The Christmas Story

Today is Christmas day and one, if not the most important day of the year that many look forward with enjoy.  It is a time when we celebrate with our friend, that we work with, people at church, the neighborhood, our schools as well as family.  It is a time of parties, community activities, school, church, and a whole lot activates celebrating this special holiday.   Christmas time brings able many different meanings and activities for those that celebrate this time of the year.  Why do we have this holiday that we are flood with so many traditions that do not even deal with the birth of Christ.  In fact, we do not really know the date of Christ’s born and yet we set aside an entire month (Thanksgiving to New Year Eve) to celebrate this emotional Holiday season.  

Now with the pasting of time I realized this time of the year is a part of what Paul was writing about in Romans 14:5-7,13 “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers everyday alike.  Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.  He who regards one day as special does so to the Lord.  He who eats meat, does it to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he that abstains, does it to the Lord and gives thanks to God.  For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another.  Instead make up your mind not to put an stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.”   The Christmas season therefore is a time for us to be thankful for everything that the Lord has given and blessed us with this year.  In the same way we need to give and bless others in the same way as the Lord has given and blessed us.   

The real story of the birth of Christ.

The first chapter of Matthew gives us the background to the birth of Christ starts with his genealogy and how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.  We are introduced to the way that God reveal the birth of Jesus to Joseph.  Reading Matthew 1:22, 23 “Now all this is done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying Behold a virgin shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God is with us.”  Here in these verses are the words that an angel spoke to Joseph as he was quieting dealing with a major issue in his life.  As we study the scriptures the fact that Christ was sometimes referred to as an illegitimate child probably points to the fact that Joseph was a part of a well-known family and that he know how his friends and family around him would perceive Mary and the child if they got married. However, Joseph did as the angel instructed him and took Mary as his wife and know her not until she bought forth her son Jesus. 

In this chapter we are given the glimpse of the angel’s message to Joseph as he ponder making a major life decision.  His answer was that this son would be the Emmanuel that God had promise, the seed of woman that would redeem mankind.  Here in Matthew chapter one Joseph was introduced to the child’s name, God is with us, and chose the path that God laid out before him. Joseph gives us the right path to follow even when it is not the path that a just man like Joesph would have likely followed.  For being a just man he could had quietly put her away, but instead took her shame upon himself and took Mary as his wife knowing the future issues that would come from this union.  We see Joseph a just man make a decision that went against the socially right decision of that time. We could look at the many reasons why Joseph made this decision, but the only one given to us was that he listened to the angel of the Lord.  His way of life must have been a life of mediating on the law of the Lord.  Joseph truly showed that he had the heart of David his father here when he chose not my will, but Thou will be done.  Yet how many of us when confronting major issues in our life turn to the law of the Lord for an answer?  

In Luke chapter one we see how God reveal to Mary that she had found favor with God and would give birth to Jesus the Son of God.  After Gabriel announcement to Mary about her pregnancy and the birth of Jesus he informed her of the Elizabeth’s pregnancy in her old age.  His words to Mary was “For nothing is impossible with God.”  These two announcements from Matthew chapter one and Luke chapter one set the stage for our Christmas story found in Luke chapter two.

In Luke chapter two we are given how God revealed this birth to the world.  It was to shepherds not kings that were blessed to be the first to hear the message of Christ’s born proclaimed to them by an angel.  His message was simple.  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:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manager.  After he delivered this message a great company of heavenly host appeared with him praising God and saying:

                        Glory to God in the Highest

                        And on earth peace to men

                        On whom his favor rest.

After the angels leave they said one to 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, Joseph, and the baby just as the angel had said lying in the manager.  When they saw him they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.  All who heard was amazed.  This is the Christmas story, the spreading of the message of God’s love for the world and the gift of his Son to bring glory to God and peace to men on this earth.

The other reference Jesus’s birth is found in Matthew chapter two which probably happen when Jesus was about a year to two years of age.  It is the story of how the wise men from the east came to Jerusalem in search for the birth of the King of the Jews for they saw his star in the east.  Their purpose was to come and worship him.  When Herod heard this he was trouble and gathered all the religious leaders and the scribes (those who knew the Old Testament scriptures) to enquire when the Christ (Messiah) was to be born.  They revealed that in writings of Micah (5:2,3) that he should be born in Bethlehem of Judah.  And Herod secretly enquired of them the time that first saw the star and ask them to go and find the child and when they did let him know so he could worship him.  So, the wise men follow the star until they found Jesus.  They gave

So, on this Christmas day may the words of one of my favorite Christmas songs comforts us as it did those during one of the darkest times in American history, The Civil War.  The song I heard the Bells on Christmas Day tells the story of the conditions they were living in as well as the conditions we face today.

            I heard the bells on Christmas day their old familiar carols play,

            And wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, goodwill to mem.

            I thought how, as the day had come, the belfries of all Christendom

            Had rolled along thru unbroken song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.

            And in despair I bowed my head: “There is no peace on earth,” I said.

            “for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

            Yet pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

            the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

May this Christmas day bring to you the peace of God that passes all understanding.