Humility of the Nativity

Luke 1:26-27 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 

The Nativity and the Cross are the greatest displays of humility this world has ever known. I have both symbols up in my home and they are here in the church.

The things leading up to those events were full of humility as well.

There is something endearing about the story of Mary and Joseph making the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem only to discover that there was no room in the inn. We can almost see the disappointment in Mary’s face when she is told that she will have to “deliver” or “give birth to” the baby in a stable. Even the most hardened heart is touched.

Stories have come out of it:

Trouble at the Inn

In this classic story from 1966, a child puts the true meaning of Christmas into the annual holiday pageant.

For years now, whenever Christmas pageants are talked about in a certain little town in the Midwest, someone is sure to mention the name of Wallace Purling.

Wally's performance in one annual production of the Nativity play has slipped into the realm of legend. But the old-timers who were in the audience that night never tire of recalling exactly what happened.

Wally was nine that year and in the second grade, though he should have been in the fourth. Most people in town knew that he had difficulty keeping up. He was big and awkward, slow in movement and mind.

Still, Wally was well liked by the other children in his class, all of whom were smaller than he, though the boys had trouble hiding their irritation when Wally would ask to play ball with them or any game, for that matter, in which winning was important.

They'd find a way to keep him out, but Wally would hang around anyway—not sulking, just hoping. He was a helpful boy, always willing and smiling, and the protector, paradoxically, of the underdog. If the older boys chased the younger ones away, it would be Wally who'd say, "Can't they stay? They're no bother."

Wally fancied the idea of being a shepherd in the Christmas pageant, but the play's director, Miss Lumbard, assigned him a more important role. After all, she reasoned, the innkeeper did not have too many lines, and Wally's size would make his refusal of lodging to Joseph more forceful.

And so it happened that the usual large, partisan audience gathered for the town's yearly extravaganza of crooks and creches, of beards, crowns, halos and a whole stageful of squeaky voices.

No one on stage or off was more caught up in the magic of the night than Wallace Purling. They said later that he stood in the wings and watched the performance with such fascination that Miss Lumbard had to make sure he didn't wander onstage before his cue.

Then the time came when Joseph appeared, slowly, tenderly guiding Mary to the door of the inn. Joseph knocked hard on the wooden door set into the painted backdrop. Wally the innkeeper was there, waiting.

"What do you want?" Wally said, swinging the door open with a brusque gesture.

"We seek lodging."

"Seek it elsewhere." Wally spoke vigorously. "The inn is filled.

"Sir, we have asked everywhere in vain. We have traveled far and are very weary."

"There is no room in this inn for you." Wally looked properly stern.

"Please, good innkeeper, this is my wife, Mary. She is heavy with child and needs a place to rest. Surely you must have some small corner for her. She is so tired."

Now, for the first time, the innkeeper relaxed his stiff stance and looked down at Mary. With that, there was a long pause, long enough to make the audience a bit tense with embarrassment.

"No! Begone!" the prompter whispered.

"No!" Wally repeated automatically. "Begone!"

Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary and Mary laid her head upon her husband's shoulder and the two of them started to move away. The innkeeper did not return inside his inn, however. Wally stood there in the doorway, watching the forlorn couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased with concern, his eyes filling unmistakably with tears.

And suddenly this Christmas pageant became different from all others.

"Don't go, Joseph," Wally called out. "Bring Mary back." And Wallace Purling's face grew into a bright smile. "You can have my room."

Some people in town thought that the pageant had been ruined. Yet there were others—many, many others—who considered it the most Christmas of all Christmas pageants they had ever seen.

The good news is not just that Jesus was born of lowly estate, but that He was born to “bear the sins of many.” His death between two thieves was God's plan and will.   It was the excruciating death of the Savior. The Son of God was regarded as a sinner by His executioners. He died for us and them and prayed, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.

We must celebrate this good news at Christmas as well as Easter. What the world needs to know is not just that Jesus was laid in a manger at Bethlehem, but that He died on the cross and that He was laid in a tomb outside of Jerusalem only to rise the third day as proof that His work on earth had been accepted by the Father. We have to invite people to join us on a journey that leads six miles north of Bethlehem to “Skull Hill” on the outskirts of Jerusalem. For some, the trek, spiritually speaking, will be difficult, but it must be done if they are to be redeemed.

Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given. 

As well might a gnat seek to drink in the ocean, as a finite creature to comprehend the Eternal God. A God whom we could understand would be no God. If we could grasp him he could not be infinite: if we could understand him, then were he not divine. 

This verse shows the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ. It is not to be fully understood. It is to be fully celebrated!

Enjoy the Christmas season. Sing the carols with joy, and bless others with gifts and laughter. Embrace special time with family and friends. But don’t forget that it is not the manger that saves us; it is not the birth of a baby that reconciled us to God, but the death of a man who came to “save His people from their sins.” Only this message that offends the world will save the world.

Let's look back on that first Christmas:

1. Gabriel, the Angel

An Angel

aggleos- a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God

Who Stands in the Presence of God

Angels- Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? 

Gabriel = "man of God"

one of the angel princes or chiefs of the angels

We first encounter Gabriel in Daniel coming to the prophet.

Sent by God

This sending by the LORD of Gabriel to earth shows His grace and love.

Sent=  apostellō

to order (one) to go to a place appointed

Nazareth of Galilee was appointed by God to be the place where Jesus would grow up, where his mother and Joseph lived.

It was looked down upon... more about that in a moment. The thing I want you to see is that an Angel, who stood in God's Presence was sent from heaven to a looked down upon place in Israel. But Gabriel had also been appeared to Zechariah while he was ministering at the temple in Jerusalem.

We can see an angel at the temple in Jerusalem

But that is a far cry from the rural hills of Nazareth.

Nazareth was in

2. Galilee, the working class, blue collar, like midwest US

Farms and Sheep

John 7:50-52 Nicodemus he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them said to them, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.” 

Under Roman Rule at this time. Occupied territory by the Romans. Galilee was made up of the tribes of Zebulun, Naphtali and Asher.

Galilee was foretold to be the place where the Messiah would come because it was also a land of war and bloodshed. It was a war torn area when Israel began to be judged, the first to take the brunt of the invading Assyrians.

Isaiah 9:1-2 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— The people walking in darknesshave seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 

When you read the previous chapter you realize the connection between this promise of God and the judgement of God.

3. Nazareth

If Galilee weren't "bad" enough, Nazareth was worse. The attitudes toward it are expressed here.

John 1:45-46 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 

Matthew 13.53-58

From Nazareth, 24 miles from the Sea of Galilee, you can see summit of Mt. Hermon where, Jesus was transfigured, the Valley of Armageddon towards the south. As you look east you see Ephraim, Gilead and Mount Tabor and other side lays Carmel (where Elijah called down fire from heaven) and the Mediterranean Sea.

Yet it is Jesus Who gives Nazareth notoriety. If it weren't for Him it would not even be a stop on a tour through the Holy land. 

Nazareth also rejected Him.

Luke 4.16-30

In this passage we have a Jewish girl from Nazareth who is now pregnant pledged to be married to a poor carpenter.

4. Joseph a carpenter

son of David

a righteous man

Took care of the family in Bethlehem, the flight to Egypt and the return to Nazareth.

Took Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast when Jesus was a 12 year old boy. They made the trip each year.

5. Virgin named Mary

betrothed to Joseph

Mary was a humble servant of the LORD's. This made her even more humble. Humiliating experiences bring us to a place we would never have traveled to on our own. Reputation, future were altered by her accepting God's will for her

Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

So the example of Jesus and the words of Jesus are full of humility.

Matthew 18:4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

Matthew 23:11-12 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.