Advent for a too familiar Nativity

GOOD NEWS!

Aren’t you glad you’re NOT a preacher this ‘Christmas’ season? After all, how much more can we say about the nativity of the Lord Jesus in Bethlehem.

WE have preached the Gospel every year — the openings of the Gospels applicable to our pageants, programs, concerts, carolings, Christmas Eve services, Midnight Masses, Christmas Day dinner feasts — CHRIST-MASS — how much more can we possibly have to say about worship of a baby born in Bethlehem?

εὐαγγέλιον – Good Tidings

Lexicon :: Strong’s G2098 – euangelion

• the glad tidings of the kingdom of God soon to be set up, and subsequently also of Jesus the Messiah, the founder of this kingdom. After the death of Christ, the term comprises also the preaching of (concerning) Jesus Christ as having suffered death on the cross to procure eternal salvation for the men in the kingdom of God, but as restored to life and exalted to the right hand of God in heaven, thence to return in majesty to consummate the kingdom of God
• the glad tidings of salvation through Christ
• the proclamation of the grace of God manifest and pledged in Christ
• the gospel
• as the messianic rank of Jesus was proved by his words, his deeds, and his death, the narrative of the sayings, deeds, and death of Jesus Christ came to be called the gospel or glad tidings

Let’s get the GOOD NEWS right

So because I’m NOT a pastor today’s ‘Advent’ message in the year of our Lord 2022 will simply point out an overlooked FACT or two concerning what the Gospels actually say about the birth of Jesus.

The Gospel of Mark

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet..

Mark does not address the manner and place of Jesus’ birth, but proceeds directly to the Lord’s ministry and teaching.

The Gospel of John

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Apostle introduces Christ in genesis before creation and mortals. John adds his authenticated witness of Jesus the Messiah without reference to the nativity so oft’ told each ‘Christ–mass‘.

(Christmas reminder for Protestants - the mass is a worship service)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Good News of the Apostle John 1:14 English Standard Version

Gospel of Matthew

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham..

The Apostle Matthew begins his Gospel with a Jewish genealogy of Israel’s Messiah as introduction to Jesus’s birth. The Apostle then proceeds into some detail of the nativity in Bethlehem.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way..

Matthew continues to set the scene with some marriage background involving Joseph and Mary.

..an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Gospel of Matthew 1:21 ESV

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea

Matthew jumps suddenly to a time AFTER the Lord was born. Once again he provides some historical context.

.. in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem..

2:1 Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως ἰδού, μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα

From Matthew 2:1 in the King James Version note the facts presented by the Apostle:

behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem

• wise men – magos – wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers etc.
• from the east – anatolē – the east (the direction of the sun’s rising)

Wise men, plural without saying how many AND from the east, therefore NOT from the Roman Empire or African continent, likely Babylonians (Chaldeans), Medes, or Persians.

“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Gospel of Matthew 2:2 – Question of the wise men to King Herod

Are there three wise men.. perhaps four, five or more?

Why would these men from the east come to worship a Jewish king?

(Could they be Jews of the diaspora to Babylon never returned to Jerusalem under the yoke of Rome?)

Of course all of these questions don't fit into the choreography of our usual nativity pageantry too well but sticking close to the Scripture of Matthew let's observe a couple of other details.

And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

• the star went before them to ‘the place where the child was
• they went ‘into the house’
• the wise men ‘fell down and worshiped him,’ *the wise men did not worship Mary, though she was with the child Jesus

Matthew continues with a brief account of how Jesus got to Nazareth from Bethlehem via Egypt.

Gospel of Luke

Luke’s narrative like that of the Apostle Matthew sets the scene for us ‘in the days of Herod, king of Judea.’ He connects two signs of miraculous births: that of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ.

26 In the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary..

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

How?

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

And the angel departed from her.

Luke 2:

Even unbelievers know this Nativity narrative from Luke as frequently read in many places from Scripture.

The Birth of Jesus Christ

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

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In this most familiar Nativity scene:

Mary gives birth to Jesus, wraps the Christ-child in swaddling cloths (whatever those are) and lays Him away in a manger φάτνη (no crib for a bed, etc. etc..) BECAUSE Luke records, the small little town of Bethlehem had ‘NO ROOM’ in the inn. (No innkeeper of record here.)

BUT (recalling Matthew’s gospel) when the wise men come to worship the Christ-child later:

the star went before them to ‘the place where the child was’ AND they went ‘into the house.’

NOT a discrepancy, but it doesn't fit neatly into a single scene (or manger set).

YET NEAR-BY:

there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear..

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

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The Childhood of the Christ-child

Luke’s gospel provides some additional detail of the powerful signs and significance of events to follow. Without providing exact dates or itineraries of Joseph, Mary and the Christ-child he gives us some brief insight.

21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.

And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Gospel of Luke 2:22-24, King James Version

Mary’s purification by Mosaic Law would not have taken place until after forty days [ritually, 7 plus 33 more] after JESUS was born.

THEREFORE, these two important signs involving Simeon and the prophetess Anna although extremely connected to Old Testament prophesy do not add detail to the nativity story of Jesus except as a connection between the birth of the Savior.

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Advent 4 – preparation of the nativity forgotten

I close with a post-script to the Scripture of our all-too-familiar nativity story.

When we were children we would open twenty-five windows on a December calendar focused on anticipation of Christmas. Churches typically redecorated for an Advent season leading up to Christmas Day. Many Christians worshipped Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day.

Gifts? Yes. But clearly the gift was JESUS born as a CHILD just like we were. (What an irony!)

Shopping? Parents shopped (mostly Mom). Children just asked for gifts (NOT shopped for whatever our little hearts desired) and we really didn’t know what gift we might get EVEN IF we could just be ‘good.’ I think they shopped for others too, just like baking for neighbors or sending Christmas cards to good friends. GIFTS — for others, NOT shopping and shipping for our SELVES.

JESUS was a gift of GOD the Father to the world.

(Every good little Christian boy or girl knew at least that.)

Santa, reindeer, elves and all the rest? Stories — fables like Aesop’s or the Nutcracker Ballet, not real.. but FUN enough for a bored kid in need of some imagination. BUT St. Nicholas, as nice as the story always shows, was never Jesus — the JESUS of the Gospels also read to us.

– the Christ of Christmas was no Santa Claus, not a gift-giver but the Gift Himself. The songs and celebrations from the beginning of Advent to the joy of Christmas morning reflected a hope for more than just a merry Christmas, but a life of peace in our brief mortal years of growing up — growing through — growing into a more complete faith in Jesus Christ.

AND

WE children raised in a Christian household and local church didn’t have to take anyone’s word for it. WE believed because we believed God, whose very word was right in our hand in a BIBLE presented to us by our local church.

NO preacher would ever feel the need to CHANGE any of the Gospel — not one jot or tittle of Scripture we could read for ourselves. Nor would a pastor dare reintroduce JESUS with some more personal persona than CHRIST or LORD.

Do you wonder how Advent has nearly become archaic?

I know that this previous ‘advent’ post from Matthew 25 in not related to the Nativity or birth of Jesus Christ..

Matthew 25 – Parable of the Ten Virgins

Even so, come Lord Jesus.