Encounters with the King

Returning to Normalcy Luke 2:8-20 It had already been a long night for Andrew.  One of the sheep had wandered into a pit as the sun was setting, and Andrew had to pull him out and carry him to the new grazing site.  Shortly afterwards, something spooked the sheep and Andrew, Michael, Simon and Abraham spent nearly 2 hours walking through the flock to ensure there weren’t any snakes or predators hiding among the sheep.  By the time Andrew was finally able to sit down to eat his dinner, the stars were out and his stomach was churning.  He was tired, hungry and wanted to get some sleep, but unfortunately, it was his turn to take the first watch of the night.  Andrew needed to find a way to fight off his exhaustion for a few hours or the flock and his paycheck would be at risk.  The man who owned the flock that Andrew watched over was a strict man who didn’t have patience for mistakes.  He paid Andrew and the other men a fair wage, but only if t...

Focusing on Our Favor Luke 1:26-38 Mary was still trembling from the encounter.  It almost felt like a dream, “...And maybe it was,” she thought to herself before shaking the idea away.  No, this hadn’t been a dream.  It was too vivid.  It was too real.  In fact, she had never felt so alert and focused in all her life.  This was not a dream; it was a miracle. Mary had been alone in the house when the light first appeared.  It was a soft light that changed the atmosphere of the room, but it wasn’t the light that startled Mary, it was the face of the man inside of it.  The light radiated from his face, and illuminated the most handsome features she had ever seen.  She was about to worship him, but was interrupted by his voice.  “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” The instant the man’s words entered her head; a million questions arose and paralyzed her.  “Why is he here,” “What have I done,...