Pastor Scott Purkey
Bay Summit Church

Mark 13:26-29 – Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door.

As stated here in Mark 13, the second coming of Christ will be perhaps the most impacting day ever on earth.  Usually, when Christ followers read passages like the one above, an excitement and hope begins to mount internally. Jesus will finally be known universally for Who He really is.   What a day that will be!  For some, it also causes a huge sense of relief as it signals the departure of the chaos and confusion on earth in exchange for eternal bliss.

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Pastor Terry Reilly
Creekside Open Bible Church

Luke 2:18-20 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly kept these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.

I’ve been taken by a verse inserted smack dab in the middle of the shepherd’s Christmas story in Luke 2.  This little gem concerning Jesus’ mother states that in the midst of Jesus’ advent and surrounding circumstances, Mary took time to treasure and ponder all ‘these things.’

• To treasure (kept) means to preserve, keep close.
• To ponder (thought) means to put one thing with another in considering circumstances.

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Pastor Chuck McKinney
Valley Christian Church, Concord

Luke 2:10b-12 “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior–yes, the Messiah, the Lord–has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!”

These shepherds, like all Israel at the time, must have shared a sense of despair.  Under Roman rule, the people were yearning for God’s deliverance.  And suddenly, there was an angel of God, and “the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them”.  What an experience!  They were terribly frightened.  Who can blame them?  You and I would have been, too.

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