An Uncomfortable Christmas

Happy Sunday and merry Christmas. A few years ago, Jeanie and I bought a new mattress and it's the best we've ever had. It's so comfortable, nothing like your own bed. It has the motorized lift that will put you in zero gravity and we sleep well.

I tell you this as we begin because when we travel, we sleep on beds that are not as good as ours. Now, I'm not complaining, but over the years, I've had some uncomfortable nights. You ever slept on a sofa bed? Now, the new ones aren't so bad, but a few years back, they had a bar or two under the thin mattress that would make sleeping close to impossible.

Traveling at Christmas time can be uncomfortable. Traffic can be a nightmare. Maybe you are having to navigate icy roads. Maybe you just have to drive through Atlanta and you just pray you hit it a good time.

Traveling is often uncomfortable. If you fly airports can be stress inducing. Love makes us do funny things. We travel when the roads are crazy.

We sleep where we would not rather sleep. We spend money we would rather save. Last weekend, Jeanie and I traveled to Nashville to be with family. We fought traffic.

We slept in a bed that was not as good as ours. And we did it gladly. We did it because of love. True love will gladly trade comfort for discomfort.

Today, as we celebrate Christmas, I think of a couple of Christmas stories. The first is in Luke 2. These are likely very familiar words. In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

This was the first registration and was taken while Corinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea to the city of David called Bethlehem because he was descended from the house and from the family of David. He went to be registered with Mary to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. and she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger because there were no place for them in the guest room. Joseph and Mary traveled 80 miles for this taxation or registration, whatever version you use. History pictures Mary on a donkey, but that's not in the Bible.

It's likely she would have traveled that way. It's also possible that she had to walk 8 months pregnant and traveling in primitive conditions for 80 miles. Joseph and Mary had to be very uncomfortable. On top of the journey, we know that there was no lodging for them in a comfortable place when they arrived in town.

where they ended up would be very primitive, very uncomfortable. And that's where Jesus was. Jesus was born. Please know that Jesus himself was on the greatest journey of all.

He left heaven for earth. Isn't that interesting? We dream of leaving earth and going to heaven. That's my goal.

But Jesus left heaven for earth. Jesus chose to leave glory and come here. His trip was made because of love. Listen to this from Philippians chapter 2 telling us we must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges. He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and he died a criminal's death on a cross.

We call that heavenly visit Christmas. We read of Jesus's visit in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You read of love in those accounts, the love Jesus had for his people. Jesus feeding the hungry, healing the sick, saving the lost, raising the dead, comforting the hurting.

And now 2,000 years later, we come to an important question. Was that it? Was that the only visit or does Jesus visit still? Remember how the book of Matthew ends and Jesus said, "Remember, I am with you always to the ends of the age."

Today, I'm pleased to remind you that Jesus still visits. I love this part of the Christmas story found in the first chapter of Matthew. It says this, "Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit."

Her husband Joseph being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. And the angel said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet. Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means God is with us. God is with us. And my don't we need him.

Please know that Jesus loves you so much that he left his heavenly home and came to this earth. He left paradise to be killed on the cross. This is the greatest love story that we will ever hear. Merry Christmas, Lord.

Thank you for this week, for time to gather with family time. Time to hear the story once again. For time to celebrate, for time to reflect, for time to love. Thank you for becoming so uncomfortable that you gave your life for us.

Thank you for the story and the truth. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. God bless.

Merry Christmas.