by Dr. Jacob Mathew, Malankara World

Christmas brings good news and bad news. The bad news is that we were so messed up Christ had to come and save us. The good news is that he saves anyone willing to admit the bad news is true.
Ray Pritchard

After a long Orthodox Advent Season, we are finally there - in Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We also look forward to the second coming of Jesus. Advent is the season to prepare us. As we progressed through the Advent Season, we reflected on how the God's plan for saving the mankind was falling into place. First God wanted a forerunner to prepare the path for God. He needed parents for John the Baptist. He selected Zachariah and Elizabeth, an aging couple well past their child bearing age to be the parents. As we started the Advent Season, we saw the angel appearing to Zachariah and telling him that his wife Elizabeth will conceive and deliver a son, whom he should name "John". To make sure that we don't miss the significance of divine intervention in the pregnancy, God had deliberately chosen a couple who were way past their prime to conceive. On top of that Zachariah lost the capacity to talk till the time the child was born and would be named John for doubting the power of God! Even if the neighbors didn't know, both Zachariah and Elizabeth knew the blessing of God and that this is going to be a 'special' child.

Now we have a forerunner; but then we need a human mother to give the human body to the 'logos' or 'word' becoming flesh. For that the angel selected a teenager, 12-13 years young to be the mother!

If you think about it, this is also well thought through. God didn't pick an elderly woman for this task. God knew that Mary will go through severe hardship in her life raising Jesus; an older woman will not be able to handle all the stresses. Plus, we needed a virgin for this. This is the only pregnancy described in the bible that was done by holy spirit. The spirit dwelled in Mary and the word became flesh without breaking her virginity. All the other pregnancies, divinely inspired in the bible, were fathered by men, like Abraham, Zachariah, Hanna's husband, etc. We are moved by the humility of Mary during the annunciation. No wonder why God had selected her to be the mother of God's only begotten son.

In case there is any doubt about the word residing in Mary's womb, Mary visits Elizabeth, and the child (about 6 months in the womb of Elizabeth) stirs within her informing her that the 'Mother of God' is here to visit her!! Now Elizabeth knew that John, the baby within her is extraordinary and Mary knew that the baby that is conceived within her is the son of God. Later Jesus would praise John to his disciples

"Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."
Matthew 11:11

We also learn that when Jesus enters us, we are immediately transformed.

We listen to the Magnificat and Benedictus, some of the best poetry in the Bible inspired by Holy Spirit. Mary, inspired by Holy Spirit describes how the Kingdom of God will be different than human Kingdoms. The emphasis on poor, sick and people lost are the hallmarks. Zachariah gains his power to speak when the John the Baptist is named. He describes the incredible child and the power of God in Benedictus.

Then the angel appeared to Joseph, who did not know how Mary became pregnant. He was planning to divorce her quietly. The angel told him that Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit and is bearing the son of God. No more explanation was needed for Joseph. Like Abraham, who obeyed without questioning when God asked him to sacrifice his only son, Joseph accepted the responsibility of caring for Mary and raising her child immediately. Again, God knew that Jesus will need a model 'father' to protect and guide him from all hardships that await him before his public ministry. Joseph fulfilled his role beautifully without questioning. A man of few words.

Finally the time came for the delivery of Mary. The old testament prophets have made it very clear that Messiah will be born in the City of David - Bethlehem. Prophet Micah, the last prophet Israel had before the arrival of Messiah, prophesied:

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, 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 goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
(Micah 5:2)

Joseph and Mary were residents of Nazareth in Galilee, quite far from Bethlehem (more than a day's walk in those days). God had an answer to that too. Luke 2:2-3 described the plan:

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

See, God had planned everything to the smallest detail!

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:4-7

Now we come to the question, how did God, who had planned everything to such meticulous detail, missed "reserving" a place for Mary and Joseph at the Inn ahead of time? Of course, there was no internet in those days or phone for that matter, so Joseph could not have called and booked it ahead of time; but God could make that happen, if He wanted. [Later during His public ministry, Jesus needed a colt to go to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. It was easily done:

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." ... 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.
Matthew 21:1-3,6]

So, God could have arranged space in the inn for the birth of His son. God, if wanted, could even have arranged space in the palace if He wanted.

God didn't miss that detail about finding a place for the baby. God had planned it that way. The incarnated son of God will be born in one of the lowest places in the earth, the smelly, dirty manger in a cave covered with torn, old blankets, with animals looking on. How do we know that? The answer is given if we read further the chapter 2 of Luke:

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
Luke 2:8-12

The angel tells the shepherds how to recognize the baby who is going to be their savior or messiah. 'The baby will be in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes.'

So, this was the sign. God wanted it that way. He could have had his son be born the palace; surely that is where you expect to find the future king. (The magi who saw the star and followed it to see the baby first went to the palace using that logic in search of Jesus. But then they were redirected to the place the Jesus was, in modest circumstances.)

Think about it! Will you go in the middle of night to someone and suggest that they visit a baby who is going to be a mighty person, a savior, the future messiah. When the shepherds asked the angel how to find the baby, telling them that the baby is in a filthy manger, wrapped with old clothes!

But then think again! This is the first official revelation of the arrival of the messiah. To whom is that announcement made to? Some poor, stinking, shepherds! Shepherds were near the bottom of the social order of ancient Israel. They were often poor and uneducated, and some were quite young. They were the most despised people in Israel at that time. Since they spend days in the fields, they may not take baths for weeks. And they sleep close to the sheep, who themselves are pretty smelly. So, when you look at it from that way, the only people who will walk miles to see a baby lying in a filthy manger will be those "stinking" shepherds, not Herod for sure! But then none goes to a shepherd with a "Breaking News" about the birth of a savior either! [Later, after Jesus defeats death and resurrected after 3 days, the first person who sees Him is Magdalene Mary - not even his disciples. But then we also recall that these ordinary people were the ones who stayed with him till the end; all the disciples were scattered, except John. We also learn the valuable lesson that God choose ordinary people to do the extraordinary things. All the people God had selected so far had been just ordinary, unknown people!]

We are warned that the Kingdom of God is very different from what we expect. In fact, everything is upside down. Mary, filled with Holy Spirit, described it in her Magnificat:

51 He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
Luke 1:51-53

So, in the coming Kingdom, lowly are exalted and the mighty will be thrown away. Proud will be humiliated. The rich will be sent away empty. Hungry will be fed.

Jesus told us later that, in his Kingdom, those who want to be at the top will serve at the bottom. He reminded us that the son of man came to serve, not served. If we want to be an elite in the Kingdom f God, start serving others, sit at the end of the table rather than at the place of importance, wash the feet of others. Sinners will gain more from Jesus than the Sadducees and Pharisees, who think that they follow all the rules in the book and will find favor with God. It certainly is a world upside down!

So, the message of Christmas and the recipients were carefully planned by God. Shepherds heard the first testimony, not the rich people or the Chief of the Temple. Ray Pritchard said:

There is a great lesson in this for all of us. Our Lord came for the forgotten people of the earth, and most of the time they are the ones who receive him with the greatest joy. Rich people often have no time for Christ, but the poor welcome him as an honored guest.

God is not embarrassed to announce the birth of his Son to those the world takes for granted. While the rich slept in Jerusalem, the shepherds saw the angel and heard the good news a Savior had been born.

Upon hearing the news, they set out immediately for Bethlehem. And after they saw the baby, they couldn't stop talking about him. God chose lowly shepherds as the first evangelists.

We need a good dose of that "shepherd spirit" today. We need their openness and their eagerness and their gladness to share the good news Christ has come to the world.

Bill Radles explained this beautifully in a series examining the nativity of Jesus. He said:

Some people's lives are very clean and in order. Their lives are full, there is no vacancy. When the gospel comes to them they see no need, for seemingly they have it together, thus there is no sense of need for Jesus. You could say there is "no room in the Inn" of their hearts, for business is brisk, and everything is in order.

But others' lives are like that filthy stable. Who would lay down on the floor of a stable/cave, and have a baby? A place where animals live and feed, and perhaps a place needing the offal of animals to be pitchforked out of it! But there was room in the stable for the Messiah.

Millions of souls, those filthy, ruined, and living almost bestial lives, stained and spotted by sin, would recognize in Jesus the promise of Redemption, New Birth and the hope of eternal Life. Unlike the "Inns" of humanity, these "filthy stables" open their hearts to the Savior and allow him to come in, and purify their lives through the sacrifice He would make for them, of his own blood.

Bill then expanded on the significance of the sign of the swaddling clothes further, a sign to the crucifixion and death of Jesus. After all, what did Jesus come here for? He came to die on the cross to pay for our sins. He explains:

The Sign of The Swaddling Clothes…

At the beginning of Luke's gospel, Joseph and Mary are together in an enclosed place, wrapping Jesus tightly in cloth strips, laying him out on a table/manger.

An almost identical scene plays itself almost at the end of Luke's gospel. True, it's a different Joseph in the second instance, but the scene repeats, Joseph and Mary are in a tomb, Jesus is laid out on a table, and this time Joseph wraps Jesus' body in strips of cloth for burial. And Mary is there.

And he (Joseph) took it (The Body of Jesus) down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid. (Luke 23:53-56)

Everything in scripture is meaningful, all is the Word of God. What is it that God is saying in this double binding of Jesus?

Interestingly, many medieval artists depicted the early life of Jesus with allegorical vision of the end of His life - the Calvary. After all, that is why Jesus came. A painting by Francisco de Zurbaran (1598-1664) exhibited at Cleveland Museum of Art is a good example. It is titled:

 Christ and the Virgin in the House of Nazareth (circa 1640).

Oil on Canvas Painting at the Cleveland Museum of Art Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Photograph for Malankara World by Dr. Jacob Mathew

Here, Jesus pricks himself on a crown of thorns he is weaving, foretelling his later torment at the Crucifixion. If you look closely, you see angels in the background as well as doves, often shown to indicate the presence of Holy Spirit, in the foreground. Mary is knitting a tunic, said to represent the tunic Jesus was wearing at the time of crucifixion, that was knit in one piece so the soldiers did not cut it but put lots to earn it. This painting has remarkable intimacy and quietness. If you look closely, you can even see details like Mary's tears. (At this magnification, it is hard to see; but it is quite visible in the original.) I wonder if Mary is thinking of what Simeon predicted on Mayaltho of what future holds for her and Jesus.

God's ways are different than ours. God works with 'small' things to accomplish big (extraordinary) things - or may I say, 'yuge' results.

So, do not despise small things. When God starts small, he intends to do something big.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas! Remember, God picks ordinary people like you and me to do extraordinary things. Are you ready?