Contrasting Christmases

Contrasting Christmases

Psalm 1; Luke 2; Matthew 2

Someone has said that life is full of contrasts, and as far as I can determine, they are right. But most of these contrasts are self-determined. Psalm chapter one deals with the main contrast, the one that determines all the rest. It involves the choice we make in how we choose to walk in this life. Look at what it says.

“Blessed is the ma0n who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” (Psalm 1 NKJV)

It comes down to the choices we make. We can choose God and His word to live our lives by and prosper, or we can walk according to our own ways, make our own choices based upon our own reasoning, and in the end perish.

It is such a contrast that we see within the Christmas story, a contrast between those who are ready and willing to receive the good news, like the shepherds and the Magi, or Wise Men, and those who are not, like King Herod and the religious leaders of that day. Their stories our found in Luke 2, and Matthew 2.

What I like specifically about the story of the shepherds, is that in that society they were considered both social and religious outcast, unclean in the eyes of Jewish law. But here’s what I’d like to share. That if these shepherds are important enough for God to send His angels to proclaim this wondrous event, then so are we. God loves everyone, especially those who feel unworthy and outcast, for that truly was the life of a shepherd.

The story of the Wise Men is interesting as well. They not only represent the aristocracy of that time, but also the rich and educated. In fact, they weren’t even Jewish. They were Gentiles who studied the stars, but also the times. And so here are these Wise Men coming to a small unremarkable town right outside of Jerusalem, and then bowing down before a baby, just like the shepherds, the common folk of that day.

And so, these scenes reveal both rich and poor, the aristocracy and the common man all bowing in adoration before the baby Jesus who was and is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

But when we look at King Herod, we see a different scenario. We see darkness, hatred, and death. In Matthew’s gospel we read a frightening account.

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.” (Matthew 2:16 NKJV)

And this is the same way that many people today react to the news of Jesus Christ. Several years back, I read a story about an atheist group who put up a huge billboard in New York’s Time Square that shows Santa Claus with these words, “Keep the Merry,” and underneath is a picture of Jesus hanging on the cross with these words, “Dump the Myth.” (Show picture in PowerPoint presentation)

Why do some people react like Herod, filled with darkness and despair, and others are filled with love, happiness, and an adoration for Jesus Christ? Why such a contrast?

I think we can find our answer in what these Scriptures tell us about all three, the shepherds, the Magi, and Herod.

Willingness to Receive

“The shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.’” (Luke 2:15b NKJV)

Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’” (Matthew 2:1b-2 NKJV)

There is a basic truth that God works through people who are willing to receive His message.

The shepherds were willing and prepared to receive this wonderful “good tidings of great joy,” because every day they were reminded of this very need. These shepherds were keepers of the temple flock, those sheep that would be used by the Levitical priests in offering up blood sacrifices for the people’s sins.