VICTIMS OF ROMAN OPPRESSION AND TAXATION

Each year around Christmas time, we hear a lot of talk of Joseph and Mary, the first family of the Bible, being either homeless or refugees. The purveyors of this social justice misinformation assume that Christians do not read the Bible and thus, know the Gospel Truth! How can anyone read the following and come to the conclusion that (the then-baby) Jesus and His earthly parents were homeless and/or refugees is sophistry.  The underlying basis of this untruth is the inability of Joseph, the caretaker guardian parent of the yet-unborn Jesus Christ to find lodging in Bethlehem for his very pregnant wife, Mary and himself.

Luke 2:1-7: And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn……

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Part 2 – RUN LIKE HELL!

We’re flirtin’ with disaster, ya’ll know what I mean 
And the way we run our lives it makes no sense to me 
I don’t know about yourself or what you wanna to be, yeah 
When we gamble with our time we choose our destiny…(Molly Hatchet, 1979)

Yesterday, we looked briefly at the possibility of pitfalls when people play with fire by indulging in what they think is “innocent” flirtation in offices. This is not limited to offices, but men of God and pastors face the same thing when the council females of any age, one on one in their offices. Neither of these actions are wise at all – no way!

I believe in the Sufficiency of Scripture, in that, the Bible has both the illustrations and the examples for us to learn from, glean and then follow as we seek to improve and grow as men and women of God. There are two perfect examples of Temptation and let us look how each person involved dealt with it.

JOSEPH (Genesis 39: 1-12) was tempted by the boss’ wife while serving Potiphar, the head official in Egypt. He was obviously a lot younger and a single man so Potiphar’s wife began to eye him. She made several blunt approaches and, with integrity, he politely but firmly, declined them all. The final time she tried to seduce him, she actually laid her hands on him and grabbed his coat as he escaped her evil clutches. Joseph, for lack of better terms, ran like hell!

EVE (Genesis 3:1-6) was negotiating with a snake who told the first lies of Creation. He deceived her. She took the forbidden fruit and offered it to the man, Adam, who stood there and watched the entire thing without saying a word, and they both ate it. This was in direct defiance and disobedience to the Word of God and here we are today.

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