Witness

 This last week of Advent, we begin worship with:

Luke 2:15-20
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, 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. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

The shepherds, having heard the announcement, went and saw, but did not stop there.  They "made known" (diagnōrizō).  The KJV adds the word "abroad" to emphasize the scope of their conversations.  

Everyone that they knew or met heard the story and being at least two in number, gave a certain witness of the events.

Flock

This Advent week we begin worship with:

Isaiah 40:9-11

Go on up to a high mountain,

    O Zion, herald of good news;

lift up your voice with strength,

    O Jerusalem, herald of good news;

    lift it up, fear not;

say to the cities of Judah,

    “Behold your God!”

Behold, the Lord God comes with might,

    and his arm rules for him;

behold, his reward is with him,

    and his recompense before him.

He will tend his flock like a shepherd;

    he will gather the lambs in his arms;

he will carry them in his bosom,

    and gently lead those that are with young.

When the victor returns, the watchtowers ring out with the news.  The heralds trumpet the good news that their victorious army has returned.  Normally, what is driven before the army are the captives; what is pulled in their wagons is what has been looted after the battle.

But not so here.  His reward (śāḵār) [what was paid] and his recompense (pᵊʿullâ) [what was owed] are before him.  For, our Lord was sent out with a task and he will fulfill it.

John 6:38-40
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

In doing so, He will tend, gather, carry, and lead us ever so gently.

Peace

This Advent week we begin worship with:

Isaiah 9:6-7

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

The word used for “government” (miśrâ) only occurs here.  Elsewhere memšālâ is used, which speaks of one’s dominance and authority.  But our verses instead speak of the effort and ongoing burden to bring about order and peace.

For a period of 200 years Rome’s power produced an era of peace. They called it “Pax Romana” (The peace of Rome).  The peace brought by our Messiah will, however, not end.  For we are His eternal zeal (qin'â).  We see it demonstrated when Jesus entered Jerusalem:

Luke 19:41-42
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

Subject

This Advent week we begin worship with:

Luke 2:1-7

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

From the throne room of heaven to the feed trough of a stable, the King of Kings came to Bethlehem to be listed with his parents as a subject of Caesar. The one, whose finger wrote the Law of God on tablets of stone, came under the law of man.   And it was under that law, that Jesus remained subject until He broke the Roman seal on His tomb at His Resurrection.