The Birth of Jesus

“And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” Luke 2:7 NIV

If you are not familiar with all the details of the Christmas story, there were many problems that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus must overcome. Herod, the evil ruler, was after Jesus. There was a census which the now very pregnant Mary would need to travel to be counted, and due to the census, there was a subsequent overcrowding problem. There were no guest rooms available! There are several ways to understand the circumstances where Jesus was rested after he was born. Some imagine Jesus was born in a barn that was separate from a home or a small hotel. Others place the manger in carved out rocks at the base of the mountain where animals were fenced in, rather than a mortar or wood frame barn. Still others imagine that Jesus was born surrounded by strangers and animals in the family room of the inn owner. While a barn or a cave are plausible, it is more likely that Jesus was in a shared house with many people and animals around. It was a common practice to bring in your valuables, like animals, at night. There was one main room where everyone in the household slept. I like to think that Jesus was born into the messiness of life, full of community, a stranger amongst earthly families. He was not forlorn and alone, but rather made his appearance surrounded by his own creation. It seems fitting since he came to abide with humanity, with us. In a world that seems utterly devoid of God’s presence or goodness, the glorious audacity of Jesus being born as a human baby with others from the beginning is coherent with what Jesus came to earth to accomplish. May each of us make room in our hearts for Jesus to be born, to dwell. Come be born in us, our Emmanuel! Let us welcome Christ again, Christmas Eve at 6 pm.  

In Christ,
Pastor Elyse