And…

A grammatical moment. If you had been so fortunate as to have had me for English you would have memorized the FANBOYS, those conjunctions that tie complete ideas together. The most commonly used is and. In Luke 1, and starts 41 sentences. We move through Luke’s reason for writing, to Zacharias’s words from God, to the annunciation to Mary, to a visit to Elizabeth, to the Magnificat, to the birth of John the Baptist, to the final word that the child John grew and lived in the desert.

Then then is a long skip with no details, just the pronouncement to begin Chapter 2: “and it came to pass in those days,” From undoctorial research, no definite proof exists that these officials sent out such a decree or how it went to “the whole world. ” Yet – use of another important conjunction,-this was the tie that moved prophecy to fulfillment. The child who will be the Son of God will be born in Bethlehem. That’s not where the mother-to-be is at this moment. Spend some time thinking of your family getting ready for a journey. Packing up, Joseph gathering tools he might need, Mary’s mother offering advice about preparing for a birth, and probably a week long trip of 90 miles. Anything you want to know about food or accommodations along the way has to wait for a Bible class in heaven.

Getting to Bethlehem seemed to create more problems culminating with Luke 2:6 , “and so it was.” The final complete ideas are put together, tumbling into an amazing story drawing in stars, shepherds, angels, songs of wonder, and viewing a new-born on a bed of straw. Our choir sang Christus Paradox which moves through a series of unlike ideas that are drawn together in what this babe became. Lamb and Shepherd. Peacemaker and sword bringer. Gift and cost. Everlasting instant. Through the coming twelve days, continue your way to Christmas, paying attention to the ands that direct the way.

²⁶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there,