Coming Home - part 3 — To Chaos and Uncertainty
December 17, 2023
Glenn Garvin
Let’s just say, it wasn’t an easy Christmas morning for Mary and Joseph!
As we talked about last week, God did not hide the way Jesus was conceived. We also discover, that did God did not make it easy on them, delivering a live birth in ancient times where mortality rates were 50%*. Plus, God had to get the couple from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a mere 80 miles of hilly trails, harsh weather, and hoodlums. Adding to the tension, Mary was in her last trimester. *Have you ever traveled with a nine-month pregnant woman? *
Icing on the Christmas Cake… the one hotel in town was booked up, so Joseph had to find last minute accommodations fast - but nothing was available.
Matthew’s gospel wants us to know that Jesus was
In these seven verses out of Luke, we see that God chose to bring His only Son, the Savior for all of humanity’s sins, into our world.
Definitely NOT in the best of
Jesus came home to the dark planet to bring light. He came home to chaos to bring peace.
The angels got it right, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14
The Decree
“At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.” Luke 2:1-3 NLT
What about this census? God either directs the affairs of men (Augustus) to do his will or knowing their decisions and desires, He has already accommodated the plan.
The Jewish community hated the census so much that it triggered a whole new sect of terrorism among themselves, these became the Jewish extremist called the “Zealots.” One of Jesus’ own disciples came out of this terrorist group, Simon the Zealot.
One of those revolts is mentioned by Luke, in Acts, when Gamaliel makes his speech to the Sanhedrin in Acts 5:37.
1. God uses
2. Luke gives us an amazing compare and contrast model when he points out that Joseph and Mary
The Distance
“And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.” Luke 2:4-5
The L.A. TIMES ARCHIVES, back on December 23, 1995, writes, A Long, Cold Road to Bethlehem: Nativity: Gospel accounts of Mary and Joseph’s journey gloss over the arduous reality of life and travel in ancient Galilee, scholars say.
Even with the likelihood of traveling with relatives or trade caravans for protection, this was not a cakewalk.
These two tiny verses can’t possibly unpack the reality of what it took to take a little trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem!
The Disquietude
“And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” Luke 2:6-7
And when they arrived in Bethlehem, it seemed as though nothing went right.
Each one of these difficult situations;
Luke’s point is simple, yet profound. God wasn’t born in a posh, plush, royal palace as anyone would expect of a god that decides to live in this world. No, Jesus’ environment was
The manager was real life
Jesus was born and buried in a borrowed trough, hewn out of stone.
Have you ever struggled to obey the laws of our government?
Have you ever traveled a circuitous journey, not knowing how it would go?
Were you born in a barn?
BONUS! CHRISTMAS QUIZ for you to use with family or friends ~ enjoy.
QUESTIONS FOR LIFE GROUPS
Q: Have you ever struggled to obey the laws of our government?
Q: Have you ever traveled a circuitous journey, not knowing how it would go?
Q: Were you born in a barn?