We have become so used to the Nativity scene, most of us have accepted the romanticized version rather than the reality. John dusts down the Nativity set and gives us an idea what it really was like when Jesus entered human history as flesh and blood.




Dusting off the nativity set




The traditional nativity scene is so familiar that we tend to yawn our way through it. And to make matters worse, most of us have this preconceived vision of how things were on that first Christmas. Most of what we think we know comes from stylised Christmas cards, literature, art and children's illustrated Bibles. The romanticizing of Jesus' birth has done incredible harm to us grasping just how significant the birth of Jesus is for this poor, broken world. In the limited space available, lets dust off the traditional nativity scene for cold, hard reality. Let me tell you how it really was.




First, Joseph and his very pregnant wife, Mary, travelled to Bethlehem with Mary riding on a donkey. Right? Wrong! You won't find any reference to a donkey in Scripture. Joseph was probably too poor to own a donkey so it is more likely the journey was on foot. Pretty hard going when you are soon to give birth.


Next there is the story of "no room in the inn" for a tired and obviously pregnant woman. It sounds very unfair until you understand what the inns were like. Rural inns in the first century were not like hotels as we know them. They were not much more than a large room sheltered by four walls and a roof. The centre of the room was designed to house animals. Around the outside, a low platform was built for the people to sleep. There were no beds, no privacy. Families slept where they could find a space. The inn was crowded and noisy. It was probably a compassionate innkeeper or his wife who directed Mary and Joseph to the stable behind the inn. If tradition is correct, the "stable" was simply a cave, one of many scattered throughout the area.




Our Christmas card "vision" paints the "stable" in a warm glow. In reality is was pretty dreadful. Imagine coming upon a young woman giving birth in an abandoned car in some city alleyway and you come closer to the way it really was. Although Mary and Joseph had some privacy, they were very much alone. At a time when Mary needed help and care as at no other time in a woman's life, no one was there to help except Joseph. No family member, no midwife. In Luke's Gospel (2:7), there is careful reference to "Mary gave birth", "She wrapped him in strips of cloth to comfort and warm him", "She laid him in the manger." She did it. Mary is a young woman and Jesus is her first child, but she did it all herself.




The stark reality of this scene in contrast to the romanticized version is very important. Once we pull away the fuzzy cottonwool, we realise we have a totally different nativity scene than the one that is fashionably imagined. When God came to Earth, he bypassed the palace of Caesar Augustus. He came into this world unimaginably poor and lonely and virtually unnoticed.




It is possible that is how you feel as you read this article. You maybe out of work or even worse, out of hope. You are not alone. When God came to Earth for you, he came lower than you could possibly be right now. You may think that nobody cares and that nobody understands your situation, but you are mistaken. Our God knows what it is like in the pit of despair. He has been there.




In contrast to the loneliness and poverty of Jesus' birth, there is an incredible scene of glory unfolding in font of some shepherds (Luke 2:8-9). "I bring you good news," an angel tells some terrified men, "of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." That announcement did not come to Caesar Augustus or to the high priest of Israel. The angel did not burst in on worshippers in the local temple. He came instead to pretty "ordinary" folk on a hillside who had hearts open enough to receive the message. It seems, to perceive what God is doing, you need to have a fairly simple outlook on life and an open heart. A good question to ask yourself. How do you see things?




In a recent Just a Minute magazine article, it was pointed out that although many declare "Jesus is the reason for the season", it is contradicted by our frantic activity and obsessive concern with gifts. So, how can we genuinely celebrate Jesus' birth. How can we extend our joy about God coming to Earth beyond a few weeks in December? One suggestion comes from the shepherds who saw the baby and went out and spread the word. They became witnesses! They had good news to tell, just like we do. They could not remain silent. Like our world today, the shepherds knew their world desperately needed to hear their message. One way to celebrate Christ's coming is to imitate the shepherds in spreading the word about Jesus Christ.




There is also another way to keep the joy of Christmas in our hearts. Be "amazed" by it. The people who heard the shepherd's story were "amazed" at what they heard (Luke 2:1 . Most of us have probably lost that sense of wonder and awe. The fact the God of the universe stepped down into human time and space to be our Saviour is just caused to be amazed and to be filled with Holy wonder.




This Christmas is yours to do with what you want. It can be a time of extravagant excess or you can make it a time for refection. You can make it a time to be like Mary and "treasure up all these things and ponder them" in your heart (Luke 2:19). Maybe your Christmas will be more beautiful than ever.




God Bless,


Have beautiful and Holy Christmas.


Just a Minute Web Team