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Angles. Unusual angles. That’s what filmmaking is about. Filmmakers balance light, sound, and different “shots” – angles – to help us see the story the filmmaker wants to tell. I’ve tried to use a variety of angles to tell a simple story of changing a tire on my car.

Luke, the writer of the third Gospel, is a master at using angles – not for filmmaking obviously, but for helping us see Jesus. In the opening four verses of his Gospel he explains this:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Luke never had a camera of course, but he looks at angles. These are the accounts of the first eyewitnesses. Luke has sifted through them, checking them for accuracy. Which angles best capture what needs to be said? Luke says he’s combined the best angles so that the best presentation of the historical evidence is given. And he does this so that the finished “film” is one in which we have absolute confidence. Luke tells the greatest story ever in the best way possible so we can encounter Jesus.

During Advent, I expect you’ll read the opening chapters of Luke’s Gospel: the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, the angel’s visit to Mary and the promise that her child will be the Saviour of the world, Mary’s song of praise, the birth of John the Baptist, Zechariah’s song of praise, Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus in an animal pen, the announcement to shepherds that the Christ has been born. Each of these is a camera angle – Luke’s way of helping us see the greatest story ever.

I pray you enjoy the angles as you read and hear the story of the birth of Jesus this Christmas. And, as Luke intended, may you know the certainty of what is said – for Jesus came to save us from our sin.

視頻大意翻譯 (video Chinese translation):

嗨!

角度。不尋常的角度。這就是電影製作。拍片人平衡當光、聲音和不同的”取景”- 角度-幫助我們看見拍片人想述說的故事。我曾經用不同的角度來述說換我車子輪胎這樣一個簡單的故事。

路加，第三卷福音書的作者，是個會用不同角度的大師-當然不是說拍片，是說幫助我們看見耶穌。在他福音書的開始四節經文他解釋道:

有好些人提筆作書、述說在我們中間所成就的事、是照傳道的人、從起初親眼看見、又傳給我們的．這些事我既從起頭都詳細考察了、就定意要按着次序寫給你、使你知道所學之道都是確實的。

路加當然沒有相機，但他用不同的角度看事情。他說有許多不同的角度。這些是第一批目擊者的敘述。路加告訴我們，他已經篩選了它們，考察它們的準確性。哪些角度最能捕捉到需要說的話？路加 說，他已結合了最好的角度，以便能最好地呈現歷史證據。他這樣做是為了讓完成的 「影片」 成為我們有絕對信心的片子。路加想以他所能做到的最好的方式講述有史以來最偉大的故事，這樣我們就可以與耶穌相遇。

在待降節期，我希望你能讀路加福音書的頭幾章: 撒加利亞和以利沙伯的故事，天使拜訪瑪麗亞，應許他的孩子將成為世界的救贖主，瑪麗亞的頌歌，施洗約翰的出生，撒加利亞的頌歌，瑪麗亞和約瑟上伯利恆之旅，耶穌在馬槽誕生，牧羊人宣告基督誕生。每一個都是相機不同的角度-路加幫助我們看見這有史以來最偉大的故事。

我祈禱在這聖誕節你能享受以不同角度來讀耶穌誕生的故事。就如路加想做的，願你知道所傳講的-耶穌來拯救我們遠離我們的罪。

快樂待降節。

謝謝。

讓我們禱告。

Grace and peace

Pastor Callum