What’s So Special About Christmas? - 1

 

What’s So Special About Christmas? - 1

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT: 

WHERE & WHEN JESUS WAS BORN?

… based on Luke 2:1-7

To be honest, the only thing I like about the shorter daylight hours at this time of year is seeing all the decorative lights.  I’ve always liked them.  I did as a little kid; I do as a big kid.  In fact, I enjoy most of the decorations that are displayed during December.  I love seeing “Season’s Greetings” written in red & white candy cane letters.  The Christmas scenes in people’s yards give me a warm feeling.  I never tire of listening to & singing along with Christmas carols.  And as hectic as this time of year has become, I still look forward to the Christmas season.

But our society has changed a lot in the last generation or 2. 

We’re becoming much more secular in our observance.  And there’s the continual controversy over the public display of nativity scenes.  (Blake took it upon himself to make a positive statement in that regard here at the Brown County Courthouse last year.  Thank you.)

And along the lines of the ridiculous, there’s the debate on whether we can have

“Christmas” trees, or should they be “holiday” trees?

I confess, stuff like that makes me want to pull my hair!

Most of all, there are questions about the little Child for whom the day is named.  Christ Jesus was His name.  And I’m sure you’ve all read the simple story about Him which explains that He never traveled outside His own country, never held a public office, & never wrote a single book.  But it goes on to state that all the armies & navies, & kings in history never affected the world as much as that “one solitary life.”

So, the question before us today, & for the next 2 weeks is … why should we care?  What does Jesus mean to us?  What’s so special about Christmas?

So, listen now to Good News, as recorded by Luke, to us who have gathered here for worship.  Within our hearing comes the Word of the Lord …

At that time Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire.  When the first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria.  Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own hometown.

Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David.  Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David.  He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him.  She was pregnant, and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby.  She gave birth to her first born son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger – there was no room for them to stay in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7)

This is the Good News of the Gospel; thanks be to God.

May the Lord grant that we may engage in contemplating the mysteries of His Heavenly wisdom with really increasing devotion, to His glory and to our edification. Amen

This morning, I want to answer the question … what’s so special about where & when Jesus was born?  And let’s begin with “the where.”

A few moments ago, I read that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  

Our oldest daughter, Jennifer, was born in Columbus, GA.  The reason she was born down there was because I was in the Army at Fort Benning, training to be an infantry officer in Viet Nam.  (F.Y.I. in 1969, Thanksgiving was also on November 27th, & bright & early the next morning, 56 years ago, 

I entered the U.S. Army.  Let me say, 

I’m in a far better frame of mind right now than I was 56 years ago!)

Okay, where was Jesus born? … (Bethlehem) … Why Bethlehem?

Jesus was born in Bethlehem because of Augustus Caesar.  

Augustus was Julius Caesar’s nephew, & arguably the most powerful of the Ceasars.  His mark can still be seen in Rome with its’ buildings & aqueducts & bridges & sewer systems, etc.  Augustus transformed not only Rome, but the entire known world with his roads & armies.

Well, Augustus ordered a census throughout the Empire.

(Periodic censuses were taken about every 14 years for the purpose of assessing taxes & discovering those who were eligible for compulsory military service.  The Jews were exempt from the military, so, Joseph was registering himself for tax purposes.)

Joseph went to Bethlehem because he was a descendant of King David.  

(Interestingly, Mary was as well.)  Now the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 80 miles.  And I know that most paintings show Mary riding on a donkey.  She probably walked.

Now you women are going to have to help me here.  That’s like walking from Columbus to Louisville, (or Columbus to Kokomo), when you’re 8½ months pregnant.  You women who have been pregnant … an easy trip? … Be honest with me, would you be ready to do some physical harm to your husbands?

When we think of Bethlehem, 

our image of it comes mostly from the Christmas carols we sing, doesn’t it?

“O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie!”

We imagine a silent night … but remember, the inns were full when Joseph & Mary arrived.  That tells us that there must have been lots & lots of people roaming around.  (It’s Nashville in October.)  And don’t picture these inns to be Holiday Inns or Comfort Suites.  They were extremely crude accommodations.  Most people slept in the same room, 

in open bay areas.  And since the rooms were only used for sleeping, 

it meant that everyone was outside roaming the streets.

We’ve been taught that Bethlehem was a tiny, insignificant village.

But in truth, it had rich legacy, especially in Israel’s history.  Now certainly, the names of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, (the patriarchs), are familiar to us.  Jacob’s wife, Rachel, whom he loved very much, was buried in Bethlehem. (Genesis 35:19) She died giving birth to their son, Benjamin. (Genesis 35:18)

Another important person in Israel’s history was Ruth.  She was a Moabite woman, & after her husband died, she went with mother-in-law, Naomi, back to Naomi’s hometown, Bethlehem. (Ruth 1:19) And there Ruth remarried, & had a son, Obed, who was the grandfather of King David. 

(Ruth 4:17)

And speaking of David, Bethlehem provided ancient Israel with its’ most enduring hero.  The prophet Samuel came to town in search of a future king … just as other magi would do some 1,000 years later. (Matthew 2:2)

And God led Samuel to the house of Jesse, where he eventually was introduced to David, the shepherd, & the “least likely to succeed” in his family. (1 Samuel 16:11) But that’s who God chose; & David became Israel’s greatest king.  Scripture describes him as “the kind of man God likes.” 

(The Acts 13:22)

The family tree of Jesus includes all 3: Rachel, Ruth, & David.  And they all point to the wonderful legacy that would one day belong to Bethlehem.

The greatest clue of all, however, was in plain sight for any Hebrew who read the Scriptures.  In the scrolls of the prophets was written this prediction: “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, 

whose family line goes back to ancient times.” (Micah 5:2)

Bethlehem Ephrathah … 2 names, 2 meanings.  Bethlehem means, 

“the house of bread.”  Jesus would one day identify Himself as,

“the Bread of life.” (John 6:35) He said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven.” (John 6:51) What could be a more fitting place for “the Bread of life” to be born than “the house of bread”?

The 2nd name, Ephrathah, the original name of Bethlehem, means “fruitfulness.”  Once again, Jesus would remind us of His birthplace when He said, “My Father’s glory is shown by your bearing much fruit, & in this way you become my disciples.” (John 15:8)

So, the clues were there for all who read the ancient writings & thought about the eternal workings of God.  And, as the years went by, the rabbis remembered & the scholars kept an eye on that little town. (Matthew 2:5)  Everyone else passed it by without much notice.  And so that amazing night when a poor carpenter & his betrothed wife came wearily into town, 

no one could have anticipated that the world would be changed forever.

One Bible scholar wrote this … “in some forgotten corner of a forgotten town in a forgotten country, the most unforgettable news arrived.”

What’s so special about where Jesus was born?

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, “the house of bread.”  Bread, from the earliest times, has been one of the world’s most common foods.  Jesus wasn’t born in the house of royalty, or a house of riches, or a house of celebrity.  

He wasn’t born in Jerusalem, or in Rome, or in Athens, or in any political, commercial, cultural, educational, or socially significant city of that day.

When Micah prophesized about Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, he emphasized its’ lack of significance.  Bread is one of life’s most common necessities.  

God wanted to be available to all. (Mark 12:37)

Okay, what’s so special about when Jesus was born?

A little over 2,000 years ago God looked down on humanity & saw how human beings were at “war” with themselves & with one another.  Scripture records, “When the right time

finally came, God sent his own Son.  He came as the son of a human mother.” (Galatians 4:4) This was in God’s timing.  

He was fulfilling His promises found in the O.T. (Luke 24:27) And now the conditions were optimal on the “battlefield” of earth.  So, what was it about the world 2,000 years ago that was so ideal for the coming of Christ?

The Romans themselves are part of the answer.  For the 1st time in history, 1 nation ruled the world.  The Mediterranean Sea was the hub of civilization & Rome had it surrounded.  They constructed elaborate highways … you’ve heard the expression, “all roads lead to Rome.”  They built those roads so their armies could travel quickly.  (Hitler did the same thing in WWII.  He constructed the autobahns for his army’s blitzkriegs.)

However, those highways also allowed messengers to travel safely with news & ideas.  And the Apostle Paul & other early missionaries took advantage of that to take the Gospel easily throughout the world.  

Ships, too, had come of age, sailing the Mediterranean … 

which was another way the Gospel was spread.

There was also the Pax Romano, the “Roman peace,” which lasted from 27 B.C. until 180 A.D.  Jesus was born in the generation in which it began, 

& it meant a relatively calm environment throughout the lower regions of Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Egypt, & North Africa.

The Jews, along with every other country in the vast Roman Empire, 

were allowed to preserve their own faith & customs.  The Romans were permissive about religions as long as there wasn’t any trouble, & the people paid their taxes.  Stability & relative tolerance opened the world to the spread of new ideas.  And roads & shipping lanes made it happen quickly & efficiently.  But there was another major factor … language.

In 333 B.C., years before the Caesars came to power, a man by the name of Alexander the Great wanted to unite all the cultures of the world.  He wanted everyone to think like Greeks & speak like Greeks.  The old saying, “what’s good for General Motors is good for America.”  That was Alexander’s philosophy.  “What’s good for Greece is good for the world.”  

So, he made people everywhere speak Greek.

Providentially, Greek happens to be one of the most beautiful & articulate languages in the world.  It’s custom built for the ideas that distinguishes Christian life & thought.  And this shared language, Greek, would make it possible for Paul & Barnabas & Luke & the Apostles to travel everywhere telling people the Good News of the Gospel without cumbersome translation.  

Elaine Scherrer is a missionary that Kathy & I support.

She serves as a linguistic specialist with Wycliffe Bible Translators in the African nation of Chad.  She develops written languages for groups who don’t have any, which obviously aids the missionaries.  Because of Alexander the Great, language wasn’t an issue for the 1st Christian missionaries.

So, as we think about the world 2,000 years ago, the Roman roads & peace, 

& the Greek language … it seems that the time was right for an obscure Teacher from a small town in an occupied country to change the world … after His death.

On the Friday of His execution, His followers largely abandoned Him. 

(Matthew 26:56) Yet within a generation, He was worshipped in many countries.

Within 3 centuries, His faith was the official doctrine of the Empire.

And today, 2.4 billion men, women, & children, over 1/3 of the world’s population, follow that Teacher who was crucified as a criminal.

Jesus indeed came at the perfect time, but He also brought the perfect message.  He brought hope & light. (John 1:4) In a world ruled by the sword, He spoke of perfect peace. (John 14:27) In a world of violence & retribution, He spoke of loving one’s enemies. (Matthew 5:44) In a world of death, 

He offered hope of new life … both now, & beyond the grave. (John 11:25-26)

Jesus’ message captured the world.  In the fullness of time,

just when His truth & love could spread with the greatest impact, 

Jesus came to bring the most radical, 

the most wonderful message that has ever been presented … the Good News.

I’ve talked to you before about Chuck Colson.

He was Richard Nixon’s “hatchet man” who came to faith while in prison.

And from that moment until his passing in 2012, became,

I believe the strongest non-ordained spokesman for Jesus Christ in the last century.  He began “Prison Fellowship” which is an international organization committed to bringing the Gospel to prisoners.   

On one of the occasions that I got to hear him he told the story of going to Salem, OR, with his Prison Fellowship Ministry, & preaching to the inmates there.  The Lord gave Chuck a sincere concern for the prisoners, & they genuinely recognized it.  Kathy Troccoli, who’s a contemporary Christian singer, (actually one of my Kathy’s favorite singers), went with him & sang the song, “My Life Is In His Hands.”

After the service was over, one of the inmates came up to her & said, 

“I want to thank you for singing that song.  It ministered to me so much.  

My soul was dry.”  Kathy asked why.  He responded, “Well, I’m here in prison, & I have a lot of time left to serve.  I received a letter this past week from my wife asking for a divorce.  Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse … they did.  And I felt like there was nothing left for me.  But now I realize that my life is in the hands of God, & that somehow it will be okay.  

I really want to thank you for singing that song.”

5 days later, Chuck & Kathy were in Chicago, more than 2,000 miles from Salem, OR.  They were ministering in Statesville Correctional Center, & Kathy sang the same song, “My Life Is In Your Hands.”

After the service a woman, who had never been to a Prison Fellowship meeting before, came up to Kathy & said, “I really want to thank you for singing that song.  My soul has been so dry.”  (Almost the same exact words.)

    Again, Kathy asked, “why?”  The woman replied, “well, my husband is in prison, & I felt like I couldn’t put up with it anymore.  So, I wrote to him last week & asked for a divorce.  But I’m not at peace about it.”

    Her husband was the man they’d met back in OR!  Kathy was able to minister to her, & God healed that marriage.  

Just a coincidence? … No, God is in control.

The Psalmist declared, “I am always in your care.” (The Psalms 31:15)

“When the right time finally came, God sent his own Son.”  

What began in a stable in little Bethlehem would redefine history … 

at the perfect time & place.

And so it will be when Jesus comes again.  

“This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven & on earth, with Christ as head.” 

(Ephesians 1:10)

Let us now wait, expectantly for His next Advent.

MARANA THA