The New Arrival
We conclude our series about Jesus’ Family Tree with our Christmas Day Service at 10:00 a.m. only and the story of the “New Arrival.”
When you have a child the pieces of your life are altered including your priorities, your commitments, your emotions, your work for pay and how you spend your money and your time. All these areas of your life are rearranged by the coming of a new arrival. The baby has arrived, what do you intend to do with him?
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The New Arrival
2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Preparing for the arrival of a baby is an important and time-consuming task. As everyone says, “Having a baby changes your life.” Having a baby changes your life in countless ways.
When you’re newly married, you say strange things to each other such as, “So what do you want to do tonight?” this phrase, and others like it disappear like your breath outside on a cold winter’s day once you have a baby.
When you have a child the pieces of your life are altered including your priorities, your commitments, your emotions, your work for pay and how you spend your money and your time. All these areas of your life are rearranged by the coming of a new arrival.
The coming of a new life not only influences the parents but the wider family and friends as well.
Ask new parents how the birth of their baby has impacted their lives and their family.
Ask older siblings how they feel about a younger brother or sister coming along.
Ask any grandparent if the arrival of a grandchild changed their lives.
A new life changes us forever.
The birth of millions of babies has no direct influence on us, however, the birth of a child to us or to someone we love makes all the difference in the world.
The same can certainly be said for Mary and Joseph.
Their lives were changed forever by becoming parents, but the pending birth of their baby was not important to the Romans who still required Mary to make a difficult journey while nine months pregnant. The new arrival was only important to the Romans in terms of how the baby impacted their taxes.
The fact that Mary was about to have a child didn’t mean the innkeeper would extend himself to help this poor couple to have their baby with all the mess and noise that would create when he had paying customers who desired a good night’s sleep.
The sentimentality we feel on Christmas Day may cause us to lose interest in the parts of the story of Jesus’ birth that aren’t so comfortable.
We smile at the warm cozy nativity scene, but have you ever spent a night in a barn or cave? Or given birth in a barn? The reality is very different from the sentiment of many Christmas songs.
Maybe it’s not just that the inns were full, but that Mary and Joseph were forced to take the only place offered because their family had rejected them. Joseph likely had relatives or friends of relatives in Bethlehem. Why aren’t they staying with them? Rather than being received hospitably by family or friends, maybe Joseph and Mary have been shunned. Family and neighbors expressing their disapproval and shame that Joseph would show up on their doorstep with his pregnant fiancée.
For the Romans, for the innkeeper, perhaps for the family of Joseph and Mary, and for many people today, the birth of Jesus is not the occasion for any special arrangements or preparations. But Jesus is no ordinary baby, and his arrival not only changed his parent’s lives forever, but he also impacted the history of the human race.
The message the angels give to the shepherds (Luke 2:10-11) is about the life of Jesus and what it will mean for them, for us, and for every human being. “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.”
That’s an incredible birth announcement! In the angel’s words are the heart of the gospel. Don’t be afraid.
Don’t allow fear to shape your life, your choices, your decisions, how you view or treat other people don’t allow fear to be the primary emotion that moves you. God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
Great joy for all the people. That’s what Jesus is – He is good news and great joy for everyone, and that includes you and me and all the people you know and love, as well as all the people you don’t know and some you may not like at all. Jesus loves them and was born for them too.
Jesus is a Savior who covers and forgives our sins.
He is the Lord, the one to whom we give our ultimate allegiance, the one we follow as his students as we seek to become more like Him every day. The Lord receives our highest devotion. All this is con
This morning, as followers of Jesus we celebrate his birth knowing that he grew to be a teacher of great wisdom, a healer of immense compassion, a prophet of justice, a servant leader, the Savior who died for our sins and for the sins of the world, and he was raised from death to new life and promises to be with us always.
Jesus didn’t enter a world of sparkly Christmas cards or a world of warm spiritual sentiment. Jesus enters a world of real pain, of serious dysfunction, a world of brokenness, violence, and political oppression.
Jesus was born an outcast. His family soon became refugees who had to flee for their lives from a murderous monarch. He’d be killed by the powers that ruled his land.
Jesus is the perfect savior for outcasts, refugees, and nobodies. That’s how the church is described in scripture time and time again – not as the best and the brightest – but those who in their weakness become a sign for the world of the wisdom and power of God.
“The early Christians didn’t say with dismay, ‘Look what the world has come to,’ but in delight, ‘Look what has come to the world.”
E. Stanley Jones
Christmas is a time that celebrates light over darkness, joy over fear, and the birth of a Savior who offers peace and goodwill to a world desperately in need of both. Almost everyone, regardless of whether they identify as followers of Jesus or not, associates Christmas with love, generosity, and compassionate community,
These themes are a part of many of the Christmas classics, and almost all of them also touch on what I spoke about last night, coping with unexpected disappointment.
A Christmas Carol – the disappointment of lost love and a nearly wasted life and turning and changing before it’s too late. Lesson – “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.”
Elf – feeling like you don’t fit anywhere, not with elves or people, the desire to be loved and to belong. Lesson: The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. Just like the Angels who heralded Christ’s birth.
It’s a Wonderful Life – George is disappointed to have never had the opportunity to travel and pursue his dreams. Lesson: “All that you can take with you is that which you’ve given away.” “No man is a failure who has friends.”
How the Grinch Stole Christmas – all the Who’s gifts, decorations and even the food for their feast were stolen. Talk about unexpected disappointment. Yet, Christmas came anyway. “It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags.” “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
Charlie Brown Christmas – Linus reading Luke 2 and saying, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
There are a lot of things wrong with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but the island of misfit toys where all the unusual toys live is a pretty good picture of the church.
“The church is not a gathering of people who have it all together, who look and act alike, who have no problems to speak of. The church is a community of people who are broken and needy, who in their weakness trust in the grace of God. This is the kind of church that Jesus the outcast, the misfit has created. The gospel that acknowledges brokenness, pain, and the tragedy of life is good news for us all.”
Joy Carroll Wallis, Sojourners, December 2004.
Love, generosity, and compassionate community are all through these stories and all through the Bible and the Christmas story.
Today we thank God for the coming of Jesus. In the midst of our fears, our pain, our grief, our anxiety, our distraction and busyness, Jesus the new arrival, comes.
How would your life be different if he hadn’t come?
How has the gift of Jesus changed your life?
How has the arrival of this baby, this Messiah, impacted your priorities, your commitments, your emotions, how you do your work, maybe even the work you do, and how you spend your time and your money?
The irony is, there was no room for Jesus to be born in, but he comes so that there might be room for you in God’s family of love. Have you any room for Jesus?
We all choose whether we’ll be like the Romans who couldn’t have cared less about Jesus being born, or the innkeeper who was so overwhelmed and preoccupied with the business of running his inn that he offered a lowly place as an afterthought, or like Joseph’s relatives or friends who refuse to extend mercy to a couple in their moment of need.
We may be like the shepherds who left what they were doing to welcome Jesus and to acknowledge him. Will we be like those who honor Jesus with their gifts? Will we be like expectant parents who make a place in their hearts for the new arrival who will turn their lives upside down forever? Can we be “ponderers,” like Mary, and continue to dwell on God’s greatest gift and to do all we can to show our love for him?
The baby has arrived, what do you intend to do with him? I pray you will be instruments of God’s love, generosity, and compassionate community today and all through the year.
Prayer: Turn us, Loving God, into the way of Jesus, that Christmas may be a time of new birth and new beginnings, whatever our age, so we may be light in a dark world, a song of hope in the midst of despair, instruments of your peace in a world full of hatred, division and strife, people of joy because Jesus has come into our world and into our lives.
We thank you with all our hearts in Jesus’ name. Amen.
to do with him?