Christmas Joy

This Christmas was very different for me.  It was difficult for me to accept the fact that Eddy and I would not be able to go back to the states for Christmas.  Eddy cannot yet travel into the US due to visa issues, and he is my family now, so (like we will continue to have to do) we had to choose.  The decision that Iwould stay in the DR for Christmas was pretty easy, carrying it out, however, was difficult.  There were definitely tears at some points.  Christmas here is very different.  I was shocked to learn is that it is not really celebrated as a Christian holiday, in the same way it is in the states.  What I mean by that is, unless Christmas is on a Sunday, there is no church on Christmas.  The people in my church here love memorizing verses, they can recite verses for every occasion, except verses from the Christmas story.  In the states I think most Christians in the states can recite a lot of Luke 2 without even trying.  Also, it is very difficult to find non-secular Christmas songs in Spanish.

My reaction to all of this was to start fighting to bring a Christian Christmas to the Dominican Republic.  As I did so, I also had to re-evaluate my opinion about celebrating Christmas.  Was it just because of my own traditions and how I grew up making me feel so strongly?  or was it something else? Having grown up in the church and at a Christian school, I had learned a lot about Christmas.  I had heard sermons and lessons from every perspective on the Christmas story.  I don't know for sure, but I think it is actually somewhat difficult for pastors each December to try to think of a new take on the story or a new way to to teach about it, because everybody has already heard so much about it already.  Here it is not like that.  Here there is still so much that people haven't explored about the Christmas story.  By talking and studying Matthew and Luke with Eddy and with our community Bible study, I too re-discovered the miraculous Christmas story.

There are so many amazing things that happened that day, and so many things to think about and study.  Mary's faith and humility is something we all can learn from.  The fact that angels announced the birth to shepherds of all people, poor young shepherds.  A new star appeared in the sky and led the wisemen all the way from the East!  That feeling that we feel on Christmas morning at church, singing Christmas hymns and thinking about the blessing that was Jesus entering the world, is one-millionth of the feeling that there must have been on that day in Bethlehem.  That day changed everything.  That day brought a hope and a joy to the world that there had never been before.  As the angels said "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of GREAT JOY, which shall be to ALL people. "  I firmly believe that that is a joy that no one should have to miss out on.  I am now sure that it is not just my own culture or traditions that made me feel so strongly.  I am sure, because on this Christmas, when my joy was being replaced by home sickness, God gave me my joy back by helping me rediscover the miraculous story of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Below is the King James Version of the Christmas story.  First from Luke and then from Matthew.  I invite to read it as if you are reading it for the first time and see what God reveals to you.  I know that Christmas has passed for the year, but the joy and peace that we can find in studying and marveling in the story of how Jesus was born, can be found at any time of year.


 Luke 2
 ¹And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
 ²(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
 ³And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
 ⁴And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
 ⁵To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
 ⁶And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
 ⁷And 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.
 ⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
 ⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
 ¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
 ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
 ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
 ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
 ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
 ¹⁵And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
 ¹⁶And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
 ¹⁷And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
 ¹⁸And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
 ¹⁹But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
 ²⁰And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
 ²¹And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

 Matthew 1
 ¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
 ¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
 ²⁰But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
 ²¹And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
 ²²Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
 ²³Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
 ²⁴Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
 ²⁵And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Matthew 2

 ¹Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
 ²Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
 ³When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
 ⁴And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
 ⁵And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
 ⁶And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
 ⁷Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
 ⁸And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
 ⁹When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
 ¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
 ¹¹And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
 ¹²And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.