Preparing for a Quiet Christmas

 

Luke 2:1-7

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 his own town to register.

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 room for them in the inn.

                Christmas is a big event in most people’s lives. Many people began planning for Christmas well before Thanksgiving. In a normal year, our calendars are filled with various Christmas programs and pageants. We look forward to spending a festive time with family and friends. Not so this year. The pandemic has put most of our plans on hold, if not postponed until next year. It will be a quiet Christmas this year.

                The circumstances around Mary being pregnant with Jesus were unusual to say the least. But after Joseph embraced Mary as his wife, I am sure that they looked forward with great anticipation to the birth of their first child. The birth of a child was always a festive occasion. The entire community would gather to celebrate. Not so on the first Christmas.

                Mary and Joseph probably wanted a low-key event. Not that they weren’t excited, but the majority of people would not have understood their circumstances. The last thing that they wanted was complications, but that is exactly what they got. Instead of settling in to their home in anticipation of the birth, they were forced to take a road trip to Bethlehem. Instead of welcoming their son into the world in familiar surroundings, they had to make do with the stable at an over-crowded inn. Instead of being surrounded by family and friends, they were surrounded by strangers.

                Christmas will be anything but “normal” this year. It is very possible that we will celebrate Christmas on our own, or with only part of our family. Like most other people, we have decorated our home for Christmas, yet it is possible that no one but us will get to enjoy it. We have been doing the “traditional’ Christmas shopping, but we may not have the joy of watching our gifts being opened. We are anticipating a very quiet Christmas. Maybe that is not too bad.

                Last night we watched Bethel University’s Festival of Christmas. Because of the pandemic, this annual event took place without an audience. Yet the message of Christmas came through loud and clear. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

                From a human perspective, the birth of Jesus was less than ideal. From God’s perspective, it was perfect. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5) God orchestrated every detail of the birth of Jesus to set the stage for His redeeming work in the world. Through the amazing miracle of the incarnation, God became present with us in tangible form.

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1-2)

    The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

                From our perspective, this Christmas will be far from ideal. But from God's perspective, it may be perfect. This Christmas may be exactly what God has planned for us. 

                I enjoy everything about Christmas. I enjoy cutting a Christmas tree and decorating it. I enjoy buying presents and giving them to those I love. I enjoy the anticipation and excitement of Christmas morning. But all of these things can obscure the true significance of Christmas, if we are not careful. Maybe what we really need is a quiet Christmas, so that we can focus on what is really important.

1 John 1:1-4

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.