The Forgotten Christmas Cradle
“The Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child she carries was conceived by the Holy Spirit” Matthew 1:18-24
Intro: As Joseph awoke from his sleep and rose from his bed he walked quickly into his carpenter’s shop. He began to sort through the piles of wood looking for the best. The palms of his hands were so familiar with the grains of wood he rejected the olive, the oak, the cypress planks for only the finest blocks of cedar would be good enough to use on his newest project.
Joseph held every piece of wood up to the light to make sure that once the wood was planed and sanded and polished that each piece would match. Joseph had built many fine pieces of furniture for some of the wealthiest people in Nazareth. But never would he spend so much care and time constructing one piece before. For this was no ordinary piece of furniture that he would work on.
This would be a cradle for a child he would name Jesus. But he knew from a dream that this would be no ordinary cradle for this would be no ordinary son. For an angel had told Joseph that the child within his bride Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And this Holy descendant of David would be “Emmanuel: Meaning God is with us. And he would save his people from their sins.”
Joseph would work long hours and stay up late to finish this beautiful cradle before he and Mary were to leave on a journey. For the Roman Emperor had ordered a census be taken throughout the entire Empire. Joseph and Mary would travel to the village of his ancestry Bethlehem in Judea to be counted and taxed.
As Joseph put the finishing touches on this fine looking cradle, he could hear Mary calling, “Joseph we must leave now if we are to make any progress on the road today toward Bethlehem.”
So, Joseph carefully covers the cradle, his best work of art, with a cloth to protect it while they are gone.
But Jesus will never lay in the gorgeous cradle built by Joseph. This Christmas Cradle will be forgotten.
Today we are going to talk about the journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem, from Bethlehem to Egypt, and then from Egypt back to Nazareth.
I. Why was it so important for Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem?
“But thou, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose going forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2
Putting aside the fact that Joseph was obeying the law to Augustus to be counted in the census, Joseph was fulfilling the prophecy of Micah spoken hundreds of years before Jesus was born. We have to understand the importance of the birthplace of Jesus. The scripture tells us there are thousands of places in the land of Judah that are suited for a king to be born.
The city of Beersheba of the tribe of Dan in the land of Judea is mentioned in the Book of Genesis in connection with Abraham the Patriarch. Isaac built an altar in Beersheba (Genesis 26:23–33). Jacob had his dream about a stairway to heaven after leaving Beersheba. (Genesis 28:10–15 and 46:1–7). The sons of the prophet Samuel were judges in Beersheba (I Samuel 8:2). Saul, Israel's first king, built a fort for his campaign against the Amalekites (I Samuel 14:48 and 15:2–9). The prophet Elijah took refuge in Beersheba when Jezebel ordered him killed (I Kings 19:3).
The city of Beersheba would have been a great place for Jesus to be born. A land worthy of a patriarch, a land worthy of a warrior, a land worthy of a judge, a land worthy of a prophet, a land worthy of a king.
But Beersheba would not be the place of the birth of Jesus. Beersheba was forgotten.
The city of Hebron of the Bible in the land of Judea would have been a great place for Jesus to have been born. The bible says King David reigned from Hebron for some seven years. It is there that the elders of Israel come to him to make a covenant before Elohim and anoint him king of Israel.
If David was anointed King of Israel in Hebron then Hebron would be a great place for the savior of Israel to be born. But Hebron would not be the place of the birth of Jesus. Hebron was forgotten.
Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem the center of the land of Judea. The place where King Solomon built the first Temple. The symbol of importance for the Jewish people. There is no other place of more significance and greater beauty than the city of Jerusalem.
But Jerusalem would not be the place of the birth of Jesus. Jerusalem was forgotten.
Why? Because God chose the least among the thousands of Judah. God could have chosen a land whose origins and past were of earthly riches, and warrior strength, and human kings.
But instead God chose a Bethlehem meaning: The House of Bread. God chose the birthplace of Jesus to be a symbol of His gift of peace, and hope, and food for the hungry.
Why is it so important for Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem? Because God wants to give you the gift of peace of mind and heart. The peace that Jesus gives is not like the peace the world gives.
But it is the peace of God that once you receive it there is no fear of judgment and no more guilt of sin.
II. Why was it so important for Joseph and Mary to travel to Egypt?
“Joseph got up and, during the night, took the child and his mother to Egypt.” Matthew 2:13-18
Egypt was the last place a Jew wanted to go. Even though there were pockets of Jews living in Egypt they were leftover from the great captivity. Egypt was a land of pagan temples and idol gods. Egypt was a reminder of famine and slavery. Joseph and Mary would not have been invited or welcomed by the Egyptians. They only hope was to seek refuge with a sympathetic family with who still remembered their heritage as a people of Israel.
But God had made a promise. God’s promise was not just to the land of Judea and Israel, but God’s promise was also to Assyria and Egypt.
“For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will say, “Blessed be Egypt, my people. Blessed be Assyria, the land I have made. Blessed be Israel, my special possession!” Isaiah 19:23-25
Egypt is but one of all the Gentile nations that became blessed. “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father..” Philippians 2:10-11
Egypt is a symbol of those who have rejected the Lord God, either through wickedness and sinfulness or just by not yet accepting and receiving Jesus into their life. They were the lost.
God led Joseph and Mary and baby Jesus into an unwelcoming and unfriendly, harsh and hostile land to show that God was working to save all people. Now we can understand John 3:16 “For God so loved the world.”
Not just a remnant of faithful Jews. Not just a chosen tribe or nation. But Jesus came to save the world. To teach us to love our enemies, to do good to those who would despitefully use us.
The bible teaches that at the Last Judgment those who were once destined to be condemned but have recognized Jesus as Lord shall be forgiven. When the holy family fled Bethlehem, Herod's evil became a blessing for Egypt.
Why is it so important for Joseph and Mary to travel to Egypt? Because God wants to save all people.
Have you met and accept and received Jesus?
III. Why was it so important for Joseph and Mary to travel from Egypt back to Nazareth?
“When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. 23 So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.” Matthew 2:19-23
Today, in the Land of Israel, in the city of Nazareth, stands St. Joseph’s Church. The present church building is constructed on the site identified as the “Carpenter’s Workshop” of the Holy Family of Joseph and the early home of he and his wife Mary and their young son Jesus.
The Bible says in Luke 2:39-40 “When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.”
One of the first things people asks when you first meet them is, “Where are you from?” We tell them what town we were raised in. But what people really want to know is not just the location of where we were born but what is our past? How did we grow up? What is our upbringing? What has made us into the person we are?
It is the question that Nathanael asks Philip in John chapter 1:43-51. One day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown. 45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses[a] and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied. 47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.” 48 “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”
49 Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.” John 1:43-51.
Jesus knew Nathanael before they had ever met. Just like God already knows who you are.
When Nathanael first heard that the Messiah was from Nazareth at first he couldn’t believe it. But Nathanael came to meet Jesus anyway. Nathanael knew that if there was any chance he would meet the Messiah, the Saviour he had to take that chance no matter what the world might say about Nazareth.
Nathanael did believe Jesus and he became one of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus taught that he is not just from a manger in Bethlehem or a cradle in Nazareth but that Jesus is the unique connection between Heaven and Earth, between God and humankind, between being lost and being born again. Jesus is both the physical and spiritual means of God’s hope, love, joy, peace, and grace.
There is the old saying, “Be it so humble there is no place like home.” By the time that Joseph and Mary and Jesus returned to Nazareth, Jesus was too old and too big for a cradle. I imagine that one day as he was helping his father work in the carpenter’s shop. Jesus would have uncovered the forgotten cradle that Joseph had made for him years ago. He would have admired the handy work of Joseph and asked if when he was born had he had such a beautiful and magnificent bed to be placed in.
And Joseph would tell the story how he was not Jesus’ earthly father. But an angle and messenger from God had revealed to him in dreams all the things that would happen and be done. Joseph wanted his son to have the best cradle a child could ask for. Joseph wanted his son to have the best of everything but when he was born Jesus was wrapped in strips of cloth and placed in manger.
Joseph, like any good father would have wanted Jesus to know how much he loved him as his own son. But that His heavenly Father had even greater plans for Jesus. God has great plans for your life. And that while he was too young to fully understand it all now, the time would come that he would. Jesus would remember the cradle and the manger and Jesus would understand. The story of a baby who was meant to have the finest and best that heaven and earth could offer. But instead would be crucified, Jesus would give his life to give the earth the finest and best that heaven could offer.
Some people knew that Jesus was meant to do great things and to be the savior of the world. The prophets of old knew. Joseph knew. Mary knew. The shepherds knew. The wise men knew. Even Herod and the Egyptians knew. And now you also know about him. This Christmas make sure your children know the story of the “Forgotten Christmas Cradle.”
