Last week we traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem in The Journey to the Manger. Today we weave together the writings of Matthew and Luke and watch the CHRISTmas story unfold chronologically.
In so doing, I pray we’ll see how to keep CHRISTmas,
well.
Chronological
Outline:
1)
Luke 1:5-38. Birth Announcements. John and
Jesus.
2)
Matthew 1:18-24. Break up and make up
scene with Joe and Mary.
3)
Luke 2:1-39. IRS. Bethlehem Baby. Mary
ponders, angels, shepherds, prophets.
4)
Matthew 1:25-2:23. Wisemen. Egypt. Horrible
Herod. Back to Nazareth.
5)
Luke 2:40-52. Jesus waxed strong in Spirit
and grew in favor with God and man.
CHRISTmas, the biggest, most celebrated holiday of
all, celebrated around the globe. With countless Christmas songs and movies and
all kinds of parades, with floats and boats and golf carts and bikes and horses
and...
At Christmas time it seems the whole world is aglow
with Christmas.
That is indeed how it ought to be when celebrating the
day, the Light of the world entered the world.
However, it hasn’t always been that way.
CHRISTmas came little.
Soft,
like
falling
snow,
quiet and slow.
Reflecting, the greatest story ever told, and how to
do, CHRISTmas well.
There’s no record in the Bible of the early Church
celebrating the birth of Christ at all.
They remembered His death, with the Lord’s Supper.
They honored His Resurrection, by gathering to worship
on, Sundays, “The Lord’s Day”.
By today’s worldwide celebrations of Jesus birth, and
the statistic that 2.5 billion Christians (1/3 world population) outnumber any
other people group in the world (religious or secular), you would think that
folks back in the day, closer to when Jesus walked and talked and did all kinds
of awesomeness, that followers of Christ would be everywhere abundant, popular
as rockstars.
But instead, Christianity was sparse, perhaps because
Christianity was deadly.
All but one of Jesus’ disciples were martyred.
Witnesses for Christ were murdered so often that the
Greek word for witness, (martus) birthed the word, martyr.
The apostle John wasn’t martyred, but not for lack of
trying, they boiled him in oil, but he just wouldn’t die. So, he was banished
to the prison island of Patmos where Jesus appeared and helped him pen the
powerful conclusion to the Bible, Revelation.
Christians were crucified, fed to wild animals, covered
in oil and burned as human torches, sawn asunder, tortured to death,
decapitated...
Amazingly, the more they were persecuted, the more
they grew, like trees being pruned.
However, the celebration of Christmas didn’t stem from
persecution; actually, the opposite.
The birth of Christ was finally formally celebrated
after Roman Emperor Constantine had an epiphany, a vision of a cross,
accompanied with the words, “In this, conquer”. Then, that very night, he said
he had dream of Christ, confirming the vision.
Just one little vision, just one small
dream, from God, turned the tide in Rome, from persecuting Christianity to
promoting it.
God is involved in the politics of men. He chooses to
use the unlikeliest of sources so all will know it was God, not men.
From that little epiphany, came a declaration around
336 AD that throughout the Roman Empire, December 25, would forever be, a
celebration of the birth of Christ.
The date was not chosen because they thought Jesus was
born on December 25th, but to Christianize the culture.
The Roman culture celebrated Saturnalia from December
17-24, in honor of the god of Saturn.
Another Roman holiday, on December 25th,
was Sol Invictus, meaning, the “Unconquered Sun,” associated with the winter
solstice (when the days began to get longer).
When Rome declared Christianity as the state religion
the Roman church converted Saturnalia and Sol Invictus to a Christian
holiday, December 25th, called the Feast of the Nativity, to
commemorate Jesus’ birth, and provide an alternative to pagan celebrations. (It
was first called “Christmas” in England, around 1038).
The darkness of the pagan holidays was overtaken by
the Light of CHRISTmas.
Just like it should be.
The sinful customs of pagan holidays were, cleaned up,
redeemed, saved, overtaken, and reshaped for the Master’s use.
Just like all of us who’ve been made new, born again,
by the Christ of CHRISTmas.
Ephesians
5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as
children of light,
Instead of drunks carousing, singing naked from house
to house, we gather clothed in the Love and Light of Christ and go house to
house singing Christmas Carols.
Instead of ringing bells and lighting candles to ward
off evil spirits, we ring bells and light candles to remember, unto us a Child
is born, unto us a Son is given (Isaiah 9:6). We peal the bells more loud
and deep, for God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the
right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men. (Longfellow).
Now, for nearly 1,700 years from Rome to here, little
by little CHRISTmas grew into the grand Christmas celebrations we know and love
today (and sometimes hate, in some ways, I suppose).
But that very first CHRISTmas was hardly even noticed,
it came little.
Soft,
like
falling
snow,
quiet and slow.
That, in
and of itself, reflects the greatest story ever told, and how to keep CHRISTmas
well.
Chronologically, it went something like this:
Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary, Luke
1:26-38
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God
to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a
virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The
virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in,
the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the
Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29 But when
she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what
manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to
her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with
God.
Twice Gabe told Mary she had found
favor with God.
That tells us much about Mary.
Proverbs 3:3-4. Let
not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them
on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in
the sight of God and man.
Later in Luke 2:40, 52,
we read how Jesus waxed strong in spirit and grew in favor with God and
man.
How do we keep CHRISTmas
well?
Be a people of mercy
and Truth.
The soil from which God’s
favor grows.
31 And behold,
you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His
name Jesus.
32 He will
be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the
Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And
He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His
kingdom there will be no end.”
Here we see the beautiful tapestry of God’s Word, seamlessly
weaving Old Testament prophecy to New Testament fulfillment:
Isaiah 9:6-7. For
unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be
upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and
peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To
order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward,
even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
34 Then Mary
said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
God sees the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Just for fun, let’s compare the hearts of Mary and
Zacharias.
Mary: How can this be, I do not know?
Zacharias: How can I know, this cannot be. Luke 1:18.
Mary: What can I do, for it to be?
Zach: What can you do to prove it to me?
Mary conceived.
Zach went mute.
35 And the
angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy
One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
Dear Mary, the serpent crushing Seed of the woman, first
spoken about way back in Eden, in Genesis 3:15, will be implanted in you.
The Son of God will be birthed into the world, through
you.
Dear Mary, you didn’t ask for proof like Zach, but
since God is so good, here’s a little confirmation anyway:
36 Now indeed,
Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is
now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with
God nothing will be impossible.”
38 Then Mary
said,
Those beautiful world changing words:
“Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according
to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Pray big, win small.
Mary prayed big, “be it unto me, according to Your
Word.”
The Word was unbelievably impossible. But she prayed
big, believed big, and conceived the Good and Perfect will of God.
But don’t miss her powerful corresponding action. She won small. She kept these things, pondered these things, in her
heart. Luke 2:19, 51.
She conquered herself. The battle within.
Winning small is where big wars are won.
Win small and the big will fall.
Be faithful in the little, and you’ll rule over the
greater.
Do what you can do, what you know to do, and God will
take care of the rest.
The moment Mary simply said yes to God, Divinity entered
humanity.
Notice, there were no earth quakes. No brilliant
lights. Not even a burning bush.
The CHRISTmas story unfolded to Mary, individually, personally,
quietly.
The Light of the world was quietly, discretely, planted
into the darkness of Mary’s womb.
Notice the humility of Mary. Behold the maidservant,
the handmaid, of the Lord.
She simply yielded all her trust, all her understanding,
to her Lord.
Proverbs 3:5-6.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your
own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge
Him, and He shall direct your paths.
How do we keep CHRISTmas well?
Say and mean, what Mary said, and meant: “Behold the servant
of the Lord, be it unto me, according to Your Word.”
Yield all your will, all your trust, all your
understanding, to Him.
And you will have yourself a Mary little CHRISTmas,
now.
Then, the very next verse (Luke 1:39) Mary arose and
went with haste about 90 miles south, just west of Jerusalem to En Karim, to visit
Elizabeth and Zacharias.
Luke 1:39-45. At Mary’s voice, baby John the Baptist,
leapt in Liz’s womb. Liz was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied about Mary
being the mother of her Lord
Confirming what Mary already knew in her heart, but
was encouraged hearing it said out loud by Liz.
Luke 1:46-55. From Mary’s lips flowed the song of
prophecy and praise called the, Magnificat.
Luke 1:56. Mary stayed for three months, probably
until John was born.
Then, with perhaps a little three-month baby bump
showing, Mary went home to face the music.
Fiancé Joe probably didn’t know she was prego.
So, off she goes back to Nazareth and off we go back
to Matthew 1:18-24.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His
mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she
was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then
Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not
wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
Men, take note and
imitate the quiet strength and integrity of Godly Carpenter Joe.
We never hear a word from
him, but his actions speak volumes.
The Bible calls him a just
man.
He didn’t drag Mary
through the mud on social media. He didn’t scream her down. He didn’t tell the
town to stone her. He didn’t get stone drunk to drown his sorrows and write a
country song about it. He didn’t go looking to knock-out whoever knocked her
up.
He simply, quietly, peaceably,
decided to break off the engagement.
20 But while
he thought about these things, (he wasn’t impulsive, he
gave the Lord time to speak) behold, an angel
of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which
is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she
will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He
will save His people from their sins.”
The CHRISTmas story unfolded to Joseph, softly,
quietly, in a dream.
No flashing lightning, booming thunder, shooting stars,
angelic choirs.
Just the still, small voice of the Lord.
How we do we keep CHRISTmas well?
Turn off the noise step outside the hectic hustle,
listen, for the whisper, of the Creator,
calling,
soft,
like
falling
snow,
quiet and slow.
Micah wrote it seven centuries before Joseph, but
maybe the Holy Spirit was thinking of Carpenter Joe when He had Micah the prophet answer to the question, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you? "But to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8.
22 So all this
was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the
prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with
child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which
is translated, “God with us.”
Once again, we witness the Lord wonderfully weaving Old
Testament and New:
Isaiah 7:14. Therefore
the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive
and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
24 Then
Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord
commanded him and took to him his wife,
James 1:22. Be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
Joe jumped up and married Mary, but the next verse (25)
tells us he did not consummate the marriage, until after
Jesus was born.
So then, our CHRISTmas story was going great...
Until the IRS showed up and said, what Ronald Reagan
called the eight scariest words ever uttered, “We’re from the government. We’re
here to help.”
Now our CHRISTmas story jumps to Luke 2.
Luke 2:1-7
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went
out from Caesar Augustus (the government) that all the world should be registered (taxed, the IRS). 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.
So, Joe and very pregnant Mary traveled about 90 miles
south to the little town of Bethlehem. Very little, with a population
of under 1,000, there was no Holiday Inn or Motel 6.
The word for “inn” doesn’t mean Inn, as in, hotel, it means,
guest room.
It’s very likely they were at a relatives’ home and it
was full of other relatives due to the census.
Since the guest room was probably packed with people,
the next best place for some privacy, without prying eyes of family and kids
would be the place, attached to the house, where the animals were kept.
It was not a terrible idea. Plus, the manger wasn’t fancy,
but not a bad place for a crib.
Luke 2:8-20. The angels told the shepherds the good tidings of great joy, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to men."
How do we keep CHRISTmas well?
Luke 2:19. Mary kept all these things and
pondered them in her heart.
Psalm 119:11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to us,
quiet and soft and slow, with mercy and Truth, so we can hear and see and
follow. Also, thank You for telling us how You will return, engaged for war, to
bring peace through strength forevermore. Please help us keep CHRISTmas well, by ever being about Your
business, as soul winners and disciple makers, ever faithful, ever saying, ‘behold
Your servant, be it unto me according to Your Word.’
We love You, forever.
Amen.
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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s
Seed for you to sow.
Thank you for sharing.
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