Pastor's Article Dec. 25, 2022

Weekly Article (Christmas Day 2022)
The Birth of Christ is given to us in the book of Luke 2:6-7 “And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 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”. This verse of Scripture tells us in a very broad overview of the Birth of Christ. It doesn’t tell us about Mary’s labor pain, her contractions, her screaming, deep breathing or about Joseph, her espoused husband nursing her through the delivery process. We know these things happened because Jesus was born into a sin cursed world and the curse of sin is a very real part of childbirth. Remember Mary didn’t have an epidural, a sterile hospital room, ice chips, a warm blanket or any of the many creature comforts of the modern-day delivery room. She gave birth in a stable, a stinking, cold, uncomfortable stable, and yet she was highly favored. “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women”. I guess we can conclude from this that highly favored and blessed doesn’t always equate too comfortable and luxurious. Then the Bible gives us an explanation for the stable birth and the manger crib. It says because there was no room for them in the inn. Which tells us a delivery room was never in the picture and the inn that they had sought or hoped for was full and that the gift of God to mankind would have to make do with a stable and feed trough. God really put a lot on young Mary and His only begotten Son. Jesus was born into a world he created, and yet it had no room for His miraculous birth and His Father in whom it is said can do anything or in Luke 1:37 “for with God nothing is impossible” must have willed or at least permitted Christ to be born in the humblest of ways. This kind of puts into perspective God’s thoughts on us being treated fairly, maybe humility is the best avenue to bringing honor to God and getting the Savior to the people who grope in darkness. As we celebrate Christmas may we be reminded that Christmas is not so much about what we get, but what has been given and is to be shared with the lost world, the Hope that is found in Jesus Christ!
Rev. Wayne Marcus