Christmas Far From Home Christmas Eve 2007
For most people Christmas is a time to spend with family. We enjoy the social aspect and the re-connecting with one another. There are gifts and cards, emails and Christmas letters and food. Whenever people get together at Christmas there is always food. And pretty darn good food to.
But not everyone can be home at Christmas or with their families at Christmas. When I was in Ghana last March I was talking to the National Superintendant, Joe Ocran, and his wife about some of the cross cultural experiences we had shared. Joe and Jemima had lived in Canada when they were younger and then had returned to their native Ghana to minister eighteen years ago but both of their grown children had ended up moving back to Canada. Being an army brat I moved a lot as a child including three Christmases in Germany, in 1981 I was on a Tug Boat storm stayed in the Canso Canel, Angela and I lived in upstate New York right after I graduated from College and then spent four years in Australia between 90 and 94. And one thing the Ocran’s and I agreed on was with all the benefits that came from being global citizens Christmas was tough away from home.
Not so much for children. I don’t recall when I was a kid in Germany reflecting on how Christmas would be better in Canada. It was different in Germany, but there was lots to do and some really cool traditions that we don’t have here. As a kid it was just Christmas, Santa still came so everything was cool.
In Australia I really enjoyed Christmas, well I enjoyed the sun and the beach and our Christmas BBQ and going for a swim in our pool on Christmas day that was cool. But I missed being close to our families. Even if we didn’t spend Christmas with them somehow the distance seemed greater at Christmas time than any other time of the year. And it was probably the feelings from Christmas 93 that lead us back to Canada in June of 94 to start Cornerstone.
And as I talked to Joe and Jemima I realized that we weren’t the first people to spend Christmas far from home, as a matter of fact on that first Christmas more then 2000 years ago some of the main players were far from home when the drama of Christ’s birth was being played out.
Luke 2:4-5 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, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.
Mary and Joseph Journey of Obedience
We sing about it in Little Town of Bethlehem and Once in Royal David’s City but do we ever think about it. Presently it’s population is around 22,000 which is three time what it was in 1948 when Israel became a nation and probably 10 times what it was when Jesus was born. It is called the city of David, but everything is relative, cities back then weren’t what they are today. Kind of a pretty city at least today. It was in Bethlehem that Jacob buried Rachel. And it was in Bethlehem that Ruth lived with Boaz. But to most Jews the very name Bethlehem was synonymous with King David. And so it was here in this little town 9 kilometers from Jerusalem that Jesus Christ the son of God was born.
Karen read earlier about the census that was announced where Joseph and Mary had to make the 120 km journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. I’m sure that Caesar Augustus thought it was a great idea to conduct the census to get a better handle on potential tax revenues, but he was simply a tool in God’s hand to fulfil a prophecy made hundreds of years before.
Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.
What would it take to get a man to travel five days on foot or perhaps by donkey with his very pregnant wife? How about a decree from the Emperor?
But their journey wasn’t made because they were obedient to Caesar. It was made because they were obedient to God. The news was sprung on both Mary and Joseph, that even though Mary was a virgin she would carry the Son of God. And in both cases they stepped outside the boundaries of common sense and said OK. Luke 1:38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. And in Matthew 1:24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.
And so the on that first Christmas Mary and Joseph were far from home, because they choose to allow God to work in their lives and to follow Him wherever the journey took them.
Matthew 2:1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, . . .
Magi Journey of Worship
Now when we get to this part of the Christmas Story we think we have a handle on it. The three Kings making their way across the desert sand replete in all their glory. But sometimes I think that most of us know more about the Christmas story from Christmas cards then from the Bible.
These were the wise men of the east, not kings but magi. Originally Magi were from Persia which is now Iran, and were from a tribe of Medes who tried to overthrow the king. When that failed they put their political aspirations to rest and became holy men, priest and teachers of kings. Talk about a career shift. And it was to them that this sign came.
We are told that there was an air of expectancy over the known world. Suetonis the Roman historian wrote “There had spread over all the Orient an old and established belief, that it was fated at that time for men coming from Judea to rule the world.”
There are all kinds of tradition out there concerning the Magi. Early tradition numbered them at twelve, but modern tradition has settled at three, no three isn’t fact it’s just supposition. Three Magi for three gifts makes sense doesn’t it? And over the years we’ve given them names, Melchior, Caspar, and Balthassar. And to the names tradition has added looks. Mechior was old and gray haired with a long beard. He brought the gold. Caspar, well he was young and beardless with a ruddy complexion he brought the frankincense. And lastly was Balthassar, a swarthy man with a new beard he brought the myrrh.
The latest legend it would appear is that the wise men weren’t actually present that first Christmas but didn’t arrive until a couple of years later. I was talking to a friend of mine who attends another evangelical church in the city and she told me how surprised she was to find out that the Wise men weren’t at the first Christmas but arrived much later. I kind of suspected where she got this nugget of information but asked anyway and she told me that one of her pastors had preached on it the Sunday before.
It comes up from time to time and here’s the rational. First they say that it would have taken the Magi a considerable amount of time to make their way from their home in Persia. And then it says in Matthew 2:11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. You catch that? A house not a stable.
And lastly Herod ordered the boys two and under executed. And so the assumption is that the Magi arrived after a considerable length of time perhaps almost two years later. But we all know what happens when we assume right? Sometimes we’re wrong.
And there are times I think preachers stretch a point sometime to show how much smarter they are then other people. A few things to consider, if you will? If God could put a star in the sky to announce the birth of his son, then he could put it there far enough in advance to get the wise men there on time. Secondly the Bible says Jesus was born in a manager, there is nothing to indicate that is where they stayed for their entire stay in Bethlehem, could have moved into a house the next day if room became available. Why would Joseph a carpenter from Nazareth stay in Bethlehem any longer then he had to for the census? He had a business back home that he had to get back to. And as for Herod’s order to kill all the boys under two I’m sure his rationale was “Better safe than sorry.”
That was free.
And so they’ve made their way from presumably Persia to Israel apparently for one reason, in Matthew 2:11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And so on that first Christmas the Magi weren’t looking for what they would receive instead they came only to worship the one who had been born in a manger, far from home.
There was someone else there on that first Christmas so long ago, Tom read about him in
John 1:14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
Jesus Journey of Love
Perhaps we don’t actually stop and realize that Christ had left heaven with all of it’s glory and all of it’s wonder to step into human existence, not in a palace but in a manger. Born not a prince but a peasant. And he did it for one reason and one reason only, and that was love. His love for creation, his love for the people of this earth, his love for you.
Remember the words of John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. That my friends was the first and greatest Christmas gift ever given, and it didn’t end with Jesus simply being born in a manger, later in the Bible, the word of God we are told Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
We always need to remember that Christmas story is never complete without the Easter story. And the shadow of the Cross always falls across the manger. And it was for each one of us here today that Jesus Christ the Son of God was far from home that first Christmas morning. He was born that he could live the full spectrum of life for you that he could offer up his life that you could experience eternal life. Merry Christmas.
Where are you this Christmas Eve? Maybe you are right where you ought to be your friends and family are with you, you have a church to call your own and you have a great relationship with God.
On the other hand, perhaps your family is far away in another part of the country or another part of the world. Take the time to connect with them, in an era of cheap long distance, email and instant messaging the world has never been smaller.
Most of us tonite are here because our church home is Cornerstone, but perhaps you don’t have a church you can call home. If that is the case I would encourage you to find a church you can connect with. The bible knows nothing of a solitary religion and neither did Jesus. And if you don’t have a church home don’t let another year go by before you find yourself in church again. We are here every Saturday Evening at 6:30 and Sunday Morning at 10:30 and we’d love for you to come home to Cornerstone.
And I would suspect that there are some here tonite who are far from God, and He is calling you to come home tonite. 2000 years ago he came to this world as a sacrifice for you and he hasn’t given up on you, please don’t give up on him.
If you aren’t where you are supposed to be with your creator tonite then take whatever time it takes to get things squared away. Gave himself for you but like any gift it only becomes of worth when we are willing to accept it.
Free PowerPoint may be available for this message contact me at denn@cornerstonewesleyan.ca
