A Journey Through the Stable IV
Well, it’s getting close isn’t it? Only two more days and Christmas will be here.
And you know if you were to poll the western world you’d probably find that
Christmas is the most popular time of the year, for Christians and non-Christians
alike. Much of what makes this time of the year special is the music. The sacred, “O
Come all Ye Faithful”, “Angels From the Realms of Glory”, “Silent Night” to the
secular “Frosty the Snowman” “Jingle Bells” “White Christmas” and, of course, my
personal favorite, “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer”
Much of how we feel about the Yuletide season is wrapped in songs. That first
Christmas was full of singing and songs. Songs and music were a vital part of the
Jewish culture into which Jesus was born. From the very announcement of the
conception of the Christ child until his circumcision and blessing the songs of praise
were lifted into the heavens.
Let’s join Mary today in rejoicing at the coming of Jesus our Savior. There is a
certain timelessness in the words of Mary’s song. The coming of Jesus affects all
times and places in a similar way. And He does this is because He is with us on
every step of our journey. Like our journey through the stable that we’ve been on
the past 3 weeks.
I suppose that I should have warned you about wearing comfortable shoes on this
journey. A journey usually involves a lot of walking, so it’s important to wear shoes
that are comfortable. Jesus walked everywhere he went wearing sandals. Sandals
are like shoes and putting on shoes can be a way of saying you have somewhere to
go. Maybe out to play, or to school or work, or maybe just to visit. We all know at
this time of year there can be so many places to go.
While it’s good to visit, but it’s also good to come home, too. Isn’t it good to come
home and kick off your shoes and get comfy? as we look around the stable, we
realize it wasn’t much of a home for Mary and Joseph to come home to. The stable
reminds us to be thankful for the home that God has given each of us - and the
heavenly home that awaits us.
In every Nativity scene you will find Joseph and Mary, generally kneeling, looking
down at where the baby Jesus lay, with hands folded as if in prayer.
Did you know (and you can look this up in Matt. 1 & 2 and Luke 1 & 2) you won’t
find a single thing Joseph said? As famous as he is, Mary’s husband is never quoted
in the Bible, not a single word. Now, Joseph may not have been quoted as saying
anything but what he did was extremely important. Joseph obeyed.
When the Angel of the Lord told him (despite his misgivings) to take Mary as his
wife, he obeyed.
When he was told to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt and then later return,
Joseph obeyed.
Sometimes actions speak louder than words and Joseph spoke volumes with his
actions.
Joseph wasn’t the only one to obey in this scenario. Mary probably had more to lose
here than Joseph. He planned to dismiss her quietly it tells us in Matt. 1:19, but
Mary still wouldn’t have been able to hide that fact that she was a unwed, pregnant
teenager. But Mary obeyed and became the mother of Jesus.
Mothers are usually the first person we ever knew and, for most babies, the most
important person in their lives. For many that feeling can last for years. I think the
world is a better place to live in because God gave us mothers. Joseph and Mary in
the stable reminds us of God’s love through the love of our parents.
In Jesus’ time, olive oil had many uses. Oil was considered to be one of the
necessities of life then. It was used, of course, in cooking (as it still is today), as fuel
in lamps, and today we use it in the soaps and lotions we use on our bodies to keep
them clean and soft. Mary probably used olive oil on Jesus the way we use baby oil
on newborn babies today.
The Bible speaks of the “oil of gladness”. Being rubbed with oil probably made
baby Jesus glad. Maybe that’s why the Psalm says, “You anoint my head with oil,
my cup overflows”, to help describe the gladness God gives to each of us.
Today we use diapers, blankets, booties, cap, and one-piece outfits on babies. Mary
used swaddling cloths. To be “wrapped in swaddling cloths” the way it has been
explained to me is to literally wrap the baby completely up in cloths, form head to
toe. That is probably what Mary did for baby Jesus.
The purpose was to keep him warm and comfy, a way of letting him know that he
welcomed and cared for. I guess you could say the swaddling cloths were giving
him a hug. The swaddling cloths around Jesus remind us that God is giving us a hug,
too. God has wrapped us up in His love, warm, tight, and caring.
Looking around the stable we see something that has been here all along but we
often overlook it because we’re more interested in what it holds. I’m talking about
the manger, a simple trough or box for feeding livestock.
It may not be the fanciest baby bed in the world, but it is certainly the most famous.
For in it was laid the very Son of God, born to be our Savior.
As we end our journey through the stable, it’s time to look beyond. If you look
through the window you can see the star. This star that guided the wise men is still
here today, guiding us.
The Christmas star has become a special sign from God inviting other people to
come and worship the Christ child, too. Because Jesus wasn’t just born for you and
me - He came to be the Savior for the whole world.
Wally was a 7th grade student who was bigger than any of the other students in his
Sunday school class. His mother had been an alcoholic when he was born, & as a
result, Wally just did not have all the mental capabilities that the rest of his
classmates had. But somehow he managed to get by.
Christmas time came & his class decided to put on a Christmas pageant. Since he
was the biggest, Wally was selected to be the innkeeper. After all, the innkeeper is
kind of a villain in the Christmas drama. So they coached Wally to be just as mean
as he possibly could be.
Well, the night came for the Christmas play. And in it, Mary & Joseph came to
Bethlehem, went to the Inn & knocked on its door. Wally opened the door & said,
"What do you want?" just as mean & gruff as he could possibly be.
Joseph said, "We need a room. We need a place to stay tonight." "Well, you’ll have
to stay someplace else," said Wally, "because there’s no room here. There’s no
room in the Inn."
Joseph said, "But my wife’s expecting a baby just any time now. Isn’t there
someplace where we can stay, where we are protected from the cold & where she
can deliver her child?" "No," said Wally, "There’s no room here."
Then silence. Wally had forgotten his lines. From behind the curtains you could hear
someone saying, "Begone. Begone." Finally, Wally managed to say, "Begone."
Mary & Joseph sadly turned to leave. But just as they did, Wally said, "Wait a
minute. Wait a minute. You can have my room."
The director of the play was ready to pull out her hair because she knew that the
whole Christmas pageant had been ruined. But had it? Maybe Wally, better than
anybody else communicated the real spirit of Christmas. "You can have my room."
"You can have my life." That is what God said at Christmas time. "You can have
Me. I give Myself." That is still the greatest gift of all.
Are you ready for Christmas? I don’t know if you have all your shopping done or
not. I don’t know if you have attended all the events you wanted to attend.
But I hope that you are ready in attitude. I hope you are ready for the real spirit of
Christmas to come, because if you’re ready for that, it’ll happen. It’ll happen in the
greatest way of all.
Let us pray.......
Good and loving God, whose offering of rebirth and renewal has been poured out
for us in Jesus Christ, take us again to the manger in the stable where we may
receive your gifts in awe and humility, that our lives may reflect the joy you intend,
winning others to the freedom you offer, and giving glory to your holy name.
Amen.
