"1-5About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant. 6-7While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel. An Event for Everyone 8-12There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger." 13-14At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him. 15-18As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed. 19-20Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told! "
It's Christmas time or as many prefer to call it: The Festive Season. Everywhere we go, we are greeted by Christmas decorations and beautiful carols. Yet, for many of us, Christmas is not a time of joy. It is a time where we are reminded of our losses; hardships and sadness. A song that summed it up perfectly is: "Where are you Christmas" by Faith Hill.
Where are you Christmas Why can't I find you Why have you gone away Where is the laughter You used to bring me Why can't I hear music play My world is changing I'm rearranging Does that mean Christmas changes too Where are you Christmas Do you remember The one you used to know I'm not the same one See what the time's done Is that why you have let me go
As Christians we know that there is a deeper meaning to Christmas. So we add a nativity scene to our decorations and we go to church on Christmas day to celebrate the birth of "a child" "We celebrate Jesus as a child lying in a manger, but we tend to forget the deeper meaning of Christmas. It is such a touching story portrayed by actors, musicians and churches worldwide. Yet, we celebrate Christmas from a distance. How can we relate to a baby boy lying in a manger? A baby knows no sadness, no fears, no loss or rejection. Isaiah sketches a different picture of Jesus in Isaiah 53 years before the birth of Jesus Christ when he says:
"1 Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this? 2-6The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him. 7-9He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn't say a word. Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence. Justice miscarried, and he was led off— and did anyone really know what was happening? He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people. They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man, Even though he'd never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn't true. 10Still, it's what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain. The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life. And God's plan will deeply prosper through him. 11-12Out of that terrible travail of soul, he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it. Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many "righteous ones," as he himself carries the burden of their sins. Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly— the best of everything, the highest honors— Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch, because he embraced the company of the lowest. He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep."
Maybe Christmas will become "The Festive Season" when we realize that Jesus was not only born and suddenly died a terrible death at the age of 33. No, He was born and had to grow up and go through all the hardships that we go through every day. Otherwise, God could have miraculously sent Jesus from Heaven at the age of 33 (no birth; no childhood with scraped knees; no teenage years with teenage moods; no early adult confusion and rejection). No! God sent Jesus to be an "ordinary man" with an ordinary appearance so that we can be able to relate to Him and feel free to come to Him without any rejection as He knows from first hand experience what we are going through. Lord can You see me standing here? Can You feel my tears soaking through Your fingers? Blood gushing from an open wound... The wound I try so hard to hide away from this world. Lord can You see? I grow so weary of running... I am so tired of hiding... Lord did You feel the way I do now? Hurt and confused because of people abandoning You? Lord can You see me standing here in a my pool of bitterness and sin...? Soaked in Your tears, drenched in my shame... I hear You calling out my name. I am the only one to blame for this brokenness in me... Believe in me like I believe in You... I believe in You... ~by Madelein Bylsma~ He believes in You
A Child is born! YOUR Saviour is born!
A special thank you to Renaldo Schutte for his inset
