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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><FONT size=4>-----Original
Message-----<BR>From: </FONT><A href="mailto:bstoffregen@roadrunner.com"><FONT
size=4 face="Times New Roman">bstoffregen@roadrunner.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT
size=4 face="Times New Roman">To: </FONT><A
href="mailto:brian.stoffregen@gmail.com"><FONT size=4
face="Times New Roman">brian.stoffregen@gmail.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT size=4
face="Times New Roman">Sent: Wed, Dec 16, 2009 11:46
pm<BR></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>THE PLACE OF THE
BIRTH</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>We are told that the baby is laid in a<I>
</I>φάτνη (<I>phatnē</I>). This word only occurs in Luke (2:7, 12, 16; 13:15).
Traditionally this has been translated "manger," and the word does refer to a
trough for feeding animals. Interestingly, in English, the word "crib" refers
both to a type of container for animal feed and a place for infants. Both are
structures with bars on the side.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>The word φάτνη (<I>phatnē</I>) can also
refer to a "stall" for tying up animals. Such a stall may be indoors or
outdoors. This seems to be the meaning in Luke 13:15 where an owner will untie
an ox or donkey from the φάτνη (<I>phatnē</I>) to lead it to
water.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>In the birth narrative, φάτνη
(<I>phatnē</I>) is in contrast to κατάλυμα (<I>katalyma</I>). Properly a
κατάλυμα (<I>katalyma</I>) was a place where a traveler "lays down" (καταλύω -
<I>katalyō</I>) his baggage = a place of rest, lodging. The same word is used in
Luke 22:11 (par. Mk 14:14) to refer to the "guest room" where Jesus will eat the
Passover with his disciples. The verbal form is used in Luke 8:12 & 19:7 to
refer to finding lodging or being a guest (i.e., where one puts down baggage).
It is also used in Luke 21:6 with the more literal meaning of "to throw
down".</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>The φάτνη (<I>phatnē</I>) becomes a sign for
the shepherds (2:12, 16). It is how they recognize this baby as the one in the
angel's declaration. (It was normal to wrap infants in strips of
cloth.)</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>THE FIRSTBORN</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Brown (<I>The Birth of the
Messiah</I>):</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Although <I>prototokos</I>, "firstborn," is
sometimes clearly equivalent to <I>monogenes</I>, "only born," some would take
this to mean "first born among many." And so, since the time of Helvidius (A.D.
380), this verse has played a role in the dispute among Christians as to whether
Jesus was Mary's only child (because she remained a virgin), or she had other
children, born after Jesus (the brothers and sisters of Jesus , mentioned in
Mark 6:3) .... In the second century A.D. the Cynic Lucian of Samosata
(<I>Demonax </I>29) proposed a dilemma about a philosopher who claimed to be the
first and only: "If the first, not the only; if the only, not the first"; and
many have seen fit to quote that here. More subtly, Plummer, <I>Luke</I>, 53,
argues that the evangelist would not have used "firstborn" of Jesus if he knew
that Mary had no more children, so that at least in Luke's time there was no
well-known tradition that Jesus was an only child. However, the use of
<I>prototokos</I> rather than <I>monogenes</I> proves only that Luke had no
interest in presenting Jesus as Mary's only son. Others have seen in "firstborn"
an implication of special affection; yet when Luke wants to imply that, as in
the case of the widow of Nain, he uses <I>monogenes</I> (7:12; also 8:42; 9:38).
[p. 398]</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT">There may another
reason why Luke uses πρωτότοκος (<I>prōtotokos</I></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Menlo-Regular; mso-bidi-font-family: Menlo-Regular">)</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"> for Jesus. That
became part of titles given to him: "the <B>firstborn</B> of all creation" (Col
1:15); "the <B>firstborn</B> of the dead" (Col 1:18; Rev 1:5); the
<B>firstborn</B> (Rom 8:28; Heb 1:6).</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>SHEPHERDS</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
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class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>In a Christmas Day sermon I described the
shepherds: </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>They are people whom we wouldn't expect to
be worshiping Jesus. Because of their jobs, shepherds normally didn't make it to
the Temple worship services. They didn't practice sabbath day observances. They
were seen as ignorant, irreligious, immoral, crude and vulgar Jews – and they
smelled bad, too. I would guess that we wouldn't like anyone to describe our
church members using those kinds of words: ignorant, irreligious, immoral, crude
and vulgar. Those aren't words you use to describe good, Christian
people.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>A member reminded me every Christmas
afterwards that I had ruined Christmas for her with the comment about smelly
shepherds. What would we expect from men who slept in the fields with sheep and
without showers?</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>While there are positive images of shepherds
in scriptures, e.g., "The LORD is my shepherd," at the time of Jesus' birth
shepherding was a despised occupation. Culpepper (<I>Luke</I>, New Interpreter's
Bible) says of them: "... in the first century, shepherds were scorned as
shiftless, dishonest people who grazed their flocks on others' lands" [p.
65].</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Brown (<I>The Birth of the Messiah</I>)
writes in a footnote:</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>TalBab <I>Sanhedrin</I> 25b mentions that
herdsmen were added by the early rabbis to the list of those ineligible to be
judges of witnesses since frequently they grazed their flocks on other people's
lands. Thus, they were among the type of dishonest people who were excluded from
court. [p. 420]</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Men who were not considered fit to be
witnesses in court, are the first to witness the Christ child! Might they
suggest that God has a sense of humor?</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Luke's nativity story begins with Caesar
Augustus, the most powerful man in the universe and it ends with lowly
shepherds. </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Like infant Jesus, the shepherds have no "guest house"
where to sleep. They are describes as "living out doors" or "living in the
fields" (</FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">ἀ</SPAN><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Menlo-Regular; mso-bidi-font-family: Menlo-Regular">γραυλέω
- </SPAN><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT">agrayleō</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"> 2:8 -- a word that
occurs only here in the NT).</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>The naturalness of the holy family's journey
to Bethlehem -- following the orders of Caesar; is now contrasted with the
super-naturalness of the shepherds' journey to Bethlehem. A question Culpepper
(<I>Luke</I>, The Interpreter's Bible) asks in his reflection is "How will we
get to Bethlehem?" In Matthew the Magi are led by a star, then by the scholars
in Jerusalem who quote scriptures. In Luke, the holy family travels there in
obedience to the government's decree. The shepherds see a dramatic, heavenly
vision. He then writes: </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>By all these roads travelers can reach
Bethlehem. Not all will follow the road of scholarship or historical
investigation. Many will come as families surprised to hear God's Word in the
midst of life. Others will come as the result of dramatic, moving experiences of
the immediacy of the spiritual and the wondrous in the fabric of ordinary
existence. By whatever road we take, the story invites us all to Bethlehem. [p.
66]</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Within the humble dwellings of the shepherds
at night -- in the darkness -- the angel of the Lord stands before them and the
glory of the Lord shines around them.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>The natural reaction to the appearance of
angels if fear. They "are afraid with a great fear". The first words from the
angel are "Do not be afraid." </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">This angel's message to the shepherds is similar to the
angel's message to Zechariah. Both <B>proclaim the gospel</B>
(ε</FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">ὐ</SPAN><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Menlo-Regular; mso-bidi-font-family: Menlo-Regular">αγγελίζομαι
- </SPAN><I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT">euaggelizomai</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT">, 1:19; 2:10). What
is the good news? It is described as "great joy" and "for all the people".
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>In Luke there is the shallow joy of those
who quickly receive the word, but because it has no root, they fall away when
testing comes (8:13).</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>There is the misplaced joy of the 70 over
demons submitting to them. They should rejoice that their names are written in
heaven (10:17-20).</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>There is joy in heaven when sinners repent
(15:7, 10). </FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>There is joy and disbelief at seeing the
risen Jesus (24:41).</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Finally, Luke ends the gospel with the
disciples worshiping the ascending Jesus and then returning to Jerusalem with
"great joy" (24:52).</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3>Luke, more than the other gospels, presents
Jesus as the savior for <B>all people</B>. Men and women, poor and rich,
Pharisees and sinners (only in Luke does Jesus eat with Pharisees in addition to
eating with sinners and tax collectors).</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT
size=3></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT">
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Brian Stoffregen</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">pastor, Faith Lutheran Church, 2215 S 8th Avenue, Yuma,
AZ 85364</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">e-mail: <A
href="mailto:brian.stoffregen@gmail.com">brian.stoffregen@gmail.com</A></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; mso-bidi-font-family: ArialMT"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </DIV><!-- end of AOLMsgPart_3_e737f52b-762e-4f4c-9286-62a1808928d4 --></SPAN></DIV>
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