Bethlehem or Bedlam? (Luke 1-2)
Big Idea: Honor Christmas by following Mary's example: respond to God, offer worship, and meditate on Christ's gift.
No trip to Israel is complete without a visit to the Church of the Nativity, located in Manger Square, Bethlehem. It was built around 325 A.D over the hillside grotto believed by most to be the site of the birth of Jesus. It is a church that has never been destroyed, making it one of the oldest and most famous churches in the world. To enter the church, you must enter what is called “The Door of Humility,” just four feet high.
It was originally meant to stop people from riding horses into the church, but now everyone, including President and Mrs. Clinton, who visited last week, must bend down to enter. Within the church, located under the chancel, is the grotto of the Nativity. In the crypt at the front of the grotto, you will find a silver star on the marble with the words, inscribed in Latin, “Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.” Next door is another church that broadcasts images of Christmas celebrations worldwide at midnight on December 24th each year.
One hundred and thirty-three years ago, a young clergyman by the name of Phillips Brooks made a pilgrimage to Israel. On Christmas Eve, on the way to the Church of the Nativity, he paused in a field near Bethlehem where sheep grazed. Brooks was so emotionally moved that he wrote the beloved Christmas carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem" when he returned home. The underlying theme of his Christmas hymn is the theme of quietness.
It begins, “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!” Later, it says, “For Christ is born of Mary; and gathered all above, while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.” Then the third verse reads: How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts the wonder of his heaven. No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.
Phillips Brooks understood that the true essence of Christmas requires a calm heart, free from distractions and busyness. You might not have heard of the name St. Mary of Bethlehem Hospital, located in London, England, but you’ve heard of the English word that is derived from its nickname. The notorious insane asylum was nicknamed "Bedlam," a term now linked to confusion and madness. But the word bedlam originated with the St. Mary of Bethlehem Hospital – an insane asylum.
Consider this: the town where Jesus Christ was born ultimately gave rise to an English word that signifies mass confusion. I looked up bedlam in the dictionary and found this definition: “a situation of noisy uproar and confusion.” That’s a pretty good description of a lot of Decembers that I’ve had. Is one of Satan's strategies to distract Christians from worshiping Christ, moving them from Bethlehem to chaos?
We don’t end up being changed by the celebration because we’re absorbed with situations of noisy uproar and confusion. Christmas calls for a quieted heart that has been unplugged from distractions and busyness. Those who calm their hearts and appreciate God's quiet intervention against sin will understand the true meaning of Christmas: Jesus Christ.
This morning, I aim for you to take practical steps to step back from the Christmas rush, calm down, and focus solely on Jesus. I’m going to do something this morning that might, at first seem unfair. I’m going to add three things to your to-do list for this week. You’ve probably got plans of where you’re supposed to be at what time, not to mention last-minute items that you need to pick up.
You probably have some gift wrap left, and at least one person here hasn’t started their Christmas shopping. To find peace in Bethlehem instead of Bedlam, we should follow Mary’s example from Luke chapters one and two by doing three things.
We Need to Respond
Please turn your Bibles to Luke 1:26-38, where we see that Mary had a responsive heart. The setting is Nazareth, a small town off the trade routes in Galilee. In those days, Galilee was not an ideal place; it was surrounded by Gentiles, its people often disregarded kosher laws, and were seen as confrontational. And the angel Gabriel is sent there to visit Mary – a woman who was betrothed to be married.
In that day, betrothal was a legally binding relationship that preceded marriage. Betrothal could only end in divorce or death; if the man died, the girl would be considered a widow, even if she was not married. So Mary was betrothed. In all likelihood, she followed the custom of the day, in which betrothal took place soon after puberty.
It’s likely that Mary had just entered her teens. The angel Gabriel appears to a young girl in a secluded place and tells her:
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33)
Now, pause here and ask yourself how you would respond. When Gabriel made a similar announcement to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, Zechariah expressed doubt.
Zechariah doubted the angel’s promise due to his old age, trusting his intellect instead of accepting God's purpose. Unlike Zechariah, Mary didn't request a sign; she simply sought an explanation of how this would happen since she hadn't had sexual relations. And once Gabriel explained it to her, look at how she responded in verse 38: "And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Now think about it; in those days, a young, unmarried girl who became pregnant faced possible disaster. Unless the father of the child agreed to marry her, she would probably remain unmarried for life.
If her own father rejected her, she would then be forced into begging or even prostitution to earn a living. Who would believe a story about an angel visiting her or her becoming pregnant by the Holy Spirit? And yet Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”
In choosing her response, Mary was able to focus on God’s will rather than society’s approval. Quietness means being attentive to God's plans and accepting whatever he brings, regardless of societal opinions. Mary's amazing quality is her ability to hear and accept God's will despite societal norms and her own reasoning.
This week, you need to respond to what happened 2,000 years ago. Jesus Christ is the greatest Christmas gift, but it can be hard to focus on him amid the distractions of the holiday season. Most of all, there’s the danger that some of you might not even realize the true meaning of Christmas. It’s not about Santa, presents, or family.
Jesus Christ came to save men and women who have broken their relationship with God. The Bible states that Jesus came to Earth out of love for you, which calls for a response. It's hard to express what Jesus Christ gave up to be born as a small, dependent baby among animals in a dark cave.
He knew he would face persecution, hatred, and death, but his love for you motivated him. It would be a tragedy if you didn’t respond to the greatest gift ever given, the way Mary did. Not only do we need to respond, but:
We Need to Worship
This week, we need to prioritize worship to ensure we end up in Bethlehem instead of chaos. Luke 1:46 and on records what is known as the Magnificat – a song of Mary that is an outflow of what had happened in her heart. Mary felt amazed by the Lord's kindness and responded by singing a beautiful song of praise.
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name..."
(Luke 1:46-49)
Mary praises God for his actions in her life, his qualities, his work in society, and his deeds in Israel.
The first two chapters of Luke contain several songs. Have you noticed that before? It’s as if the only appropriate response to Jesus’ coming is music! Mary, Zechariah, the angels, and Simeon all responded to the arrival of Christ by worshiping through song.
Trying to stop their praise that first Christmas would have been like trying to stop the flow of a mighty waterfall. Worship is the only appropriate response. Westminster Abbey, located in London, is the most famous church in Great Britain. It has hosted coronations and burials, including Princess Diana's burial just over a year ago.
It’s also the site of some controversy today. Under a new vicar, the organist has been fired, and an admission charge has been levied for tourists. There is a storm surrounding what he is trying to do, and I’m not sure what really is taking place, but I like one thing he said.
He wants to transform Westminster Abbey from a tourist site into a place of worship by reducing tourist access. I like his phrase "recover the calm." Recover the calm of an abbey that was designed to be a place of worship. This morning I’d like to apply these three words to Christmas: recover the calm!
Make Christmas a time of worship rather than just a cultural holiday and attraction. Recover what Christmas was originally designed to be – a time of worship to the God who came to earth. What a tragedy it would be if we let this week pass without taking time to worship the King of the universe, who came to earth 2,000 years ago. Take time to worship.
So far I’ve put two things on your to-do list for this week: to respond and to worship. There’s one more thing I’d like you to do this week, and for many, this might be the hardest part.
We Need to Meditate
This week, let's set aside some uninterrupted time to be alone, close the doors, and meditate. Luke 2:19 says, "But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart."
Mary took the time to ponder what God’s actions had been, and what they might mean for her and for the world.
Mary embraced the true meaning of Christmas, something many often overlook. She meditated on the presence of God in human form and reflected on how the Creator of the universe entrusted her, a young married teenager, with the responsibility of raising him. We need to do what Mary did.
William Law writes, “To speak with the tongues of men or angels on religious matters, is a much less thing than to know how to stay the mind upon God, and abide with him in the closet of our hearts, observing, loving, adoring, and obeying his holy power within us.” I’ve added three things to your to-do list, but this last one will require you to take further action.
If you’re going to meditate on Christ’s coming this week, you may well have to remove some of what you have planned. You may have to make room this Christmas for Jesus, and block out some time for simplicity and meditation. You may need to do major surgery to your schedule this week.
It’s been said, “If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall.” That’s true in finances, but it’s also relevant to the health of your soul this coming week. Focus on what you can manage and make time for reflection and meditation, like Mary.
Basil Pennington uses a pond as a metaphor for the importance of stillness in being open to God, which I believe is especially relevant during Christmas. When you throw a stone into a pond, the stone will create ripples that reach to the shore all around – but only if the pond is still. When the pond is quiet and still, the arrival of a stone can be read over the entire surface.
When the pond is disturbed, the arrival of a stone goes unnoticed. Where the wind has disturbed the surface, the stone can’t be disturbing. In a storm, the chaos is so intense that a few extra waves go unnoticed amidst the turmoil.
Your life is like that pond. In a peaceful life, you will notice the arrival of Jesus Christ, but in a chaotic life, it may go unnoticed. We need to develop a responsive heart this Christmas, and the prerequisite will be quietness.
So, my friends, I hope you’ll add three things to your to-do list this week: to respond, to worship, and to meditate. The city of Bethlehem is not a little town anymore; it is a bustling Palestinian suburb of Jerusalem. Pilgrims in Bethlehem experience car horns, the calls of mosques, and industrial noise.
Our personal lives are not as peaceful as depicted in the carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem." Whether in modern-day Bethlehem or Toronto, the peace that Mary felt can turn Christmas Day – or any day – into a time for worship and reflection on God's love.
