My Tribute to the Babe of Bethlehem
By: Frank Tunstall, D.Min.
The celebration of Christmas began to grow in popularity in the early nineteen hundreds in America. As it did so it adopted such secular symbols as Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.
The story of Baby Jesus over the years since has slowly faded in the public arena as a major part of the celebration of Christmas. The result has been a secular Christmas that has largely taken the place of Mary’s Baby, the Son of God.
All was ready; the time had come for the prophecies to be fulfilled. Even Caesar Augustus had done his part. The Christ-child was born.
No parties heralded the birth of Israel’s infant King. No one was there to sing or play their harps. Unsuspecting shepherds were watching their sheep on an evening that seemed normal, even blah. The chill of night was slowly settling in on the rolling hills around Bethlehem.
Only a cave for sheep and cattle was available where Mary could deliver her Baby, and cold, brown straw on which she could rest. A feeding trough lined with grass was the crib for the Babe of Bethlehem.
God had a plan that would make the evening memorable in all generations to follow. Soon it would be anything but a blah night. One can easily imagine the invisible angelic host waiting to be made observable as their moment in the drama arrived.
Then it happened.
The angel Gabriel appeared to the frightened shepherds and made the historic announcement as the glory of God shined around them. And the message to the shepherds, Wow! “Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you. You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
I picture Gabriel turning after completing his dramatic speech to the shepherds and giving the nod to what had become a very visible orchestra of angels.
Can you see it with the eyes of your heart?
Can you hear it?
Can you feel it?
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will to men.”
In that moment God the Heavenly Father stepped out of eternity and intervened in history in the birth of His Son, His only Son. Millennia of years of silence ended. From His throne in heaven the Father was viewing with delight the dramatic scene. Yes, the eyes of the Father and His holy angels can pierce the dark.
Did the stars twinkle with a brilliance greater than at any time in the history of the constellations? I think ‘Yes.’ One of them even came down and hung over the place where Baby Jesus lay.
I’ve often wondered if all nature that night turned instinctively toward Bethlehem. Perhaps the sheep and their lambs stirred from their slumber and began to stand; and the birds, especially the doves and pigeons awoke as they perched on their branches. Perchance the savage beasts of the wild forgot for a moment their thirst for blood, and the lions that were about to spring on innocent lambs, for unknown reasons turned and walked away. Maybe even the serpents crawling through the fields felt sharp, penetrating pain, and the devil remembered with anguish what God told him in the Garden of Eden when He felt God’s curse on him.
It certainly is possible Herod’s slumber became troubled in Jerusalem that night but he couldn’t understand why, and even Caesar Augustus in Rome might have felt a strong foreboding that made sleep slip away from him.
We should not marvel that the shepherds said to one another: “Let us go now even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.”
Wow! Go now and with haste.
The leaders of Israel did not recognize the birth of their Messiah and bring their gifts to Him, but the Baby’s heavenly Father had a plan for that too. He touched the hearts of Wise Men from the East. They obeyed and began their long pilgrimage toward Bethlehem, following the Jesus star. They persevered until they found the child and his mother. Kneeling before the infant, they worshipped Him and presented Him their gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then they departed for home, carrying with them emotions of enrapturing delight: “We have found the Messiah.”
Israel’s religious leaders were not close enough to God to receive notice of the Baby’s birth, or what had happened in Bethlehem when these foreigners arrived, wise men from the east. Their gifts would pay the bill for Mary, and Joseph, and Baby Jesus during their stay in Egypt.
Marvel of marvels, Jesus won His reputation as the meek Lamb of God who never held a sword in His hand. His is an eternal, spiritual kingdom set in the hearts of all people who accept Him as the Son of God and are born again. And today, the legions at Jesus’ command include myriads of angels and the millions of the redeemed. His followers are found in every nation, ethnicity, land, and climate. Indeed! He has brought “peace on earth” and revealed the “good will” of God to the hearts of untold millions!
Jesus never met a Roman Caesar. The closest He ever came to royalty was wicked Herod Antipas and spineless Pilate. But Jesus is no stranger to palaces, throne rooms and oval offices. Presidential seals fit comfortably in His hands. All thrones, principalities, dominions, and powers rightly belong to Him. The prophet Daniel said the Messiah builds kingdoms and tears them down. Jesus Christ wields just that kind of sovereign power. In fact, He holds the very breath of potentates in His omnipotent grip.
As Christmas Day speeds toward us, I open my heart and pay homage to the God and Father of the Babe of Bethlehem, our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all!”
Thank God for the Babe of Bethlehem!
Thank God for the Babe of Bethlehem!
Thank God for the Babe of Bethlehem!
Will you turn your heart toward Bethlehem this Christmas season?
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay.
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay.
Close by me forever and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care
And take us to heaven to live with thee there.
Without question, the incarnation of Jesus is one of the greatest miracles of all time.
