Week 4 Christmas Challenge, Awestruck & Awesome.Sample

 'Making Room for Justice' 

Here’s our text for today (NRSV): 

“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” 

The first few verses we typically gloss over but they are significant because they ground all of this in extra-biblical history. So, we’re starting off this week with increased confidence in what follows (particularly those of us reading who are curiously considering all things ‘Jesus’).

They also provide context: reason for Mary and Joseph to be travelling.

We know from the previous parts of this reading plan (parts 1-3) that this wasn’t just any baby—this was the Lord Jesus Christ! 

Mary and Joseph surrendered privilege and comfort in this reading. She gave birth and put the baby in a manger. In case you aren’t sure what this is, here’s the definition: ‘a long open box or trough for horses or cattle to eat from.’ 

God demonstrated great generosity to the whole human race in this historic event—the birth of Jesus. Salvation for all who will receive in repentance and faith.

God was working mission through political and administrative and domestic arrangements, orchestrating all kinds of moving parts to bring to fruition prophecy and mission in this eternal watershed event. 

Can we learn from these examples? Can we surrender our ‘rights’ and our ‘privileges’? After all, Paul elsewhere (Galatians 2:20) testified that he’d been crucified with Christ and no longer lived (but Christ lived in him)! Neutralization of the natural inclination to act selfishly, the disburdening movement of Holy Spirit sanctification, renders us free to give up any claim to be offended. And that liberates us to love God and serve others and to posture ourselves to be used by God at any time for His glory. 

Can we show generosity as God did? Humanity didn’t deserve the incarnation. And yet God gave. And we could cobble together reasons that those around us don’t ‘deserve’, either. But if they are, regardless, recipients of our thoughtfulness and prayer and support and kindness and help… well, maybe we are aligning ourselves with God’s generosity.

Can we focus on mission despite the distractions and pressures and interruptions and complications and limits? Can we trust that God can work not only in spite of some of these dynamics but sometimes orchestrating some of them to His missional ends? 

God help us.