'Twas the Night Before Christmas: The REAL story
'Twas the Night Before Christmas. It's a poem by Clement Clarke Moore that tells us about how Santa Claus visits our homes to bring us gifts.
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
Christmas Eve! The night before Christmas.
Tonight, I want to tell you the real story of the Night before Christmas.
And maybe you will find in the familiar story some surprises.
ANGEL
It actually starts with another visit – a visit of an angel = God’s messenger.
A spiritual being who can show up in the most unusual places.
On this occasion, the angel suddenly showed up to a teenage girl
ViD: Luke 1 26-38 MSG
MARY
A teenage girl
She lived in Nazareth – a town in north Israel, which didn’t have a great reputation. One guy said, “Can ANYTHING GOOD COME FROM Nazareth?”
Mary lived there and she was “pledged” to be married to a carpenter in town – a guy called . . . Joseph. Pledged – that means an agreement has been made between families. At a date in the future Mary would marry this guy. Until that date, they remained with their family. They would not be intimate until the wedding day.
The angel informs Mary, “Good news! You will be pregnant, and you will give birth to a son”. That was a shock to say the least. It probably then created a panic attack!
“Pregnant! Outside of marriage!”
“Pregnant!! How? And NOT with Joseph!!! Pregnant with Joseph would be shameful. It would destroy the agreement between the families. But pregnant outside of being with Joseph could mean the death penalty.
“No!” said the angel, “this child is from God”
Do you think that made it any easier?
How do you explain that to the neighbours?!
JOSEPH
Although Joseph was not the father, he too had a visit from the angel to assure him what was about to happen. It must have created loads of questions, and lots of doubts. As Mary and Joseph talked, they KNEW they had an incredibly special role to play in the coming of the Messiah – who had been promised for centuries!
Now Joseph was “Of the line of David” – that’s KING David – the famous king of Israel. The one who started as a shepherd boy and killed the mighty Goliath. Yes! That David.
Since David’s rule, God had promised that the Messiah would come from the royal line of King David. Enter Joseph! Yes, he was only a carpenter in Nazareth, but he was a descendant of King David.
Things were definitely coming together!
It must have been pretty tough going for this couple; but, just as Mary was 9 months pregnant, the government issued a decree:
Caesar Augustus announced that a census be taken. This was done by the Romans in order to count everyone – for the purpose of claiming tax off of the citizens. The way it was done was to get every male to go and register in their families hometown. In Joseph’s case – Bethlehem – the town in which David himself was born in.
That meant the couple travelling 90 miles on foot (maybe donkey).
This would have taken several days.
BETHLEHEM
Population at the time – around 2000
But for a census – double, treble . . .
Mary and Joseph would have travelled more than most (from the north to south)
By the time they arrived – Mary may have exclaimed, “I think my waters just broke”
Oh! The panic of a father!
Banging on doors – “help! My wife’s having a baby – like…. NOW!”
The place was heaving with people.
The innkeeper – is he in the bible story? No! It only says, “there was no room at the inn”
There was no room anywhere!
Maybe, in desperation Mary and Joseph went to the Inn’s “Car park” – the stable where the guests “parked” their camels and donkeys for the night.
The Ox and cattle mention in Carols? Hmmmmmm…..
T’was the night before Christmas, and a teenage mum gave birth to God’s Son in king David’s town – Bethlehem
SHEPHERDS
Angels proclaimed – made big bright announcement.
So – let’s get this straight:
God chose a humble, poor teenage mum to bore His Son – the Messiah
They travelled to Bethlehem. This was a way to confirm the prophecy that Jesus would be from the line of David
He was born in the lowliest of places – a stable and laid in the feeding trough.
And the people invited to witness this moment were . . . shepherds. At the time no-one much cared for shepherd. They lived outside the towns and lived rough with their sheep.
God was telling the world that He wants to associate with the poor and the tradesmen. The single parent and the outcasts. And that’s what Jesus did all his life!
‘tis the night before Christmas
And into our lives comes . . . . Jesus Christ
God WITH us!
Heaven to earth
A Saviour to sinners.
WoW!
Today the news is full of the names of Israel, Jerusalem (for all the wrong reasons - the war is awful), but it highlights that the bible story is not a fairy tale,
But real…
• real places,
• real events,
• real people
With a real God who loves us, and who went the lengths of eternity to have a relationship with us.
How do you respond to such a gift?
A huge gift has been given to us.
The best response is to accept it and say thank you!
Do you accept the gift of Jesus Christ into your life?
Do you know how?
It can start with a prayer:
Father God, I believe you are here.
I understand that You love me, and thank You for sending Your Son – ultimately to the cross so that my sin and messy life is forgiven. Today I accept Jesus Christ as my Saviour, and the way into Your presence. Please send Your Spirit into my life now, that You will be with me always.
Amen
Closing Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for the gift of Jesus and the joy of Christmas Eve. Touch our lives this night to bring us ever closer to You. As we go from here, help us to carry the love and light of Your Son in our hearts. May this Christmas be filled with your love, peace, and happiness, which is the shared with all those we meet this week. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
