Advent Day 18

"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child."

    ~Luke 2:1-5

The story is progressing, but we have a problem. The Messiah is foretold to be born in Bethlehem, but they're in Nazareth. How do they get to Bethlehem?

A census. 

I don't know how widespread the belief that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem was (the magi as well as a few others mention it in Scripture), but it made me think of self-fulfilling prophecy. If they had known that, it would have been so easy for Mary to believe (rightly so) that she was carrying the Messiah and for her and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem to put themselves in the path of prophecy, to try to make God's promises add up, but that's not what happend. They took no initiative to make something happen, and God gave them no command to actively get to Bethlehem. He worked it out through other means.

A pagan leader's actions are what God used to fulfill prophecy. Caesar Augustus's census is why Mary was in Bethlehem. His decree was the pathway to the birth of God's Son and humanity's salvation. And without knowing the story, without being able to zoom out, God seems absent from this decision. God was in the angel that appeared with the promise, He was in the dream that told Joseph not to be afraid to marry Mary and the one that told him to flee to Egypt, He was in the birth of John the Baptist, but the census seems completely removed from His influence. 

But God lets political events fuel the gospel story. Rome's conquering of so much of the world is what established the far-reaching roads that were pivotal for the fast spread of the gospel after Jesus's death, but even the census was used by God to bring His promise to pass. Political events and leaders can easily cause fear in our hearts or make us feel like God isn't in the story anymore, but the events leading up to Jesus's birth show that God is the only real authority and that He will ultimately use political circumstances--good or bad--for His glory. 

The census, however, was not enough to get them to Bethlehem. They were also in Bethlehem because Joseph was from David's lineage, and Mary was betrothed to Joseph. 

Joseph can easily feel adjunct to the Christmas story, especially in Luke where he's given such little mention, yet he's essential to the story. He wasn't Jesus's biological father, but he was given the earthly role. And when his betrothed became pregnant, he stayed committed to her. He decided to participate in the story God had placed him in instead of leaving when things became difficult and confusing. God gave him a role in the story of salvation. Joseph was responsible for Mary and Jesus. He was essential to their well-being as their protector and provider on this earth. And he's the reason they were in Bethlehem. Joseph is not a tangential part of the story; in fact, this story doesn't exist without Joseph. 

Because of Caesar, because of Joseph, because of all the things God used and put in place, Mary and Joseph left Nazareth and journeyed to Bethlehem.

Multiple times God has brought the idea to my mind of Christmas as divine interruption, and it was from the very first year. Normal systems of occupation, livelihood, busyness, etc. stopped as people traveled to the home of their lineage for the census. They traveled with family or were greeted by them. Their normal rhythms were disrupted. Christmas can be a crazy time of year with food to make, presents to buy, people to see, but when our normal rhythms are interrupted, we are given eyes to see what we would otherwise miss. Interruptions can cause us stress at times, but they can also open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts. They give us space to notice, to take in, to be transformed. The very first Christmas interrupted the trajectory of sin by bringing forth the light of our salvation. And every Christmas since is an opportunity to be interrupted, to change perspective, and to rejoice that unto us a child is born.