The First Christmas Rush

The day after Thanksgiving has historically been one of the busiest shopping days in the multitude of attempts to find that perfect gift. Since internet shopping has taken over, physical stores are not nearly as busy as they used to be. However, Hollywood has presented many comedic takes on the ridiculousness of rushing about for that perfect gift.

The day after Thanksgiving has historically been one of the busiest shopping days in the multitude of attempts to find that perfect gift. Since internet shopping has taken over, physical stores are not nearly as busy as they used to be. However, Hollywood has presented many comedic takes on the ridiculousness of rushing about for that perfect gift.

Back in the mid 90s, a movie was released in titled "Jingle All the Way," in which two people are supposedly going after a particular gift that is difficult to find. During the movie, they are shown doing absolutely ridiculous things to purchase that gift.

Why? We ask ourselves. We might assume it is because of caring for someone special. However, it is painfully obvious that they had missed the point entirely.

In the account Luke presents to us, he shows us the first Christmas rush. Here, the rush was not to purchase a particular gift, but rather to personally experience being with Christ, the most wonderful gift given to humanity. But the rush did not stop here. Next, the rush was on to tell others about Christ. In contrast to what seemed like a frenetic rush, we see Mary in the midst, quietly contemplating and meditating this whole situation. Interestingly, one day, she would also be able to experience salvation from the very One come she was holding. Her son, Whom she had given birth.

Today, we will look at three different aspects of this first Christmas rush.

One--there was a rush to see.

Two--there was a rush to share.

Three--there should be in a rush to serve.

For the Christian, we should do all that is possible to share the love of Christ with others of that which we have seen, living a life of service to our Savior.

There Was a Rush to See.--2:15-16

Luke 2:15–16 NASB95

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.

The Angels are no longer with the shepherds, vanishing as quickly as they had come. The shepherds found themselves out in the night air with their sheep, with no theologians or scholars to discuss with them what they had just experienced. They were left there to ponder for themselves what has just transpired.

We can assume that it did not take very long for them to make that decision to not just hang around there. They were going to check out for themselves what they had been told. It should be obvious to us that the shepherds believed wholeheartedly the angels message by the fact that they actually did something. In fact the words for Let us go along with the phrase came in a hurry, carries with it a sense of urgency. One can almost sense the excitement and intensity in the shepherds as they rushed off to the village of Bethlehem.

At Bethlehem, they found everything just as the angel had said. What they found was complete accuracy and truthfulness in the message. Just as the Old Testament and the New Testament provide signs within all the prophecies and promises to point humanity to the Savior, so did the angel for the shepherds.

This should be an encouragement to us today. If these little details were helpful to the shepherds at that time, we can be assured that all which God has revealed in the Bible tells us everything that we need for today. The Bible tells us what we should be doing now and gives directions for the future.

Again, I would like to share a quote from Francis Schaeffer's book, No Little People: "If you believe in God, and act on what he tells you, there is so much that is exciting ahead that you can say to yourself, ‘I haven’t seen anything yet to compare with what God is preparing right now!’"

You can just imagine the impact the shepherds must have felt once they saw this newborn baby. Hallmark cards nor Leonardo da Vinci have ever seen Jesus as a baby. The shepherds had not seen that there was a bright light or halo around Him. What they saw was a small baby, with tiny feet that were most likely small and wrinkled; eyes not quite able to focus; and other characteristics very much like any other baby.

So, if what they saw must not have looked like a superhero baby or anything else outlandish, what would cause them to worship Jesus? Only the fact that they had believed what they had been told and had seen for themselves.

There Was a Rush to Share.--2:17-18

Luke 2:17–18 NASB95

When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

We have seen that the shepherds rushed to see the new born Messiah. How do we know they believed it? Because the Bible tells us that they went out telling what they had experienced. After they have seen Jesus, they spread the word about what had been told to them about the child. Considering the fact that the shepherds were unschooled, as well as supposedly untrustworthy, they were actually the first individuals to be evangelists for Christ.

It is fascinating to know that they did not just report on their experience of seeing the newborn Jesus. They spread the word about what they had been told by God’s special messengers. This is one more reminder that it is always much more accurate to share the facts from God, than our own personal experiences.

Imagine for a bit that you were one of those individuals in the community who was accosted by this group of shepherds. We are not told if the shepherds went as a group or as individuals. Yet we do know that they rushed to share this incredible news with others. Now if you would have been confronted buy one of the shepherds, what might your reaction have been? Would you have paid any attention to them, considering what society thought of them? After all, it was assumed the shepherds had a real problem with credibility and integrity. Plus, they were definitely not scholarly.

Yet consider what the Bible says. The Bible says that all the people who had heard what was reported were amazed. Let me ask you a simple question. Has anybody been amazed lately by what you have shared with them about Jesus? I know that there are some pretty amazing things taking place in each of your lives. I realize that you may think others don't always like to hear about you and your family, or me and my family. But the reality is, we need to be sharing what God is doing in our lives. But be sure it’s not about you, but rather about Jesus. Actually, I want to have people amazed. Folks, we serve an amazing God. We have been saved my an amazing God. We should not apologize for talking about our amazing God. Because when we share, people will be amazed and want to know more about him.

There Should be a Rush to Serve.--2:19-20

Luke 2:19–20 NASB95

But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

I find, when reading through this account, then taking time to reflect on it, I am left with an almost out of breath feeling for the shepherds. With that angelic visitation, an incredible amount of emotional energy has been expended. As the race was on to Bethlehem to see the baby, an incredible amount of physical energy was spent by the shepherds. Emotional and physical energy was drained even further as the shepherds ran about telling a message of hope, not even considering how it would be received. One almost finds himself collapsing, while saying, "what's next?"

What is next, is the challenge facing us just as it did for the shepherds and the parents. As this point states, there should be a rush to serve. You and I cannot merely sit back, filled with quiet praise and adoration, while keeping this wonderful message to ourselves.

These shepherds recognized that what they had experienced was not a vision, nor was it even a fairytale which was told around the fires at night. It was very real. In fact, the Bible tells us that the reason the shepherds were glorifying and praising God on the return is that they themselves had heard and seen all this, just as had been told them.

The shepherds were thrilled and excited.

The people were amazed.

"But Mary…" A literal understanding of the short phrase would be"Mary, on the other hand…" Mary is meditating on the meaning of it all. I find myself wondering as what it was exactly that Mary was pondering. Could it have been the realization she herself was holding in her very own arms, her own Savior? The Bible is silent, so we don't truly know. But we do know, that amidst all the rush, Mary treasured and pondered.

Reflections

As you and I are confronted with the reality of Jesus Christ, there is most definitely a place for exuberance and enthusiasm. God bless the pure zealousness and unbridled urgency of the shepherds! Now may God give us a little jumpstart in our witness for Christ. We all could use some of that zeal and sense of urgency.

As we are reminded again of the reality of Jesus Christ, there is also a place for quiet contemplation and reflection. May God bless that strong desire and passion to more intimately know the Lord and his ways and his purposes. May the Lord lasso some of us and rein us in to take time to meditate upon His Word and get to know Him better.

Whatever reaction you have, recognize that there is always a need for some action when confronted with the reality of Jesus Christ. For He is the One Who was born in the stable Who can provide salvation just as was promised. For the Christian, we should do all that is possible to share the love of Christ with others of that which we have seen, living a life of service to our Savior.