Mary and Joseph on that long journey from the city of Nazareth to the city of David, Bethlehem.
However, there were many more on that Christmas journey that we don't often think about.
They are just part of the Christmas story. Each Christmas play has the shepherds, wise men
(although if you look carefully, you will see that the wise men came when Jesus was a young
child and was living in a house with His parents. (Matthew 2:11 "And when they were
come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down
and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures they presented unto
Him, gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."); angels, innkeeper, and of course
Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus.
I often wonder about some the people "involved" that night. It never mentions them again,
but I doubt that their lives were ever the same again. Take the shepherds that were in the
field tending to their flocks that night. To them it was just a regular night, doing the
things that they had done untold times before.
Luke 2:8 - 9 "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon
them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid."
The shepherds were some of the poorest people. They spent their lives watching the
sheep. Yet it was to this group of humble men that the angel of the Lord made this
startling announcement. I tend to put myself in peoples shoes, to try and imagine what
they felt. It does tell us at the end of verse 9 that they were afraid. Here they were in
the dark with their flock and an angel appeared unto them. Then this one angel was
joined by a multitude of angels that were praising God! Parents today of newborns
put announcements in the papers to tell about the birth of their child. But I guarantee
there has never been an announcement to match the one that took place that night
in the hills outside the city!
God choose those shepherds to be the first to hear of the birth of His Son. The promised
Messiah had been born, and these men were His first visitors. They had an invitation to
visit that was delivered by heavenly messengers! Luke 2:16 "And they came with haste,
and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe, lying in the manger." The first to come
and worship the "Good Shepherd" were lowly shepherds. They were never the same.
Luke 2:17 "And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child." And just what was it that the angel had told
these shepherds? Luke 2:11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a
Savior, which is Christ the Lord." I have no doubt that everyone they came into
contact with from that day forward heard this heavenly message given to those shepherds
that night long ago.
Then there was Anna.
Luke 2:36 & 37 "And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Aser: she was of great age, and had lived with an husband seven years
from her virginity: And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which
departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and
day."
Here we find a devoted widow lady. We don't know her exact age, but she was "of great
age," so we know she was elderly. This dear lady had given the remainder of her life in
the service of God, she served Him night and day and did not depart from the temple.
Why do you think she was mentioned at all? I think that God rewarded her faithfulness
by letting her see the Messiah that had been long waited for. She got to see her Savior
before she died! We see in verse 38 of Luke 2, that she came upon the scene of Simeon
blessing the baby Jesus, "And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto
the Lord, and spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem."
I can just imagine her excitement at seeing the Christ Child that day, the Holy One of
Israel that she had served so faithfully. I can imagine that those to whom she spoke of
Him too, heard that excitement in her voice, as she told them that she had seen the
promised Messiah of Israel, He had come at last! I have no doubt that from this day
on, Anna gave radiant testimony to the fact that she had seen the promised Savior with
her own eyes.
I want to take a look at one more person. This person is not mentioned by name, in
fact he is not really mentioned at all. But there is a statement that includes him.
Luke 2:7 "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in
swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger: because there was no room for
them in the inn."
In every Christmas play you see, you have an innkeeper turning away Mary and
Joseph from an already overcrowded inn. We have a tendency to look unkindly
upon this man. But the fact of the matter is that Bethlehem was so full of people
coming for the taxes, that there was no room. I don't know if this man ever became
aware of what transpired that night in the barn, but he lost out on a tremendous
blessing because he had no room. I'm sure if He had known that the baby that
was soon to be born was the promised Deliver of Israel, that had long been waited
for, he would have made room.
We find this sad. However there are millions in this world today who have no room
for Jesus. They are ignorant to the fact that they are turning away the only One that
can save their souls, they are turning away the Son of God. Those of us who have
been blessed with meeting Jesus, have a responsibility to them. The shepherds and
Anna spent the rest of their lives telling everyone they came into contact with that
they had met Jesus Christ.
How about you, are you telling about the tremendous thing that happened to you
when you met Jesus Christ? Has meeting Jesus changed your life like it did the
shepherds and Anna?
Perhaps today you find yourself like the innkeeper that night long ago...no room
for Jesus. Its not too late. He's waiting to meet you. What the angels told the
shepherds that night long ago, applies to you today! "For unto you is born this
day in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the Lord." He was born for
you! Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved." Let today be the day that you make room for Jesus!
Have you any room for Jesus,
He who bore your load of sin?
As He knocks and asks admission,
Sinner will you let Him in?
Room for pleasure, room for business,
But for Christ the crucified,
Not a place that He can enter
In the heart for which He died?
Have you any room for Jesus,
As in grace He calls again?
O, today is time accepted,
Later you may call in vain.
Room and time now give to Jesus,
Soon will pass God's day of grace;
Soon your heart left cold and silent,
And your Savior's pleading cease.
Room for Jesus, King of glory!
Hasten now, His Word obey;
Swing your heart's door widely open,
Bid Him enter while you may.
Daniel W. Whittle
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