Advent IV: Jesus

God communicates with us in many different ways. One of the most special ways is through story. We tell stories to people with whom we desire a relationship, and God's word is filled with them. The stories are true, of course, but they are still narratives and not fact sheets. As with everything else in creation, stories have structure. By looking at the different parts, we can learn more about the whole.

Advent IV: The Story of the Child

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

       In every writing class, the first thing every student learns is "show, don't tell." As narrators, if we tell our audience that Steve is fearsome it doesn't carry much weight. But if we show two other characters talking about how Steve frightens them, and everyone else, our readers know not to mess with Steve. The Christmas story as recorded in the Bible is filled with people talking about the child, from ancient prophets, to angels, to eyewitnesses. 

       700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

       The name Immanuel means "God with us." We know that Isaiah wasn't embellishing. The child of the virgin is literally God, come to us. Once we accept that, everything else we hear will make perfect sense. Later the prophet tells us more, saying that the child will be called "Wonderful Counselor; Mighty God; Everlasting Father; Prince of Peace." He will be a supernaturally understanding mentor. He will be an infinitely powerful deity. He will be a father who is never absent. He will be the embodiment of peace. The baby in the manger... He is all of those things and more.
       When the angel Gabriel came to Mary (the virgin Isaiah mentioned), he reiterated many of the same things.

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."

        Just in case anyone forgot over the past several hundred pages in the Bible, or the last seven centuries, the child is God, a king who rules forever.
       The angels who addressed the shepherds had one more thing to add: "For unto you is born this day... a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." The consequences of sin are everywhere, in the things we do that we wish we wouldn't, in broken relationships, in the evil things people do to one another. The angels told the shepherds, and us, that the baby, Jesus, came to save us... all of us, if we will only accept God's gift.
       Matthew, the disciple and author of the gospel that bears his name, tells us most of what we know about Mary's story. We know from other passages that Mary spent time with Jesus's friends, so it's safe to assume that Matthew got his information directly from Jesus' mother. No one tells the story of a pregnancy and birth better than the baby's mom, and it was she who told Matthew the story of her visit from Gabriel, the trip to Bethlehem, and the visit from the shepherds. Let that sink in for a minute.
       For many us, the Christmas holiday is quite painful. Ever since my sister and I grew out of childhood and into young adults, the desire of my heart has been to see my family grow, to share special memories and Christmas traditions with new family members and children. So far, the only thing that has grown is my longing for those things. Then on December 23, 2013 my father, who we thought was the picture of health, passed away from a sudden heart attack. For us, Christmas will never be the same.
       But I will remember the message of the angels, told to the shepherds, recounted by Mary, prophesied by Isaiah. At Christmas, we celebrate the arrival of a Savior, the conqueror of sin and death. Two thousand years later, the news might be old. But the joy is everlasting.
       So if you hear me singing Christmas songs, or catch me watching a silly Christmas cartoon, I'm not faking happiness. While this is a most painful time of year, it is also the season of greatest meaning to me. And I will strive to keep the joy and the spirit of Christmas alive in my heart always.

God rest ye merry, gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

Remember, Christ, our Saviour

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan's power

When we were gone astray

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy

O tidings of comfort and joy