I heard a joke about three men who died coming home from an office Christmas party. At the pearly gates, Peter says to them, “In light of this holy season, I can only let you in if you have something that symbolizes Christmas.” The first man, thinking quickly, pulls a lighter from his pocket. Lighting it, he says, “this represents candles.” “Alright,” says Peter, “come on in.” The next man fumbled for a moment and then pulled out his keys and jingled, “These are like bells.” Peter rolls his eyes and says, “Alright, come on in.” The third man looked bewildered until he pulled out a pair of women’s reading glasses. Peter and the other two look at him quizzically until he says, “These are Carol’s.”

Christmas is a strange time for many whose celebration gets lost in the loneliness of the season. For many, it is a day that marks the loss of someone they loved and remembering their first Christmas without them or how isolated they feel seeing others celebrating with family. I know of too many people who have been uninvited to family celebrations because of their vax status. These things should not be, but they also highlight our very acute need to celebrate with others the birth of Jesus Christ in this day and age.

The gospel of Luke tells us about the political climate around the time of Jesus’ birth. Caesar Augustus had issued a decree mandating that everyone return to their ancestral town to be registered. His real name was Gaius, and, like many politicians, he was both Gaius and power-hungry. He changed his title to Augustus (lofty one) and made himself “Pontifex Maximus,” the ‘highest priest’ of Rome. With the stroke of a pen, one narcissistic leader disrupted average people's lives in the far corners of the empire and demanded absolute authority, even worship. Times haven’t changed too much. Politicians still want to be the high priest over your life.

But God has a way of using foolish kings to accomplish His will, and as an ancient prophecy was being fulfilled (Micah 5:2), Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem for the census. What the devil meant for harm, God will use for good.

The manger scene that we see so often at Christmas is very sanitized, isn’t it? All hands are folded, heads bowed around the babe wrapped in soft swaddling clothes, and even the cows seem to look upon the glowing manger with reverence. But we know better. It was harsh, rough, and smelled pretty bad too. Isn’t it telling how God arrived into the physical world? Emmanuel surrounded by manure.

I don’t say it as a joke. It’s really something to see, God in the flesh coming to be born in a cave because there was ‘no room in the inn.’ That’s what it was too, by the way, a cave or outcropping of rock just to cover them from rain. Because of the squeeze of a government mandate, they became unwitting outcasts. Their only company was a band of shepherds, the ancient 'unwashed.' Everybody hated shepherds in that day. Like the unvaxxed, shepherds were deemed worthless vermin, untrustworthy and ignorant. Shepherds were considered lowly, but they were the first to receive the angel's proclamation of Christ's birth.

Who were the smart people then? In Jerusalem, the religious and intellectual elites got word that a king was born. But where they wondered? Some pagans had showed up in Jerusalem looking for the king born to the Jews. These wise men had followed the star they’d seen in the East but needed clearer direction from the scripture. They needed the smart guys, and the smart guys lived in Jerusalem. Sure enough, the Bible pinpointed Bethlehem as the point of God’s arrival to save humankind(Micah 5:2). But ironically, these religious geniuses were too negligent to go check it out for themselves. Funny how that works sometimes. The guys with all the credentials and authority completely miss out on what God is doing.

So who shows up to see the Christ child but dirty shepherds and uncircumcised wise men. Both were outcasts in Israel. But God wanted these outcasts to see our Savior first.

We sing “Joy to the World,” but we forget that a short time later, Herod went in and killed all the children of Bethlehem. It was an awful time, but God was working in the midst of it. The leaders of Israel weren’t leading, the ruler of Rome was overruling, and the local magistrate Herod was committing infanticide. I’m sorry, but the scene looks too familiar with what we are seeing today in the world.

I don’t point it out to be a bummer, but to show you that even the first Christmas (as we celebrate it) wasn’t as clean and easy as we hoped or imagined. No, God was doing an awesome thing in spite of the dire circumstances all around His people.

Remember that this year. Though evil men and women try to act like god or your pontifex maximus, He has a King who will be the Great High Priest. Though Pilate feigned a desire to worship the King, he only had murder on his mind. Though the smart folks who were supposed to lead God’s people failed to see the King for themselves, God will still have an audience with the outsiders and the unclean.

This year He will be glad to fill your home with hope, faith, and joy if you will invite Him in. May it not be said of our homes or hearts that there was no room for Him in the inn. Rather, invite Him in and let Him be God’s truly lofty gift of King and Savior.

Be on the look out for another Pastor's Perspective tomorrow in the late afternoon!