The story of the birth of Jesus Christ, as told in the Gospel accounts, is a hallowed one. I don’t know a Christian who ever tires of reading or hearing it. It is a story about miracles, about hope born of those miracles.
The first Christmas gives meaning to our seasonal merriment, provides purpose to our Christian walk, rejuvenates our souls, and helps us more earnestly seek that sweet Babe of Bethlehem. It is the story of all stories because He is the Babe of all babes.
Of pivotal importance, those figures of the first Christmas include members of the holy family: ever-obedient Joseph, stunningly magnificent Mary, and of course, Jesus, who captures our adoration and praise – even as a humble babe lying in a substantially modest manager, most probably an earthy stone slab.
On the scene come incredibly dutiful shepherds. And wonderfully brave wise men who travel the miles, following a prominent star, to find the child Jesus.
And angels whose voices are as glorious as their message. And a multitude of heavenly host who are also in the business of praising God.
And innkeepers whose inns are too full to accommodate redemption personified.
Not at the stable where Jesus was born but still participating in the glory and worship of that first Christmas story, there is Simeon, a holy man, and there is Anna, a sanctified woman, recognizing and worshipping baby Jesus in Jerusalem’s temple.
This Christmas, I pause to remember and more deeply appreciate stalwart and unwavering souls, who were no doubt commissioned in a premortal place, to take their respectable positions in the first Christmas story.
I think of Joseph. What a man! I love Matthew’s account concerning the character of Joseph:
“…When…Mary was espoused to Joseph,
before they came together, she was found
with child of the Holy Ghost…
Then Joseph…, being a just man, and not willing
to make her a publick example, was minded
to put her away privily.
But while he thought on these things,
behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him
in a dream…” 1
Joseph was just – an attribute that reveals sincere concern for Mary. He wants to spare her public embarrassment and shame for being pregnant without yet being wed. We read in scripture that Mary ponders things in her heart, but here we learn that Jospeh, too, is a ponderer. He thinks on his problems, and he has faith sufficient to receive answers from angels to life’s complexities.
Mormon taught that angels “are subject unto [Christ] to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.”2
That scripture, as applied to Joseph, is so telling about his character. Joseph’s faith is strong and his mind is firm. He is a godly man. As a result, he merits an angelic visit with an incredible message:
“…behold, the angel of the Lord
appeared unto him in a dream,
saying, Joseph, thou son of David,
fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:
for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” 3
And then Joseph’s incredible faith flows forth from him:
“…Then Joseph being raised from sleep
[does] as the angel of the Lord [bids] him,
And [takes] unto him his wife…” 4
Ay, Joseph! What a perfect step-father for Jesus. I love that he is a pivotal figure of the first Christmas story.
Then there is Mary. A most divine virgin! In vision, Nephi sees “the city of Nazareth and in the city of Nazareth,” he beholds “a virgin, and she [is] exceedingly fair and white.” 5 Beyond Mary’s apparent physical beauty and glowing aura is a truly sanctified woman. I thrill at the pronouncement Gabriel makes to Mary:
“Hail, thou that art highly favoured,
the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women…
Fear not, Mary:
for thou hast found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name JESUS…”6
In her beautiful innocence, Mary asks how this is possible. The angel further explains, and Mary’s exceptionally faithful response inspires me time and time again.
“…Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
be it unto me according to they word.” 7
Wow! What a woman! The Lord’s will was her heart’s approval. No further questions. Just total acceptance associated with an astonishing humility. I love the earthly mother of Jesus. What a faith filled equal to Joseph!
As every Christian fondly cherishes, the supreme figure in the holy Christmas story is “the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.”8 Redemption from sin! Redemption from death! At last! Born! Here. On earth. Finally. To bring it all to pass!
“For unto us a child is born,
Unto us a son is given…
and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor,
The mighty God,
The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.” 9
And sundry other glorious names: The Light, Lord of Lords, Living Water, Bread of Life, Deliverer, Friend, Sanctuary, Emmanuel, Wonderful, Messiah, Lord Almighty, Redeemer, Holy One, King of Israel, Creator, Advocate, Good Shepherd, High Priest of Good Things to Come, and Holy One of Israel.
Jesus! Jesus! We adore Thee, our King!
I love the first Christmas shepherds. I have long been impressed with their dutifulness. The second chapter of Luke says they were “abiding in the field.”10 Doing what? “Keeping watch over their flock.”11 When? “By night.”12 At night, when the threat of thieves and predators could be greatest, when the advantage of light is absent, here are these conscious shepherds simply abiding – heeding, upholding, observing, sticking to their task – in the field with their sheep. Watching – alert for any potential danger, any need to intervene.
Wandering critters need such duty-bound shepherds! The abiding shepherds of the first Christmas who “[come] with haste” to worship Jesus remind me that that same Jesus grows up to become my Good Shepherd, and in like manner he comes “with haste” to my protection and rescue: 13
“Abide with me!
Fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens.
Lord, with me abide!
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless,
Oh, abide with me!
I need thy presence ev’ry passing hour.
What but thy grace
Can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Thru cloud and sunshine,
Lord, abide with me!”14
I’ll never get over the shepherds of the First Christmas, and I’ll for sure never get over the Good Shepherd who saves my soul!
Next, there are “wise men from the east” who are also very brave men. 15 Despite King Herrod presently on the throne, these wise ones are seekers of the true king, He who is the rightful heir of true sovereignty. They ask,
“Where is the child that is born,
the Messiah of the Jews?
for we have seen his star in the east,
and are come to worship him.”16
Herrod says he wants to worship “the young child” and commissions the wise men to “go and search diligently” and “bring [him] word” about Jesus’ whereabouts.17 Champions for the real king, the wise men follow a guiding star and after a journey of sacrifice and sanctification, these gloriously good souls “come into the house…and see the young child with Mary his mother, and [fall] down, and [worship] him…and [present] unto him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”18 And they, too, are worthy of a heavenly warning:
“And being warned of God in a dream
that they should not return to Herod,
they [depart] into their own country
another way.”19
Though the gifts we bring to Jesus are different than those the wise men bring to the child Jesus, we, of the Christian covenant, want to offer our best gifts to that same child. And we are glad to go another way besides that of the world to more fully find and follow Jesus. How much these wise men add to our Christmas awe and wonder!
Angels are so beloved in scriptural stories, and those of the First Christmas are no exception. That cherished angel gives this stirring admonition to the hillside shepherds:
“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 Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord…”20
And then a heavenly host joins the holy Christmas story. In tokens of worship again from sanctified tongues, praises of God ring forth for all of heaven and earth to hear:
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace,
good will toward men.”21
Once in primary during singing time, one of the children volunteered a suggested way to sing. He admonished us to sing, “loud but lovely.” Yes! Let our very souls – this Christmas and beyond – sing loud and lovely the glorious strains of redemption made possible through Jesus, Almighty King and Deliverer!
Finally, the innkeepers. They could find no room for Joseph. No room for Mary. No room for baby Jesus. But we can! We have ample room in the spacy chambers of our hearts, in the roomy spots on our hearths, at the empty chairs at our tables, and in all the festivities of our Christmas comings and goings.
In the words of Michael McLean, may we “find a way” to “let Him in.”22
“…Let Him in
Let Him in
Let the hope and joy begin.
Let Him in.
Let Him in.
Let the peace on earth begin…
Find a way.
Make Him room.
Let Him in.
Let Him in.
Let the hope and joy begin.
Let Him in.
Let Him in.
Let the peace on earth begin.
Let Him in.
Let Him in…”23
Christian keepers of the heart and hearth find ways to invite Jesus in every day! There is no better way to celebrate Christmas or to live life!
The two last figures of the first Christmas are consecrated Christians, Simeon and Anna. Mary and Joseph bring infant Jesus to Jerusalem “to present him to the Lord.”24
Like Joseph, Simeon is another just man in the temple who, when he sees the Christ child, takes… “him up in his arms, and bless[es] God, and sa[ys]:
‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
According to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared
before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles,
and the glory of thy people Israel… ‘ ”25
The name Simeon means he that hears! Talk about a man that hears what doesn’t even need to be said! May we, Simeon like, bless God for our Jesus!
Anna, a widow of 84 years, who “depart[s] not from the temple but [serves] God with fastings and prayers night and day” likewise gives “thanks…unto the Lord, and [speaks] of him to all them that [look] for redemption in Jerusalem.”26 Another wow woman! Night and day in the temple. Using her voice to unashamedly declare the Messiah’s divinity! What a glorious figure of the first Christmas.
That original Christmas, commemorated and hailed by heroic figures, is on my mind and in my heart this Christmas. I revere Joseph. I adore Mary. I love, accept, and thank my brother, Jesus. I want to be as diligent as the shepherds, as prudent and inspired as the wise men, as declarative and musically inclined as the angels and the attending heavenly host, more inviting than the innkeepers, and as Simeon and Anna, I don’t want to miss the figure of Jesus when I sense Him near…
Which could be happening this very moment.
Unto all the world: I thank God for the figures of the first Christmas! I love them – every one.
- Selections from Matthew 1: 18-20
- Moroni 7: 30
- Matthew 1: 20
- Matthew 1: 24
- 1 Nephi 11: 13
- Selections from Luke 1: 28-31
- Luke 1:38
- Away In A Manager
- Isaiah 9: 6
- Luke 1:8
- Luke 1:8
- Luke 1:8
- Luke 2:16
- Abide With Me
- Matthew 2:1
- Matthew 2:2: JST 2a
- Matthew 2:8
- Matthew 2:11
- Matthew 2:12
- Luke 2:10-11
- Luke 2:14
- Michael McLean: “Let Him In”
- Michael McLean: “Let Him In”
- Luke 2:22
- Luke 2:28-32
- Luke 2:37-38