Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God…
Luke 1:26 – 35
A God-Sized Reality vs. The Nazareth Attitude
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Luke 1:37
The small town of Nazareth was known for its independence and distant and unfriendly attitudes toward those who would pass by. Jesus was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Nazareth. Nevertheless, the people of Nazareth would reject him. We remember that at Christmas, just like at the time of His coming, many of us struggle to make room for Jesus.
For Nazareth, Jesus was not the Messiah. He was not the awaited savior of their people. Israel wanted a military leader. The Romans wanted someone who would build wealth and power. What do we want in this world, more than or instead of Jesus?
Like the people of Nazareth who rejected Jesus because He didn’t fit their expectations, we can be tempted to doubt, to hesitate, or to avoid stepping out in faith at the introduction of Jesus. This was the Nazareth attitude. In their doubt, they attempted to reduce Jesus and the event of His coming as a small thing.
And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:38
Mary’s Response – Oh, With a Little Faith
When Mary was told of the coming of Jesus, she said, “I am an all-in servant of the Lord; may Your plan be done to me exactly the way you want it.” She miraculously becomes the mother of God. In one moment she steps forward into God’s plan and His immense purpose for her life.
Sometimes, we may be tempted to see Mary’s response as a small thing. We mistake her humbleness as weakness. The world, in some ways, can tend to dismiss these events in the landscape of other choices to be made in life.
We see Mary’s humbleness and willingness to yield to God’s plan, even though it is controversial, potentially unpopular, inconvenient, uncertain, and life-changing. At Christmas, we see God work through what the world would consider weak, the Christian faith calls meek, and history will celebrate for all time to come.
How do we tend to dismiss God’s calling in our life? How do we tend to dismiss these God-Sized moments in favor of worldly pursuits?
Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
Luke 2:4 – 9
Jesus, Still and Powerful, Lying In a Stable
The world and our lives may often feel unstable, but the coming of Jesus offers hope, stability, and life-changing truth. When we look at the baby Jesus in a stable, we sometimes can only see what the world sees: a baby, still and small.
Later on in His life, we are told in scripture that Jesus was a carpenter’s son. Sometimes, like in the famous scene of The Passion of the Christ (see below), in our small approach to Jesus, we figure Him as a small-town carpenter, building little tables and chairs for a living.
Although scenes like these are designed to remind us that Jesus was fully human, as well as fully God, we are sometimes tempted to reduce this to the idea that until Jesus started His ministry to bring salvation to the world, He was happy to be tinkering with small projects in the little village of Nazareth. Ultimately, scripture does not tell much about Jesus’ life growing up, so we are left to wonder what His life was like before He entered His ministry.
In Greek, the word carpenter is Tekton, which is more accurately translated into English to mean “a craftsman who builds.” Archeological scholars provide evidence that seeing Jesus as a builder is more accurate. The typical building materials of Israel were primarily rocks and cut stones. Jesus probably worked more as a stonemason than he did with wood. Although Jesus was raised in Nazareth, only 4 miles away, there was a major Roman-style city, Sepphoris, that would have needed to employ many workers skilled at building large-style constructions requiring sophisticated skills in industrial craftsmanship.
As we look back on Jesus’ mission and ministry, we can imagine him better as being a craftsman who builds. And with a little faith, we can see He was prepared to take on a John 3:16-sized mission from the beginning.
Christmas was launched from a small stable in a small town, and sometimes the world wants to keep it that way; that is the Nazareth attitude. But look closely and see the miraculous picture of what can be accomplished through the Messiah’s birth, that is, the faith of Mary.
The Stable In an Unstable World
A wise pastor recently said we can embrace the stable in an unstable world. We can find joy, and hope that transforms the heart. We can build or rebuild our lives on what started with Jesus, the stable in an unstable world. That can sound like a big building project, but Jesus knows how to build that.
The building project starts at the heart. Jesus is the craftsman. He taught, whether by word or example, He did not intend for his listeners to store away the intellectual truth of Christmas and his teachings. Rather, He challenged people to become like Him, to apply the truths he taught in life-changing, culture-impacting ways.
Be encouraged; with a little faith (like Mary), we can allow Jesus to build in our lives in big ways. Let us celebrate Christmas and the baby in a manger, and let us rise and build our lives on His grace and truth, in Jesus name, Amen.
CCA’s Word for the Year – Encourage
Lord Jesus, there is spiritual, moral, and physical devastation everywhere in this world. Your mission of salvation was the ultimate disaster response, and you are the ultimate rescue worker. Please help us never to become hardened by the influence of this world, but let us be encouraged. Let us make room for you instead. Come, Lord Jesus, be the center of our lives. We invite you to be the builder, the craftsman, our Lord and Savior. Come, work in our hearts that because of Bethlehem, we celebrate Christmas. Amen.
