“Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.” So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.” On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.” Luke 23:1-7

“Loophole”

As an idiom, a loophole is defined as a way of getting out of something or escaping a difficulty – it is especially used when we try to find a legal technicality that allows someone to evade compliance. So, where did this term originate from? Well, a loophole, in the middle ages, was a small slit-like opening in a castle wall that men would fire their bows or musketeers through. The only openings in a seemingly impenetrable wall were these slits which a child or small adult could squeeze through. Thus, a loophole is a small opening, or an “out,” in a seemingly airtight law, which only the clever few can use.

Pilate takes time to interview Jesus. He asks Jesus “Are you the king of the Jews?” There are several ways Jesus could have answered this question. He could have said “No!” – thus avoiding a horrible death. He could have said many other things, but he said simply, “You have said so.” How he expressed this phrase we can only speculate – whether there was disdain in his voice – or confidence. Either way, Jesus did not try to find a loophole to get out of his fate – he stood by while those who hated him cried “Crucify him”. And then he carried his own cross to Golgatha.

Too often we try to find loopholes instead of dealing with our failures and failings head on. All I can say is thank the Lord Jesus did not look for a way out – because his death and resurrection is my way up – with no need to fear death, and to look forward to the coming of the kingdom of G-d.

Pastor Dave

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:1-12

“It’s Raining Cats and Dogs!”

Now, this is an interesting one, don’t you think? I am sure this must sound like we Americans have lost our minds to someone from another country hearing it for the first time. There are a lot of things we have seen falling from the sky, but cats and dogs — nope. So, how did this expression come about? Some say it originated in England in the 1500’s, when houses had thatched roofs. A thatch roof consisted of straw piled high, with no wood underneath. In cold, foggy England this was sometimes the only place for an animal to get warm. Cats, other small animals and the occasional dog would wind up on the roofs. – and when it rained really hard, some of the animals would slip off the roof and wash up in the gutters on the street. Hence, the saying, “It’s raining cats and dogs” ended up referring to a particularly heavy rain. Kind of gruesome, isn’t it?

We like to think of Mary and Joseph standing around Jesus while he sleeps in a manger, out in the open with animals standing watch. Most likely, when they were told there was no room in an inn, the young, expectant family were instead showed to the part of a house where the animals stayed – an adjacent room – which, yes, had a manger for the animals to eat from. Most likely families would keep their animals under roof and walled in, rather than leaving them outside where thieves could take them or other animals attack them.

No matter, there is a connection between the animals and the birth of Jesus that we cannot forget – they were some of the first witnesses to see the birth of the Christ child. As such, we need to keep them in mind as part of all creation that will be redeemed when Christ comes again.

Pastor Dave