there?”
He worked in Galilee as prophesied.
You only have to read the Gospels with an open heart and you will behold the LORD Jesus!

Jerusalem

Long Island
He is in your neighborhood!
Light, Life, Love
Jesus is the exact representation of God (Hebrews 1.3)
*God is Light.
*God is Life. (Life giving Spirit)
*God is Love. (John 3.16.  )


Love moving into your neighborhood!
It is already there! Move out more and more into it.
There are 100’s of ways the Love of God can be shown where you live. Make it where you live, where you love!
Ask the LORD to use you to show His love in your neighborhood. He will show you.

Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.

Light Shining in Darkness

Light Shining Into Darkness


John 1.5
John 1.1-14

We are taken back to The Beginning in this morning's passage, before the creation of the world. Before Genesis 1.
At creation there was darkness. God created light. This illumination, this shining forth came from Him. He created all things, but this is what He is, Light.

God is light.
1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.

The Psalmist spoke of it:
Psalm 118:27 The LORD is God, and He has made His light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God.
 II Corinthians 4.4b

Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,
    and good news gives health to the bones. Proverbs 15.30

1.9 The true Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

Advent...
Like a quietness and peace that comes at the end of a good day, yet with expectation that something very good is still before us.


1.The Power of the Light
Darkness cannot overtake it.
It is its nature. A little light will show up in the darkness.
It will dispel the darkness. Small flashlight...  Headlight, Flood Light, Sunlight... God’s radiance, His Glory
v.5 The Message
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
    the darkness couldn’t put it out.

Wherever believers go it spreads! The Church has never been knocked out of commission by persecution, on the contrary.
It has however become lukewarm and distasteful to the LORD when its riches increase and it doesn't sense its need of Christ.

The light of God.
Let there be light.

The prophecy of Isaiah
Isaiah 9:1-2 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

The prophecy of Zechariah, John the Baptist's father:
Luke 1.78b- 79 by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.

The Birth of Jesus. Angels in the sky. Luke 2

The Transfiguration Mark 9

Jesus's own words about Himself
John 9:4-5 As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

No need for the sun in heaven. The Lamb of God is the light.
Revelation 21:23-25 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

No cemeteries
No night, and with it the problems that come.
I Thessalonians 5.7
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.


2.The Problem with the Light
Men's deeds are evil They don't understand due to stubborn refusal.

They have not been able to extinguish it, but neither have they been able to comprehend it.

It is futile to argue with my atheist connections. They remind me of someone heading off a cliff while telling everyone they will be fine. They cannot see, they cannot comprehend the love of God. I pray for their blinded eyes to be opened.
Love takes away the blindness, not debating or arguing, even if we are right!

Light shining in darkness is an irritant to the eyes. Also to the soul.
John ‪3:19-21‬ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

But the light also can be used to clean, light on a front of a vacuum...

Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

II Corinthians 4.3-4 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.
 5-6 Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.

1 John 1:5-7 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

I John 5.20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him Who is true. And we are in Him Who is true by being in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

So our hearts break. They will break if we pray for those in darkness.
Pray the LORD of the Harvest.
Pray for open doors.
Pray for open hearts.
Pray for the prodigals. Visiting Edie, Charlie, 40 years ago he came here to church, Mr. Pawson was his Sunday School Teacher.
Asked about him, told him about how Mr. Pawson loved seeing his students when he worked outside.



3. The Promise of the the Light
Matthew ‪5:14-16‬ “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.


Shine before men
They will see your good works
Glory will go to Our Father in Heaven

Preach the Gospel always and when necessary use words.

Ephesians 4:1-3, 17-21, 25-26, 28-32 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.


4. The Personal Aspect of God's Light
My light Psalm 27.1

The Word that was with God in the beginning, God's Son became flesh, dwelt among us, touched lepers, fed 1,000's, took children in His arms and blessed them and whenever He did a healing there was personal contact. He even stopped everything one day when He realized power went out from Him but He didn't know to whom.

Jesus did not do mass healings. Each person He called He called personally.

We need to pray more for people walking in darkness to come into the light. We need to pray for the LORD to shine His Light into their hearts through our lives.

Dear friends, if you and I know our real destiny, and are the servants of God, we are sent that men might, through us, believe in Jesus. John was a special witness; but we ought all to be witnesses to complete the chain of testimony. Every Christian man should reckon that he is sent from God to bear witness to the great Light, that, through Him, men might believe. -SpurgeonLight shining in darkness