PAULA WISEMAN

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The Promise Continues

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The Promises of Christmas THe Promise Continues Title graphic

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.'” – Matthew 2:1-2 (ESV)

Wise men from distant lands—scholars, astronomers, seekers—
Following a star, pursuing a promise,
Embarking on a journey of hundreds of miles,
Demonstrating that the Christmas story reaches far beyond Bethlehem.

They were not Jews, not part of the covenant,
Not raised on prophecies or promises,
Yet something in the heavens spoke to them,
Inviting them into a story not originally their own.

Their presence reveals the expansive heart of God,
Whose promise extends beyond a single people,
Whose light draws seekers from every nation,
Whose birth is good news for the entire world.

They brought treasures from afar—
Gold acknowledging a king,
Frankincense recognizing deity,
Myrrh foreshadowing sacrifice.

Their worship cost them something:
Time measured in months, not moments,
Resources of significant value,
Comfort sacrificed for pilgrimage.

Their story reminds us that Christmas doesn’t end on December 25th,
That the journey toward Jesus continues long after the nativity,
That the promise of his birth unfolds throughout our lives,
Inviting ongoing seeking, finding, and worshiping.

For the promise of Christmas continues to unfold,
The light still shines in the darkness,
The journey still beckons those with eyes to see,
And the King still receives all who come to worship.

Will you, like the wise men, follow the light that leads to Christ,
Bring your treasures to honor him,
And allow your encounter with him to redirect your path
As you journey into the new year?

The Promise Fulfilled

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The Promises of Christmas The Promise Fulfilled title graphic

“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'” – Luke 2:10-11 (ESV)

No royal announcement, no palace proclamation,
Just shepherds in fields, keeping watch by night,
When heaven’s glory broke through darkness
And God’s promise took its first breath in a stable.

The long-awaited moment came quietly,
The divine entered the world almost unnoticed,
The eternal stepped into time without fanfare,
The Creator became creature in perfect humility.

“Fear not”—words that bridge the gap
Between human terror and divine encounter,
Between our smallness and God’s glory,
Between what we expect and what God delivers.

“Good news of great joy”—not just information,
But transformation; not just facts, but freedom;
Not a message to be analyzed, but a miracle to be celebrated,
A joy that would ripple outward to “all the people.”

“Unto you is born”—the most personal of promises,
Not just for the world, not just for Israel,
But for you—shepherds, outcasts, overlooked,
For you—whoever you are, wherever you are.

“A Savior”—not just a teacher or example,
But a rescuer for those who cannot save themselves,
A deliverer for the captive, a healer for the broken,
The answer to humanity’s deepest need.

“Who is Christ”—the Messiah, the Anointed One,
The fulfillment of centuries of longing and prophecy,
The one who would restore David’s throne,
The promised King whose kingdom would never end.

“The Lord”—not just a human savior or earthly king,
But God Himself wrapped in swaddling clothes,
Divinity in diapers, majesty in a manger,
The Creator become vulnerable for His creation.

They went “with haste” to see this thing,
Not delaying, not debating, not deferring,
But responding immediately to heaven’s announcement,
Eager to witness promise transformed into presence.

Then they became the first evangelists,
Spreading the word about what they had seen and heard,
Turning from witnesses into messengers,
From receivers of the promise to proclaimers of its fulfillment.

For the promise of Christmas is not just a historical event,
But a present reality—God with us, among us, for us.
The same Jesus who fulfilled ancient prophecies
Still fulfills His promises in our lives today.

Will you, like the shepherds, leave behind your routine
To witness the miracle, to worship the Savior,
And to spread the word about what you have seen and heard?
For unto you—yes, you—is born this day… a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

The Scandal of the Gifts

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The Scandal of the Gifts title graphic

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ … And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” – Matthew 2:1-2, 11

We’ve explored how the incarnation itself was scandalous—God becoming human contradicted every expectation of divinity. We’ve seen how God’s choice of shepherds as first witnesses upended social hierarchies and credibility systems. Today, we turn to our final Christmas scandal: the extravagant gifts brought by the Magi.

At first glance, expensive gifts might not seem scandalous. After all, our culture celebrates lavish giving, especially at Christmas. But looking deeper, we discover that the Magi’s gifts represent another divine stumbling block (σκανδαλίζω/skandalizō)—another way the Christmas story challenges our assumptions and invites us into a different economy altogether.

The Mysterious Magi

Before examining their gifts, let’s consider the gift-givers themselves. The Magi (often called “wise men” or traditionally “three kings”) remain somewhat mysterious figures in the biblical narrative. Matthew tells us little about them except that they came “from the east” following a star they associated with a newborn Jewish king.

Scholars believe they were likely astrologers from Persia or Babylon—practitioners of arts forbidden to the Jews. They were Gentiles, outsiders to God’s covenant with Israel. They were probably adherents of Zoroastrianism or another eastern religion, not worshippers of Yahweh.

In short, they were unlikely participants in the Messiah’s story. Their presence itself represents another scandal of inclusion—God drawing outsiders into His redemptive narrative and accepting worship from those outside the established religious system.

The Extravagant Gifts

The Magi brought three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. To appreciate the scandal of these gifts, we need to understand their significance:

1. Gold

Gold was then, as now, a symbol of wealth and royalty. It was a gift fit for a king, acknowledging Jesus’ royal status. But the scandal lies in the contrast—this “king” was born in humble circumstances to working-class parents, with no palace, throne, or royal trappings. The gold highlighted the disparity between Jesus’ true identity and His apparent circumstances.

2. Frankincense

This aromatic resin was used in temple worship, particularly in the incense offering that symbolized prayers ascending to God. It was associated with priesthood and divinity. Giving frankincense to a child suggested recognition of His divine nature—a scandalous claim about a human baby.

3. Myrrh

Perhaps the most unusual gift, myrrh was an embalming spice used in burial preparations. It foreshadowed Jesus’ death even at His birth. What new mother would welcome a gift symbolizing her child’s mortality? Yet this gift prophetically pointed to Jesus’ ultimate purpose—not just to live as God with us, but to die for us.

Together, these gifts tell the complete story of Jesus: the King (gold) who is God (frankincense) who will die (myrrh). They represent an extravagant acknowledgment of His full identity and mission.

The Scandal of Disproportionate Giving

The first scandal of these gifts is their disproportionate nature. By any conventional standard, these valuable items were inappropriate for a child in such humble circumstances:

  • They were impractical for a young family’s needs
  • They were disproportionate to the recipients’ social status
  • They created potential danger by drawing attention to the child
  • They crossed boundaries of propriety and expectation

This disproportionate giving challenges our carefully calibrated gift exchanges where we try to match value for value, ensuring no one gives too much or too little. The Magi gave without concern for reciprocity or appropriateness by conventional standards.

Their giving reflects God’s own disproportionate gift in Christ—a gift too valuable for our status, beyond our ability to reciprocate, and transcending the boundaries of what we might consider appropriate for our unworthiness.

The Scandal of Worship Through Giving

The text tells us the Magi “fell down and worshiped him” before presenting their gifts. This sequence is significant—their giving flowed from their worship. The gifts weren’t diplomatic gestures or social obligations but expressions of reverence and recognition.

This connection between worship and giving challenges our compartmentalized approach where we separate spiritual devotion from material resources. The Magi’s example suggests that authentic worship naturally overflows into generous giving.

As Jesus would later teach, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). The Magi demonstrated this principle—their treasure followed their hearts of worship.

The Scandal of Giving to One Who Needs Nothing

Perhaps the deepest scandal is that these valuable gifts were given to the One who, as Creator, already owned everything. As the psalmist declares, “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1).

This apparent paradox—giving to the Owner of all things—reveals something profound about the nature of true giving. The Magi’s gifts weren’t about meeting Jesus’ material needs but about expressing recognition, honor, and devotion.

This challenges our utilitarian approach to giving, where we primarily consider what the recipient needs or can use. The highest giving may not be about utility at all but about expressing value and relationship.

The Scandal of Divine Receptivity

Equally scandalous is that God, in Christ, received these gifts. The Creator accepted created things from His creatures. The self-sufficient One allowed Himself to be the recipient of human generosity.

This divine receptivity reveals God’s willingness to enter into reciprocal relationship with us. Though He needs nothing from us, He creates space for our participation and contribution. He not only gives to us but receives from us, honoring our gifts by accepting them.

This challenges religious systems that portray God as only a giver, never a receiver—as demanding service but never being served. The Christmas story shows a God who receives gifts with the same grace with which He gives them.

The Scandal of Provision Through Extravagance

There’s a practical epilogue to the Magi’s visit that’s easy to overlook. Shortly after they departed, Joseph was warned in a dream to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus to escape Herod’s murderous intentions. The family became refugees, living in a foreign land until Herod’s death.

How did this working-class family afford such a journey and extended stay abroad? Many scholars believe the Magi’s extravagant gifts—especially the gold—provided the necessary resources. What seemed impractically lavish became providentially practical.

This suggests another scandal—that what appears to be wasteful extravagance in God’s economy often serves purposes we can’t initially recognize. Like Mary’s “waste” of expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet (which He defended as a beautiful act), the Magi’s lavish gifts served a divine purpose beyond human calculation.

Living with Extravagant Generosity Today

The Magi’s example challenges us to reconsider our own giving, particularly during the Christmas season:

1. Giving that flows from worship

Do our gifts express genuine devotion, or are they merely social obligations? The Magi gave because they recognized Jesus’ worth. True generosity flows not from duty but from a heart captivated by Christ’s value.

2. Giving beyond calculation

The Magi didn’t calculate the appropriateness of their gifts based on social convention or expectation of return. They gave lavishly because the recipient deserved no less. What would it look like for us to give beyond careful calculation?

3. Giving that tells the true story

The Magi’s gifts told the story of Jesus—His kingship, divinity, and sacrificial death. Our giving can similarly tell the true Christmas story rather than reinforcing cultural narratives of consumption and indulgence.

4. Giving to those who cannot repay

While the Magi gave to Christ himself, we can give to “the least of these” whom Jesus identifies as His representatives (Matthew 25:40). Giving to those who cannot reciprocate reflects the heart of God’s own giving to us.

5. Giving that involves sacrifice

The Magi traveled a great distance at significant cost to bring their gifts. Sacrificial giving—giving that costs us something—reflects the ultimate gift of Christ who “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

The Ultimate Gift Exchange

The Magi’s extravagant gifts point to the ultimate gift exchange at the heart of Christmas: God gave Himself to us so that we might give ourselves to Him.

This divine gift economy operates by different principles than transactional exchanges:

  • It begins with God’s initiative, not our merit
  • It’s motivated by love, not obligation
  • It’s characterized by abundance, not scarcity
  • It’s measured by sacrifice, not market value
  • It’s directed toward relationship, not utility

The Magi, as outsiders to Jewish tradition, somehow grasped what many insiders missed—that the appropriate response to God’s extravagant gift is extravagant giving in return.

Beyond Christmas Consumerism

In our culture, Christmas has become synonymous with consumption and acquisition. The average American will spend over $900 on Christmas gifts this year, yet many will miss the scandal of true giving that the Magi exemplify.

The antidote to Christmas consumerism isn’t necessarily spending less (though simplicity has its place) but giving differently—giving in ways that reflect the scandal of God’s extravagant gift to us:

  • Giving that honors the true worth of the recipient rather than our budget constraints
  • Giving that expresses relationship rather than obligation
  • Giving that tells the true story of Christmas rather than reinforcing cultural myths
  • Giving that flows from worship rather than social pressure

When we embrace the scandal of extravagant giving, we participate in God’s upside-down economy where value isn’t determined by market forces but by love.

The Ongoing Scandal

The Magi’s extravagant gifts represent a scandal that continues to challenge us. Their example confronts our carefully calibrated exchanges, our utilitarian approach to giving, and our separation of spiritual devotion from material resources.

Like the other Christmas scandals we’ve explored—the scandal of incarnation and the scandal of unlikely witnesses—the scandal of extravagant gifts invites us into a different way of seeing and living. It challenges us to participate in God’s economy of abundance rather than the world’s economy of scarcity and transaction.

This Christmas, perhaps we need to let ourselves be scandalized anew by the Magi’s example. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves whether our giving—of our resources, time, attention, and ultimately ourselves—reflects the extravagant nature of God’s gift to us in Christ.

For in this divine scandal lies an invitation—an invitation to give in ways that might seem foolish by conventional standards but that align with the upside-down values of God’s kingdom. An invitation to participate in the true gift exchange at the heart of Christmas: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

As we conclude our series on the scandals of Christmas, may we embrace rather than evade these divine stumbling blocks. May we allow the incarnation, the unlikely witnesses, and the extravagant gifts to challenge our assumptions and transform our lives. For in these scandals, we discover not just the true meaning of Christmas but the revolutionary nature of the kingdom Christ came to establish.

In a world that has domesticated Christmas into a sentimental holiday, these scandals restore its revolutionary power. They remind us that the birth we celebrate wasn’t just a sweet nativity scene but the invasion of divine love into human history—an event that upends our values, challenges our systems, and invites us into a new way of being.

This Christmas, may we not merely commemorate a past event but participate in its ongoing reality. May we, like the Magi, bring our most valuable treasures and lay them at the feet of the One who gave everything for us. And may our lives become living gifts that tell the true story of the God who loved us enough to become one of us, to invite the overlooked to witness His work, and to receive our gifts with the same grace with which He gives His own.

Merry Christmas!

The Promise to Joseph

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The Promises of Christmas The Promise to Joseph title graphic

“But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.'” – Matthew 1:20-21 (ESV)

Joseph’s story begins with silence.
No recorded words, just quiet contemplation,
A righteous man facing an impossible situation,
A carpenter whose carefully built plans had splintered.

The woman he loved was with child,
A child that was not his own,
A pregnancy that spoke of betrayal,
That threatened his honor and her life.

He could have exposed her publicly,
Could have demanded the law’s full penalty,
Could have protected his reputation at her expense,
But chose instead the path of quiet mercy.

“As he considered these things”—
In that space between decision and action,
In the quiet wrestling of a troubled heart,
God intervened with heavenly perspective.

“Joseph, son of David”—
Addressed not just by name but by lineage,
Reminded of his royal heritage,
His place in the unfolding story of redemption.

“Do not fear to take Mary as your wife”—
Permission to love when logic said otherwise,
Freedom to embrace what appeared scandalous,
Courage to walk a path others would question.

“For that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit”—
The impossible explanation,
The divine origin of her condition,
The miraculous truth behind apparent betrayal.

“She will bear a son”—
A child who would legally be his through adoption,
A son he would name, protect, and raise,
A boy who would learn carpentry from his calloused hands.

“You shall call his name Jesus”—
A command that made him part of the story,
A role in the divine drama,
A voice announcing the Savior’s identity.

“For he will save his people from their sins”—
Not from Roman occupation,
Not from political oppression,
But from the deeper bondage of sin itself.

“When Joseph woke from sleep,
He did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.”
No recorded questions, no expressed doubts,
Just immediate, complete obedience.

Joseph teaches us about promises received in darkness.
When life makes least sense,
When plans collapse and dreams shatter,
God’s greatest promises often arrive.

He shows us faith that acts without speaking,
Obedience that doesn’t demand explanation,
Righteousness that makes room for mystery,
Strength found in surrender to God’s larger story.

Joseph reminds us that sometimes God’s promises
Require us to embrace what others will misunderstand,
To follow divine direction when it defies human logic,
To trust heaven’s perspective when earth’s view is limited.

For the God who spoke to Joseph still speaks today,
Still invites us into stories larger than ourselves,
Still asks us to trust beyond what we can see or understand.

The question is whether we, like Joseph,
Will wake from our limited perspective
And do as the Lord commands,
Becoming part of the unfolding promise of Christmas.

The Scandal of the Witnesses

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The Scandal of the Witnesses title graphic

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'” – Luke 2:8-14

Last week, we explored how the incarnation itself—God becoming human—was profoundly scandalous, a stumbling block (σκανδαλίζω/skandalizō) to human expectations about divinity. Today, we turn to another scandal of the Christmas story: God’s choice of witnesses.

If you were orchestrating the most important birth in human history, who would you select as the first witnesses? Prominent religious leaders? Government officials? Respected scholars? People whose testimony would be widely believed and whose influence would spread the news effectively?

God chose shepherds.

This divine choice represents another stumbling block, another inversion of human expectations that reveals the upside-down values of God’s kingdom.

The Social Status of Shepherds

To appreciate the scandal of God’s choice, we need to understand the social position of shepherds in first-century Palestine. While we might have romanticized notions of shepherds from pastoral poetry or Sunday School illustrations, the reality was quite different:

1. They were ceremonially unclean

The nature of their work made it impossible for shepherds to observe ceremonial washing and purification rites. They couldn’t leave their flocks to participate in religious festivals. This relegated them to a perpetual state of ritual impurity.

2. They were considered untrustworthy

Shepherds had such a reputation for dishonesty that they were not permitted to testify in court. Their word was considered unreliable. The Mishnah, a collection of Jewish oral traditions, listed shepherds among those whose occupations rendered them untrustworthy.

3. They were socially marginalized

Shepherds lived on the outskirts of society, both literally and figuratively. They spent most of their time in the fields, apart from community life. Their work was considered undesirable—necessary but not respected.

4. They were economically poor

Contrary to images of shepherds as independent operators, most were hired hands working for wealthy landowners. They received minimal compensation for difficult, dangerous work.

In short, shepherds occupied one of the lowest rungs on the social ladder. They were the overlooked, the marginalized, the disregarded. Their testimony would carry little weight in respectable society.

This makes God’s choice all the more striking. The first announcement of the Messiah’s birth—the news that would change human history—was entrusted to those whose word would be questioned or dismissed by the religious and social establishment.

The Divine Reversal

This choice of witnesses wasn’t accidental or merely practical. It represented a deliberate divine reversal of human value systems. Throughout Scripture, we see God consistently working through the unlikely, the overlooked, and the marginalized:

  • He chose Abraham and Sarah, an elderly childless couple, to become the parents of a great nation
  • He selected Moses, a fugitive with a speech impediment, to confront Pharaoh
  • He anointed David, the youngest son watching sheep, to become king
  • He called Amos, a herdsman and dresser of sycamore figs, to prophesy to Israel

The selection of shepherds as the first witnesses to Christ’s birth continues this pattern. It embodies what Mary had proclaimed in her Magnificat just months earlier:

“He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.” (Luke 1:52-53)

This divine reversal is σκανδαλίζω—scandalous, a stumbling block—to human systems that value power, wealth, education, and social standing. It suggests that God sees value where humans often don’t, and that His kingdom operates by different principles than our social hierarchies.

The Scandal of Divine Access

Beyond challenging social hierarchies, the choice of shepherds as witnesses reveals something profound about access to God. In the religious system of the time, access to God was mediated through a complex system of purification rituals, temple worship, and priestly intercession. One’s closeness to God was thought to correlate with one’s ritual purity and religious knowledge.

The shepherds, being ceremonially unclean and religiously untrained, should have been far from divine revelation according to this understanding. Yet they received direct divine communication through angels and were granted immediate access to the newborn Messiah.

This represents another scandal—the scandal of unmediated divine access. God bypassed the religious establishment entirely, bringing His message directly to those on the margins. This foreshadowed Jesus’ later ministry, where He consistently provided direct access to God for those whom the religious system excluded:

  • Tax collectors deemed too corrupt
  • Women considered inappropriate conversation partners for rabbis
  • Samaritans viewed as religious heretics
  • Lepers judged to be under divine punishment
  • Gentiles thought to be outside God’s covenant

The shepherds’ experience anticipated a new kind of relationship with God—one based not on ritual purity or religious credentials but on divine grace and human receptivity.

The Scandal of Unlikely Messengers

There’s yet another scandal in this story: not only were the shepherds unlikely recipients of divine revelation, but they became the first evangelists of the Christian message.

Luke tells us that after seeing the baby Jesus, “they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them” (Luke 2:17-18).

These men, whose testimony wasn’t even accepted in court, became God’s chosen messengers to announce the Messiah’s birth. Those deemed unreliable by society were entrusted with history’s most important news.

This pattern would continue throughout Jesus’ ministry and the early church:

  • Samaritan woman with a questionable reputation becomes an evangelist to her town (John 4)
  • Former demoniac proclaims Jesus throughout the Decapolis (Mark 5:18-20)
  • Uneducated fishermen become apostolic leaders (Acts 4:13)
  • Former persecutor becomes the greatest missionary (Acts 9)

The scandal is that God consistently chooses unlikely messengers—people whose credibility would be questioned by conventional standards. As Paul would later write, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27).

The Content of the Message

The scandal extends beyond who received the message to what they were told. The angelic announcement contained elements that would have been shocking to first-century Jewish expectations:

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

  1. “Unto you” – The personal nature of this birth—that it was specifically for these marginalized shepherds—would have been surprising in a culture that expected the Messiah to come primarily for the religiously observant.
  2. “A Savior” – While Jews expected a Messiah, the term “Savior” (sōtēr) had particular resonance in the Roman world, where it was applied to the emperor. Using this title suggested a rival claim to the emperor’s authority.
  3. “Christ the Lord” – Combining “Christ” (Messiah) with “Lord” (kyrios, a term used for God in Greek translations of the Old Testament) made a bold claim about this baby’s identity that went beyond traditional Messianic expectations.

The message itself challenged both religious and political power structures, making it as scandalous as the messengers who carried it.

The Shepherds’ Response

What’s remarkable about the shepherds is their response to this scandalous divine choice. Despite their social conditioning that would have told them they were unworthy of such revelation, they:

  1. Believed the message – They didn’t dismiss the angelic appearance as hallucination or question why they would be chosen.
  2. Acted immediately – “They went with haste” to find the baby, not delaying or second-guessing their experience.
  3. Shared what they had seen – They became witnesses, spreading the news despite their lack of social standing.
  4. Returned glorifying God – They continued their humble work, but with a new perspective, “glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.”

Their response models how we might respond to God’s scandalous grace in our own lives—with simple faith, immediate action, willing testimony, and transformed perspective as we return to our daily responsibilities.

The Scandal Continues

The pattern established in the shepherds’ story—God choosing unlikely witnesses—wasn’t limited to the Christmas event but became characteristic of Jesus’ entire ministry and the early church:

  • Jesus selected fishermen, tax collectors, and political zealots as His inner circle
  • Women were the first witnesses to His resurrection, despite their testimony being devalued in that culture
  • The gospel spread first among the poor and slaves before reaching the wealthy and powerful
  • Paul boasted that “not many were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth” among the early believers (1 Corinthians 1:26)

This consistent pattern suggests that God’s choice of shepherds wasn’t incidental but intentional—a revelation of how His kingdom operates.

Living with the Scandal Today

This aspect of the Christmas story challenges us in several ways:

1. It questions our criteria for credibility

Who do we consider reliable witnesses today? Whose voices do we value and whose do we dismiss? The shepherds’ story suggests we should be cautious about dismissing testimony based on social status, education, or conventional credibility markers.

2. It challenges our social hierarchies

If God deliberately chose those at the bottom of the social ladder as His first witnesses, what does that suggest about how we should structure our communities and churches? Perhaps our leadership and influence should not mirror worldly status systems.

3. It offers hope to the marginalized

For those who feel overlooked or undervalued by society, the shepherds’ story offers profound encouragement. God sees those whom society ignores and often chooses them for special purposes in His kingdom.

4. It invites us to examine our own response

Like the shepherds, we face a choice when confronted with God’s unexpected work: Will we believe despite our sense of unworthiness? Will we act immediately? Will we share what we’ve experienced? Will we return to our daily lives transformed?

The Upside-Down Kingdom

The scandal of the shepherds reveals a fundamental truth about God’s kingdom: it operates by different values than human kingdoms. As Jesus would later teach:

“The last will be first, and the first last.” (Matthew 20:16)
“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant.” (Matthew 20:26)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

These aren’t just nice spiritual sayings; they represent the actual operating principles of God’s kingdom. The choice of shepherds as the first witnesses wasn’t an anomaly but a manifestation of these kingdom values.

This Christmas, perhaps we need to let ourselves be scandalized anew by God’s choice of witnesses. Perhaps we need to question our own value systems and ask whether they align with the kingdom revealed in the manger—a kingdom where shepherds receive angelic revelations, where the marginalized get front-row seats to divine action, and where those deemed unreliable by society become God’s chosen messengers.

For in this divine scandal lies an invitation—an invitation to see the world and each other through God’s eyes rather than through the distorting lens of human status systems. An invitation to value what God values and to recognize His work in unexpected places and through unexpected people.

Next week, we’ll explore our final Christmas scandal: “The Scandal of Extravagant Gifts”—examining the Magi’s lavish offerings and what they reveal about the nature of true giving in God’s kingdom.

The Promise to Mary

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The Promises of Christmas The Promise to Mary title graphic

“And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David.'” – Luke 1:30-33 (ESV)

In Nazareth, a town too small to matter,
To a young woman too ordinary to notice,
Came the most extraordinary announcement in history.
God’s ways confound human expectations.

Mary—not a princess, not a noblewoman,
Not wealthy, not powerful, not influential—
A simple girl from a simple town,
Chosen for the most sacred task imaginable.

“Do not be afraid”—the first words of promise,
Words that acknowledge the trembling heart,
The natural human response to divine encounter,
The fear that precedes every great calling.

“You have found favor with God”—
Not because of achievement or status,
Not through merit or qualification,
But through the mysterious grace of divine selection.

“You will conceive and bear a son”—
A biological impossibility for a virgin,
A social catastrophe for the betrothed,
A divine miracle that would change history.

“You shall call his name Jesus”—
Yeshua, “The Lord saves,”
A name that is also a mission statement,
An identity that is also a promise.

“He will be great”—
Not just good, not just righteous,
Not just a prophet or a teacher,
But great in a way no human has ever been.

“Son of the Most High”—
Not just a servant of God,
Not just a messenger or representative,
But God’s very Son, divine in nature.

“The throne of his father David”—
The fulfillment of ancient covenant,
The realization of national hope,
The establishment of an eternal kingdom.

When the angel explained God’s miraculous plan,
Her response became the model of discipleship:
“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;
Let it be to me according to your word.”

No negotiation, no hesitation,
No list of conditions or concerns,
Just simple, profound surrender
To the disruptive, inconvenient, glorious will of God.

The promise to Mary reveals the pattern of God’s work:
He chooses the unlikely to accomplish the impossible.
He invites ordinary people into His extraordinary story.
He asks for surrender before revealing all details.

Mary could not have imagined all that would follow—
The suspicious glances, the difficult explanations,
The journey to Bethlehem, the flight to Egypt,
The years of mothering the Messiah,
The ultimate agony of watching Him die.

Yet in her simple “yes,” she changed history,
Becoming the vessel through which God entered humanity,
The first to physically carry the promise
That prophets had spoken of for centuries.

The God who spoke through Gabriel still speaks today,
Still chooses unlikely people for unlikely missions,
Still accomplishes the impossible through the willing.

The question is not whether you are qualified or prepared,
But whether, like Mary, you are willing to say,
“Let it be to me according to your word.”