As a family we don’t do layovers. Of course as in an individual, if I ever fly by myself, I don’t layovers either. It’s just that you can’t beat the convenience of the direct flight. You leave one place and then you arrive at your destination.

I would like to think that my family could do a non-direct flight, if we really had to do so. But I do know at one point in our lives, no amount of money could have lead me to entertain the idea.  My brother and sister-in-law flew into Bradenton a weeks ago to visit. They have 3 kids under the age of 10 and do a great job parenting those kids.

But no amount of parenting skill in preparing a preschooler for a layover can temper her  sacred anticipation.. Despite constant affirmations that there was sill one more flight, it just didn't connect. After all, they were so much closer now. But Ft Lauderdale, while still within the state of Florida, and much closer to Bradenton than Virginia, is not nor will ever be confused with Bradenton.

Except maybe just this once. We'e come so far, and were' still not there yet?

Full of rich expectation from a much desired family reunion that wasn't to be, tears saturated her disappointment. Can you blame her? For all she knew, they'd come all the way to Wallyworld only to find it closed for the summer.

But the Nance-Henderson family trip was not in any shape or fashion like a Griswold adventure. This was an entirely different story. They just needed to take one more flight. They just simply weren't there yet. But they soon would be.

The presence of tears didn’t indicate an absence of faith, but actually very much the opposite. We’re simply not where we want to be. And who is?

Our jobs, families, churches, kids, parents, lives are not currently where we want them to be. We’re not there yet. It's ok to cry and be disappointed. It's ok to question. I don't know how often I hear, "I can't question God..." Really? What bible are you reading?

The OT is full of questions like "How long, have your forgotten us, why, when?" Stop your sanctimonious pretension and just stop and cry. Stop and be disappointed. Stop and be frustrated for a hot minute. We're not there yet.

Jesus told us that even though His Kingdom was at hand, that there would days like this. And honestly even days much worse than this, with earthquakes, wars, and it was STILL not the end.

The Apostle Paul speaks of the layover experience as birth pains.

"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."

We're way closer than when we started, and that's exactly what makes it harder. We're not in Virginia (metaphorically speaking) which is great. But sometimes being in Ft Lauderdale can be even harder. So close we can taste it. So close we can cry. Layover tears.

                           “Would you say they had a plethora of angels?” - Luke 2:8-14

Shepherds as a whole were not the most respected folks around these parts. They couldn’t serve or give testimony in a court of law, and were known to “confuse” other sheep with theirs, and so add to their flock. There is no reason to think that these particular blokes were moving stolen property, nor that they were sketchy. But as a whole, you’d probably have wanted your baby to grow up to be a cowboy over a shepherd. One trait was “true” about all shepherds, whether sketchy or honorable: they were unclean ceremonially unclean. Not only ceremonially, but likely took on some of the smell of the sheep. It just may have made dating and fellowship quite difficult!

1.)  There are certain times in life when you feel surrounded, and there are certain times you are actually surrounded. What do you picture when you read that shepherds were surrounded by the glory of the Lord?  What might that have looked felt like? Has anything like that ever happened before in the OT? (Read exodus 16:10)

2.) As with all angelic “cameo’s,” the first response is always fear. How is this encounter different  than the other two we’ve seen thus far? How is this fear described? Did the fact that there was more than one shepherd, meaning, “they had each other,” do anything to their fears? What does that tell us about some of our solutions to our fears?

3.) We probably can’t imagine the shepherds’ relief at hearing the angelic comfort.  We often refer to the gospel as an announcement of good news, not good advice. How does this passage of “good news” reinforce that point? This is an announcement of something that has been done, not something for them to do! God has done it as evidenced through this child.

4.) Did Gabriel need a “back-up” band? What is the point of having the other angelic accompaniment? What do they add to the story? El Guapo from the movie Three Amigos would have described the angelic number as a “plethora” but the ESV translators used “multitude.” Do the right kinds of numbers make a difference when it comes to angels? How does “the more the merrier” make a difference now?

5.) Who are these heavenly hosts? Is having army angels announce this peace ironic or is it appropriate? Peace comes not from shedding others blood, but Jesus shedding his own.These sheep are likely sacrificial sheep used for temple sacrifice. Soon these shepherds would have to tend a different flock of sheep as Jesus becomes the Lamb of God and final sacrifice to end all sacrifices!

A few years ago, a fairly inebriated Indian lad decided to make the ill-fated decision of jumping into a zoo’s lion enclosure. Fortunately for him, some workers witnessed the worst decision of his life - I may be giving him too much credit but hopefully this at least cracked the top 3 -and tranquilized the lions before they could pounce. Unfortunately the short lived rescue celebration soon ended with incarceration. They do frown upon that kind of thing in most countries.

The Old Testament story of Daniel doesn’t depict a dude intentionally dangling his life in front of deadly lions, but his defiant faith certainly revealed a willingness to meet such beasts on their home turf. He knew anyone caught praying could get a back stage pass into the Big Cat Rescue. Faith put him in this precarious place, but prayer could just easily get him out or get him through.

Yet even the King seems less amazed by the quality of Daniel’s faith than by the power of Daniel’s God. You can have sincerity of faith in an object lacking ability, and your sincerity won’t accomplish squat.

The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
Sometimes we think that if we have enough faith God will rescue; if we don’t, he won’t. Or if we didn’t get the answer to our prayers, something have been wrong with us. Or perhaps something may just be wrong with God. Not true. The writer of Hebrews closes out his “Hall of Faith” describing those with plenteous faith experiencing plenty of obstacles. Some of them experienced rescue FROM their situations while others experienced rescue THROUGH their situations. Either way, the ONE whom they had faith in, is presented to us as being ONE worth trusting completely. He enabled them to be faithful, why would anyone other than Him get a 2nd look?

How can our faith grow so that we can trust God no matter what? We don’t grow by comparing ourselves with others, but we can see our faith grow in the company of others.

One of our favorite vacation memories also happens to have been the “simplest:” a tree swing on a Georgia lake. But I first needed company in order to help me trust that swing. I didn’t know if it would hold me up, and I sure had questions regarding my ability to hold myself on. So I needed to see that others would be held up and would be able to hold on before I could trust the swing. When I witnessed others trust, and they were held up/held on, I became convinced that swing was worth trusting.

Now imagine if I had come to that tree swing and noticed multiple plaques comprising a similar testimony that went something like this “My name is  ______ , and I had all this stuff going on in my life, and this swing held me up, and held me on. What if these plaques came from a group of people from a various settings over multiple centuries? That’s what we have with Hebrews 11 “Hall of Faith.” What if we had the benefit of fellowship with the past as well with present saints? It’s easier to have faith within the company of people who already have faith, and have had faith long ago.

 Even greater, Jesus is more than a swing that holds us up, but a swing with “hands” that hold us on. How do I know if I’ll be able to hold on though _______ situation? We remember that no one can pry us out of His hands, so I don’t need to fret about falling away. If you come to Jesus, and ask him to save you (hold you up and hold you on), even a little bit of faith in the right place is actually plenty of faith. It is far more effective than having a lot of faith in the wrong thing.

And when present company falls away, you are still left with someone who won’t. Look at this encouragement from the Apostle Paul while surrounded by metaphorical lions in the courtroom.

16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. - II Tm 4:16-18