Mythbusters: Christmas Edition

            There was a show out a number of years ago called "Mythbusters" where they would examine popular sayings and things done in movies to see if they were true or just a myth. Over the years, the story of Christ's birth has become conflated and exaggerated with things twisted and added to it in our songs and popular portrayals. So much so that we can sometimes find it hard to separate the biblical facts from popular fiction. And the last thing we should want is to get an incorrect view in our heads of what took place that first Christmas night. I want to look with you at a number of the most common assumptions which have been made regarding our Savior's arrival in light of what Scripture teaches. If you would like, you could call this, "Mythbusters: Christmas Edition." Let's put some of these elements of the Christmas story to the test of God's Word.

            No Room in the Inn? How many times have you heard about the cold-hearted inn-keeper who could not, or would not, find any room for Jesus? He is pictured at the doorway shaking his head "no" and pointing Mary and Joseph away from there. And the countless sermons which have been preached about how we should not be like Him but instead to make room in our hearts for Jesus? However, the only problem with this is that there probably wasn't an inn-keeper. Because it wasn't an inn they were turned away from. The Greek word used for this place in Luke 2:7 is not the one typically for an inn but a guest room in someone's home. (In the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:34 where Jesus speaks of the Samaritan taking the man ambushed and beaten by the robbers to an inn, a different word is used in the Greek. This same word though is found in Luke 22:11 regarding Jesus instructing His disciples to ask for the guest room of the man's house for holding the Passover meal.) It was common during a census in that day where one would have to travel back to their hometown for relatives in the area to host them in their homes. More likely, this was the home of one of Joseph's relatives who unfortunately had all of their guest rooms filled up by others who needed a place to stay while in for the census. The best that they could do was to have them stay in the cave next to the house with all of the animals.

            Here's another myth to bust by the way. The idea that the birth occurred in a stable. It was typical back then for the animals to be housed in a cave next to a person's home. Don't think of Jesus' first earthly accommodations being a nice size modern day barn with a roof and door. Picture a dark, damp, smelly cave instead. Even more of a humble scene of our Lord's entering into this world.

            The Little Lord Jesus No Crying He Makes? We sing every Christmas of Jesus' birth which took place "away in a manger" where there was "no crib for a bed" and about how "the little Lord Jesus no crying He makes." I highly doubt this was the case. Usually, a newborn baby isn't that quiet. You can expect him or her to cry. I remember at first thinking that something must be wrong when our oldest son was born because he didn’t really cry shortly after the birth. However, later on in the day, I started to wonder if something was wrong because he seemed not to ever stop crying! The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus became like us in every way with the sole exception of not sinning (2:17; 4:15). Jesus wasn't born without crying but without sinning. The Son of God became a teeny tiny baby and grew and developed just like we all have but obediently in every area of His life (Luke 1:80; 2:40). And that growth and development would include crying, especially shortly after birth. Let's be careful not to minimize Jesus' humanity in focusing on His divinity. (There weren't any "radiant beams from His holy face" either. He would have resembled any other baby at the time.)

            Hark! the Herald Angels SAY? Another Christmas Carol we love to sing, and my personal favorite I might add, is "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing." This is probably the most theologically deep and accurate older hymn of our Lord's birth. The writer, Charles Wesley, really did his homework! But when you read Luke's Gospel concerning the angels appearing to the shepherds that first Christmas night, you don't find it telling us that this multitude of angels were SINGING "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased" but SAYING it (2:13). While it is certainly a possibility that these angels were indeed singing these words, Luke doesn't explicitly say that. We don't know for sure. Praising and singing do go together but the Bible shows us that there are more ways of praising God than just singing to Him. That is one among a number of them. Of course, "Hark! the herald angels say" doesn't rhyme as well with "glory to the newborn king." (Please know that I am not trying to ruin or pick on any of your favorite Christmas Carols. I only want to be biblical and bust any of the myths which may be communicated in them, passed on down through the generations. Don't worry! I will still join you in singing this one loudly this month.)

            While we're on the angels, isn't it interesting that in just about every Christmas play and pageant, they are portrayed by girls instead of boys? Yet, every angel we ever encounter in the pages of Scripture has male pronouns. And the only ones we have the names of are masculine ones; Gabriel and Michael. Maybe women just appear to be more angelic than men do. (I won't go any further with that!) And don't get me started with the little cute cherubs and their tiny exposed bottoms. I don't have any idea where they came from but I know it wasn't from Scripture!

            The Mysterious Wise Men. Perhaps the group associated with the Christmas story who takes the cake for the most myths developed about them would be the magi or wise men. Much of this is due to the beloved Christmas Carol, "We Three Kings of Orient Are." First off, we are not sure that there were only three of them. There may have been many more. The text of Matthew 2 doesn't specify any specific number. Just that they were magi plural and brought three gifts. It is hard to imagine that just three of them would have caused as much of a stir as described. And I have no clue where the names Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar came from to call them but it's not from Scripture. For that matter, nothing is said about them being kings either. The word "magi" means "great or powerful ones" and often alluded to those with a high status or influence. These ones probably were astrologers who studied the stars and tried to interpret the future by them. That's why they take such a special notice to this unique star that showed up which others may have just passed over in their causally gazing into the night sky. They made it their practice to examine the stars. The group would not have had crowns on their heads but their eyes on the sky. "We unspecified number of astrologers of Orient are" would be quite a mouthful to sing though.

            And when it comes to their arrival, just about every single manger scene gets it wrong. The magi would not have been there at the same time as the shepherds. In fact, they would not have been at the manger at all. Matthew doesn't say that they came to the cave to find the baby or infant but "into the HOUSE" where "they saw the CHILD" (2:11). It probably was a good year or a year and a half before the magi arrived to meet Jesus. We know that it had been close to two years from when they first noticed the star and talked to King Herod about it to when the king realized that they weren't coming back. Hence, why he ordered all the male children two years old and under to be slaughtered (v. 16). So, Jesus would have been one or one and a half at the time of their visit and well out of the manger.

            The Truth of Christmas. We could also talk about how Mary did indeed know her baby boy would save our sons and daughters, that He came to make us new, and that He would ultimately deliver her because the angel told her so and due to her knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures which prophesied such. And that there was no little boy who showed up that night playing "pa rum pum pum-pum" on his drum. But the truth about Christmas is that God the Son entered our world through the birth canal of a virgin, came to earth to save His people from their sins just as He had promised many, many, many years ago. There was light entering into our darkness. There were shepherds hearing the news of the angels and seeing the true Lamb of God born that men may have eternal life through His freely giving of His life as a substitute sacrifice. There was hope for the worst of sinners and such a hope that remains today. And that is what we celebrate not just this month but the whole year through. No myths to bust there!

Love in Christ,

Pastor Lee

Giving Thanks to God for Being God

In Exodus 34:6-7, God lays out for Moses and us who He is. Moses had asked God in the last chapter to show him His glory. And God promised to make all His goodness pass before Moses and to proclaim His name to him. All these characteristics listed here comprise God’s goodness. And what makes this passage so powerful is that it is God defining God. C. S. Lewis has said that the best one to tell us about God would be God Himself. And that’s exactly what He does here in the most comprehensive way.

Now, it is typical for us at Thanksgiving to focus on what God has given us. All of the many blessings we can stop and take the time to count. To express our thanks and gratefulness to God for those blessings. And it is good and right for us to do so. But what about giving thanks to God for being Who He is? For these characteristics which are displayed in His actions? I am struck by the fact that Psalm 100, which is referred to as being “A Psalm of Thanksgiving,” calls us to “Enter [God’s] gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness endures forever and His faithfulness, generation to generation.” We are encouraged to give thanks and bless God’s name for His goodness, lovingkindness, and faithfulness. All characteristics of His which define His very nature.

So, what I encourage you to do today, which may be a little different than what you typically do each year, is to specifically reflect on these characteristics of God He proclaimed before Moses and why we should be thankful for such. In hopes that this will further move us to give thanks to God for being the great God He is.

Giving Thanks for God's Mercy

The first thing God says about Himself to Moses in His gracious declaration to him is that He is COMPASSIONATE. The word is similar to that which is used of a mother's tender concern and care for her child. It is showing pity to someone in a miserable and weak condition, even though he or she doesn't deserve it. Exactly what God does in choosing to save those who recognize themselves to be in a miserable state of sin and cry out to Him to save them through the perfect sinless life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection of His Son. He shows such pity and compassion in not giving believers the punishment and wrath they deserve but having that fall on His Son instead in their place. Basically, anything we receive from God other than His judgment and wrath is His mercy towards us. Let's give thanks for God's mercy!

Giving Thanks for God's Grace

The second thing God says about Himself to Moses is that He is GRACIOUS. Grace is unmerited favor. It is being given something one does not deserve. Of course, the greatest gift of all God has given believers is their salvation. Something which is impossible for us to earn, no matter how hard we may try. In fact, we give God every reason not to save us by our sinful thoughts, desires, and actions. What great grace God has shown us in sending His Son to experience the punishment which we deserve for our sins but He did not. And to credit His very righteousness to our account though we contributed absolutely nothing to it. All so that we could become His adopted children and live with Him for all eternity. None of which we deserve on account of our sinfulness and rebellion. Let's give thanks for God's grace!

Giving Thanks for God’s Patience

The third thing God says about Himself to Moses is that He is PATIENT, longsuffering, or slow to anger. In Hebrew, this is literally, “long of nose.” The picture is of an animal like a bull whose nostrils flare whenever it gets angry. It takes a while for God to demonstrate His anger. For His nostrils to flare up so to speak.

One of the most amazing things in the Old Testament is how patient God continues to be towards His people. How long He delays His wrath when they deserve it on the spot. Even today, He continues to show such patience in waiting to bring about the full weight of His wrath until the return of His Son. This gives more opportunity for people to repent to avoid His wrath. Let’s give thanks to God for His patience!

Giving Thanks for God’s Love

The fourth word God uses to describe Himself to Moses is LOVINGKINDNESS. This refers to His loyal love and commitment to His people. How He has devoted Himself to the good of those who belong to Him. And that good is not physical health, wealth, and prosperity but coming to know Him and being made more like His Son. We see the greatest display of God’s love with the sending and sacrifice of His Son. The giving of the One of highest and infinite value and worth to Him for our salvation. Choosing to show such love to us before we ever loved Him. There is no greater love we have experienced than this. Let’s give thanks for God’s lovingkindness which “endures forever”!

Giving Thanks for God’s Truth

Not only does God say He is abounding in lovingkindness but also in truth. He can be trusted. He won’t say one thing and mean the opposite. We don’t have to worry about any “fake news” coming from Him. He is not a politician. Everything He says in His Word is true. This is certainly the case with all the many prophecies of Jesus. They either have already taken place or will take place without any doubt. You can bank on it.

The Bible describes God numerous times as being a rock. He is a firm foundation for all who trust in His Son. All because He abounds in truth. Let’s give thanks for God’s truth!

Giving Thanks for God’s Faithfulness

The “keeping lovingkindness for thousands” speaks of God’s faithfulness. He always keeps the promises He has made to His people. He will continue to show His loyal love to His people throughout the centuries. Even when we are unfaithful to Him, He will never be unfaithful to us. A good picture of this is with the prophet Hosea and Gomer. Although Gomer was unfaithful in her marriage to Hosea, God had Hosea continue to go after his wife and even purchase her back from slavery. God will never give up on His people but continue to pursue and bring them back to Him. If our salvation depended on our faithfulness, we would have no hope of ever being saved. But thankfully, our salvation depends on His ever reliable faithfulness. Let’s give thanks for God’s faithfulness!

Giving Thanks for God’s Forgiveness

David says Psalm 32:1-2, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man whose iniquity the LORD will not take into account, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” That blessing is only possible because God is a God “who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin.” For the one who comes to Him in repentance and with faith in His Son, He will not hold their sins against them any longer. He will not even bring them to His mind. All of their sins have been taken away and placed on Jesus instead. Just like the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement who was sent off into the wilderness never to be seen again, Jesus has carried away our sins for them no more to be seen by God. He was sent to be the perfect sacrifice to truly cover our sins and satisfy God’s wrath. The debt we owed Him for our many sins against Him has been canceled. We can sing, “My sin-not in part, but the whole-is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O, my soul!” We have a hard enough time to let go of the wrongs that others have done against us. And the wrongs that we have done against God are far greater than anything anyone has done to us. But He is willing and eager to forgive everything we have ever done against Him and will ever do. Let’s give thanks for God’s forgiveness!

Giving Thanks for God’s Justice

We live in a world full of injustice. All we have to do is turn on the news to be reminded of that. People are defrauded, done wrong, and in many cases, some even appear to get away with murder. The most vulnerable are attacked and taken advantage of. Isn’t it refreshing to know that we have a God who is just and will always do what is right? That justice is seen with His declaration that “He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

This characteristic of God should be horrifying for an unbeliever who refuses to repent. It means that they will get exactly what they deserve from God which is His righteous wrath. But for the believer, it is an encouraging characteristic of God as it ensures him or her that any justice which they have been denied here on this earth will be met. He never will do us wrong but only right. When Jesus returns, all wrongs will be made right. Let’s give thanks for God’s justice!

As you count your many blessings that the Lord has given you this Thanksgiving, don't forget to take some time to give thanks to Him for being the great God He is. For His compassion or mercy, grace, patience, lovingkindness, truth, faithfulness, forgiveness, and justice. Everything we have is because those are each true about Him.