Did You Miss Christmas?
Or did we?
Because the truth is that just because December 25 appeared on the calendar, it does not mean that Christmas was actually celebrated. Sometimes, circumstances come up which prevent its celebration; some people because of sickness or loss are unable to commemorate Christmas on its day. But that isn't the only way to miss Christmas. Sometimes we still have our celebrations; still put up our trees and open our presents; still have our cookies and candy canes—and yet miss Christmas. Sometimes, we wake up weeks later and look back, only to realize that somehow—even in the midst of the celebration—we missed Christmas.
But we shouldn't think that this is something specific to us. The truth of the matter is that many of those who were present during the events of that first Christmas also missed it. It is strange to think about this fact—so many people, all around the world, regardless of their beliefs, make such a huge deal about Christmas. But on that first Christmas, only a small handful of people even noticed that anything was happening. What must be, on any assumption, one of the most pivotal events in human history happened with comparatively little fanfare and most of the world was unaware. Our manger scenes are very small because only a few people actually showed up to the manger. And while many people simply didn't know that anything was going on, there were also many that did. When the Magi came from a far country seeking the child, they brought the news to Jerusalem; they told people that a child was born. Matthew says that the whole city was stirred up by the news. And yet... seemingly no one else went with them to Bethlehem.
These people had the chance to be a witness to one of the greatest moments ever; they had a chance to see the birth or at least the childhood of the Messiah. And they stayed home. They missed Christmas.
But why? I can't say for sure, but I think for many of them it was self-satisfaction.
When the wise men first appeared before Herod, with their story of a newborn king, Herod appealed to the priests and the scribes for further information. These were the leaders of the Jewish religion; those who spent their life in the ceremony of worshipping God and in studying God's law. These wouldn't have been just anybody, but the most renowned and important of the Jewish clergy. And in keeping with their knowledge and study, they were able to answer Herod's question. They knew exactly where it was that Messiah would be born since this had been stated years before by the prophet Micah.
Obviously, we don't know exactly how this interview went down, but my guess is that they didn't stop to do research to come up with this answer; didn't spend hours consulting and debating among themselves; I've always pictured that they didn't even have to stop and think. They were like students who get an easy question on a test and answer immediately. Maybe it wasn't quite like that, but clearly, they did know the answer.
A group of foreign VIPs arrive and said that they had seen an omen of a new king being born. These scholars knew from their studies where that new king would have been born; and would have known just what that meant; they probably had a much better idea of the significance of this baby than the heathen magi did. And they... did absolutely nothing, at least so far as we can tell. It doesn't seem that any of these priests or scribes traveled to Bethlehem themselves.
These men were studied enough to know the significance of what was happening and they seem to have been content to sit at home without going to look into the matter any further. We don't know why they took this apathetic attitude towards Christ's birth, but I think the odds are high that it was because, consciously or subconsciously, they felt as if they didn't need a Messiah. And I think that was likely their attitude because that was the attitude many people had toward Jesus through the rest of his life. He promised people freedom, and they responded: “We were never in bondage to any man.” He promised people sight, and they responded: “Are we also blind?” Many, especially among the religious elite, seemed to feel that they didn't need a Messiah; that they didn't need a savior. And because of their self-satisfaction, they missed Christmas.
With nearly everything, the first step to finding a solution is admitting there is a problem.You will not go to the doctor until you admit you are sick. You won't look up the answer to a question until you admit that you are ignorant. You will not ask for directions until you admit that you are lost. And if this true with natural things, it is especially true of spiritual things. But is a far graver matter here because of how great the need truly is and because there is only one solution to that need. There are some problems in our life we might fix accidentally, without realizing the need or the solution. And there are some problems we may never solve and it won't hurt us that much in the long run. But our need of Christ is the only need that really matters in the end and it can be met only when we consciously and deliberately recognize that fact and turn to him.
There's a song titled: “Christmas was made for Children.” And certainly there are many people who think that way—that the joy and excitement of Christmas is something specifically for kids but not something that adults should care about it. But the sad truth is that many people feel that way, not merely about the festivity of Christmas, but about the deeper meaning as well. Many people think that religion is something good for other people, but something they don't need. Whether they would say so in so many words or not, they think: “I'm a mature, well-adjusted, decent human being—I don't need to go to God for anything.” Sometimes they may even be proud of not depending on God, as a man might be proud of not depending on other people. And like those scribes and priests on the first Christmas, they are so wrapped up in their own self-satisfaction that they miss the great thing that God is doing. Those who will not seek will not find and those who do not knock will not have the door opened.
But even supposing someone admitted their need, before they would go out and seek a solution, they would have to believe that there was a solution. And I am sure some didn't; that some of those in Jerusalem then missed that first Christmas, because of doubt.
If all of Jerusalem was stirred up with the news of a Messiah, then you would think that someone would have gone to see. But then I think about what would happen if a similar situation happened in our world; if complete strangers from far away showed up in a modern town and began proclaiming that some unusual or supernatural event had occurred. Many people, probably including myself, wouldn't take it seriously enough even to look into it further.
If you don't trust the map, you won't follow its directions. If you don't believe in the call, you will not answer the call. Now, in most cases, a certain amount of doubt is a good thing, especially where the unusual or improbable is concerned. It would be better if people would be a little more skeptical, especially of news they read on the internet. I don't think any of the people of Jerusalem can be blamed for not believing the magi particularly. But we must hold onto our trust in God because God is the only one who is always right; whose word can always be depended on, and whose promises are always kept. And I wonder if, as I suspect, the people of Jerusalem didn't believe in the wise men's message, then perhaps it was because they had come to doubt God's promise of a Messiah altogether. And certainly, there are many today who miss out on the blessings and the comfort of God because they lack the faith to believe that God's promises are really true.
As we've been going through the book of Romans here, the one thing that has come home to me is the importance of faith; of not giving into doubt; of putting our complete trust in God. God is the one who has the power to do everything; God is the one who can overcome any obstacle and conquer any difficulty. Our power is so small and limited and God's is so infinite. God has made many promises to us, promises where, in certain circumstances, that unlimited power will work on our behalf. But for that to happen, we have to believe, we have to have faith that God will do what he's said. Faith is the bridge that connects earth and heaven and it is the only way we can form that connection.
We miss so much of what God has for us because we do not fully embrace God's promises in faith—just as some probably missed out on the first Christmas because they didn't have the faith to believe God's promises. We obviously don't know exactly how the people of Jersualem thought or felt about the news of the Magi--but it is true that doubt often hinders us and keeps us from God. And one thing that nearly always goes hand-in-hand with doubt is fear.
One of the main actors in this story is King Herod, and he is the one person who really does seem to have taken the wise men's message seriously. To understand this story, you have to understand something about King Herod. Herod was extremely paranoid; he was always quick to believe that someone was out to get him or steal his throne. He had his wife and some of his own children killed because he was afraid that they were a threat to him. Knowing the kind of man that Herod was, it's easy to guess what he thoughts when he heard the magi talking about a newborn king. Herod, though king of the Jews, was not Jewish and he probably knew little about the prophecies of the Messiah—hence why he called in the scribes and priests—but he did know a danger when he saw it.
Herod was afraid of Jesus. The king on his throne was afraid of a baby. Perhaps he thought this was only a political matter or perhaps he had an inkling of the supernatural nature of what was going or perhaps he had no clear idea at all—except that anyone called a newborn king was a threat to him. And so he sent the wise men to Bethlehem to spy out the baby's location and bring him news so that he could eliminate the threat. And when that plan failed, he would go on to kill all the infants in Bethlehem in hopes of eliminating the threat.
Tradition has said that the three wise men were kings; hence the song: “We three kings of Orient are.” But whether or not they were kings, Herod was a king. He had the power and authority to do pretty much whatever he wanted. He could have gone to Bethlehem without anyone stopping him. He could have knelt beside the infant like the magi; he could have had a part in the greatest story of our world. Perhaps, like the magi, he would have been put in carols and had ceramic versions of himself added to Christmas displays. But instead, he is remembered only as the villain of the Christmas story. He missed out on what could have been his solely because he was afraid, afraid of what the coming of a new king would mean for him.
And while this isn't stated in scripture, I think there's a good chance that many other people missed out on that first Christmas because they were afraid—afraid of Herod. Perhaps some of the common people of Jerusalem—or even some among the scribes and priests—would have gone to Bethlehem at the report of the wise men, but they were afraid that Herod would find out. Given the kind of man Herod was and the kind of power he had, given his character and reputation, this sort of fear would have been quite real and quite rational. If people were afraid, you can hardly blame them. And yet, because of their fear, they missed out on experiencing the great thing that God was doing.
Fear is, for better and for worse, one of the greatest motivators and is at the back of more than half of what people do or don't do. We live in a world of danger and unknown possibilities; a fragile world in which we must hold on tightly to the thin thread of safety in order to survive at all. Fear is a natural and necessary part of living in such a world. Whether it's something as small as a man carrying an umbrella because he's afraid of getting wet or something as large as the massive engines of war and diplomacy and intrigue which nations create out of fear of being defeated by another nation, fear drives us and dictates many of our actions.
As I said, this is natural enough. And to a certain extent, it is right enough. Fear is a good counselor who must be listened to sometimes, but he must not become a dictator who controls us all the time. Fear can give us some advice but we must not allow fear to be the loudest voice in our minds.
We must not let fear control us. There are several reasons for this, but right now, I just want to point out one. Fear is like a compass whose needle always points (or tries to point) toward safety. But safety, while a legitimate goal, is not the only or the highest goal we should seek. There are things in life that are more important than being safe. There are things that are worth a little risk. If we follow the compass of fear, we will never find our way to Bethlehem. It was the shining star of risk and danger and hazardous chance which led the magi countless miles. They left the safety of their homes behind and risked everything to have an encounter with God; to have a part in what God was doing.
When we talk about courage—the defiance of fear and the refusal to give in to it—the context is usually about how fear can keep us from doing what is right. Courage is doing our duty, doing what must be done, even when it is dangerous. Fear can keep us from doing what is right. But here I think we also need to point out that fear will also keep us from experiencing joy, from finding God's blessing. Who do you think ended up having a better day, a more fulfilling day, a more blessed day? Herod, pacing his palace worrying about the possibility of a new king, or the wise men, kneeling and worshipping the infant Messiah?
Some things never change; fear plays as much of a role in people's actions today as it did in the days of the New Testament. There are still people who refuse to follow after God's calling, because they are afraid—afraid of what it might cost them, afraid of losing out on what they want, afraid of what other people will say or do. Just as then, many people miss out on what is God is doing because of fear. And some, even, deliberately fight against God, like Herod, because of fear. Fear is a natural and even necessary part of life. There is no shame in feeling fear. But if we listen to fear, we will never find the best that God has.
Fear is one of the largest reasons why people miss out on God's plan; one of the reasons why people miss Christmas—or miss Christ. But there is one other thing which, I think may be an even more common reason, perhaps the most common, and that is busyness.
This is purely speculation, but I can't help but wonder: were there some people in Jerusalem who heard the wise men's story about a new king and had every intention of traveling down to Bethlehem—but then, just never got around to it? Did they simply get lost in the endless avalanche of petty details which is life in this world and lose their chance to witness the infant Christ? Perhaps even some among the scribes and priests were initially interested—just as some, like Nicodemus, were interested and curious about Christ during his ministry. But they were overrun with their duties in the temples or schools and simply never had the time.
As I said, that is pure speculation. But I don't think it's intrinsically unlikely. Because the truth is that this is what so often happens. Christ described the cares of life as weeds that too easily spring up and choke out the seed of God.
We see this on a natural level as well as a spiritual one. Certainly, one of the main reasons why people miss Christmas on a natural level—why many people go through the motions of celebrating Christmas without actually enjoying it at all and why others eventually burn out on the holiday and cease to celebrate it at all—is because they get so busy with the details of the celebration and forget to actually celebrate it.
And this is a pattern of behavior that appears in many areas of life. It is so easy to get so caught up in details that we forget what purpose those details serve. Walter R. Brooks compared it to a man who started building a house and kept adding more and more rooms and completely forgot to move in and actually live in the house.
But when we allow the details to become more important than the big picture, then the details will destroy the big picture. It was said that in the days of Noah, the people of the world were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark. Eating, drinking, and marriage are all legitimate and even necessary parts of life. If they had been willing to board the ark, then they could have survived the flood and gone on eating and drinking and marrying in the world after the flood. But the people of Noah's day were so concerned with those parts of life, that they lost their lives in the flood.
And if this is a danger with natural things, it is an even greater danger with spiritual things. Too often men have allowed the service of God to become more important than God; too often religious observances have become a distraction from God rather than a path to God. Obviously, this doesn't mean we should get rid of them, but it does mean we always have to remember what is truly important. Or else we will find that, in the midst of all the work of God, we have missed God; that while we are celebrating the Christmas holiday, we have truly missed Christmas.
Perhaps if you look back to Christmas this year, you would say you missed it. Perhaps for years, you have been missing Christmases, having celebrations with no depth and no joy. And the rest of the year, perhaps you have been missing seeing Christ and the work He would do for you. It is easy to get so wrapped up in self-satisfaction that you miss your own need and the God who has promised to meet it. It is easy to doubt God's promises and be too afraid to seek after them. It is easy to give in to fear both of other people and what God's requirements may mean for us. It is easy to simply get so busy that God and God's gifts become forgotten. It is easy to miss Christmas.
But because Christmas is not merely a day, it is never truly too late. So long as we are alive on this earth, we can still find Christ. We can still put aside all the things that hinder and distract us and go to seek the king. And the promise is that if we seek for Him, we will find Him. And we have even a greater opportunity than those at the first Christmas. For then, Jesus was a baby who could only passively wait for them to come. Now, He is no longer far away in Bethlehem; he is not far from any one of us. And now, the promise is; “Draw nigh to him and he will draw nigh to you.”
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