Pathways Press.com

MEDITATION:

Written by Irene Dickson.

The birthplace of Jesus is often visually depicted very elaborately, particularly in Renaissance art, with bright colors, rich textures, angels, and kings surrounding the manger in the stable where our Lord was born. When I think of the manger, I think of the simplicity. Two young parents with a tiny baby, trying to figure it all out, like most young parents do. This photo of a humble manger scene carved out of acacia wood, reminds me of my years growing up in Africa. In my parents’ house, we had many hand-carved wooden animals and other African artifacts. I wonder if the local African craftsmen knew of Jesus when they carved these nativity pieces. When I think about the scene at Jesus’ birth, the words of a favorite hymn keep playing in my head ‘Jesus was born in a stable, there was no room at the Inn, He had a stall for a cradle … and that was good enough Him’. We see in the stores that the shelves are empty due to ‘supply chain issues!” Yet another Christmas unlike most in the past. But surely, as we are able to gather this Christmas, attend worship in our Church, and all the wonderful Advent events, we all feel that we don’t need extravagant gifts- being with family and friends is ‘good enough’.

SCRIPTURE: 1 John 4:10

MUSIC VIDEO: Jesus Was Born in a Stable

Performed by Robert Sund

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MEDITATION:

Written by Skip Heitzig, a contemporary American pastor.rs of Christmas.”

A few years ago, my mom gave me the Nativity scene that was in our house when I was a kid. It evoked wonder in my early years, and it’s still wonderful, but there’s something not quite right about it. For one thing, the figure of Jesus looks more like a two-year-old than an infant. For another, He has blond hair and blue eyes—and from what I know of the Middle East, I have kind of a problem with that. Obviously, this Nativity set was crafted by a European! And the manger is made out of wood. Of course, that’s how most of us think of it. But the word in the Bible translated “manger” could mean either a feeding trough or an enclosure for animals. In that part of the world animals were kept in caves, and feeding troughs were made out of stone, so Jesus was probably born in a cave around Bethlehem somewhere and laid in a stone trough. Now, I know I’ve probably destroyed a lot of your mental pictures of Jesus’ birth. But the important question is “Why a manger?” Why wasn’t He born in a palace, and His birth heralded in the Jerusalem Post? The answer is in two words, humility, and accessibility. His mother wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, like any peasant of the time. This great gift came in simple wrapping. The one who would be called “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father”—the Creator—became an embryo, and then a baby. It’s amazing, and the more you think about it, the more staggering it becomes. This humility would depict His entire life and ministry. And when He died, He was buried in a borrowed grave, another cave similar to the one He was born in. Because He was humble, He was accessible. Going into a throne room to see a king would be intimidating, but there’s nothing intimidating about going into a cave and approaching a feeding trough. You don’t need special credentials; you don’t need to have to have an appointment. The shepherds could just come in. And again, this marked not only His birth but His entire life…So it’s not really important what your Nativity scene looks like. The important thing is what you think about the Child who was laid in that manger. In the words of an old Christmas carol, “Infant holy, infant lowly, for his bed a cattle stall; oxen lowing, little knowing, Christ the babe is Lord of all.”

SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:16

MUSIC VIDEO: Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

Performed by King’s College, Cambridge Choir

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MEDITATION:

Written by Sheryl Dawson, a contemporary author.k “The Characters of Christmas.”

Christmas is a favorite time for us all to give and receive gifts. Forty five percent of consumer merchandise is sold during the Christmas season. When we buy at Christmas, we spend big dollars on clothes, electronics, jewelry and a vast array of personal items. Our intentions are generous as we seek to please our family and friends with material gifts we believe they will enjoy and appreciate… But all of these gifts and their wrappings pale in the light of the greatest gift of all times, a gift wrapped in swaddling clothes. Over two thousand years ago, Jesus was born as God’s gift to all mankind…Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies in his birth and life and death and resurrection! God’s gift was carefully planned, immaculately conceived, meticulously prepared, and miraculously delivered! … Jesus, the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, was the gift of grace, salvation freely given. No strings or ribbons attached. No qualifications or requirements demanded. No exclusions or returns dictated. Grace… undeserved, unencumbered, unbelievable! This was the heart of the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. All one need do to receive this gift of grace is to accept it. Simple. A gift that will last not a year, not a decade, not merely our earthly lifetime, but will last for eternity. Our relationship with Jesus is for the here and now as He resides in our hearts, and for eternity when we shall pass from this earth-bound body to eternal existence with Him in the spirit. This is truly a gift of peace, of joy, of hope. Jesus reinstated all the privileges of the original Garden-of-Eden relationship between God and Adam and Eve. Through Jesus, we can commune with God — seek His face, walk with Him, and talk with Him. This incredible gift simply accepted brings peace where there is dissension, joy where there is depression, and hope where there is despair. Grace, like the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, is a gift given in humility. With like humility, a gift simply received. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the activity and glitter and festivity of the season that we miss the simplicity yet profoundness of the original Christmas story. As you prepare your carefully selected gifts for Christmas this year, consider the greatest gift of all. Have you received the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes — the gift of grace? If so, take time this season to praise Him for his matchless gift and share it with another. If not, take time to consider the value of this precious gift. All the gifts ever given around the world, are merely chaff blown by the winds of time when balanced against the eternal weight of salvation by grace. Accept the priceless gift wrapped in swaddling clothes this Christmas and receive abundant and eternal peace, joy, and hope.

SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:7

MUSIC VIDEO: A King in Swaddling Clothes

Performed by Hal Leonard and the Shawnee Press Church Chorale

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MEDITATION:

Written by Daniel Darling. This is an excerpt from his book “The Characters of Christmas.”

Matthew’s gospel is all about Jesus as king. This is why he opens with a genealogy establishing Jesus as rightful heir to the throne of David. And it’s why Matthew sets up a contrast with another king, Herod, the bloodthirsty ruler of the Jews appointed by Rome. This is Herod the Great, who kept power by attacking and often killing his political enemies (and even family members) and who built impressive architecture in Israel. The prominent and wealthy men from the East traveled far and wide, not to sit at the feet of the one who sat on a throne in Jerusalem, but to bow before an infant in a house in Bethlehem. The star from heaven didn’t point to Herod, but to Jesus. Matthew is telling us that true worshippers worship the true King. While most of Israel slept in spiritual lethargy and those who knew the Scriptures—the scribes and the chief priests—were more fearful of Herod than God, these men had the faith to worship the One who deserved worship: Jesus.

The presence of these men from the East—outsiders, Gentile—is a confirmation of God’s promise to send a Messiah who would not only be the King of the Jews, but a Messiah for the nations. Jesus’ kingdom is a kingdom not just for insiders, but for outsiders. In fact, many insiders—those who were closest to Jesus—were most resistant to His message. And so it often is today. Those who are most “churched” are often those who are so blinded by self-righteousness they cannot see—we cannot see—the gospel. And it is often those who seem so far from God whom God by His Spirit is drawing. This should also give us pause when we begin to think that the gospel is only for people who look like us, who come from our background, who speak our language. The truth is that if you live in the West, you are likely one of the “outsiders” to whom the gospel had to be extended; you are part of the Gentile nations who were furthest from Jesus. We should thank God that His promise wasn’t only for a certain ethnic group, but that in His kingdom, we see every nation, tribe, and tongue represented. This is a global kingdom. Let’s pray that our churches reflect heaven’s reality, the beautiful diversity of the kingdom of God.

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 2:3-8

MUSIC VIDEO: Christmas Day

Performed by Chris Tomlin and We the Kingdom

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MEDITATION:

Written by Jeff Taylor, a contemporary author.

None of the biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus even mentions the innkeeper. In fact, the only reference to a manger or an inn is in the Book of Luke. “And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” On the basis of that single sentence, we convict the innkeeper of shutting Jesus out. Perhaps we have been too hard on him. I think the innkeeper is an improbable hero. He had no reason to know that the strangers at his door were about to bring the Messiah into the world. Had he known, perhaps he would have made room for them, but that would have meant that some other weary travelers would need to be displaced. Yet, rather than making excuses, the innkeeper was resourceful, and gave what he could give—not a room or even a corner in his already crowded inn, but the stable that demonstrates that the King of the world is at home with the humblest of the humble.

The arrival of the long-expected Messiah stood out in contrast to peoples’ expectations. He did not come in a manner befitting of a king. No pomp and circumstance, no great earthquake, no thunder and lightning, no burning bush, but humbly and anonymously in a barn to a young unmarried woman. The Jesus born in those surroundings would grow up to teach us to believe the unbelievable, to be prepared for the unexpected, and that the poor and meek will occupy a prominent place in the Kingdom of Heaven. Less prominent than even the lowly shepherds and animals, the innkeeper is neither mentioned by the writers of the gospel nor placed in the crèches that adorn our mantels and tables during Christmastime. Rather, he was and is behind the scenes, humbly and anonymously playing a major part in God’s great plan. He serves as a reminder to us that God uses what we have. Perhaps we should be more like the innkeeper.

SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:6

MUSIC VIDEO: The Song of the Innkeeper

Performed by Jason Gray

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MEDITATION:

Written by Michael Dyer.

I grew up in an era when Christian displays could occur on city public property. An important family Christmas tradition in my hometown Nashville, TN, was to see the Nativity Scene exhibit in Centennial Park. This Nativity Scene, which first appeared in 1953, was an elaborate exhibit commissioned by the Harvey’s Department Store. It drew thousands of visitors from Tennessee and Kentucky during the Christmas season. Christmas carols played and an elaborate light show continuously illuminated the characters throughout the evening. I particularly recall my connection between the exhibit and the hymn “The First Noel.” Both addressed Jesus’ wondrous appeal to shepherds, members of the least admired occupations in Biblical times, and the Magi, members of Persia’s” intelligentsia.” Jesus coming was first proclaimed to “the least” yet was also acknowledged by those of great privilege. The Magi endured a long arduous journey to witness his birth and bring gift offerings. The exhibit, hymn, and the myriad of people who witnessed the exhibit reinforced my belief that God, through Jesus Christ, is available to all of us, regardless of our heritage, occupation, or circumstances. Sometimes Jesus appears spontaneously and dramatically (shepherds heralded by the heavenly hosts or “born again moments), other times it occurs after a lengthy personal journey (Magi). Regardless, we simply need to be open to his presence in our lives and he can enter. Time, weather-related decay, and social/political mores eliminated the Nativity exhibit in 1967. Jesus though is always with us, as is the memory of the Nashville Nativity for those of us blessed to experience it.

SCRIPTURE: 1 John 4:8-10

VIDEO: Nativity Scene: Memories of Nashville

 If using an advent wreath, light the two purple candles, the rose-colored candle and the third purple candle. The fourth candle represents peace and is called the “Angel’s Candle.” The angels announced that Jesus came to bring peace–He came to bring people  close to God and to each other again.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Peter Beck, a contemporary pastor, author, and professor of religion.

Ever see a frightening angel in a nativity scene? Me neither. They’re always cute little kids or beautiful women (or really effeminate-looking men). The same thing is true of the angels on most Christmas trees. That’s just not right. Biblically speaking, angels were frightful creatures, not because they were ugly but because of the strangeness of an encounter with a heavenly being. The most common response, throughout the Bible, to such an encounter was fear. Nearly every episode resulted in the human falling prostrate before his visitor. Thus, we hear the frequent refrain, “Fear not.” In the book of Revelation, the picture becomes more frightening as the angels of God’s avenging wrath await release. Clearly, angels are not to be taken lightly.

Such was the case when the angels visited a group of shepherds tending their flocks on the night of Jesus Christ’s birth. Those shepherds trembled with fear. The angel said to them, “Fear not.” Then, those messengers of God delivered the most amazing message. The Christ, the Messiah, had been born that very day.  The response of the angels, the very messengers of the good news, is instructive this Christmas season. Upon delivering their message, they worshiped. They worshiped Him because of who God is. “Glory to God,” they exclaimed, “in the highest.” He is not some little god to be pulled from the closet once a year. He is God in the highest. The Creator God. He is the one and true God and worthy of our worship no matter what else he may ever do for us. They worshiped Him because of what He had done. God has something great and marvelous. Rather than leaving us in our sins, He has sent his Son and with Him “peace on earth among men.” The peace they proclaimed is not national peace as so many think today. The peace they announced is God’s plan of peace between rebellious sinners and their Righteous King. They worshiped Him because of why He has done it. God did not have to send His Son. He would have been well within His rights to wipe the earthly slate clean and start over again with a righteous people. But He didn’t. God reached out in mercy to save. He did so because it pleased Him to do so. He sent His Son to save “those with whom He is pleased!”

The right response to the Christmas story isn’t “oh how cute” but “oh, how gracious.” The first noel ought to drive us to our knees and lift our voices to God in gratitude. That’s why Christ came. As A. W. Tozer once remarked, “Jesus was born of a virgin, suffered under Pontius Pilate, died on the Cross, and rose from the grave to make worshipers out of rebels.” Or, to quote the familiar Christmas carol: Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King; peace on earth, and mercy mild; God and sinners reconciled.”

SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:9-14

MUSIC VIDEO: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Performed by Celtic Women

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MEDITATION:

Written by Nina Pope.

I don’t remember exactly when I became charmed by nativities. I did not grow up in a home that had any, but as my faith grew over the years, they clearly captured my heart and imagination. I began a collection of miniature nativities, easier to store and display than larger ones, and I loved the seeming simplicity of them but also discovered the artistry of their detail in spite of their tiny size.  Many of them picture the nativity setting of another culture and feature materials relating to that culture. One example:  a tiny nativity scene nestled within a dried seed pod ~ I admire the spirit of using what is at hand to showcase the universal blessing of Christ’s birth. One very precious nativity of mine is larger, a pewter cast of an elaborate scene including cherubs and animals crafted in exquisite detail from Bavarian tradition dating back to the 9^th century.  I am cheered to see the nativity pictured on ornaments, postage stamps, simple stickers, and crafts, gift wrap, or enacted interactively at our church Breakfast in Bethlehem. These images take us away from the secular and refresh our memories of the precious nature of God’s astonishing gift to all humanity, a baby savior born on that first long-ago Christmas.

SCRIPTURE: John 3:16

MUSIC VIDEO: O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Performed by Enya

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MEDITATION:

Written by Thomas Smith, a contemporary author.

As a young boy, one of my favorite traditions was to help my grandmother set out her porcelain Nativity set on top of her mammoth tv credenza. I especially liked to play with the animals. There was a small lamb, a little cow (ox), and an observant donkey (ass). I’ve never paid much attention to why those particular animals are ubiquitous in every nativity scene. Re-reading the Gospel stories, no animals are mentioned (but the presence of a feeding trough (the manger) makes it a near certainty animals were nearby). The presence of a lamb is a no-brainer, I suppose. Bethlehem was known for its shepherds. The Holy Family is very likely taking shelter in one of the shepherd’s caves that dot the hillsides of Bethlehem even today. It is also a foreshadowing of Jesus’s sacrificial offering as the Lamb of God. But why the ox and ass? While re-reading the Prophet Isaiah (which many early Christians called the Fifth Gospel), my attention was drawn to Isaiah 1:3. One of the images Isaiah uses to show the people’s utter ignorance of God is this, “The ox knows its owner and the ass its master’s crib, but Israel does not know me, my people do not understand.” Early Christian commentators linked this verse to the Nativity. In all the busyness of this time, one of the most beautiful gifts we can offer Jesus is a time of dedicated adoration in your private devotions. The great irony of Isaiah is non-rational animals (the ox and the ass) know their Creator (a term of personal intimacy) and understand who He is, namely their God and Creator but his own people do not. Ask the Lord for the grace to know Him better through these seasons and recognize and discern him more clearly in the ordinary circumstances, conversations, and events you will experience.

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 96

MUSIC VIDEO: The Friendly Beasts

Performed by Garth Brooks

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MEDITATION:

Written by Susan Smart, a contemporary author, and the owner of the creativebiblestudy.com website.

The shepherds were some of the first entrusted with the Good News that the Savior was born. No, God didn’t choose the rich, the well-educated, the influential.  He chose common shepherds. This just shows me again how great God’s love is for us; He doesn’t want anyone to not hear the Gospel!  It’s not for an elite group; it’s for an elect group – anyone and everyone who believes trusting Jesus as our Savior…our Shepherd.

A good shepherd lays down his life, he cares for the sheep, he protects the sheep, he gathers the sheep, he knows his own sheep. Think about the many ways God has cared for you today. He knows everything about each of us and still cares and loves us. He is our protector.  The question is – do we know Him? Jesus says “My own know Me.”  If you don’t know Jesus, you can! You do not have to be a lost sheep wandering all by yourself. The Good Shepherd has come searching for you to make you His own. Let’s be like the shepherds from that first Christmas night and share the Good News that Jesus, the Son of God, has come to save and give life. Hope is found in Him! Keep your eyes open during this Christmas season for shepherds and let them remind you of this Christmas devotion and how much the Good Shepherd loves you!

SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:15; 17-20

MUSIC VIDEO: Go Tell it on the Mountain

Performed by Anthem Lights

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