Ordinary People: A Christmas Story

 

Ordinary People: A Christmas Story

Everyone knows the KJV of the Nativity. It is commonly read often during the holidays and before to joyfully celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is a universal story; not just for Protestants or Catholics or Jews; but for all people of all religions. It is a story of time, the ages, and God’s preemptive work to destroy the works of darkness and bring salvation to a host of people who need Him, seek Him out, and find Him—and not necessarily as a baby, but as a fully human, fully God, man.

How did we get to this place? Let’s look at scriptures where ordinary people become extraordinary as their lives are forever altered by this beloved story of unconditional love.

This version will deal only from the New Testament characters as the entire Old Testament points to ordinary people who became extraordinary.

First—there is the tribe of Judah. Matthew 2:6 states: “And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah; for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” Judah, small in land amount, but led Israel into battle at Joshua’s command many times. When Judah was sent out first at Joshua’s words by God, victory was certain. They may look small and ordinary, but have a strong place in the line of succession to Jesus. They became extraordinary simply by being obedient and following Joshua’s commands. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, is mentioned many times in scriptures. Judah was not the first born, but housed the city of David, Bethlehem, an extraordinary presence in the group of his brothers.

Second—we know Mary’s story. She found favor with God. Gabriel told her so when he appeared to her and laid out God’s plan. But until she replied to Gabriel in Luke 1:38 “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” did she become extraordinary. We can hear it in “the Magnificant” in Luke 1:46, 47—where she proclaims, “my soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.” She remained ordinary until she accepted God’s will for her life. Thus began an extraordinary life of mothering, service, suffering, and then, victory.

What about Joseph? A carpenter by trade, from the tribe who housed Bethlehem and engaged to Mary. He was asleep when an angel appeared to him in a dream with directions for his next steps. He already knew of Mary’s pregnancy and had decisions to make regarding her that ultimately affected him. The angel reassured him that Mary’s condition was “with child of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 1:19, 20.) An ordinary man, with an ordinary life became extraordinary when he roused from sleep and took Mary as his wife. (Matthew 1:24.) He isn’t mentioned as much after this episode, but he was involved. From ordinary to extraordinary because of a simple act of obedience. He became the foundation for this little family and their journey, exceptional to him and his people.

Then, there is the innkeeper. We don’t even know his name and he is not fully mentioned in scripture. Luke 2:7 says there was no room in the inn. Someone had to say, “we have no room.” The innkeeper was ordinary, but became extraordinary by a single act of compassion regarding Mary and Joseph’s circumstances; perhaps Mary was already in labor and the town was overloaded with David's descendants. Someone had to do something. He did and we respect his decision to offer only what was available—an animal hotel.

We mustn’t forget the shepherds—out on a hillside with their tasks of keeping watch by night (Luke 2:8-11.). When the angel of the Lord appeared and quelled their fears, they moved from ordinary to extraordinary because they said to each other, (verse 15), “let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.” They moved into a category of ordinary to extraordinary because they acted on the words of the angels who offered praises to God. They acted on the news the angels shared.

Two more unlikely characters are added to this saga. Senior citizens, Anna and Simeon. Both were faithful in their ministries and had served God faithfully for many, many years. Anna, a prophetess, entered the temple for her daily fastings and prayers. She arrived “in the instant” (Luke 2:37) and spoke of the Messiah’s coming to all who were looking for the redemption of Israel and beheld him as a baby. She was a prophetess, but her faithfulness and the drawing of the Holy Spirit made her arrive at the same time Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus came to be named and presented Jesus according the Jewish custom. She may have seemed ordinary, but she was extraordinary because of her faithfulness to the house of God and was moved by the Holy Spirit to begin her prayers at just the right time.

            Simeon in Luke 2:21 is described as both “just and devout”, awaiting the consolation of Israel. The Holy Ghost was upon him. His faithfulness was rewarded because God promised him he would not see death, before he had seen Jesus. He was brought to the temple by the Spirit at the same time Mary and Joseph arrived to bring Jesus to the temple for the traditional presentation of the child. Simeon not only saw the Lord Jesus, he held him! He moved from ordinary to extraordinary due to his obedience and by hearing the voice of the Spirit to come to the temple at the appointed time. Ordinary becomes extraordinary when hearing God’s voice and by acting on it. What extraordinary people they were!

            Then we have the most ordinary people left. John 3:16. The Word says, “for God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Those ordinary people are the rest of us! We are ordinary by the world’s standards, by society’s lofty idealism, but we become extraordinary once we open our hearts, believe, and confess Jesus as Lord, and believe on Him.

            Everyone in the nativity story was ordinary until they acted on directions from angels, the Caesars of their time, and their own determination to be what God intended us to be—extraordinary; a brand new creation, redeemed from the fall of mankind by acting—believing takes action on our part.

            Hallelujah!