Read: Luke 1:1–4
Since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.
Luke 1:3
For the sake of this devotional, allow me a little (or a lot of) liberty: pretend that I wrote this verse above and insert your name in place of Theophilus. His name in Greek means “one who loves God” or “friend of God.” Hopefully this is true of you. Though I am nowhere near as smart as or as knowledgeable of the details around the life of Jesus as Luke was, I do hold a connection to Christmas Day. December 25th means a little bit more to me personally because it is my birthday.
We won’t really delve into the disagreement over what day or year Jesus was actually born, though, as it diverts from our purpose. However, I think we can all agree that Christmas has turned into the most profitable time of the year for a myriad of businesses and enterprises. Its true meaning has therefore been lost for many. Make no mistake, many couldn’t care less about Jesus—they only care about their bottom line.
Likewise, many churches have turned to the benevolent Christmas season and its close proximity to the end of the year as a time of hope that people will give above and beyond the normal. I can tell you this is also a temptation for just about every nonprofit organization as well.
We Christians have turned Christmas into what we want it to be: a warm and fuzzy scene of a newborn in a stable. The current narrative goes something like this: Joseph leads Mary on a donkey to an inn that has no room (conveyed through a grouchy innkeeper). The couple is left to share oxygen with farm animals in a shed out back. Jesus is born on December 25th and laid in a wooden manger. Shepherds visit and park their sheep in the stable too. Not long after, three kings hop on their camels and visit Jesus as a newborn.
Virtually none of these details are true. But in our soundbite-filled, marketing-crazed culture, truth plays second fiddle. None of these erroneous details nullify the main purpose of the story, of course. The Savior took the form of man to bring salvation to the world! It does demonstrate, however, our proclivity to laziness and altering God’s Word for the sake of convenience, to help peddle whatever we’re selling, to fit personal taste, or because we view it through the lens of our own modern-day lives instead of from a first-century perspective.
It is interesting to note that nowhere in the Bible does it encourage the reader to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The Jewish people held festivals that were ordained by God to commemorate important events in the history of Israel. Jesus later fulfilled some of these festivals with His death, resurrection, and ascension, and will fulfill the rest at His Second Coming. As mentioned yesterday, mankind celebrating His birth started much later.
As we begin, let me mention that I will be sharing much of the birth story in present tense to place us in the story as it happens. Hopefully, this will enrich the reading experience.
Now, let’s commit ourselves to study God’s Word, resist the many distractions, and view this beautiful story with a clean slate. And as always, don’t take what follows as truth. Study it for yourself.