Christmas from the Perspective of (the Bystanders)

The day of Christ's birth has passed but the celebration is really just beginning.  His birthday was not a one day affair to be honored, celebrated and then forgotten again until next year.  No, His birthday was, and is, the beginning of an incredible journey, which we are all invited to take along with Him.  And that's why today I am writing about the bystanders to His birth ~ the Roman government,  the inn keeper, the shepherds, the wise men.  They, and many more including you and me, were the reason Christ became Immanuel, Christ with us.

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world so be registered.  This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.  So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.  (Luke 2:1-3)
  
It's interesting how the Romans played such a key role in Christmas.  It was the Romans who oppressed the Israelites.  It was the Romans from whom the Israelites were seeking a Messiah to free them.  It was the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, who declared that all the (known) world would undergo a census; thus setting the wheels in motion for the Messiah to be born in Bethlehem.  It was a local Roman potentate, King Herod, who later instructed the wise men to find this baby "king" for him.  I wonder how these mighty and powerful secular kings would have felt had they realized that they were such important players in a plan devised by the King of kings before the world was created. 

 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,  to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. (Luke 2:4-5)

As Mary and Joseph slowly made their way along the path from Nazareth, I wonder if Joseph was thinking, "Yikes, I hope the midwife was wrong on our baby's due date.  Are we going to make it in time?  Will we get a clean bed in a nice room for Mary?  I should have made reservations."  I wonder if Mary was thinking, "This donkey ride is killing me.  It's bad enough when not pregnant but this bouncing around is enough to induce labor.  Gosh, I was so hoping to have my baby at home."  These are normal thoughts of perspective parents.  As obedient as Mary and Joseph were, I can't imagine them praising God for this difficult journey.  But then, there are believers who do praise God in all circumstances, and this couple had been handpicked by God; His favor was upon them.  I bet they did sing praise songs as they journeyed down the road.  (Note to self:  practice gratitude regardless of, and maybe because of, circumstances.) 

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for (Mary) to be delivered.  And so she brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manager, because there was no room for them in the inn.  (Luke 2:6-7)

The innkeeper in Bethlehem.  Once again, a key player in this story.  With no room at any hotel in town, he directed this pregnant couple to a manager.  A manager!  A  holy, pure God is going to be born in a filthy manager among animals and beasts of burden.  I don't know what Jesus was thinking but I bet his parents had given up their visions of the perfect birthing room and were relieved to have any place at all.  And that's the beauty of the innkeeper's gesture.  Jesus was not born out in an open field or under a tree.  He was born surrounded by the warmth of the very creatures He created; the very creatures that humans were given authority and protection over were surrounding baby Jesus with a warm, safe place to be born.  That may be stretching the vision but God uses ordinary people to execute His extraordinary plans, and the innkeeper was an ordinary man offering unusual but very ordinary accommodations for an extraordinary event.  Gotta love the fact that even 2,000+ years later, we can read this part of the story and relate to the ordinary innkeeper and his part in this extraordinary journey.

There are most likely no more common, ordinary people in this story than the shepherds.  I mean they weren't exactly at the high end of the economic and social totem pole, yet they got to hear first hand by angels of God, for heaven's sake, about the birth of Immanuel. 

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  (Luke 2:8-9). 

I bet they were greatly afraid.  I bet they were terrified!  Out in the fields, away from town, under a dark, star-studded sky, an angel appears out of no where amidst a blinding light.   If they weren't believers, then they were most likely freaking out over the unknown.  (Are you thinking Nogales, New Mexico and the supposed extra-terrestrial sighting?) If they were believers, they were most likely freaking out over the known.  (Knowing they were sinners incapable of standing in the blinding presence of God without an intermediary.)

Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." (Luke 2:10-12)

Okay, that clarifies things.  Our long-awaited Liberator-from-the-oppressors arrived today ~ as a baby ~and He's hanging out with barn yard animals.  I think they might have been a bit confused.  I know I would be.  They got their information directly from a highly trusted source, but the message was, well, not quite what was expected and even a bit weird.

 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"  So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." (Luke 2:13-14)

I love this part of the story.  The shepherds are not only the very first recipients of a holy birth announcement, they are treated to a heavenly concert to seal the deal.  Feeling both excitement and a bit of curiosity, and acting on faith that they are not having a group hallucination, they abandon their posts to check out the news.  The Lord has spoken.  The shepherds get moving.  Love God's style!  Love the shepherds reaction.

When I started writing about this scene, my first thought was that God has never spoke to me in such a theatrical manner.  I've never had a choir of angels sing a hallelujah chorus to me, but then I realize that's not totally true.  Whenever I am in His creation, particularly when I am completely away from man made things, I experience a depth and breath of God's Word.  A spectacular sunset.  A glorious snowfall.  A mighty mountain range.  A flower-laden meadow.  A powerful waterfall.  And so, so much more.  And what could been more theatrical than the miracle of my own son's birth?  Yes, God has spoken to me many times in a grand manner, but it's truly the quiet words, whispered in my ear and written directly on my heart that are the most amazing of all.

I must confess, however, that I do not always choose to react quickly and obediently to God's Word.  I do not always drop everything like the shepherds and get moving.  These Christmas bystanders are role models for me.  They not only got the privilege of first-hand news, but in their obedience and faithfulness, they then got to be the first to deliver the Good News of Christ's birth to others.

Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.... Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.  (Luke 2:17-18,20) 

Obviously, the word spread far and wide because even wise men from the East embarked on a journey to see Jesus.  Although we put the kings in our manger scenes, most likely Christ was about two years old when the wise men finally showed up.  It would have taken that long for them to complete their journey.  But when isn't as important as why.  They came because they wanted to see the prophesy that had been fulfilled.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."...And when (Herod the Roman ruler in Jerusalem) had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' " (Matthew 2:1-6)

Catch the scene.  Foreigners, most likely not even believers in the Jewish God, came to see the Ruler of Israel.  A ruler who will shepherd His people, just like the good shepherds who first heard the news of Christ's birth.  These religious men in their own right have been compelled by the Good News.  Indeed, it's too compelling to ignore.  Herod sends them out to find this Child so that he, too, can worship Him, but we know that Herod was really operating out of fear and distrust of a possible rival to his measly throne.

When (the wise men) heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:9-11)

The wise men rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.  They fell down and worshiped.  They presented gifts.  Their reactions had nothing to do with Herod and everything to do with a holy Child.  These bystanders, wearing expensive robes and bearing gifts of great wealth, fell down and worshiped!!!  They knew they were in the presence of our mighty God and they reacted in the only way they could.  They reacted in the only way that I want to react.  I want to be so in awe of Christ that I can barely breathe at the mention of His name.  As much as I love my intimate, best-friends-forever relationship with Jesus, I also want to be mindful of His deity and my unworthiness to be in God's presence without the loving intervention of Christ.

What I learned from the Christmas bystanders:

• that Christmas is not a one-day deal.  It's the beginning of an on-going celebration of the birth of a holy Child, Immanuel, who came so that we, too, can be born ~ born again in His redemptive salvation, released from the grips of the oppressor;
• the beauty of Christmas is that it's a story for everyone and it's a story personally just for me;
• our thoughts and our ways are not the thoughts and ways of God.  His are far greater and beyond our understanding;
• God uses ordinary people to be a part of His extra-ordinary plan;
• God will only use people if they agree to be used by Him;
• even when we think we have little to offer, it may be the very thing that makes a huge difference to someone else; 
• we don't need things of this world to fulfill us and God is faithful to meet our needs;  
• we have Good News of Christ's birth to share with others so that they, too, can be active participants in the Christmas story.
• there is an unsurpassed joy and reward in listening to and acting on God's Word;
• God is worthy of our praise and worship.