Rest

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."  Mark 6:31   


I don't believe in New Year's resolutions.  In my opinion, they are a guilt-driven, short-term feel good mechanism that are most often doomed to failure.  


I do believe in goals though.  I do believe in growth.  I do believe we can change.


I just don't always believe that the change happens because we make it happen.  Sometimes it does, we all know that.  But sometimes our changes are because of what God does.  Not what we do.  Sometimes, we look back over the last few days, or weeks, months, years . . . and we realize how much we have changed.  We change without even noticing.


There are things God wants from us, and sometimes that involves purposefully working, disciplining ourselves to listen to Him, to honor and obey Him.


Having said all that, I have made a decision for myself.  A change I need to make that on the surface may seem selfish.  In fact, I've been thinking about this change for a long time, but was worried about what others would think about it.  


I'm learning to not care about what others think.  :0)

I'm not going to get into details about my change, but will just say this:  my change concerns rest.  Rest involves my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual sides.  Rest is commanded and modeled by BOTH God and Jesus.  Rest is renewal.


So I'm making some changes, cutting back in some places, changing my schedule, to plan and make time for rest.  I must have it - we all must have it.


What is your plan for 2012?  Do you make resolutions?  What areas are you thinking about changing?

Joy to the World

Joy to the world, the Lord is come.  Let earth receive her King!  Let every heart, prepare Him room . . . and heaven, and nature, sing.

I heard a woman say recently that in Jewish culture, they tend to celebrate the day of your conception, not the day of your birth, because life begins at conception.  Now, Jesus was probably not born on December 25 - in fact, most historians think He was born in September.  Which would make the day of His conception . . . in December.  We celebrate the time when the Holy Spirit breathed new life into Mary, and Jesus was created.

True joy, true love, true freedom came into the world 2,000 years ago, in a pile of straw in a cave.  Who would have thought that this would be how mankind would be redeemed.  And why?

You know the answer - love.  Love is the how.  Love is the why.

Merry Christmas.

The Twenty-Fourth Person of Christmas is You

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.  John 3:16, the Message 

God sent His Son to earth because of love.  He loves you, He loves me.

We can spend a lot of time arguing theology.  We can spend a lot of time trying to understand the mind of God.  We can spend a lot of time exploring the complexity of biblical history and culture.

But the one true purpose is love.  The one true message is love.  The one true God is love.

That verse above, that we all know by heart in the King James or New International Version, would be just as true if it said, "This is how much God loved you."  We can each individually insert our names in that space. 

People say, remember the reason for the season.  They say, try to capture the true spirit of Christmas.  And to simply say that the reason for the season is Jesus is not enough - because the reason for the season is that God loved us so much, He paid the ransom for our sin.  He sent His son - His one and only son - to die for us. 

And why?  Because of love. 

God loves you.  THAT is the reason for this season. 

The Twenty-Third Person of Christmas is Jesus

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Matthew 16:15-16

There are over 360 prophecies in the Old Testament concerning Jesus, the Messiah.  I don't know them all.  I can't explain them all.  I'm not a bible scholar, or a deep thinker, or a theologian.

I'm just a follower.  And though usually I try to do a lot of research and study on each person I write about, today I just write from my heart.

Today I can write with my own knowledge, my own heart and mind, because this person - unlike the others I have written about - Him I know personally. 

If Jesus came before me today, and asked me the same question that He asked Simon Peter, I could truthfully say the same thing:  You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

There are many names for Jesus in the bible.  He is the only begotten son of God.  He is the Alpha and Omega.  He is Emmanuel, God with us.  He is Christ.  He is Lord, Rabbi, Teacher.  He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.


He is all those things and more.  He is King of Kings, Lord of Lords.  He is the Lion of Judah.  He is Faithful and True.  He is our Salvation.

He is all those things and more.  He is Worthy.  He is the Word of Life, He is the Bread of Life, He is the Light.  He is the King of the Jews and the King of the Ages.

He is all those things and more.  He is the Way.  The Truth.  The Life.  He is the Savior of the World.  He is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever.

He is all those things and more.  He is the Messiah.  He is my Messiah.

Jesus left of the splendor of heaven, to be born in a dirty stable.  He left His Father, to be born to human, sinful parents.  He left His kingdom, to be spat upon, beaten, and killed.  Then He left us here to go to heaven, to prepare it for us, to await our time together.

Remember what this is about.  This is about Him.  Every day, all month, every person we've talked about.  It's all been about Him and Him only.

For unto us is born a Savior.  He is the Messiah, the Lord.

The Twenty-Second Persons of Christmas are the Shepherds

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. Luke 2:8

In that time, shepherds were often wage earners, hired by farmers to keep watch over their sheep.  Sheep needed to be moved from pasture to pasture, and a farmer simply did not have the time to do that with his other responsibilities. 

So shepherds would have been nomadic people, living apart from society.  Wikipedia.com says, "It was mainly a job of solitary males without children, and new shepherds thus needed to be recruited externally. Shepherds were most often the younger sons of farming peasants who did not inherit any land."

Shepherds could have also been the youngest member of the family - such as David - who couldn't help with the more difficult, more physical work. 

Whichever kind of shepherd you were, it would have been a lonely job.  Just a man and some sheep.  They did not have access to societal "niceties" such as very clean clothes, good food, or even baths.

The shepherd would have been one of the lowest classes of society.  They were dirty, smelly, and uncouth.  Not being around people on a daily basis, if they would have had any societal "niceties," they would have easily been lost by being alone for days on end. 

Why on earth would the angels appear to the shepherds first? 

For the same reason the Jesus is often referred to as the "Good Shepherd."  Because He came for the least of these.  He came to save us all - the king and the pauper, the farmer and the shepherd, the Jew and the Gentile, the man and the woman.

These shepherds, these dirty, unkept men, were the first to see the Messiah.  God bestowed that blessing on them!  And why?  Because they were so taken with what they had seen - this heavenly host - and what they had heard - "Glory to God in the highest!" - that I think they literally ran into Bethlehem.  I think they tripped over themselves, laughing, crying, panting - trying to get there, get to the manger, see this baby.

And after the loudness that must have surrounded them when the angels sang . . . the manger must have been so still.  So quiet.  Just, perhaps, a baby's cries, a mother's coos, and father's sighs. 

The shepherds are important to the Christmas story because they remind us that no matter who we are, where we come from, how bad our past is - Christ came for us, too.  They remind us that no one is "lowly" to hear from God.  They remind us that when we hear this good news, we must respond - we must go to Him! 

The Christmas story is about kings, and shepherds, and everyone in between.

The Twenty-First Person of Christmas is the Heavenly Host

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13-14

Can you use your imaginations with me again?  Have you ever heard the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir?  How about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?  When they sing, it's beautiful, right?  Blended harmonies, robust with richness and fullness, rising and falling in perfect crescendos. 

I think the heavenly host was like these two choirs combined.  On steroids.  Times infinity.  Plus one.

I cannot wait to hear the heavenly host sing some day.  I cannot wait to just soak in the beautiful music, beautiful for one reason - because it is sung for the Most High.

Don't be confused, again, about who this heavenly host is.  They weren't tiny little cherub-faced angels, strumming tiny guitars and flitting around in the sky.

The heavenly host is an army.  It's described several times in the Bible, from Joshua to Psalms to Luke to Revelation.  The heavenly host is comprised of cherubim, archangels, and angels. 

Cherubim are God's guard dogs.  They are depicted on the ark of the covenant and are said to accompany God and protect His throne (see 2 Samuel 22).  Ezekiel describes them as  having four faces in chapter 10: of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. They are said to have the stature and hands of a man, feet of a calf, and four wings each. Two of the wings extended upward, meeting above and sustaining the throne of God; while the other two stretched downward and covered the creatures themselves.  

Archangels, as we discovered when we talked about Gabriel, are high ranking warrior angels, like a general in an army.  They are messengers and warriors, and two are named specifically in the Christian bible:  Gabriel and Michael.  Hebrew scriptures and Catholic tradition also refers to Raphael, and apocryphal books refer to seven archangels - once eight, the eighth being Lucifer before his fall.

Angels refer to the rest of God's heavenly creatures.  Their role is to be the messenger of God, as well as protecting and guiding human beings, and carrying out God's tasks  The book of Revelation (5:11) refers to ten thousand times ten thousand angels circled around God's throne.  That would 100 million angels!

It's no wonder that in Luke 2:9, a single angel appeared to the shepherds first.  The bible says that alone terrified them!  Can you imagine what it would have been like if they had seen cherubim first, or 100 million angels at one time?  (By the way, 100 million is 100,000,000,000.  Wow.)  These poor shepherds would have dropped dead from shock!

But let's dream.  Let's imagine.  We don't know if every single angel, archangel, and cherubim of heaven were in this choir.  But let's imagine they were.  100 million angels, seven archangels, and who knows how many cherubim.  Flying across the sky like shooting stars.  Singing, perhaps playing instruments.  Perfect harmony.  Perfect synchronization.

Remember, as I've said a few times already, common sense tells me that these angels already knew Jesus intimately.  They already knew Him as God the Son, and had probably known him for generations upon generations of time.  They knew His wonder, His power, His love, His joy.  This was their Redeemer, their Savior, their Friend.

The heavenly host is important to the Christmas story because they remind us of the purpose of the whole thing:  "a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."

Glory to God!  The Messiah has come!

The Twentieth Person of Christmas is the Innkeeper

"...she placed him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn." Luke 2:7

The Bible doesn't mention the innkeeper. Nor does it mention any homeowners that might have turned Mary and Joseph away. The Bible is curiously silent on the hours leading up to this one moment, as Joseph must have looked frantically for a place for Mary to give birth, realizing the time was upon them.

I wonder about them, this innkeeper, these homeowners. Did they know? Did they hear? Were they some of the people that the shepherds went running to, to tell them the good news that the angels had shared?

I wonder if these people ever realized what they missed out on.
Did they ever understand that they were this close to witnessing the event of history?

It's a good lesson for all of us. We have to be ready to see. We have to be ready to hear. We must be ready.

You know, it wasn't just the innkeeper who missed it. Most all of Bethlehem, and the world, missed it. Missed the wonder. Missed the miracle. Missed the joy. Missed the Messiah.

The innkeeper is important to the Christmas story because he reminds us that we need to be ready! We need to be looking! We need to pray to have His eyes and His heart, so that we may see needs that we can meet, so that we can hear the hearts' cries of others. So that we can receive the blessing of being His servants.

If we are ready to entertain "angels, unaware" we may never know in this earth life just what we've done. And that's ok, someday we will.

But we will know that we have been God's servant. We will know we have done His will. We will know that we fully participated in His plan.

So be ready. Open your eyes. Open your ears. And be ready.

The Nineteenth Person of Christmas is Mary, the Traveler

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 guest room available for them. Luke 2:4-7 

Poor Mary.  Nine months pregnant, traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  The distance is about 80 miles; a normal person can walk about 20 miles per day.  But a pregnant woman is not a normal woman!  (ha ha)  And, Samaria lay between the two cities, so they probably would have walked around it.  So it's possible that they journey could have taken up to a week.

Now, Mary and Joseph had to have known it was time for the baby to arrive.  I wonder why she didn't stay behind?  Perhaps it was because she had no one to help her.  Perhaps their families had truly shunned them for this pregnancy.  We don't know the answer to that question.

But I would like to think that Mary would have been somewhat prepared for the possibility.  She did have swaddling clothes, which consisted of a cloth tied together by bandage-like strips. In those times, after an infant was born, the umbilical cord was cut and tied, and then the baby was washed, rubbed with salt and oil, and wrapped with strips of cloth. These strips kept the newborn child warm and also ensured that the child's limbs would grow straight.

So Mary would have had these things with her.  She wasn't surprised when she went into labor.  But oh . . . how tired she must have been.  How she must have ached, how her feet, legs and back must have hurt!

I wonder if she worried.  If she worried that God had made a mistake, giving His Son to her.  I mean, they couldn't even find a decent place to give birth!  Here she lay, in a stable, giving birth to the Son of God, among farm animals, their feed and excrement, rodents and the like.

And don't make the mistake of thinking that the stable tradition teaches us about, like our beautiful nativity scenes, is anything like what really took place.  Mary literally gave birth in a cave - a structure hollowed out of the side of a hill.  Rocks all around her.  Nothing comfortable.  Nothing joyous.  Nothing perfect.  Far from it.

But then, out of this discomfort, this imperfection - comes love.  Love in the form of a perfect baby boy. 

Verse 19 says that as all these things were happening - the birth, the angels, the shepherds - "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."

She's changed quite a lot in these last months.  A simple virgin girl, transformed into a mother.  A young innocent who has not seen much of the world, has suddenly seen miracles.  An obedient servant, who becomes a leader for generations to come.

Mary is important to the Christmas story, because - yes, she shows us that God can use anyone.  She shows us that God does miracles.  But she also shows us that God amazes us.  He confounds us.  He uses the worst of our circumstances to make the best miracles, the best blessings, of our lives.

The Eighteenth Person of Christmas . . . is Satan

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Offspring; He will bruise and tread your head underfoot, and you will lie in wait and bruise His heel.  Genesis 3:15, AMP

I saw a play once about the life of Christ, but the first character to appear was a very handsome angel who flew in from the back of the theater, over our heads to the stage.  When he began to speak and then to sing, his voice was strong and beautiful.

Unfortunately, we soon understood that this angel was in fact, Lucifer.  And the play goes on to show how Satan was always watching Jesus, stalking him, if you will.  He tried and tried to get to him, to be his undoing.  He hid among the shepherds at Jesus' birth; he walked among the crowds during His ministry; and he stood with the Pharisees and Sadducees at His death. 

There was a scene where Jesus and Satan come face to face in a pretty powerful confrontation.  And I was struck with the realization - and I don't know why it never occurred to me before - that Jesus and Satan had known each other before.

Remember when I talked about the angel Gabriel several days ago?  And I said that Gabriel would have known Jesus in heaven? 

Well . . . wouldn't Satan have known Him, too?

Satan - Lucifer, as he was known then - was beautiful, the most beautiful of God's creation:  "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.  Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared."   Ezekiel 28:12 - 13  

Lucifer was in heaven, with God, with Jesus, with the Spirit, for . . . who knows how long?  

Do you think it's a stretch for Lucifer - the seal of perfection - to have considered Jesus like a brother?  Do you think they would have been close?  Bonded?  Perhaps that is too simple of a description.  But . . . my goodness.  Lucifer KNEW God.  He KNEW Jesus.  

And yet . . . 

"You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'”   Isaiah 14:13 - 14  

Clearly, Lucifer tried to overthrow God, to become God Himself.  He didn't want to just be 'like' God - he wanted to be Him.

And then, when God said in Genesis 1:26, "Let us make man in our image . . ." I think Satan was infuriated.  He has been in a jealous rage ever since!  No wonder he hates us - he is jealous of us! 

So when Jesus littled Himself - literally babied Himself - to come to earth - how Satan must have crowed!  He surely thought - now!  Now is my chance!  If He's human, I can defeat Him.  How excited he must have been!

But I wonder how these times played with Satan's mind, even his psyche, if he even has such a thing.  As Jesus was presented at the temple, as He grew in wisdom and stature, as He resisted temptation in the wilderness, as more and more people came to Him and changed their lives.  Did Satan feel his defeat in the air?

Certainly, there were times of victory for Satan.  When the rich young ruler turned away, deflated.  When Satan convinced the priests to go after Jesus.  When he entered Judas.  When they arrested Him.  When they tried Him.  When they killed Him.

I think Satan knew all along what was going to happen.  But I think he kept it to himself.  I think he hoped against hope that the prophecy was wrong, that Jesus was too human now to still be God, that Jesus could not defeat death.  I think he allowed his demonic minions to party and carry on, while he paced and stewed and waited.  

I think during those three days, when all earthly signs said Jesus was dead, when Jesus was preaching to those in Hades, when Jesus was still quite active and working! - I think Satan was also working, working feverishly on Jesus' disciples and followers, trying to convince them that it was over, that all hope was gone.  


And when those three days were over, and that stone was rolled away, and those angels waited for Mary and Peter and John - I think Satan was cowering in a corner of hell.  


But 33 years earlier, I think Satan thought, maybe he had the bases covered.  He would use evil men to do evil things, and he would defeat this stupid, ridiculous notion called love.


You see, that's why even Satan is important to the Christmas story.  Because of him, we see the true fullness of God's love for us.  That God was willing to allow His son to be tormented for 33 years - that Christ was willing to go through Satan's brutal attacks - and why?


Because of love.  That's why.  It starts with love, and it ends with love. 

The Seventeenth Person of Christmas is Herod

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.  Matthew 2:1 - 3

King Herod was also known as Herod the Great.  The name should have been, Herod the Crazed.  Herod was evil.  He had ten wives and at least 14 children, three of which he had executed.  He was suspicious and prone to passionate outbursts, which leads many historians to believe that he was in some form mentally ill.

Herod was a Jew (converted) who was an appointed Roman king.  He had colossal dreams and views of himself; he is known as much for his ambitious building projects as he was for his brutality.

It's difficult to think of how God could use Herod in the Christmas story.  As we go farther in Matthew 2, we see that Herod, so alarmed by the appearance of the Magi and their questions of a new king, orders all male children under the age of 2 to be executed.

Bethlehem was a small town.  Some historians think the number of murdered babies could be as low as 20.  But that's not a low number, not to any sane, rational person, and not to God.

How could God use this horrible man and his evil deeds in the story of His Son?
Why did there have to be horror?
Why did a time of hope for some have to be a time of tragedy for others?

In short . . . I don't know.  All I know is this:  nothing will stop God's plan.  Nothing.  Not an evil madman.  Not dead children.  Not even Satan himself (who we will discuss tomorrow).

God's plan was for the Messiah to come, to offer Himself as a sacrifice for all mankind.  To pay the price for our sin.  That is His ultimate plan of redemption, and nothing could stop it.

Herod is important to the Christmas story, because he reminds us that not all that was happening during this time was good.  And yet . . . God still triumphed.

The Sixteenth Person of Christmas is Caesar Augustus

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  Luke 2:1

Caesar Augustus was the first emporer of the Roman empire, which he ruled from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.  The word "Caesar" you've probably often heard - no, not caesar salads! You may already be aware that "Caesar" is a title, like "king."  The title Caesar is derived from the name of Gaius Julius Caesar, who died in 44 BC.

Caesar Augustus, as referred to in the book of Luke, was born Gaius Octavius Thurinus; interestingly, he was adopted posthumously by his great uncle, the above mentioned Gaius Julius Caesar, via his last will and testament.  In 27 BC the Roman Senate awarded him the name Augustus - "the revered one" - and thus consequently he was Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus.   

There are pages and pages of history in books and (and wikipedia!) that I don't begin to pretend I understand.  Roman history is complex, rich and dogmatic.  Yet if you'll allow to simply summarize that at this time in history, Rome controlled most of the world.  They were THE dominant powerhouse, and controlled everything around them - by force, if necessary.  And it was often necessary.

Remember that the Jews hated being controlled by the Romans.  They did not like being taxed, they did not like having their religion threatened, and they did not like the constant internal bickering of Roman government (because, why, it was so different from their own?!?).  The Romans weren't so crazy about the Jews, either.  The Jews were unpopular, and there was constant concern about rebellion.

So it's no wonder that Caesar Augustus ordered a census at this time.  As ruler of the world, he needed to have a handle on what that world consisted of.  Who were his enemies?  Where were they concentrated?  What were they doing, how were they living?

And, it makes sense that he would command each man to go back to his city of ancestry.  Long before the postal system, cars, telephones, computers - each part of the census had to be done by hand and by mouth.   And so there had to be a way to get each person to a city, to a center with lots of bodies to do the work.

Caesar Augustus is important to the Christmas story, because his census shows how God uses everyday, ordinary events to create his will.  He could have ordained that Jesus be born somewhere else.  He could have not had the prophets say that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem!  He could have snapped His fingers and - poof! - Joseph and Mary could have suddenly appeared in that city.

God can, and does work that way.  But most often, He uses the common.  The ordinary.  The every day.  He uses you.  And He uses me.

I don't know why.  I don't know why the King of the Universe doesn't call up great and mighty people to do His great and mighty work.

But He doesn't.  And that's good news for me, because there is nothing great or mighty about me.  

How about you?  Can you look around at the circumstances of your life and see how God is using them, how He is calling you? 

The Fifteenth Person of Christmas is Quirinius

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 their own town to register. Luke 2:1-3

I'll bet you are like me.  I'll bet you've never spent much time thinking about Quirinius.  Who cares about him?  What does it matter?  How is he important to the Christmas story?

He matters a lot.  Luke was quite wise to include him in his telling of the birth story, because it gives the world historical proof that what Luke was saying was true.

However, there have been critics through the years who point to this particular passage to say that this story is untrue, or at the very least, that Luke was wrong.  The bible says that Jesus was born before King Herod died.  Herod died in 1 B.C., but Quirinius was not appointed governor of Syria until around 6 B.C.

So either Luke was wrong, or this didn't happen, or history was wrong.

But recently, we've seen that on close examination, the original translations do not say that Quirinius was governor.  It says he was governing.  There's a difference!  If he was working in government in Syria, then Luke's statement is entirely accurate, whether or not Q was the head governor or not.

Why is this important?  It's important because Q's role in this whole story gives a historical foothold to the story of Christ's birth.

And why is that important?

I think Luke must have been an interesting character.  Scholars think that he was a Gentile, highly educated, well traveled, well connected, and extremely widely read. 

But this day isn't about Luke, it's about Quirinius.  So why is he important?

Because I think Luke had a sense of what he was writing, of who he was writing to.  He was not an eyewitness to any of Jesus' life - from his birth to his ministry to his death.  So Luke knew that in order to make a convincing argument for the authenticity of his story, he had to make it factual.

And Q was indeed a Roman governor.  He was appointed to Syria, and one of his first tasks was to carry out a census - part of a world-wide census - for taxation purposes.  Now, the Jews hated the Romans, hated being taxed by them, and a census was forbidden under Jewish law.  Open revolt was on the horizon. 

What does all this mean?  Why am I telling you this?  I am telling you this because Quirinius is important to the Christmas story.  The time was ripe.  The world was ready for a Savior, the Messiah.  Quirinius simply plays a part in the story, a story he probably never knew he was in.  But it's a never-ending, life-changing, world-altering story, nonetheless.

The Fourteenth Person of Christmas is Balthasar

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. Matthew 2:11


Now, remembering that most of our Magi discussion is purely imaginary, just wonderings - our last king is named Balthasar, from Arabia.  The distance to Bethlehem was a little more than 750 miles - so Balthasar had the shortest distance, and the shortest time to travel!

And again, whether or not the kings came from three different places, or all from Yemen, as discussed yesterday, the important thing is that they came.  They acted.  They moved.

And they didn't just come as curious onlookers.  They came as worshipers.  And they brought gifts!

The gifts themselves are interesting.  They have both practical and symbolic value. All three gifts are both ordinary offerings,  and gifts given to a king. Myrrh being commonly used as an anointing oil, frankincense as a perfume, and gold as a valuable.  The three gifts had a spiritual meaning as well: gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense (an incense, like that used in the temple) as a symbol of priestship, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death.

One could make the argument that these astrologers were predicting Christ's future:  that He would be our King.  That He would be our Priest.  And that He would be our Sacrifice.

The three kings are important to the Christmas story, because they give us three gifts, as well.  They showed us the importance of coming from wherever you are.  They showed us the importance of humbling ourselves in worship before Him.  And they showed us that when we come, when we humble ourselves, we are giving God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit the only gift we have to offer:  ourselves. 
 

The Thirteenth Person of Christmas is Caspar

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  Matthew 2:1-2

Yesterday I shared that there is some thought that the three wisemen were named Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar.  Please remember that I have no idea if this is true - we are using a lot of imagination during these three days as we think about these three kings.

It is said that Caspar came from India, which is over 2,400 miles from Bethlehem.  It's interesting to imagine that the three kings came from different parts of the east, meaning that at some point, following the star, they came to the same point at the same time and continued on their journey together.  That would truly be just like God - to bring these three like-minded men, who would have all been wealthy, learned, and powerful - to a place where they would want to humble themselves to worship this tiny King, together.

However, most believe that they were Babylonians, Persians, or Jews from Yemen, as the kings of Yemen then were Jews.  Most likely, they were from Babylon, which was the center of  Zurvanism (see yesterday's post), which would also mean the center of astrology.  They may have retained their knowledge fromt he time of their Jewish leadership by Daniel.  [Information in this paragraph was obtained from wikipedia.com.]  If they were together, traveling from Yemen, they still had to span a distance of over 1,200 miles!

Whether the kings were from the same place, or all different places, do you see what a miracle it was for them to come together, to risk hardship, death and more, to see this child?  They knew for sure they were coming to see a baby, or very small child, because they asked King Herod, where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?

Kings don't often humble themselves.  They don't often take great risks.  Kings don't often seek to worship another king.  To do so would be to admit that they themselves weren't the center of the universe.  In most royal societies, it was assumed that the king was on the throne because either a) he was god or b) God himself put him there.

So to see these three kings travel so far, for so long, taking so many risks, is truly amazing.  It can only be a God-ordained event. 

The wisemen are important to the Christmas story because they show us the importance of humility, from the foot of the manger to the foot of the cross.  Paul wrote to the Galatian church about how we are all the same - "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28" 

This baby, born to poor parents, born in a barn, born with no dignity, no grandeur - He was born so that kingly men could bow down and worship.  He was born so that homeless men could bow down and worship. 

He was born so that I could bow down and worship. 

The Twelfth Person of Christmas is Melchior

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.  Matthew 2:11

Over the next three days, we are going to be using our imaginations a lot, as we talk about the three wise men, these three kings from the east.

Do you know that Matthew is the only book that mentions these kings.  And he does not say there were three men - he simply mentions three gifts.  There could have been two kings - or eight!  In fact, eastern tradition says that there were twelve!  But for this week's discussion we are going to safely settle and agree with the tradition of three.

We know so little about them.  The bible never mentions their names; however, history and church tradition call them Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar.  In fact, there is an Armenian tradition that identifies them as each being from a different country:  Melchior from Persia, Caspar [or Gasper] from India, and Balthasar from Arabia.    


The term magi refers to the priestly caste of Zoroastianism from the old Persian empire.  [You can read more about this religion at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism.]  As part of their religion, these priests paid particular attention to the stars, and gained an international reputation for astrology, which was at that time highly regarded as a science. However, some argue that it was astronomy, not astrology, that was their focus. 

Regardless, they studied the stars.  And there was something about this star that was special.   Something about this star made these three men want to leave everything behind and follow it!

You know, if they truly came from three different countries, then they didn't plan this trip together.  Rather, they separately ended up united for this amazing journey.  At what point they met - we don't know.  Oh, there's so much we don't know!

Today, let's talk about Melchior.  If it is true he is from Persia - which is modern day Iran - he would have traveled roughly 1,000 miles to see the Christ child.  That's a long way to go, right?  In fact, though most of our nativity scenes show the kings kneeling right alongside the shepherds, in the stable, Jesus was probably two years old before Melchior saw him.

Do you find it ironic that this king of Persia went to all this trouble to see a baby who was, basically the creation of Christianity? 

Most people today would consider Iran to be an enemy to Christianity.  Would you agree?

Isn't it just like God to use such irony to teach us about His character . . . it doesn't matter where you come from.  It matters where you are going.  Your baggage doesn't matter.  Your background doesn't matter.  All that matters is that you are really, sincerely, looking for Him.

The three kings are an important part of the Christmas story.  I'll summarize fully on the third day, but for now, let me say - the fact that we don't know much about them is important.  It allows us to wonder, to imagine.  It allows us to say - no matter who you are, or where you come from, there is room for you.

The Eleventh Person of Christmas is Joseph's Angel

An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20 - 21

We are not told this angel's name, as we are in Mary's and Zechariah's stories.  He could be the angel Gabriel, also, but . . . I like to think not.  I like to think that Joseph, in his exceedingly unique position, would have his own unique messenger.

He might have been another archangel, such as Michael.  We know that they are often sent as holy messengers.  I really have no clue. 

But here's what I do know.

This angel had a brotherhood with Joseph.  He had a kinship.  He seems like a big brother - watching, waiting, protecting.  Protecting not just Joseph, but the entire family.  Mary.  This tiny baby.

Remember, as I shared when I talked about the angel Gabriel - these angels already knew Jesus.  They had known Him, probably, for thousands of years. So this angel had more than just obedience to God going on here.  He had a personal, vested interest in keeping this family safe. 

And so he stayed with Joseph, continued to communicate with him, guide him.

It starts in Matthew 1, with the verses, above.  He, like Gabriel, tells Joseph what to name the baby,  He comes back in chapter 2, warning Joseph to run from Herod. 

Now we get to what I really love about this story, about this angel.  Matthew 2:13:  "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Until I tell you.  That's quite a promise!  It's one thing for a heavenly messenger to come and give you a message from God.  It's another thing when he comes again!  But it's an entirely crazy, chaotic, passionate thing when the angel says, I've got your back.  I'm staying around, I'm watching out for you, and I'll let you know what to do next.

Can. You. Imagine.   Can you imagine the sense of urgency this angel had, the way he might have spoken to Joseph?  The first time, he would have been comforting, full of grace and love.  This time, I think he was in full warrior mode!

"Joseph.  Joseph!!  Get up!  You must run.  Run, Joseph!!  Take Mary and the baby and run!!  Go to Egypt, and don't leave until I tell you.  Let's go - let's go!"

This unnamed angel is important to the Christmas story because he shows us the real, immediate danger this little family was in.  And yet, he also shows us how God was there, the whole time, watching, working, moving.  He didn't leave His Son and His parents in a dire predicament without hope, with no way out.

He gave them protection.  He gave them angelic warriors to comfort them, guide them. 

You know what?  I can't wait to meet this angel one day.

The Tenth Person of Christmas is Joseph

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  Matthew 1:24

Read carefully the accounts of Jesus' birth in Matthew and Luke.  Do you see what I see?  Do you notice anything?  Maybe something about Joseph?

Joseph, the man chosen to be the earthly father of the Son of God . . . never speaks.  Not a word.  There is no recorded testimony from him in the biblical record.

I find that so interesting!  What we see from Joseph, then, is a man of character, a man of obedience, a man of action .

When Mary told him she was pregnant, Matthew writes, "Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly."  [1:19]  This was a man who had every legal right to shame and shun Mary, but we see his character in that he wanted to handle this matter discreetly, quietly.

When the angel said to him, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit,"  [1:20] Joseph "did what the angel of the Lord commanded."  By all appearances, he immediately took Mary as his wife.  There's no record of him consulting with his parents, or the priests, or even his friends.  He simply and quietly obeyed God.

After Christ was born, an angel came again to Joseph, warning him of a plot to kill the baby:  “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”  [2:13]  Matthew tells that Joseph got up that very night and took his family to Egypt.  He quietly jumped into action and protected his family.

Do you see a theme here?  Joseph might not have been a quiet man; he might have had a loud, booming voice with an infectious laugh.  But I also see a man who didn't argue with God; a man who obeyed without second thought; a man who didn't seek out opinion or validation from others.

That's a man with a quiet grace.  That's the kind of [wo]man I want to be!  Joseph's life, the small amount that we know of it, teaches us about humility, grace, and a gentle and quiet spirit. 

Joseph is important to the Christmas story, because - although he had nothing to do with the conception of the Messiah, this baby - he had everything to do with keeping him safe, with his very life!  Yes, God could have simply eradicated this baby's enemies with a wave of his hand. But . . .

But what an honor for Joseph, that God allowed him to protect His child.  In turn, God allowed Joseph to honor Mary, and church and historical tradition account for many more children together, and although it seems Joseph died years before Mary, there is no reason to think that their marriage was not good, holy, unique.

I wonder - the moment Joseph the father came face to face with God the Father.  You know, my imagination can run wild, but I can just see Joseph running to God, thanking Him for this precious gift, this life he was chosen to lead.  I can see him turning, and seeing his son - his Son! - in all his radiant glory.  I almost see Joseph take a step back in awe, and stumble, and Jesus reaches out to steady him.  And that embrace that follows - oh that embrace!  I hear Joseph telling God, and Jesus - thank you.  Thank you. 

And I hear Jesus saying . . . thank you, Father.  Thank you for obeying OUR Father and for raising me and loving me and protecting me. 

Do you realize that no one else in the history of man will ever have this same experience?  Just Joseph.  And although he never spoke in these stories, his character, obedience and action speaks louder than any words.

The Ninth Person of Christmas is John

Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.  Luke 1:66

I struggled with whether or not to include John in our list.  He was just an infant when Jesus, his cousin, was born.

But oh, John is so important to this story. 

Remember what the angel Gabriel said:  "He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God."  And Zechariah himself prophesied concerning his son: "And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him . . . "

Even Luke, the writer of this book, proclaims about John at the end of chapter 1:  "And the child grew and became strong in spirit [or in the Spirit]; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel."

God created John for a very special role:  to prepare the way for the Messiah.  John was called to get people ready, to prepare their hearts for the King.

It's such a good lesson for us all, today.  Re-read the verse, above:  the child [John] grew and became strong in the Spirit.  God calls us all for important work.  But He doesn't expect or even want us to do it on our accord, of our own strength.  He gives us everything we need to do our job.  He literally puts the nail in one hand, the hammer in the other, sets us before a board, and all we have to do is swing.

John lived to become strong in the Spirit.  He prepared himself before he ever tried to help his people prepare their hearts. 

It seems to me that John the Baptist knew exactly who he was, and was bold in his calling.  He knew what his role was.  He didn't tangle up God's will verses his.  He didn't confuse his ambition or agenda with God's.  He simply lived the life God called him to live.

It wasn't an easy, or glamorous life.  He lived in the wilderness!  He died a horrible death.  But the way he lived, the way he died, tell us a lot about God.  It tells us that God has a special role for each one of us.  It tells us that relying on God's strength, instead of our own, is the only way to get through.  And it tells us that no matter how special or great we may think we are . . . we are simply humble servants, whose thoughts, deeds, and words should point to the Messiah.

John is important to the Christmas story, because his life exemplifies the calling of God on each Christian.  In John 3:30, John said, "He must become greater; I must become less."  That's one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible.  It's the summary of John's life.  He was created to teach us, to show us, that our lives serve as a message, whether we purpose to do that or not.  The message is there.  What does your message say? 

Our hearts must be ready to receive Him.  And while we do the leg work, it's God who does it all.   

The Eighth Person of Christmas is Zechariah

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies   and from the hand of all who hate us—to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. Luke 1:68-75

Zechariah's song, after nine months of silence, is one of joy and thanksgiving.  He praises God for the horn of salvation - a phrase symbolizing a strong king - and for mercy, righteousness and holiness.  This is prophecy - and Zechariah certainly knows who he is speaking about! 

Can you imagine his true joy and excitement, to be filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesy about the coming Messiah?  The soon coming baby - his relative - who was the soon coming king?

Then he speaks about John:

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God...

The Holy Spirit has come upon Zechariah in such a tender way.  His praise for God, turns into joy for his son, and the role John will play in God's mighty - yet strikingly simple - plan.

I wonder if he understood the plan. I wonder if he understood the prophecies. Could he foresee the humble life his son would lead? Could he foresee the horrific death he would suffer? Could he even begin to see the way Christ would lay down his life, for all man, for all eternity?

When the angel Gabriel came to Zechariah in the temple, to tell him his prayers had been answered, and his wife would have a son, Gabriel's message was so clear:  "He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." 

That's quite an angelic message!  Not just the promise of a child - but a joy.  Not just an answer to prayer - but an anointing of God's power and purpose in his life.

John was clearly to be a special child, a special man. 

So were his parents.

Zechariah is important to the Christmas story because his song of praise and thanksgiving points us to the role of John the Baptist.  John was created - it was even foretold - to prepare the way for the Christ. It was his mission in life, the purpose of his life.

Don't we all share in that message - to tell the world about the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God?

The Seventh Person of Christmas is Elizabeth

“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”  Luke 1:25

Would you like to join me in an imaginary dinner party?  Sitting around the table would be women from Biblical history and beyond, all sharing how God gave them their hearts' desires - a baby.  Sarah would be there.  Hannah, too.  Elizabeth would hold center stage.  I would be there, and many of my friends, too.  Wouldn't you love to hear their stories?  Some, like Sarah, would share that at first they didn't believe, they couldn't believe!  Some, like Hannah, would laugh as they told stories of how people thought they were crazy to think she could get pregnant.

Then I imagine the conversation grows quiet as Elizabeth shares her story. 

I imagine her wistful smile as she shares that in her case, God didn't come to her, or send an angel to tell her the good news.  Instead, His angel went to her husband, Zechariah, in the temple.  I imagine the tears in her eyes as she contemplates how God used His holy place to share this holy news.

I think her smile grows as she tells how Zechariah ran home, and using sign language or some other communication, tells her about this amazing visit and their good news!  I like to think she even giggles as she remembers Zechariah's speechlessness, his pantomime retelling of his story.

Then perhaps her eyes widen as she shares the moment she realized she truly was pregnant.  The tears of joy, now spilling down her face, simply create a glow on her countenance, as she struggles to find the words to share that moment.  And all of us at the table nod, in complete understanding, for we have all had that moment of wonder and joy.

Then I think she stands, unable to contain her excitement, as she shares how her baby leaped in her womb the moment she sees Mary, her pregnant cousin, carrying the Messiah.  I think the words we read in Luke 1 are words she now sings to us: 

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!  But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

As she sings the words, her voice changes to a whisper:  why am I so favored?  How am I so blessed?

Elizabeth returns to her place at the table, and we are all quiet for a moment, contemplating the goodness of God for generations upon generations.  We are all thinking about our children, these babies who became men and women, some strong for the Lord . . . others not.  Some women are crying tears of mourning; some tears of joy.  But we are all crying together, sharing this moment, gathering strength from each other.

Then Elizabeth begins to share who her boy grew to be.  How he became known as John the Baptist, the voice crying in the wilderness - that's right, the prophet Isaiah even told about him, her son! - the one who came to prepare the way for the Messiah.

She shares how painful it was for John to die such a horrible death, but her overwhelming, everlasting joy at sharing eternity with him, with her family, her cousin - the Messiah was also her cousin! - and of course, God, her heavenly father.

Elizabeth is important to the Christmas story, because her son would give testimony to the coming of the Christ, the Messiah, our Redeemer.  Her story - which, just like Mary's - is a miraculous example of grace and hope, tells us about God's character.  Elizabeth's story exemplifies the love God has for us, His desire to give us our desires, and His overwhelming, ever reaching plan for the world.  To give His only Son, that we might have eternal life. 

The Sixth Person of Christmas is the Holy Spirit

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Luke 1:37


I really cannot even begin to fathom the complexities of the Holy Spirit.  We know that he is equal parts God, with God the Father and God the Son.  We know that he is real, as real as a person, not some ethereal, shadowy, force-like (use the force, Luke!) object.  He has a will, a mind, a heart (or emotions).

We know that he bears witness of the Christ in the hearts of man.  We know he acts as our conscience and our guide. We know that he brings comfort and peace to our hearts, minds and lives.

But we might not know him as a baby maker. 

I struggled with infertility for years, and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my Samuel is an answer to prayer.  But . . .

I was not impregnated by the Holy Spirit!

I wonder what that moment felt like for Mary.  Did she feel anything?  When Gabriel said that the Holy Spirit will come on you, did he mean in a literal, physical sense? 

We often think of the Holy Spirit like a breath, like the very breath of God.  I like the idea that the Spirit breathed into Mary, and breathed Jesus' very life into being. 

I recently heard a Christian scholar of Jewish tradition say that in the Jewish culture, birthdays are not what is celebrated.  They backtrack nine months, and celebrate the day of conception.  If that is true, can you imagine the celebration the day that the Spirit of God joined with His chosen vessel and created the Son of God?

From the moment the Spirit breathed on Mary, life was created.  The life that would save the world.

I believe the Holy Spirit has emotions; I can't even imagine how excited he must have been at that moment!  God's plan for a Messiah was coming to fruition!  The world was going to see just how much God loved! 

And at that moment, Mary - this simple girl from Nazareth - was joined with God the Spirit in a way no one else ever was, or has been since.  Can you imagine?

The Holy Spirit is important to the Christmas story because he breathed the life of Jesus into his mother.  Without God the Spirit, God the Father's plan to bring God the Son to man would not have happened.  Yes, God could have spoken and it would have happened.  Yes, God could have simply willed it to happen. 

But that He did it in such a beautiful way is part of the gift.  The Spirit came upon Mary, and by him a mere human could carry the Son of God. 

The Holy Spirit still moves, works, breathes all around us.  Just imagine what He could do for you this Christmas season. 

The Fifth Person of Christmas is Gabriel

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.  For no word from God will ever fail.” Luke 1:35-36

The angel Gabriel is a member of a privileged group. Not only is he an angel, he's an archangel, one of two mentioned specifically mentioned in the Bible.  In church lore, there are thought to be seven archangels:  Gabriel, Michael (the other angel mentioned in the Bible), Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Remiel and Saraqael. These angels are mentioned in the Jewish canon, Enoch, which is also referenced in the book of Jude in the New Testament.  (Note:  there is some thought that there were eight archangels . . . the 8th being Lucifer.)

Archangels are messengers - trusted with God's instructions and holy words.  Archangels are warriors, sent to fight on our behalf.  They are servants of God, as are all angels.

Oh, to be Gabriel on this day.  Can you imagine with me for a moment the dark spiritual forces that might have been surrounding Mary on this day?  Satan did not want Mary to get this message from God.  Perhaps he hoped that if he caused her to have a really bad day, she would act ugly and God would change His mind about her.  Or maybe, if he stirred up a lot of evil activity that day, Gabriel would be busy - too busy to deliver the message.

I like to imagine that Gabriel, with a huge, mighty sword, is swashbuckling his way to Mary, throwing demons left and right, with a heavenly host with him, and they surround Mary at this moment, protecting her, loving her, giving God's peace and calm to her.

To me, the most important thing that Gabriel says is the very last sentence, above:  No word from God will ever fail. 

I like to imagine that Mary held onto these words for the rest of her life!  No word from God will ever fail.  God speaks peace - it will never fail.  God speaks love - it will never fail.  God speaks hope - it will never fail.  God speaks deliverance - it will never fail.

 I wonder if it was hard for Gabriel.  After all, Jesus had been in heaven forever, and Gabriel had known Jesus since Gabriel was created!  Did Gabriel know and understand all that Jesus was in for?  Did he understand the prophecies?  Would Gabriel quite simply miss Jesus, after spending thousands of years in his presence?

Well, we'll never know on this side of eternity.  However, we know this:  Gabriel is important to the Christmas story because he was chosen to perform the most sacred of tasks - to deliver the Good News to Mary. He was able to tell her not just about the coming Messiah, but the Messiah he already knew.

Think about this:  when he told Mary that she would give birth to a son, and call him Jesus, and "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High" . . . Gabriel already knew Jesus, knew him just like that.

Yes, Gabriel is an important part of the Christmas story.  Not only did he get to deliver this beautiful, eternity-changing, earth-shattering message . . . but he got to talk about the Jesus he already knew.  The one who is - who always was - great.  The Son of God.

The Fourth Person of Christmas is Mary

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. Luke 1:26-27

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is certainly important to the Christmas story!  We are actually going to look at her twice this month:  today, as a young, virgin girl; and in a couple of weeks as a pregnant, weary traveler.

Today, let's think about the miracle of a young girl's obedience to a future that, if she agreed, would be plagued by scandal.

Although some believe in the Immaculate Conception - that Mary herself was sinless, or she would not have been able to "house" the Christ - there is no biblical evidence of that theory.  The miracle really comes when we look at Mary as who she really was - a teenage girl, engaged to be married, probably dreaming and making plans for her future.  She would have still been living with her parents, and in all likelihood, that is where the angel Gabriel came to meet her:

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.  But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

That Mary found favor with God did not mean she was without sin; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David - they all found favor with God, and yet were certainly not sinless.

So . . .
What could it mean, that God found favor with her? 
What could it mean, that she would have a baby before she was married?
What could it mean, to her and her family, to Joseph and his family?

Well, it probably meant heartache.  We don't know if Mary immediately understood that implications of all of this.  But we do know that her first reaction was not doubt, distrust, or demand.  Her first reaction was a beautiful:  "I am the Lord's servant.  May your word to me be fulfilled." 

How many of us wise, older women would have an immediate reaction of obedience? 
How many of us who know and study scripture would believe that God would do something so . . . crazy?
How many of us would choose trust instead of doubt?

The angel promises Mary many things - that her son's name would be Jesus; that he would rule on Jacob's throne forever; that she will conceive through the Holy Spirit.  He tells her that her very own cousin, Elizabeth - who was well past the age of childbearing - that she herself was pregnant.

This message from God, delivered by Gabriel, is full of hope and promise, and yet Mary surely understood - even if not immediately - that it was also a message of heartache and despair.  She surely realized at some point that she would be shunned.  She surely wondered how Joseph would react, if he would believe her, what he would do.

Yet we find none of those feelings in her song at the end of Luke 1.  After she goes to see Elizabeth, Mary sings the most beautiful song - some of the most poignant and moving words in the Bible, in all of history:

 “My soul glorifies the Lord
 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
   of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
   holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
   from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
   he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
   but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
   but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
   remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
   just as he promised our ancestors.”

 This teenager girl, about to become mother of the Messiah.    This Jewish girl, about to obey to see the whole world saved.  This virgin girl, about to become pregnant.  That's impossible, except through the Spirit of God. 

Mary is important to the Christmas story, because - taking all the miracles out of the equation - her obedience to a questionable future is the promise of Christmas.  She believed that no matter what happened, her God, who had performed mighty deeds, brought down rulers, helped Israel, remembered Abraham . . . she believed that He would be with her, too.

And He was.  Immanuel.  God with us.

The Third Person of Christmas is Isaiah

Isaiah was called as a prophet to the nation of Judah and to Jerusalem during the reigns of King Uzziah, King Jotham, King Ahaz, and King Hezekiah.  His writings were produced between the years of 740 - 680 BC.  His name means "The Lord is Salvation."  How fitting for God to choose this man, this prophet, to foretell so much about the coming of Christ.

Isaiah was special, chosen by God to tell His chosen people of His son.  And if the people had been listening to Isaiah, they would have easily recognized Christ when He came.  They could have rejoiced that He would be born of a virgin, Isaiah 7:14; that He would come from the house of Judah, Isaiah 37:31; that He would be from the house of David, Isaiah 16:5; that He would be from Nazareth, Isaiah 9:1-2.

Isaiah gave us these words:  For unto us a child is born, unto a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he 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.  He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever, Isaiah 9:6-7.

Those words are the epitome of Christmas.  Those words are what we celebrate.  Those words are what give something called a "holiday" a meaning beyond our wildest dreams.

Because those words give us hope.  Hope for a future, for peace.  Hope for eternity.  Hope for a God who is with us forever.


There cannot be a Christmas story without Isaiah.  Because His prophecies were the map for God's plan.  God didn't just spring a Messiah on His people, on the world.  It was His plan from the beginning.

You know, the Jews of Jesus' time knew the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the others.  They knew that the Messiah was to come from the house of David, and would offer them hope and salvation. 

Unfortunately, they ignored other prophecies.  They were waiting for a political and military hero, one who would free them from Roman rule, expunge them of their enemies, and restore them to a great nation.  Their way.

They were not waiting for God's son.
They were not waiting for Jesus.

If they had really read Isaiah's words, really inspected his prophecies, they would have seen these words from chapter 53:  "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted,yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand."

Isaiah is important to the Christmas story, because hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, before His ministry and His teaching, before the controversy, before He was betrayed and handed over - Isaiah told us all about it.  From His virgin birth, to the day of His death, Isaiah told it all. 

God used Isaiah to prepare the hearts of men for the Christmas story.  And He uses him today, in our lives, to remind us of His great plan, all along.

The Second Person of Christmas is David

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

This is a record of the family line of Jesus Christ. He is the son of David.  Matthew 1:1


We all know who David was.  He was a conqueror, a king, a man after God's own heart.  He was a songwriter, a shepherd, a best friend.  He was an adulterer, a murderer, a fallen hero.  He was the best.  He was the worst.

You know, God loves order.  Look at the end of chapter 1 of Matthew:  "So there were 14 generations from Abraham to David. There were 14 from David until the Jewish people were forced to go away to Babylon. And there were 14 from that time to the Christ."   God has ordained the days - not just the days, but the generations - of man from beginning to end.

But why was it important to God that Jesus come from the lineage of David?

You know, I used to think that God was chaotic.  In some ways, I still do.  By that, I mean that God is always moving, always swirling, always working.  Yet, when God looks at the world, at the cosmos, at His creation, He doesn't see chaos.  He sees order - His perfect plan.

His perfect plan was that Jesus and David be the same blood.  For Jesus to claim the throne as King of the Jews, He needed to come from a royal line.  Mary and Joseph both were direct descendants of David; through Mary, who shared the blood of David with Jesus, He was a rightful heir.  Through Joseph, who was not Jesus' blood, He had a legal inheritance as the son of David.

But again, why David?  Why this king?  Why this time?

Is David a hero or a villain of his own life story?  The best answer is, both.  He is a perfect king from which Jesus' blood lines should be drawn, because, in spite of his sin and shortcomings, he kept coming back to God.

When confronted with his sin, he didn't deny.  He accepted.  He repented.  He renewed.  He led God's people through times of war and peace, prosperity and adversity.  He always led with a knowledge and sense that they were God's chosen people.  He never turned his back, or the back of his nation, away from God, even when he did sin.

Without David, there would be no Christ.  In the end, if you ask me why, my answer must be - I don't know.  I don't know why God ordained it this way.  I just know that He did.

David is important to the Christmas story, because his life is another reminder that God had this plan all along.  When David was born, when he killed Goliath, when he ran from Saul, when he took the throne as King of Israel, when he saw Bathsheba for the first time, when he had her husband killed, when he lost his son, when he . . . when he did everything . . . he was part of God's plan all along.

The good and the bad.  The beautiful and the ugly.  The sin and the righteousness.

All part of God's plan.  To bring to the world redemption of sin - the Messiah . . . from the House of David.

The First Person of Christmas is God

From December 1 to the 25, I am going to write about the people of Christmas - 25 "characters" who shaped the Christmas story.

We begin with God.  God the Father, the one who wrote this story in the first place.

It's so hard to imagine that bringing a baby to a poor couple, impregnating an unwed teenager, telling dirty shepherds before kings and politicos - it's hard to believe that was God's plan.

But it was.  All along.

Sometimes we belittle the nativity story by thinking that Mary and Joseph happened to go to Bethlehem, that they were struck with some kind of curse by giving birth to the Savior in a stinky stable.  We belittle the miracle when we believe it was an accident, or bad luck of some kind.

We must know, and believe, that the whole of the story was God's plan from the beginning.  From the beginning - from before Isaiah, David, Abraham, even Adam.  From before the creation of Genesis, God was planning on proving his redemptive, everlasting love for us.


Did you catch that?  God - the One who spoke, and stars filled the sky, animals roamed the earth - the One who literally breathed life into the nostrils of His created one - this God has always known that He would prove Himself to us.

He, who had nothing to prove.  He, who could have spoken His way into our hearts without our consent.  He, who gave us our very lives.

From the beginning of creation He has been pointing mankind to the coming Messiah.  Through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He began the lineage that would one day house the Savior. In Genesis 22, God tells Abraham that "all nations will be blessed through you."  That means us.  You and me.  Because God was going to use Abraham's lineage to bring a Savior to the whole world.

God has been proving His love to us from the beginning of His story, from the beginning of His love letter to us.  From every thought and step that went into creating the tabernacle, to the priestly garments, to the Passover Festival - every last detail points to Christ.  Through the life of King David, through the prophets, even through the 400 years of silence from the Old Testament to the New - God has been telling us.  Every detail points to Christ. 

Every. Last. Detail.  Then, and now.  Every detail He has planned for your life is designed to show you His love for you.  Everything is about Him.


God is the First Person of Christmas, because the whole story is about His love for us.  And that's the message of Christmas.