The Birth of Jesus
Por Peter M. Buss, Sr.
Introduction:
In the Bible story of Jesus being born in Bethlehem, His birth on earth represents His birth in our hearts. His birth in us is the creation of unselfish love in our hearts. We cannot create this; only He can do it.
Before He can come to us we must do our part - obedience to His law, shunning the evils forbidden in the Ten commandments, doing good to the best of our abilities. The story of His birth follows those actions in our lives.
Luke 2:1: "And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place when Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city."
Rome was the earthly government at that time. It brought order - subject to its whims. It represents the external government of our own reasoning power - that ordered, logical process which can amass legions of thoughts in patterns and attack a problem with ruthless force.
The Emperor called a census. He wanted to know how many people he had so he could tax them better. This tells of our life, when we are trying to be good. We too gather our mental powers, put the things of our minds into a more proper order so that we can live our lives. We do it from a rather worldly perspective. We feel that we are good, and that we have the power to order our lives.
Think of that census. Think of all those families criss-crossing the land, each going to the place from whence they came. Remember that when the tribes came into Canaan hundreds of years earlier, each was given an inheritance, and in fact the families' genealogies were kept in their original cities, recording each birth and all the descendants. It made sense that Rome would call such a census in Judea and Galilee.
This shaking up of the families represent our re-ordering of our minds as we try to live good lives, obedient to God.
But unknown to Caesar or to Herod, one journey was taking place which would change the course of history. It was of the Lord's providence that the census took place, and that Joseph, who was living in Nazareth, not in Bethlehem, would make a journey. For while we are trying to order our minds, rearranging our priorities, there is a part of our minds which is lifted into a new realm.
Luke 2:4: "And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David."
Joseph was a carpenter - working with tools of iron on wood, shaping the wood into useful items. He represents the human understanding - perhaps particularly that part of the understanding which is interested in religious and truly moral matters. Joseph, carving wood into pleasant forms, stands for how we use our understanding to mold our goodness, believing that this will bring us true happiness.
But true happiness comes from a much more miraculous source. It comes from the Lord incarnate, flowing into our hearts from within.
However, as we use our understanding to seek for the meaning of life and of goodness, we are lifted up into higher thoughts. The journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Judea, and especially to Bethlehem, represent a spiritual journey - the uplifting of our understandings to see deeper truths about life. Bethlehem, which means "the house of bread," represents the deepest meaning of the Lord's Word, a spiritual understanding of truth. So as Joseph went up to Bethlehem, our understandings are secretly raised up to see deeper truths. We think it's because we are working on understanding life. Joseph thought he obeyed Caesar's command, whereas it was the Lord's providence that led him to Bethlehem. So it is the Lord who secretly uplifts our thoughts.
David, the great king of Israel, represents spiritual thought also. Joseph was of the house of David. Our understanding seems to be very practical and earthly, but it is endowed with the power to see above the body and beyond the world. It is "of the house and lineage of David."
Luke 2:5: "To be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child."
As Joseph was promised to Mary, so our human understanding is promised in love to something rather precious inside of us. Mary, the virgin, represent the innocent affection for truth. Each of us has a strain of idealism deep within us. The understanding receives impulses from many sources, but as we try to obey the Lord it promises itself to the spiritual Mary - to a love of more innocent, apparently naive truth. We fall in love with ideals and with dreams of unselfish, worthwhile love.
We all have this idealism, for the Lord has secretly implanted it in our beings from the moment we are born, Every lovely feeling, every true thought, is stored within us by our loving God and becomes our spiritual Mary.
Joseph naturally thought that his marriage to Mary would produce a child who would bring them happiness. We think that if we marry our understanding to our ideals, we will build our happiness. And in one sense that is true. Yet in fact, it is the power of almighty God inflowing into our idealism that produces true love. As Joseph was not the father of Jesus, but was his natural guardian, so our understanding plays a role in our future happiness, but true love is a Divine birth within us. This is the true message of Christmas - that He who came to earth, He alone can warm people's hearts with love.
Luke 2:6: "And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered."
It took centuries for the Lord to be born on earth. During all that time He prepared people for His birth, and because of those promises, they looked forward to it.
We lose our innocence quite early, and feel, perhaps, that we are very selfish people. It takes time for the Lord to create love in our hearts. We'd love to become kind, totally loving people in an instant. That birth needs time and patience. But its time does come!
Luke 2:7: "And she brought forth her first born son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for Him in the inn."
He could have been born anywhere on earth - in the most splendid palace, heir to worldly power and might. He chose a humble stable. Partly this was because He didn't come to be an earthly power. As He said, "Who is greater? He who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves." (Luke 22:27).
But the reasons were greater than that. Even in Bethlehem He could not be born in the inn. The inn represents a place of instruction, a place where people gather and exchange thoughts. But the inn was full, even as in our own minds, we often think we know it all.
So He was born in a stable, where the horses feed. A horse, which carries us where we want to go, represents an understanding of specific truths which show us the way in life. It represents an understanding of spiritual truth. And He was wrapped in swaddling cloths, which represent simple, innocent truths, and laid in the place where horses come to eat. Innocent truths are the ones we are tempted to scoff at - simple ideas like "It's good to be good," or "It's wrong to hurt others," or "I can use my abilities to bring happiness to those I love." These are among the most fundamental teachings to be found in all of Scripture.
In other words, the Lord, when He descends into our minds and hearts, finds that in many parts of our lives our spiritual "inns" are full. We think we know very well how to make our way in life. So He chooses instead to move us with His love in a special part of our mind - where we seek spiritual truths, and we do so from innocence.
We all have a spiritual manger in our minds. Every person has an innocent spot, where she or he wants to learn, and where she feels humble in learning ideas which will make life so very much better than it is now.
Conclusion: Our Savior wants to come to all of us. He created us for heaven, and in order that we may know the joy of heaven He teaches us His laws. When we respond, then His love is born in our hearts, and that birth follows this orderly pattern:
1. All the ideas of our minds are brought into order - apparently by our own efforts. (The census).
2. A spiritual journey takes place. Our understanding is gradually raised up from thinking only of worldly values into a new light. We take our idealism (our spiritual Mary) with us into that light, to the spiritual Bethlehem.
3. The Lord is not born in those truths which we have filled and perverted with purely worldly values (the inn).
4. Instead He is born into those innocent truths from His Word which we have always trusted and loved, and easily understood (our manger).
5. They are wrapped in simple, clear observations (the swaddling cloths) which protect our newfound love as it grows within us.
Luke 1
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Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,
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even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,
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it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;
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that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
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There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
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They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
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But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
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Now it happened, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his division,
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according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
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The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
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An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
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Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
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But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
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You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.
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For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
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He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.
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He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord."
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Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."
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The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.
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Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn't believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
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The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple.
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When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
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It happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
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After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
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"Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men."
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Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
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to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
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Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!"
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But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
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The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
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Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name 'Jesus.'
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He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David,
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and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom."
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Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?"
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The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
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Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
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For everything spoken by God is possible."
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Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." The angel departed from her.
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Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
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and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
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It happened, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
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She called out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
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Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
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For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!
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Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!"
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Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord.
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My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
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for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
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For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
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His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.
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He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
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He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.
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He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
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He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
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As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever."
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Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
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Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son.
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Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.
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It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father.
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His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John."
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They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."
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They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
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He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." They all marveled.
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His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
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Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
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All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.
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His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
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"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people;
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and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
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(as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),
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salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;
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to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,
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the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father,
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to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,
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In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
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And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
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to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
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because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,
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to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace."
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The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
