Christmas All Year Long

DEVOTIONS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Christmas All Year Long

 What's your favorite holiday movie?  

Do you ever watch it during the rest of year?

As Christians, we cherish the biblical Christmas story in December, but then it usually gets packed away with the seasonal decorations and holiday movies in January, right?  We don’t often talk about the birth of Jesus in July, but are there any lessons from this story that we can keep in our hearts all year long?  Let’s take a quick look at the main characters in Luke 2.

 Caesar, Joseph, and Mary

When Jesus was born, the Roman empire controlled the entire “civilized world” surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.  Luke 2:1-3 tells us that Caesar Augustus ordered a census be taken throughout the land.  It seemed like Caesar had the world at his command, but we know who was really in control.  Spoiler alert: not Caesar.  He was just a pawn in God’s hand! (Proverbs 21:1.)

So how did God use Caesar?  Many years earlier, the prophet Micah predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).  But Joseph and Mary didn’t live anywhere near Bethlehem.  The baby was due any day, and they were 70+ miles up the road in Nazareth — with no minivan, and definitely no plans to travel!

Then came Caesar’s timely decree. It ordered Joseph and Mary to pack up and head to… of all places… Bethlehem!  God moved through a secular leader, and the Messiah was born in exactly the right place.

These days, God is still in total command.  Even when ungodly political leaders and tensions monopolize the headlines, we know that God hasn’t lost control.  His plan will be accomplished in any situation. 

When difficulties come our way, remember that even the parents of Jesus faced major hardships.  Think of the gossip and rejection they endured over Mary’s sudden pregnancy.  Imagine taking a 70+ mile mule trip with a baby at full term… and then the barn-stall birthing experience.  Picture the trauma in the nighttime escape from Herod's plan to massacre the babies of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:13-16). Through all of that, there’s no record of Joseph or Mary complaining or resisting God's direction. 

For Christians today: we can submit to God and be confident that everything is in His master plan (Romans 8:28-29).

The Shepherds

The birth of Jesus wasn’t announced to Caesar, Herod, or even the Jewish religious leaders.  God shared His big news with a group of working-class folks out in the fields.  These common people were the first to hear the greatest news in history!  God's view of who’s important in this world looks a lot different than that of our culture, doesn’t it? 

God still offers His good news to ordinary people.  God cares for everyone, and His good news is for everyone.  As Christians, do we treat all people with that same respect?  Even those with lower socioeconomic status, or ones who might have differing social/political views?  Most of us would probably confess that we neglect to show the love of Christ to all people equally.  Let’s remember that God shared His greatest news with the shepherds first! 

Like Mary and Joseph, the shepherds didn’t question God’s message, or delay acting upon it.  They immediately said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem!” (v15-16).  Later they returned to their jobs and flocks — and they continued to praise God (v20). 

For Christians today: commitment to Christ is not a “Sunday only” scenario. We should care for others, actively trust God’s direction, and praise Him throughout the week.

Jesus

The sign that the Savior had come was just a little baby, wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger (v12).  No fireworks, no parties, no regal surroundings.  Why such a humble scenario?  Because the sign itself portrayed the amazing news:  God had become man!  The Son of God gave up His majesty and took on humanity, in the most humble conditions. 

For Christians today: the sign today is still Jesus, in common ordinary surroundings. We’re like the strips of cloth.  We don’t have halos or radiate a supernatural glow.  We’re just ordinary people — but we have the light and life of Christ within us.  And that’s something we’ll keep in our hearts all year long!

2 Corinthians 4:7 – “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.  This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”

- Ron Reid