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?