What Would You Do?

If Mary and Joseph were to arrive Tuesday night in Gilbert, tired, lonely, penniless and pregnant; what would we do? Would we see them and walk on by? Would we pray to God above that they bypass our house and get help somewhere else, maybe down to Lexington or up to Batesburg - Leesville? Would we send them down the road or to the barn? Would we help or hurt?

I have often wondered what my reaction would be if Jesus Christ were to be born in a barn down the road. What would I do if a couple of farm hands happened by and told me that God was a little bit down the way asleep in a feeding trough? Knowing me, skepticism would be my response. I would more than likely figure that those fellas had simply had a bit too much to drink and let it go. Because let’s face it, it makes no sense whatsoever for the Son of God to come to earth that way. Above and beyond that, it is ridiculous to think that He would have anything to do with the likes of me. I am selfish and self-absorbed. Seldom do I even notice my neighbor in need, much less help. Seldom do I do what the Old Testament law requires, much less the Law of Christ.

My love is limited to say the least. I love my family. I love a few other folks, and I love myself. I try to love the rest of the world, I really do, but it’s awfully hard. Yet with my limited understanding of love, I am supposed to believe that God Almighty loved me enough to send His Son to save me. I find that almost impossible to believe, and yet deep down in my inner most being, I know that is exactly what happened.

Through His birth in that stable all those years ago, I have been promised that God loves me enough to die for me, a fella no better than a shepherd. I can’t believe it, but I must. I can’t understand it, but I pray I can accept it. I can’t fathom that much love, but I must accept it if I am to become the Child of God for whom Christ came to this earth.

The birth of Christ is wonderful, beautiful and divine in its simplicity because it demonstrates to you and me that God is a God who loves all, no matter what the station, no matter what the color, no matter what the sin. God is a God who loved us enough to send His one and only Son to teach us how to live, to teach us how to love, to teach us how to die and to give us life eternal in the bargain.

The beauty of the birth of Christ Jesus is not found in the circumstances of Christ’s arrival on this earth. No matter how we try to dress them up, they were not beautiful. They were not lovely. They were humble and tired and dirty.

The beauty and fascination of the birth of Christ is that He was born at all. The beauty and fascination of the birth of Christ is that in spite of our rebellious, sinful, down right awful nature; God still loves us, and in spite of our wanderings, yearns with all His heart to bring us back home. He longs to rescue us from the grip of sin and Satan and to give us life eternal in Heaven.
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That is the meaning of Christmas, and that is what I pray that each and every one of you have received. I pray that you have accepted the love and forgiveness demonstrated by the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ. I pray that during this Christmas Season and indeed beyond, that you remember that little baby born in a manger, wrapped in rags and bearing the name, Son of God, Creator of the universe, Savior, Lord and Friend. I pray that you remember that He came to save you and to sacrifice Himself for your sake, so that you might have an eternal life filled with joy, peace and contentment.
 
Merry Christmas, Folks!
 
Love,
Pastor Tony
 
 
 

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