|
|
|
 |
Printer Friendly Version[Make and show a “person on the street” video, with
responses to the question, “What are the sounds of Christmas to you?”]
[Read text as far as 2:1-2. Sing, “Do you hear what I
hear?”] I think I hear in the story of the first Christmas some sounds
that aren’t just cuddly and cozy. Reread vv. 1-2. You know what Mary,
Joseph, and everyone else who came from Bethlehem were going home to do? They
weren’t going to visit family or to hit their high school reunion. This
was a government-dictated homecoming and they were all going there to pay
taxes. “The census was to ascertain the income, property, and wealth
of the inhabitants for purposes of taxation.”1
For Mary and Joseph, this decree meant a 90-mile trip to pay
taxes. A 90-mile trek with a woman 9 months pregnant. Did you hear the sound
of the first Christmas? I would imagine the travelers Mary and Joseph walked
alongside or came across on their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem may have
been less than thrilled about making such a long trip so the government could
take their piece of these people’s pies. Just imagine having to walk
or ride a donkey for three days to get to the line at the license bureau.
I’d be thinking, “We’d better pack a lunch!” Have
you been to the license bureau lately? If you want to go to a place where
you’re guaranteed to see scowls and come across unhappy people, just
go there. Think about your wonderful experiences going to register or pay
taxes for your vehicle, and now think what it would be like if, instead of
the entire population having to go at different times of the year, everyone
who has been from Harrisonville had to come back from wherever they’ve
gone, in anticipation of going to the same office all at the same time to
take turns paying taxes. Would that put you in a festive mood or what?
I think as I listen to the sounds of the first Christmas, one
of the sounds I hear is the sound of complaining. My guess would be if we
were to bring in any person who works at a major retail store—let’s
put them in the customer service area—one of the sounds they think of
when it comes to Christmas is the sound of complaining.
You hear it too, don’t you? The sound of complaining.
Complaining about prices and credit cards, crowds and less-than-perfect families.
Complaints about year-end accounting and other such things. Oh, I don’t
imagine the sounds of this Christmas will be entirely different than the sounds
of the first one. One of the sounds of Christmas is the sound of complaints.
[Continue reading to 2:7.] Do you hear what I hear? Another
sound I hear ringing from this story of the first Christmas is the sound of
rejection. “Very sorry, no room.”
No room for Jesus. Unfortunately, the sound of rejection is still being heard
at Christmas 2,000 years later. Just about every Christmas we hear stories
on the news about where Nativity scenes are and are not allowed. We hear about
Christmas songs that are actually about Christ being banned. Over and over
again, it’s the sound of rejection. “Very sorry, no room.”
It’s as if our culture has re-written and renamed the songs of this
season “Away With the Manger,” and ”Be Silent about the
Night.”
Hearing the sound of rejection in the story is not to cast the
innkeeper as a horrible person. He may have been a wonderful guy who felt
terrible about the situation and would have loved to ask someone else to give
up their room. What kind of guy he was really doesn’t matter because
the end result was the same. The sound that came from that inn was the sound
of rejection. There was no room for Jesus.
It’s unfortunate that the sound of rejection was heard
at the inn. It’s unfortunate that the sound of rejection is still heard
in Christmas parades and public arenas. But it’s tragic that, “Very
sorry, no room,” is the sound Jesus hears coming from people like us.
When we gather with our families for giving gifts without ever mentioning
the Savior or His story, He hears it all over again: “Very sorry, no
room.”
When we refuse to give Jesus any space in our checkbooks and
in our financial set-up, He hears it all over again: “Very sorry, no
room.”
When Jesus wants to be included in our plans for the future,
our dating decisions and life choices, He hears it all over again: “Very
sorry, no room.”
When Jesus is not allowed to enter the decisions we make about
how we spend our time and use our talents, and we refuse to let Him have a
say in our schedules, He hears it all over again: “Very sorry, no room.”
When He stands at the door of our heart wanting to come in,
forgive our sin, lead our lives in such a way that every area of our life
is affected by Him, and we reject His invitation, He hears it all over again:
“Very sorry, no room.”
[Read to v. 16.] Do you hear what I hear? Finally some good
news! Not everyone in this sacred story complained or rejected. We also hear
the sound of rejoicing by the shepherds. They sought and found the Savior
after being sought and found by messengers from the Savior. I think the pattern
here holds true today. They pursued Jesus after finding out Jesus was already
pursuing them. It’s part of the message of Christmas. Long before any
of us ever pursued or sought after God, God was seeking after us. If you don’t
know Him as your Savior, He’s seeking you, coming to your door, to your
heart, waiting to see if He’ll be welcomed.
I think it’s awesome the first ones invited to see the
Savior weren’t kings or diplomats or the most influential people God
could find. They were people like us. Ordinary, working-class, run-of-the-mill
kinds of people. “They belong in the story . . . because they belong
on Luke’s guest list for the kingdom of God.”2
Rejoicing—it’s the sound we hear from the shepherds.
It’s the sound at Christmas time, and the rest of the year too, that
comes from people who have found Jesus, the Savior.
I guess the sounds of the first Christmas weren’t all that different
from the sounds of last Christmas, or this one. Sounds of complaining, rejecting,
and rejoicing. I’m hoping there will be a lot more rejoicing than complaining,
or rejecting. What’s it going to be for you? The angels said the joy,
the good news was to be for all people, a Savior for you (vs. 10-11). That
includes you—if you’ll make room for Him.
Invitation
Benediction: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be joyful always;
pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s
will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Craig Evans, Luke, New International Biblical Commentary (Peabody,
MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990), 35.
2 Fred B. Craddock, Luke, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1990), 36.