A Christmas Story Meditation
Suggested Scripture Reading: Luke 2: 1 – 20
Scripture Emphasis: King James Version – Luke 2:7
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.
There follows here a ‘story sermon.’ As such, it requires the use of your imagination. It is the result of my heartfelt desire to make available to you something of both the eternal mystery and the unchanging message of the Christmas event.
The setting for the story is the town of Bethlehem in the land of Judah. The time is the first Christmas Eve.
On every street corner, crowds are gathering to discuss the latest news on everyone’s mind! The distressing royal decree ordered by the Roman Emperor, Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. That edict touched everyone, the young, the elderly, the born, and the unborn, from all corners of the known world.
The hopes and fears of all the years are hanging in the balance in Bethlehem tonight! The news that a baby is born to one of the homeless refugees is of no significance to the scores of refugees who can find no place to lay their weary heads in this presently over-crowded town. ‘ The wild and starry sky’ will be the only ceiling many of them will know for as long as this God-forbidding scheme lasts!
The thoughts prevailing tonight, are not, for the most part, of heavenly things; of God, and angels, and the long-awaited Messiah. This night is better suited for discussions of greed, betrayal, and for idle dreams about warrior kings. Yet, there is, at least, one notable exception!
Amidst the growing evidence of a town yielding to the invitation of undisturbed sleep, there is one cottage where a single light remains burning! It is the home of one, Zachariah Ben Ezra, known among the town’s citizenry, as the carpenter! The light announces the ceaseless vigil that Zachariah’s devoted and dearly beloved wife, Rachael, is keeping. For a fortnight, Rachael and her sons have been waiting to hear the footfall of the angel of death! Almost certainly, this will be the night!
Earlier today, at the bidding of Zachariah, the family gathered around his bed! Silence fell, as the older man summoning his resources of failing strength, speaks.
” Like you, I know that before the chariot of the morning rides the eastern rim of the world, I shall go to be with the God Of our Fathers. Listen well, and always honor our Faithful God, as I have sought to do, right to this present hour. There will be many trials and heart wrenching experiences for all of you. In the end, know this one thing; God will always come through, and His Holy Purpose will always prevail.
My sons, along with faith and love for God, I leave you all the tools of my carpenter’s trade. Twenty-three years, six months and, five days ago this very night, I used these carpenter’s tools for the last time! The memory of that night still gives me such pain, as it causes me to tremble! I was finishing my very final shift at the stable at Bethlehem’s Inn. On the morrow, I would have been one of the carpenters in charge of building our Holy Temple. That would be quite an honor and so different from building a manger in the stable at Bethlehem’s Inn! The dream of a lifetime was on the verge of becoming a reality! And then every creative possibility, and the development of every God-given talent I received ground to a torturous stop! My right arm becomes severed from my body. Looking up, I saw tears, but I couldn’t determine if they were my own tears or if they were God’s! But of this one thing, I remain certain; I am never alone! Not then! Not now! My hope in this life was to accomplish something good for God, Who has done so much for me! But, I guess the time is passing for that now! And what have I accomplished? But now I place this broken instrument into God’s hands, and pray that the touch of His hand will play a tune suitable to be heard in the courts of Heaven!”
Death lingers a while longer for Zachariah. About midnight a friend of many years, hastens to Zacharius’ bedside, captivated by an aire of uncontrollable excitement. Bending his lips to Zachariah’s ear, he whispered, “Zachariah, my dear friend, Your Friend, Israel’s Messiah has come! He is lying in the manger you built in Bethlehem’s stable!
Prayer To Follow This Meditation
O glorious Light of Heaven,
Shine upon the pathway that will bring us to the manger of Bethlehem at this Christmas time.
Kneeling there before the Light Of The World, who arrives again this night from Heaven, fix in us reflectors that we may show by word and deed the message of this Season, ‘Emmanuel, God is with us.’ Fix in us Thy humble dwelling that we may prove ourselves to be ambassadors of Thy Peace on earth. Help us, that we may add to the legend of how even beasts of the field, offer all they have to honor the Baby. He yet lies helpless in our crowded world, awaiting humble hearts, wherein He may dwell.
O Light of Heaven, send Your effulgent rays into the far reaches of our world, that people of all nations, coming to it’s rising, will constitute One Family for the glory of God! Amen.
Hymn: Silent Night
EDITORIAL NOTES
- It is recommended The Christmas Story be read from the King James Translation of Scripture.
- The photo is from free stock images of the Nativity.
- This sermon was first preached at Grand Bank United Church on Christmas Eve 1983.
