Luke 2:1-20
God's Entry Into This World
This devotional examines the birth of Jesus amid indifference and material distraction, arguing that God's entrance into the world through a humble stable demands reverent recognition rather than casual acknowledgment.
Sunday Devotional
December 16, 2001
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So 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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and 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.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “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 cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” When 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.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
This Story Is Familiar to Us
Often read at this time of the year, our custom has been to divert our attention because we don’t want to be accused of accepting December 25 as the day of Christ’s birth. There is little doubt that we don’t know when Jesus was born, but he was indeed born. And so for a few moments let’s turn our attention to God’s entry into this world through the babe in a manger.
The Material Wins Out
Two women stopped in front of a store window at Christmas time. In the middle of the display of merchandise was a small nativity scene. One woman said to the other “Look at that!! Even the church is trying to horn in on Christmas.” Said the other woman, “most of the Christmas songs are too religious.” There is little doubt that the material wins out at Christmas. The average family spends $1000 at Christmas. The material wins out. Can you imagine what it must have been on the night that Mary gave birth to Jesus. She knew that this child was from God. The angel had told her so. Joseph, too, knew that this child was from God. Born in a stable; born in the darkness; born alone—Jesus entered the world. God has his own way of announcing things. He announced the birth to poor shepherds. As isolated as the birth, God announces to an isolated populace. We know later that distant kings come to celebrate his birth, but among his own people there is little recognition. Shepherds come and leave to tell others, but we do not read of the people lining up to see this baby in a manger. We are told that people are amazed but not so much so to come and worship.
They Didn’t Know What They Had
In the home of Israel’s greatest king, David, the Son of God arrived and the people are curious but not ready to give themselves over to worship. God entered the world. Hard to believe that two centuries later, there are still those who acknowledge God’s entrance into the world, but are unimpressed with the magnitude of such a gift. How can anyone be casual about God’s entrance into the world?
The Year Is 1809
Napoleon is sweeping through Austria. The battlefields fill with the blood of soldiers. No one really thought much about babies being born. But the world was overlooking some significant births.
William Gladstone, destined to become one of England’s finest statesmen, is born that year.
Alfred Tennyson was born to a minister and his wife. Tennyson would have great effect on the literary world.
Oliver Wendell Holmes was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Not far away in Boston, Edgar Allen Poe began his tragic life.
A physician and his wife named Darwin named their child Charles Robert.
And in a little log cabin in Hardin County Kentucky the cries of Abraham Lincoln could be heard.
While the world focused on the battlefields in Austria, the world was being shaped in the cradles of England and America.
When Jesus was born the big news was taxation. But the world was being shaped by a baby in the arms of a young Jewish woman in a dark stable in Bethlehem. The Savior of the world was being kept warm and very few even noticed. But 2000 years later, the religious world celebrates. So on this evening we too celebrate God’s entrance into the world. We cannot be casual about such an event. Prayer.
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