Merry Christmas! 2016

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Manuel 

Christmas 2016

Dear Family and Friends,

I was a good driver. In over forty years on the road I had very few accidents. What mishaps I did have were minor and limited to my earliest experiences behind the wheel. There is a learning curve in operating a motor vehicle. Despite the instruction I received and the literature I read, nothing was as useful as time on the road. Thankfully, moving to the countryside of Pennsylvania did not require major adjustments because driving is a transferable skill. Operating a car in the suburbs and city of New York is similar to operating a car in the countryside of Pennsylvania. To be sure, there are different challenges. Deer replaced pedestrians as a most prominent hazard because on foot neither of them may follow on-the-road etiquette. Still, just as I had managed to avoid hitting pedestrians so I avoided the local fauna (although the latter are often faster and more unpredictable). I was a good driver. That changed when I got my new motorized wheelchair. While I have not taken it outside, the marks on the walls and doorways of the house attest to there being a learning curve in operating that device as well. This is true for many aspects of life, and it was true for those who heard about the birth of Jesus.

Jesus' advent that first Christmas was largely unexpected and challenged the faith of many in the first century. People did not immediately embrace the news of the messiah's birth or grasp the significance of his redemptive mission, yet some had faith in what God would do. Two parties stand out as the extremes of people's initial responses.

• Wise men traveled some distance to see Jesus with only a star to guide them:

Magi from the east came to Jerusalem.... "We saw his star ... and have come to worship him." (Matt 2:1b, 2b)

The learning curve of their faith was probably quite steep at the beginning of their journey, especially as they had so little indication that they would actually find the one they sought. Their quest succeeded, however, for Jesus awaited them in Bethlehem.

Coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. (Matt 2:11)

• Herod the Great reacted violently to the news of Jesus' birth:

He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under.... (Matt 2:16)

The learning curve of Herod's faith was nonexistent, for he demonstrated only hostility toward the infant king. Herod's plan failed, however, as Jesus escaped to Egypt.

After Herod died.... Joseph took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel. (Matt 2:19, 21)

The Magi and Herod were only some of the first respondents to Jesus, but others later were equally varied. Whether common folk or religious leaders, they all had their own learning curve in understanding him.

As the annual commemoration of the savior's birth arrives again, it is appropriate to consider our own learning curve. Is it as steep as it was last year, or has our journey become more level as we draw closer to him? May the joy of this season bring a greater appreciation for what God did in sending Jesus.
Merry Christmas! Pastor and Linda

For a pdf see here.