Christmas Story

Introduction:

The Christmas holiday season is a time when we connect with family members we might only see once a year. It can also be a time when we decorate our homes for holiday cheer. More often, it is a time when we exchange gifts with those who we love. Hopefully, it is also a time to reflect on our Savior, Jesus, and His family as their story shapes eternity.

This is more of a personal journal entry than a devotional. I’ll share a few scripture references with the hope of exploring what happened in the lives of baby Jesus and His earthly family, offering insight into what the first Christmas may have truly been like. I’ll close with a message of hope.

Mary

Mary was approached by an angel named Gabriel, who told her not to be afraid because she had found favor with God and would become pregnant. The angel also informed her that her cousin Elizabeth, though advanced in age, was pregnant and would give birth to a son.

Mary’s story is one of trials and overcoming. While pregnant, Mary had to travel with Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem for a census. Imagine Joseph taking Mary on a road trip for a census while at full term! When they arrived, there was no place for them to stay. Mary went into labor and delivered the Savior of the world in a manger.

Now, erase the image of a wooden box from nativity scenes in your mind. I used to think of the manger as a beautiful wooden cradle, perfectly suited for a newborn baby. It wasn’t! A manger is a feeding trough for farm animals. Let that sink in for a moment. I know we’ve all heard that before, but it wasn’t until recently that I truly reflected on how humble Jesus’ beginnings were. Curious about what a trough typically looked like, I discovered that they were often made of stone or clay rather than the wooden versions we commonly imagine.

Through all of this, we see Mary as a person of great faith and hope in what God would do through her. You can read of her hope in Luke 1:46–56. As the introductory scripture states, Mary was willing and ready to be used by God to deliver Jesus to the world.

Joseph

Now let's dive into the life of Joseph, a man from the town of Nazareth, who was engaged to Mary, Jesus’ mother. Known as a carpenter by trade, I see him as a man of great integrity and faith. He remained engaged to Mary, even when she was pregnant, and not by him.

Mary was a virgin, pregnant by the Holy Spirit of God, not man. Think about Joseph trying to rationalize that scenario. Have you ever heard someone say an event is “once in a lifetime”? Mary’s pregnancy was once in an eternity. Thankfully, God knew how this might appear to Joseph, so He sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to explain a revelation only our Heavenly, all-knowing God could provide.

The angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph in a dream, and Joseph trusted the Lord’s plan (Matthew 1:20). Later, when Joseph learned of a threat to his family, he took them to safety (Matthew 2:13–15).

Though Joseph wasn’t in the spotlight, his story reveals his dedication to doing God’s will over his own plans and desires. He allowed God to use him as an earthly provider for Jesus. While we don’t have much history about Joseph’s life, we do see glimpses of his character as a husband and father.

Jesus

Most of what we learn about Jesus as a baby is related to Mary’s and Joseph’s story. As mentioned before we know how He was conceived. We know how His family had to travel to Bethlehem. Then we learned that His family has to flee to Egypt to escape Herod’s threats. The details of Jesus’ life are revealed at great length through prophecies of His coming and His ministry in the Gospels.

What Can We Learn From the Jesus' Birth Story?

First, we must be willing to listen to God and not rely solely on our emotions. From the example of these remarkable parents, we learn to hearken to God’s plan.

Mary was responsible for caring for the most precious baby that will ever be born! Joseph was the earthly step-father to the Savior of the world! What an incredible responsibility these new parents carried! Think about how you parent your children. The good, the bad, and the indifferent. How would you parent differently if your child was Christ? Would you speak to them the same way? Allow them to do the same things? Hang out with the same friends? These are hypothetical questions meant to prompt reflection on your role as a parent, teacher, mentor, or any figure who nurtures young people. While slightly off-topic, I hope it gives you food for thought.

Neither Mary nor Joseph allowed their circumstances to overwhelm them. Instead, they turned them into testimonies of faith and resilience. Jesus’ biography begins humbly. Scripture teaches us that “the end of a matter is better than its beginning” (Ecclesiastes 7:8, ESV).

My Story

The real Christmas story is far more inspiring than the filtered version I learned in Sunday school. Christmas is so much more than what it has become over the last two millennia. I hope this encourages you to see the pure Christmas story of trials and overcoming.

This time of year can be a season of trials for some. My own experience is proof of how God provides. As a child, I lost my father about a week before Christmas. Two hospice nurses who had cared for my dad brought gifts to our family. At age 12, I didn’t have the words for it, but now I recognize their actions as humanity and love.

Those nurses will never know the lasting impact they had on me. Their kindness turned what could have been a season of sadness into one of hope, shaping who I am today. I’ve only shared this story before with close acquaintances, but I hope that however you’ve come across this writing, it helps you see how God provides. Please share this with someone going through a tough time because it might help them see that God can deliver them as well.

If we look at scripture and learn how the story ends, we see that God turns situations around. He raises up something within us that cannot be explained. The Christmas story is about trust, hope, and a Savior born to save our souls.

I’m not here to shame anyone for how we celebrate Christmas. In fact, I need to work on my shopping list for loved ones! But I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on what truly matters: love. Take time to think about what Christmas looked like for Mary and Joseph.

The Christmas story reminds us to trust in God’s promises and believe that He will fulfill what He has spoken.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, give us the gift of hope and love so that we may share them with others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Author: Travis White | 12-10-2024