Missing Christmas

So many people miss Christmas. Oh, I don’t mean they don’t celebrate, and some do so quite lavishly, but for the most part the Incarnation (Immanuel) goes by unnoticed or ignored.

It began with Rome. Caesar had called for a World-wide census, which would ultimately bring Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. He had no idea what was to come, however. Herod, had delayed the census in his area of rule, and apparently was not even aware Christ had been born until the Wise Men came a couple of years after the event. All of Rome could have celebrated, but they missed it.

Nazareth missed it. When Jesus first spoke in the synagogue there, the resultant response from the people who had watched Him grow up, was to murder Him.

It would appear the only people who did celebrate the birth was a group of social outcast (because they were too busy to take part in the ceremonial washings, and involve themselves in the feasts and rituals), shepherds to whom God chose to announce the birth. Isn’t it interesting that those who were keepers of the lambs that would be used for the Temple sacrifices, were the very ones who were first to find the Lamb of God?

They, of course, went away from the birthplace telling others what had happened, but the Scripture records no one else taking time to seek out that Child, born on what we celebrate as Christmas.

Be careful that you do not get so caught up in the trappings of the Season that you too miss the reality that the Messiah came, lived a sinless life, and died on Calvary’s cross to redeem you from the curse of sin and death. What a tragedy it would be if we fail to see that is the real celebration of the Season.