I’ve always
found Christmas a bit of a mystery. It’s not just because everyone is
over-come with a desire to go shopping and all that stuff, rather it is
because it is hard to imagine why God would choose for his Son to be arrive
this way.
Leaving aside the
questions of what sort of accommodation Mary and Joseph were staying in,
what the exact date was and why they had to travel to Bethlehem, I always
find it mind blowing that the word of God, who was living face to face with
the Father in heaven, should choose to be born as a baby (
John
1:1-14). And that the baby
feeding at Mary’s breast was her own flesh and blood whilst remaining the
Son of God.
But that is the
genius of God’s plan. The baby in Mary’s arms was destined to rule but
not in the way people expected. He does not rule by force but by inspiring
people from all nations, ethnic backgrounds and creeds to come and worship
him. His reign is not based on power but on peace and relationships, as a
shepherd leads the sheep for their own good.
The angels announced
that Jesus’ arrival was good news (Luke 2:8-14). What the people of the
time wanted and expected was a saviour who was a mighty ruler; someone who
would fight for them, a military genius who would set them free from the
oppression of occupation by Roman forces. But what they got was a saviour
who:
-
Delivered them from
danger, but the danger of ignoring God.
-
Acted on their
behalf, but in order to restore their relationship with God.
-
Set them free, but
by demonstrating the love and care of God for them.
With Jesus
birth, God makes a decisive move to come to us and live with us, opening up
the way for us to experience the joy of life as God intended it. The one who
was face to face with God comes to live face to face with humanity so that
we could have the life God intended.
Imagine having
a great pile of Christmas presents, all beautifully wrapped up – but
spending all Christmas looking at them with their shiny paper rather than
opening them; admiring the packaging while the contents remain a mystery.
Among the
presents this Christmas, let’s go beyond the wrapping paper and tinsel and
take time to uncover and explore the gift of life that Jesus is for us.
Merry
Christmas
Neil
The Christmas Story
The Birth of Jesus
Luke 2:1-20
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 his 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 room for them in the inn.
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 of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of
David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a
sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly
host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone
into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and
see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and
Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him,
they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and
all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary
treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and
seen, which were just as they had been told.
Why
not check out these useful links?...
A BBC
website feature - Basic Christian beliefs
International Bible
Society resource site.
