Dr. Luke’s Prescription of Good News by ems 12/24/21
28th Day of Advent
Week 4: Love (or adoration) ~ Light 3 purple candles and 1 pink candle
Advent Hymn 🎼 The First Noel, The Angels Did Say 🎶
The First Noel talked about the first Christmas published in 1823 by editor William Sandys. “Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines Nowell” in Middle English and “Noel” in French as “a shout of joy or Christmas song.” This is appropriate for we sing about the King of Israel’s good news. The first recorded date of early Christians celebrating Natus Christus, the birth of Christ, was on December 25th in 336 A.D., when the first Christian Roman Emperor, Constantine, ruled. When we sing this, we proclaim the good news words of the gospel writers Luke and Matthew to ourselves and others about forgiveness from sin through Jesus.
The First Noel, the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds
in fields as they lay;
In fields as they lay, keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.
This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O’er Bethlehem it took it rest,
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Then entered in those wise men three
Full reverently upon their knee,
and offered there in his presence
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord;
That hath made heaven and earth of naught,
And with his blood mankind hath bought
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How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger
who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” ~ Isaiah 52:7
Every day we can learn new things as we watch the news. Gathering information, dedicated journalists report what is hopefully true. Yet God’s commitment to good news is unwavering and full of hope. So what makes news good? Consider that God’s greatest good came not only through the birth of His Son Jesus but a long-awaited fulfillment of His promise to RESTore our broken hearts and RESTore our communion with Him.
Dr. Luke’s Prescription of Good News by ems 12/24/21
The Bible writers penned “good news” more than 30 different times in the Old and New Testaments. The gospel of Luke, who was a doctor (Colossians 4:14), included this phrase ten times. We may hear something important once or twice, but it gets our attention when a topic is repeated.
The good news Luke talks about was brought, announced, shared, and most often, preached. And with the good news of the gospel (reconciliation with God and everlasting peace) came specific acts of healing.
In chapter one of Luke’s gospel, the good news was first heralded by the angel Gabriel who stands in the presence of God. He appeared to Zachariah on the right side of the altar of incense, symbolic of the people’s prayer offering rising up to God. Gabriel’s personal message directly responds to Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth’s prayers for a child. His name, says Gabriel, will be John, which means “God is gracious,” for he will be a forerunner before to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Luke gave specific details about Messiah Jesus’ birth, His naming and presentation in the Temple, and His early life in Nazareth.
At the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, Luke shares more good news.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” ~ Luke 4:16-19
Jesus was born under the occupation of Rome. The Roman Empire is the longest-standing empire in history, dating back to 27 B.C., and it endured for over 1,000 years to 476 A.D. While it had certain questionable practices, God used many factors of Roman rule to spread the euangelion, Greek for “good news.” The power of Rome ensured economic and political stability. It also made the military and trade routes available to large numbers of people by both land and sea. The universal language of Greek aided communication across many cultures and bridged those cultures in a cosmopolitan atmosphere of the Empire. Everything was made ready for the spread of God’s good news, His favor upon all humanity.
Therefore, at the right time in His~story (God’s story) Christ came to B.E. good news and SHARE the good news. Many who were healed from oppression and ailments were living testimonies of Christ’s healing ministry in the first century. They were at the dawn of the fulfillment for the release of the captives, which is still occurring today.
God’s good news is just as relevant and powerful today as it was for that first noel.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I reverently bow my knees before You in grateful thanksgiving for Your indescribable gift. Thank You for sending a Saviour with a mercy-filled heart to reconcile us to Yourself. Where would I be without this good news, without healing and RESToration on every level?
I shudder to think of the hopelessness that would rule in my heart without You. May I glorify Your Fame Name and proclaim this good news faithfully to all whom I meet!
Gleanings From Heaven's Gate 