Church, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, I want to share a story to reflect on that first day when Jesus entered the world. Let’s go back 2000 years, to the land of Judea.
Imagine being in Bethlehem the day Mary and Joseph are about to arrive into town on their donkey. They were tired, thirsty, hungry, and probably had some of the smell of being on the road for over a week on that 90-mile journey from Jerusalem.
As they arrive into the outskirts of town, they pass by some shepherds trying to sell some of their livestock. You see, the land around Bethlehem at that time was ideal for sheep. Joseph, knowing that it’s getting dark soon, asks the shepherds if they know of any available rooms. He doesn’t want to sleep out in the open one more night. The shepherds can see that the weariness of the trip has taken a toll on them. They notice a peaceful glow about the pregnant woman on the donkey.
The shepherds finally answer that they didn’t know of any rooms available; and that the census had created a situation where there were more people in the small city than it could handle. Many are being turned away. Joseph’s face, if you could see it, is troubled. One of shepherds, his name was Evan, offers his canteen of fresh water to them.
Mary and Joseph drink deeply from Evan’s canteen. He can see Joseph’s concern and offers a small loaf of bread from his satchel that he was saving for dinner. In Evan’s eyes, these two travelers need it more than he did. Joseph offers a copper coin to the shepherd, one of the few he has saved up. Evan is filled with compassion and tells Joseph to keep it. Mary, up to this point, was very quiet. She looks at Evan directly and says, ‘Thank You, you are kind.’
Evan is taken aback. Mary’s voice is so soft and gentle, and her face has that glow. It’s like her words were from someone who is royalty. Evan feels a blessing has been put upon him by this simple act of generosity.
Joseph speaks up and tells Mary that they need to leave Evan and get into the city to try to find a place to sleep. As they leave, Evan feels as if he should bow down. Mary turns her attention to Joseph as she slowly nibbles on the bread, savoring the fresh food Evan has given her.
Mary stays on the donkey while Joseph walks them into town. The streets are full of people coming and going. It’s loud; street vendors are selling food and pottery. There would be metal workers and tanners. Joseph asks for help and looks for a room for them to stay in. He is told “No” many times. The sun is setting, and Joseph has not found a room. Finally, one caretaker offers some compassion. He says they can stay in the stable out back. They’ll at least have a roof over their heads.
Joseph has no choice… They’ll be spending the night in a barn. He tries to be optimistic, telling Mary he’ll find a better spot for them tomorrow. Mary smiles back at Joseph. She has a feeling that might not happen- but loves his optimism.
As they look around in the barn, Mary starts to have contractions. She’d never had them before, so she feared something was wrong with the bread she had eaten earlier. Once she recognizes the rhythm of the pain, she realizes the baby is coming tonight.
She tells Joseph, “It is time.”
Joseph’s hopes are dashed. He needs to prepare for the baby right now. He puts the donkey in a stall with some used straw for bedding. Then, he immediately gives Mary all of his attention to help prepare for the coming of Christ. They make some room in the barn, and he finds the freshest straw and puts down a clean blanket for Mary to be comfortable.
Mary draws on all the words her mother and aunts told her about giving birth. She is focused, and the delivery goes well. Once Jesus was born, all the animals in the barn quieted down. Mary and Joseph do not notice that in the busyness of the birth, all is calm and bright. The star of Bethlehem is shining directly on the barn.
King David was born in Bethlehem, and now, The Son of David is born here as well. Everything that Isaiah prophesied is happening. He is the Messiah who will take away the sins of the world. He will bring forth the Holy Spirit. He will become the bridge that allows all of us an opportunity to have a relationship with God. But tonight, he sleeps; the Divine Word has become human.
Outside in the fields, Evan is with the other shepherds. It’s a bit past midnight, and he has the watch. While trying to stay awake, he suddenly sees a bright light from the sky. An Angel appears in front of Evan. It is terrifying. He has never seen an angel; it looks bright and powerful. Evan can feel the presence of the Lord. He immediately drops to his knees and covers his eyes, wondering why an angel would visit him in the middle of the night.
The angel tells him to relax, do not worry, that he needs to get the other shepherds and return to town. Something amazing has just happened… The Savior from the Hebrew scriptures is born.
Evan and his friends know about the Messiah promised in the scriptures. You see, the shepherds were trained in the temple to care for livestock used in sacrifices. They would have received education in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the Psalms. They would know about the Messiah that the Angel was talking about.
Evan grabs his buddies and they run into town. He feels that he knows exactly who to look for. He remembers interacting with the pregnant young woman and the man with the donkey. He tells his buddies they must check every barn for a young couple. It shouldn’t be too hard, he tells them, there are only 5 or 6 of them in town.
And he’s right... They find Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus quickly. Mary is sleeping when Evan and the other shepherds show up. Joseph tries to keep them away so the mom and the Baby can sleep… It doesn’t work. Evan is so excited about seeing Jesus and telling them what the angel said that he wakes Mary and Jesus up. Jesus, the Messiah was in a manger, just like the Angel said he’d be found.
Mary is amazed by what Evan is saying. She doesn’t say anything; she’s just listening, keeping track of everything. Joseph, on the other hand, is getting a bit torqued. He doesn’t like this midnight visit to his family. The shepherds start to get the hint and leave.
The shepherds are leaning on what they were taught. The promise to Israel has been born. As they returned to the flocks that night, Evan could hardly believe what he had just seen. Evan tries to capture the angel’s praises that he heard on the hillside earlier in the night.
He starts to sing Psalm 98:
Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has performed wonders;
He can’t stop thinking about the tiny baby’s hands. He remembers how the baby Jesus seemed to look straight into his eyes. He remembers the bright star that pointed directly to the stable where the manger was at.
The next day, Evan and the other shepherds returned to town, telling everyone they met about the miracle in the manger. Some people laughed at them, some doubted them, but a few saw the truth shining in their eyes and listened with hope that the promised Messiah had been born.
Farris Chapel—they were just simple shepherds, but they carried within them a story that we still love hearing today. This is the beginning of a story that would change the world.
Closing Prayer
Prayer: “Jesus, through this season of Advent, we have watched and waited. Tonight, we celebrate Your birth and worship You, the giver of all good gifts. Please fill us this night with Your hope, love, joy, and peace as we both celebrate Your coming and continue to wait for You to come again.”
Amen.
