What A Birth! Wretched? Puzzling? Glorious!

(What A Life! Trilogy, Part One) Dec '07 Newsletter

No one in town knows who is the boy’s real father. But one thing is for sure: Joseph is not his biological father.

“So who is? And we all thought she was a good and decent woman — this Mary. How could she? Conceived a baby before marriage? Why — she should be stoned to death! But here is this ‘sacrificial fool’ — Joseph — to stomach this whole thing and take the boy as his own from the start. And see how they take such great care of the boy! And how proud they are of him! It’s painful sometimes just to watch. What’s the deal with this family anyway? So much love in the midst of such a mess!”

The murmurings and the eyes of scrutiny — the pain and weight Jesus and his parents have grown used to living with. The neighbors are always looking at him suspiciously. Was he born out of wedlock? There was always a question mark about him.

But the people of Nazareth did not know the truth. They looked to the earth for answers to their many questions about Jesus. And found none. Jesus just did not fit the bill in the minds, perceptions, and values of the people in town. He was different. Despite his questionable birth and background, he was firmly established in love and clarity of his identity in God and to his parents — Joseph and Mary. He was like a mystery to the people around. They were attracted to him somehow. But sometimes their pride really stood in the way. They liked and disliked him.

In fact, there were days when they found him irritating for his very existence among them was a continual challenge to their worldview and life-view. What do you do with a person like that? Looking at him just creates so much longings in your heart to believe that there is so much more to life than what you have experienced or dared to dream of. His life speaks so loud that no one around him could possibly ignore the message — which sometimes they would rather do. They would rather get very busy with their lives — the daily routine, the work, the activities, the errands, the service and ministry, the festivals, etc.

But then with this Jesus around, life just couldn’t be like the past anymore. The life of Jesus simply brings people to a point of making life-choices. Get a life. Be alive. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling of heart. Live out the abundant life.

Jesus’ birth was a mystery to the people of his time. His life was a mystery too. Sometimes uncomfortably mysterious. Life presents us with mysteries in, among, and around us. When we are confronted with the mysteries of life, it all depends on our eyes — How do we see life? Where do we look to for answers? What are we looking for? Grace and truth? Self-justification? Do we see life with eyes of grace, of faith, of hope, of brokenness, of forgiveness, of gratitude? Or do we see with eyes of pride, of bitterness, of envy, of competition, of greed, of covetousness, of self-pity, of criticism? Our answers to these questions and how we answer them make all the difference. We thank God that we now know: His birth was glorious. So was His 33 years of life.

Hence, congratulations to one and all. For God has come to us all! So we have: Hope. Peace. Joy. Faith. Love. Hallelujah! No wonder it's always a merry Christmas for everyone and that there's more than enough reasons to celebrate Christmas through the year. Yeh!

"Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land;
when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God.
Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.
...The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.
...You have shattered the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.
Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
(Isaiah 8:21-9:7)