"A Christmas Story"
Luke 2:1-20
The Christmas story is one of the loveliest and saddest ever told - the story of a poor mother and father, who had to have their first baby in a stable, among the animals, because there was no room in this world for such as them. And yet, also, the story of a greater Father's love - love so great that he sent his only son, as a small baby, to the earth he loved, to die so that he might save its people. And if that were all there was to the story - it would be a marvelous story, indeed.
but the Christmas story is more than just a beautiful story. It is also more than the bare facts of the history recorded in Luke, with Herod, Pilot, Augustus and the rest. The Christmas story is, after all, above everything else a faith story that helps us make sense of our own life's story.
One of my history professors in college was fond of pointing out that all history is interpretive. Facts in and of themselves, are meaningless. It is the meaning we make of the facts that is important. For instance, something good happens to you and you may say to yourself, "Well, luck was on my side this time." And that helps you to make sense of what happened. And we all do that. Of course, you could also, just as easily have said, "Well, I dodged a bullet that time. Next time I won't be so lucky - things balance out, after all."
Now, if I was writing the Christmas story, it probably would have been written much differently. I mean - this is the Son of God we are talking about. So there would have hed to have been an entourage of grand people - popes, bishops, religious folk mostly - accompanying Joseph and Mary. They wouldn't have ended up in Bethlehem - that was like the Appalachias of Israel. It would have had to have been Washington D.C., so that he could confront the politicians, or a great metropolitan center like New York, or better yet, maybe Hollywood! There would be banners waving, and songs sung. The whole event would be heralded in every paper and talked about on every talk show. Barbara Walters would have to have an interview with the hold family, and Regis and Cathy Lee would do on-the-spot coverage. There would have to be a lovely birthing room for Mary, who would have to have been married to Joseph for ten years, to make sure their marriage is strong, and we don't want any pregnant teens here - so she would have to be in her mid-twenties or so. The even , with all the dignitaries and visitors would make the shows at Caesar's palace look dull by comparison. There'd be lots of food, parties and music. After all, something like this happens - what? Once every few thousand years? So it would have to be an event no one cold forget. And, of course, as Jesus grows up, he would have to live in a nice house, not too ostentatious, though, with all of the educational advantages possible, in a democratic nation. He would live a long life, so that we could profit from his wisdom - maybe he would even become President of the United States - or something even more!
Blut the biblical story isn't like that at all, is it? It was an all-too-common story. So common that it threatens to get lost among a million similar stories we hear every day. A young couple, her just barely a teenager, finds themselves with more problems than they can ever hope to cope with. she is pregnant, but not by him. They are forced to make a long, hard, costly trip so that a foreign leader can squeeze some more money out of an already impoverished people.
As you hear the story, feel their helplessness and powerlessness, trying to cope with their difficult situation, multiplied by this unexpected and unwelcome event. Feel their anxiety and frustration as they search in vain for a simple room for her to have her baby in; feel their panic and they realixe that the baby is coming too soon - Mary's labor being brought on on early, no doubt, by the trip. Feel their lonliness and isolation in the crush of strangers, their fear, as they find no place, and the cold comfort of finding a stinking stable, a snall cave already overpopulated with animals, where they must push aside sweaty beasts and find some unsoiled hay where Mary can lie down to give birth.
Martin Luther tries to capture the moment. He says:
"When now they were come to Bethlehem, the Evangelist says that they were, of all, the lowest and the most despised, and must make way for everyone until they were shoved into a stable to make a common lodging and table with the cattle, while many cutthroats lounged like lords in the inn. they did not recognize what God was doing in the stable. With all their eating, drinking, and finery, God left them empty, and this comfort and treasure was hidden from them. Oh, what a dark night it was in Bethlehem that this light should not have been see. thus god shows that he has no regard for what the world is and has and does. And the world shows that it does not know or consider what God is and has and does,
. . . . .
The bith was still more pitiable. No one regarded this young wife bringing forth her first-born. No one took her condition to heart. No one noticed that in a strange place she had not the very least thing needful in childbirth. There she was without preparation: no light, no fire, in the dead of night, in thick darkness. No one came to give the customary assistance. The guests swarming in the inn were carousing, and no one attended to this woman. . . . And now think what she could use for swaddling clothes - some garment she could spare - perhaps her veil."
Then, after the birth, immediately they must flee for their lives to Egypt. Now feel their panic and terror - the terror of knowing someone powerful wants to kill your baby. Feel their confusion of being poor refugees in a foreign land; of not having a home, no family nearby, living where no one speaks your language. Feel also their anguish when they hear of Herod's terrible deed - the slaughter of the innocents. Although they have escaped it themselves, still they know of many others - friends, neighbors, relatives - who were not so fortunate. Feel their guilt knowing that, because of their baby, so many innocent children were slain - but theirs was spared.
And yet we, and they, are told that God is working in all of this. It is as He said it would be - foretold by His prophets. This unlikely story. Caesar, Herod and the rest are merely pawns in the game - sinful instruments in the working out of god's greater plan. Caesar's greed brings them to Bethlehem, the place where the prophets said he is to be born. Herod's malice sent them to Egypt - another prophecy fulfilled. And on and on - over two hundred prophecies in all. An unlikely story - certainly not the way we would have scripted it. and yet it is the faith story that the Bible has given us to make sense of our own life.
And that is what it foes. As unlikely as it seems - it really gets to the heart of life. That story that I would have written, the one that begins, "Once upon a time . . . , and ends with " . . . and they lived happily ever after," after all, is really nobody's story, is it? Certainly not yours. Not mine.
In life - in real life - we do get stepped on by the powerful, and get pushed around by the rich. So many things happen to us over which we have no control at all, from postal rate increases to millennium bugs, from crime on the streets to wars fought in far off places, from headaches to heartaches to heart attacks. Things happen that we can't control, and we make wrong decision with the ones we can control. We feel helpless, insecure, panicked, alone, fearful, insecure. We see undeserved suffering all around us, and we begin to think that life is not a gift at all, but more of a tragedy - but not even high tragedy. And, like the Holy Family, we try to escape, but our problems even follow us into the far country.
The Bible acknowledges all of this. This is the story. This is our story. These are the kinds of things that happen to people, to us, in this dark and sinful world. Even when we are trying to do God's will. And yet, on the level of faith - this is not the whole story at all. We are not without help; life is not without meaning, and its end is not tragic at all. Our Lord also lived through all these things, and so he understands it all - but, mnore than that, he walks with us through life, and holds our hand. We cannot go where he has not gone before, and we will not go anywhere without him. More than that, this One is also the same Almighty God who rules over the Caesars and Herods of this world, who is more powerful than suffering and death. Above the mean stable of Bethlehem, heaven is open, and angels sing, and a bright star is shining. the angels sing, and that bright star shines, not only over Bethlehem, but also over my life - and yours!
The biblical story points beyond the apparent tragedy of life to new life in Christ; it points beyond whatever burdens we face to God's final will being done and his Kingdom come. It tells us that our life has a greater meaning that we can know, that we are held in greater hands than our own, held in a love which is unfathomable in its depths, all-inclusive in its breadth, and from which we can never be parted.
Come, tonight - worship this child of Bethlehem! Come - know His love, His grace! Come, embrace Him; adore Him - for He is not only your Savior and King, but also your little brother, the child of your heart. His story is your story. And the Christmas carols we sing, the angels song, the adoring shepherds, the parents' love - are not just for Him this Christmas - they are also God's song over your life. A heavenly melody, a two-part harmony, with earth below and heaven above, the song of God's love borne in human hearts. May he come to you this Christmas Eve; may He be born in your heart; and may He be given birth in your life. May you know the security of your Father's love, and the joy of the angels' song! Merry Christmas!