More Than a Christmas Story
Devotions for Growing Christians
More Than a Christmas Story
Luke 2:10-12 - “And the angel said to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid. 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 strips of cloth and lying in a manger."
Read Luke 2:1-20.
The Christmas story of Luke 2 is so much a part of our culture and tradition that we sometimes forget that it’s Bible! We hear the familiar words so often around the holiday season, and our minds tend to picture things like nativity scenes and little children dressed up as angels and shepherds for Christmas pageants and programs. But Luke 2 is not just a Christmas story - it’s the Word of God - so it has something to say to us every day of the year. What are some of the lessons from this account of our Lord's birth?
The Setting
First, there is the lesson of the setting. The birth of Jesus took place at a time when the Roman empire was in control of all the so-called civilized world. As supreme ruler, Emperor Caesar Augustus ruled the world with an iron hand (v1). His census decree forced everyone to comply (v3). What power! What authority! To the human eye it certainly looked like Caesar called all the shots. But who was really in control of the whole situation? Caesar? No way! The Scripture leaves no doubt that God was moving world events to set the stage for the birth of the Savior. Mighty Caesar was a pawn in the hand of almighty God! (Proverbs 21:1.)
One of the Old Testament prophets had predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judea (Micah 5:2). But Bethlehem was just a little "one-horse town," and Mary was living in the north, in the Galilean village of Nazareth (v4). For Mary to travel over rough roads for approximately 100 miles in her condition was highly unlikely. But God moved Caesar and the world to make it happen - and the Messiah was born right on time - in just the right place!!
The lesson of the setting certainly has an application for today. God is still in control of the world situation. World rulers and political leaders may appear to be calling all the shots, but God is still on His throne. He is in ultimate control. And His plan of preparing the world stage for the return of Jesus Christ is being worked out right on schedule. His plans for our lives as individuals are also being worked out according to His purpose for each one of us.
We may not completely understand God's dealings with us, any more than Mary and Joseph understood why God allowed the hardship of the birth of Jesus to come to them. Think of the gossip connected with this birth by their Nazareth neighbors. Think of the "no room in the inn" experience at the time of Mary's labor. Think of the trauma of the escape by night to Egypt because of Herod's plan to massacre the babies of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:13-16).
But just as God at that time was doing something big and wonderful in the lives of Mary and Joseph, so He is in control of our life situations today. In spite of hardships, we can know that everything is being worked out for our ultimate blessing. (See Romans 8:28-29.) It’s important to notice that there is no record that Joseph or Mary ever complained or resisted God's ways. They humbly submitted to God's control of all their lives and their circumstances. What about us?
The Shepherds
There are lessons from the shepherds. Shepherds were not exactly at the pinnacle of society in that day. In fact, they were on one of the lower rungs of the social ladder - just ordinary folks. But God chose to bring the greatest good news of history to these common people first of all! The good news of a Savior for all mankind was not announced first to Caesar Augustus and his imperial court in Rome. And the Jewish religious leaders weren’t the first to hear the good news either. God chose to make the greatest announcement of all time to ordinary shepherds, who were just doing their job out in the fields, watching their sheep at night. God's estimate of who’s important in this world is a lot different than ours!
God is still bringing His good news to common people. Salvation is not offered only to the intellectual elite or to society’s upper crust. God’s good news is for everyone, because God cares for everyone.
Do we care for everyone? Do we share the good news of the gospel with everyone? Many of us must confess that too often we neglect to share Christ with people we think are unimportant. Let’s not forget that God shared His greatest news with the shepherds - first!
Another lesson from the shepherds is found in their reaction to the good news. The shepherds didn’t question the message from God, nor did they delay in acting upon that message. They went "straight to Bethlehem - with haste" (v15-16). No wonder their faith was rewarded! Those who doubt the word of God today need to learn this lesson from the shepherds. Is it possible that this is why your faith has been so joyless lately? (See John 15:11.) The shepherds had even more than a "God said it - I believe it - That settles it" type of faith. They acted on what God said.
So often today Christians stop short of this action phase of faith. They wouldn't question the Bible for a minute, but they fail to act on God's Word. Take, for example, our Lord's words to us in Matthew 6:25-34 where He told us not to be worried, because God will take care of all the really necessary things for living if we trust Him and honor Him. Do we believe these verses? Of course! Then why are we anxious? Because we don't really act on the Word of God. The shepherds have a lot to teach us about faith in action.
Verse 20 describes another reaction of the shepherds. They returned. Returned where? To their homes and families and sheep! Although they had seen the Savior, and experienced the great joy that the angels predicted (v10), they went back to their ordinary lives and responsibilities as husbands and fathers and shepherds. The difference was that they returned to their responsibilities glorifying and praising God (v20)!
Some Christians have the idea that when you become a believer, or have a "mountaintop experience" with the Lord, everything in your life will dramatically and drastically change. Resign from your job, drop out of college, leave mundane duties and responsibilities so you can be free to serve and praise the Lord! That kind of thinking is not biblical - for sure!
Commitment to Christ should result in being better students, and more reliable employees, and more responsible people. We pay back our loans as soon as possible! We no longer procrastinate in our jobs or school assignments! We show up where we're supposed to, when we're supposed to! It’s true that the Lord may direct us to new areas of responsibility as our priorities change, and as we mature in Him. But we don't praise and glorify God by turning our backs on our present responsibilities. Like the shepherds, we praise and glorify Him by returning to our responsibilities - but we return as changed people.
The Sign
Finally, there is the lesson of the sign. What was the sign that God had visited His people, and that the Savior had come? The sign was a little baby, wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough. How unique! Why not thunder and lightning? Why not a great earthquake? Why not sky-writing? Why not a palatial mansion - and at least a halo of light around the baby? Because the sign itself portrayed the good news: God had become man! The eternal Son of God, the One who created the universe, stripped Himself of His outward manifestations of glory and majesty, took on humanity, and was born a helpless baby. From heaven's highest glory to the lowliest of conditions on earth - a peasant baby, wrapped in strips of cloth, and placed in a stone feeding trough for animals!
The sign not only authenticated God's message, but it proved the depth and extent of God's love for mankind. And we know the stoop our Lord took did not stop at the manger. To atone for our sins, He went on to die in ignominy on a Roman cross - the supreme proof of God's love. (See Philippians 2:5-8.)
What is the sign that God gives today to authenticate His message of good news, and to prove His constant love for people? It’s not amazing displays in the heavens or great miracles on earth. No. The sign today is similar to what it was then - the life of the Lord Jesus, in common ordinary surroundings.
Jesus Christ lives within every Christian. Our bodies are like the strips of cloth. The more humble we Christians become, the more the life and love of the Savior can be seen in us. (See 2 Corinthians 4:7-11.) This is the way God has chosen to let Himself be seen by the world today. Are our lives a sign that authenticates and proves God's love?
- Dave Reid