God’s Christmas Pageant
Luke 2:1-7, 8-20
2:1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2:2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of Syria. 2:3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 2:5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 2:6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. 2:7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 2:8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 2:9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 2:10 And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 2:11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 2:12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!" 2:15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 2:16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 2:17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 2:18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
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I love this Christmas reading. But, some of us are so familiar with the story that we often don’t see the details in the Word of God. (I am guilty of this, too.) And, I’ve been taught that God doesn’t waste words.
Today, I notice that there are plenty of comings and goings in the days in around Jesus’ birth. Look at it: Because of the census ordered by Ceasar Augustus, “all went” to their hometowns to be registered. This included Joseph, who “went up” from Galilee to Bethlehem, taking Mary with him. Then you have angels, presumably coming from heaven, who appeared to shepherds, and then “went away” returning to heaven. Then, the shepherds “went with haste” to the manger, and returned, probably to their fields, glorifying and praising God.
This would be a pretty busy, breathless stage, if we were putting on the play. Reminds me a little of our Christmases these days: People visiting and stopping by, shoppers bustling about trying to find the right store, worshippers going to and returning from church, airports full of scores of hurrying Christmas travelers.
In this reading, right there in the middle of much coming and going, Luke tells us, “And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”
Did you catch that? The time came for Mary to be delivered. “And she gave birth to her first-born son…in a manger.” Right there in the middle of their plans to be registered, God gave cause for Mary to stop – and be delivered. This was probably at an inconvenient time and place for Joseph and Mary. Mary certainly did not choose this time and place for her deliverance. She was far from her home in Galilee, probably where she had her preferred midwife. She would have at least liked a room in Bethlehem. The fact that Luke mentions that they were in a manger because there was no room in the inn, tells us that they looked first for a room in the inn. Mary was not well-prepared for this eventuality. She hadn’t booked a room in advance. Yet, the time had come for Mary to be delivered by God. And none of that other stuff was going to get in the way.
This was about God’s time, and God’s place, God’s plan and God’s deliverance. It was all happening to Mary. She was not in control over the events at this time.
She had surrendered control the moment she said to the angel Gabriel, “I am a handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to thy word.” Remember that? That point earlier in her life when she had given herself over to the Lord?
God was not about to let her down. And, so, even though she was in this moment without any control over her life, she was in good hands. In God’s hands. He had Joseph accompanying her, so she wasn’t alone. And then, since she might well have been overwhelmed by all that was happening to her, the One to whom she had submitted sent shepherds with a message for her, to remind her that He had a plan, and it was coming to pass, just as He had told her through the angel Gabriel.
Indeed, it was. God was with her. Quite literally. Though, not in the way she might have imagined.
How else was God at work in the hustle and bustle of that first Christmas?
He was announcing the good news of His doing, far away from the bustle of the Roman empire. To whom did God send his angels with a message about the good news? To shepherds, who were keeping watch of their flock by night. It was in their watchfulness, away from the hurrying crowds, against the backdrop of darkness that they heard God’s message and saw God’s brilliant glory shining. It filled them with fear at first. But, it was the moment of their deliverance, too: "for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” What was the sign of God’s deliverance? “You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
A strange sign, indeed, of God’s deliverance! One most unlike what they might have imagined. One moment they were ordinary shepherds minding their sheep, next moment they were recipients of God’s message, witnesses to God’s savior, and messengers themselves about God’s plan. It left them glorifying and praising God.
The shepherds told Mary what they had heard from the angels. You could forgive Mary for wondering about it all. Luke tells us, she “kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.”
What was God doing in the hustle and bustle of that first Christmas?
Nothing less than sending the Savior to deliver the world.
But, not in some nameless, faceless, impersonal, automatic way. This was not – and is not -- a mass, faceless, impersonal “Project Salvation” to Him. He was delivering a woman named Mary. He had provided her with a man named Joseph, of the house and lineage of David, in the city of David. He sent His angels to personally address a group of shepherds. He knew what they did. He knew where to find them, and when to best get their attention. He sent the shepherds to deliver that message to Mary.
God is like this today. The savior has come. He is with us. Christ the Lord comes to us, to you, and to me individually, and to us in community. This is personal. This is in fellowship with people. This is a about delivering people, whose names and situations He knows.
I love it that in God’s big, big picture of salvation – so big it takes in the whole world – He is intimately acquainted with each one of us and the circumstances of our lives, whatever they might be, and wherever they might be. And, He makes it His business to actively deliver us; to come to us just where we are, to make His will known to us and His salvation real to us.
You may not be in control of your life. Even so, God comes to you. You may not expect the way He comes. Even so, He comes. You may not expect the message or the messenger. Even so, God makes known His ways and His salvation. So, this season, be sure to look for His presence and listen for His voice.
Indeed, He is with us.
In the words of the old hymn, “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, who with His love doth befriend Thee.”
Amen.
2:1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2:2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of Syria. 2:3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 2:5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 2:6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. 2:7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 2:8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 2:9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 2:10 And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 2:11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 2:12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!" 2:15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 2:16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 2:17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 2:18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
----------------------------
I love this Christmas reading. But, some of us are so familiar with the story that we often don’t see the details in the Word of God. (I am guilty of this, too.) And, I’ve been taught that God doesn’t waste words.
Today, I notice that there are plenty of comings and goings in the days in around Jesus’ birth. Look at it: Because of the census ordered by Ceasar Augustus, “all went” to their hometowns to be registered. This included Joseph, who “went up” from Galilee to Bethlehem, taking Mary with him. Then you have angels, presumably coming from heaven, who appeared to shepherds, and then “went away” returning to heaven. Then, the shepherds “went with haste” to the manger, and returned, probably to their fields, glorifying and praising God.
This would be a pretty busy, breathless stage, if we were putting on the play. Reminds me a little of our Christmases these days: People visiting and stopping by, shoppers bustling about trying to find the right store, worshippers going to and returning from church, airports full of scores of hurrying Christmas travelers.
In this reading, right there in the middle of much coming and going, Luke tells us, “And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”
Did you catch that? The time came for Mary to be delivered. “And she gave birth to her first-born son…in a manger.” Right there in the middle of their plans to be registered, God gave cause for Mary to stop – and be delivered. This was probably at an inconvenient time and place for Joseph and Mary. Mary certainly did not choose this time and place for her deliverance. She was far from her home in Galilee, probably where she had her preferred midwife. She would have at least liked a room in Bethlehem. The fact that Luke mentions that they were in a manger because there was no room in the inn, tells us that they looked first for a room in the inn. Mary was not well-prepared for this eventuality. She hadn’t booked a room in advance. Yet, the time had come for Mary to be delivered by God. And none of that other stuff was going to get in the way.
This was about God’s time, and God’s place, God’s plan and God’s deliverance. It was all happening to Mary. She was not in control over the events at this time.
She had surrendered control the moment she said to the angel Gabriel, “I am a handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to thy word.” Remember that? That point earlier in her life when she had given herself over to the Lord?
God was not about to let her down. And, so, even though she was in this moment without any control over her life, she was in good hands. In God’s hands. He had Joseph accompanying her, so she wasn’t alone. And then, since she might well have been overwhelmed by all that was happening to her, the One to whom she had submitted sent shepherds with a message for her, to remind her that He had a plan, and it was coming to pass, just as He had told her through the angel Gabriel.
Indeed, it was. God was with her. Quite literally. Though, not in the way she might have imagined.
How else was God at work in the hustle and bustle of that first Christmas?
He was announcing the good news of His doing, far away from the bustle of the Roman empire. To whom did God send his angels with a message about the good news? To shepherds, who were keeping watch of their flock by night. It was in their watchfulness, away from the hurrying crowds, against the backdrop of darkness that they heard God’s message and saw God’s brilliant glory shining. It filled them with fear at first. But, it was the moment of their deliverance, too: "for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” What was the sign of God’s deliverance? “You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
A strange sign, indeed, of God’s deliverance! One most unlike what they might have imagined. One moment they were ordinary shepherds minding their sheep, next moment they were recipients of God’s message, witnesses to God’s savior, and messengers themselves about God’s plan. It left them glorifying and praising God.
The shepherds told Mary what they had heard from the angels. You could forgive Mary for wondering about it all. Luke tells us, she “kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.”
What was God doing in the hustle and bustle of that first Christmas?
Nothing less than sending the Savior to deliver the world.
But, not in some nameless, faceless, impersonal, automatic way. This was not – and is not -- a mass, faceless, impersonal “Project Salvation” to Him. He was delivering a woman named Mary. He had provided her with a man named Joseph, of the house and lineage of David, in the city of David. He sent His angels to personally address a group of shepherds. He knew what they did. He knew where to find them, and when to best get their attention. He sent the shepherds to deliver that message to Mary.
God is like this today. The savior has come. He is with us. Christ the Lord comes to us, to you, and to me individually, and to us in community. This is personal. This is in fellowship with people. This is a about delivering people, whose names and situations He knows.
I love it that in God’s big, big picture of salvation – so big it takes in the whole world – He is intimately acquainted with each one of us and the circumstances of our lives, whatever they might be, and wherever they might be. And, He makes it His business to actively deliver us; to come to us just where we are, to make His will known to us and His salvation real to us.
You may not be in control of your life. Even so, God comes to you. You may not expect the way He comes. Even so, He comes. You may not expect the message or the messenger. Even so, God makes known His ways and His salvation. So, this season, be sure to look for His presence and listen for His voice.
Indeed, He is with us.
In the words of the old hymn, “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, who with His love doth befriend Thee.”
Amen.
posted by Ruth at 3:24 AM
1 Comments:
You, too, are in good hands, gentle author.
Rejoice!
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