Pastor Pat Edwards 12/24/2006
Grace Baptist Church in Bountiful, Utah

And is it true? And is it true?
This most tremendous tale of all,
Seen in a stained-glass window's hue,
A Baby in an ox's stall?
The Maker of the stars and sea
Become a Child on earth for me?
John Betjeman

Last week as Chris rested upstairs recovering from her surgery I watched a special about the birth of Christ. It started out interviewing scholars who doubt almost everything about the birth narrative we’ve heard this morning. That includes a lot of the usual stuff that denies every element of the birth from the conception to the angels to the star to the shepherds. And there were the usual assertions of contradictions because the gospels don’t tell the same story and include different details. One scholar thought Jesus was born in Nazareth rather than Bethlehem and that Matthew and Luke changed the location so Jesus would fulfill the prophecy that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem. Another scholar said that the gospel writers embarrassed by Mary’s pregnancy were able to use Isaiah 7 to explain that awkward situation. It became clear as the program progressed that these scholars believe almost all the details of Jesus’ life were made up in order to fit the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.

When confronted with people who take this position I always ask myself why would professing Christians want to water down or deny the miracles of Jesus’ birth and all the other miracles he performed? The first reason is that they may not believe in the supernatural, in the existence of miracles. I also think it’s because they may be uncomfortable with absolutes; they like wiggle room when it comes to what the Bible teaches and the choices we make in life. If they can get Jesus down to the level of a really nice guy with lots of good counsel then what he offers is advice rather than truth that must be obeyed. They can take or leave what he teaches and the example he sets and finally they don’t look so narrow minded and rigid to others.

I found myself getting frustrated and in my agitation left the room several times to do little errands. In my mind I was thinking If we choose to ignore the gospel records about all we’re left with is our own speculation. All we can do is make up our own version of how we think the events took place. That’s not history or scholarship, that’s story telling and the kind we call fairy tales. I considered turning the program off but then a shift occurred, the newswoman began interviewing a scholar who believed the biblical story of Jesus’ birth and began to give evidence for its truth. I was surprised they actually gave the traditional view the best spot and the final word. And the final word is that if we believe there is a God who created the world the miracles surrounding the birth of Jesus are insignificant compared to that. I’m not a scholar of ancient history, old manuscripts or religions but I read people who are. And most of them tell us the New Testament is remarkably straight forward and concise compared to other religious documents. That means it doesn’t get overly dramatic or descriptive. It reads more like a newspaper report than a novel or a gossip magazine. Some of us remember a popular tv show from the fifties called Dragnet. In it Sergeant Friday would always put a stop to talkative witnesses he was questioning by saying, "Just the facts, Ma’am, just the facts." And that’s what we get in the story of Jesus birth.

Luke’s account concisely answers the six "w’s" of good reporting - who, what, when, why, where and which plus how. There is no opinion or editorial comment added so it’s surprisingly short. In this translation it only takes 392 words to describe how the infinite God of creation became part of our world. It’s so short you have to wonder how it can do justice to such a momentous event but sometimes less is more. The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln is only 272 words long and took about two minutes to present but most of us are aware that is considered one of the greatest speeches of the English language.

Sometimes silence speaks volumes more than words for it gives the listener the opportunity to meditate on the truth. So I’ll take my cue from scripture and try to not say too much thus burying the miracle under my own words.

Part of the good news we find in the text is that God the Son comes to us and he doesn’t expect, demand or receive preferential treatment. His parents must make the long journey to fulfill the census requirements, no exceptions for them even though Mary is far along in her pregnancy. And there are no reservations made in advance, no room waiting for them at the end of that long journey. Instead they must make do with a stable, at least we hope they were in a stable since we’re told his first bed was a manger.

More good news is that Jesus made himself available to the average person. One might expect God to appear on a mountain top commanding a meeting with the world’s leaders in government, business, education, entertainment, science and religion. But he doesn’t. He comes as an infant to a working class couple. And the announcement of his birth initially goes out to other working class people, shepherds on the hills nearby. Eventually everybody gets included as represented by the Magi but the first guests are John and Jane Doe.

The final good news is the announcement that gives meaning to what has happened. The angel proclaims to the shepherds, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." The chosen one, Christ the Lord, has finally arrived on earth to offer salvation to all people. This good news should cause all of us great joy.

There’s more to this story of course but the beginning is certainly auspicious. In the tradition of romance and fairy tales, a great prince has shown up on his white stallion to rescue us from our prison. If you’re a woman he can be Prince Charming, if you’re a man he’s Prince Valiant leading you into battle. Either way, you are so important he joins you in your struggles and risks his life to set you free. I won’t go on with the story because even this much is cause for great joy. When I struggle with spiritual questions and issues I often dump all the baggage I’ve accumulated and go back to basics. The first chapters of Genesis remind me that I was created in the image of a loving, all-powerful God so I could enjoy an everlasting relationship with him. Despite everything that happens that’s what we call the bottom line - God made me to enjoy life with him.

I need to do the same thing when I wonder about my relationship with Jesus, when I think God is far from me or doesn’t care. All I need to do is look at the Christmas story and I see Jesus removing every obstacle that keeps me from him. He comes to me. He shows me everyone is welcome by becoming a human baby in an average family in one small area of the Roman Empire. He makes sure I know why his coming is good news of great joy. He has come to save me and guide me - he will be my savior and Lord. Take a moment and reflect on those truths that apply to you as well. When you worry and wonder and fret take a walk out back and look into the stable. And maybe your response can be summed up is this simple little poem.

The Shepherd Boy's Gift - by Edith Hume
When near to her at Bethlehem
I knelt at Christmastide,
"There is no pillow for thy Son,
No pillow, Lady, for thy Son,"
I said to her, and sighed.
But when I softly turned away
Ant tiptoed from His bed,
The Lady Mary smiled at me,
The Lady Mary smiled to see
(I'd tucked it in so carefully)
My heart beneath His head.

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register. 4So 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. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and 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. 8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.