AP

Christmas in Bethlehem

Christmas is unlikely to be much in Bethlehem this year. The city of Jesus’ birth has about 30,000 people, of whom about 9,000 identify as Christan. They live with poverty, restrictions and uncertainty. They are squeezed between their majority Muslim neighbours and the Israeli government and west bank settlers.

Nor was Christmas much in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. A few shepherds cared for some smelly, dirty and bothersome sheep in nearby paddocks. Forget the maternity suite with all mod cons. Instead, the baby arrived in the equivalent of a corrugated iron shed out the back of a country pub.

Both then and now, Bethlehem was and is bereft of the things we look to for a happy Christmas. Forget the public holidays. Away with tables groaning with the best of food and drinks, granny’s plum pudding, and Christmas music. Cancel any anticipation of slouching in front of a new smart TV for the Boxing Day cricket test.

What Bethlehem had then, and now has, is Jesus.

• As Mary was told,  her Bethlehem baby would be the Son of God (Lke 1:36).
• As Mary sang, God was helping Israel just as he promised (Lke 1:55).
• As Zechariah said, God had visited and redeemed his people and raised up a horn of salvation to give light in darkness (Lke 1:68-69, 79).
• As John puts it, the eternal word from the Father became flesh and ‘tabernacled’ with us, full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14).
• As Jesus put it, he came to seek and save the lost (Lke 19:10).
• As Paul put it, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim 1:15).

All this is why the wise men came to Bethlehem with worshipful gifts (Matt 2:11). It is why the shepherds glorified and praised God (Lke 2:20). It is why the angels went ballistic with heavenly praise (Lke 2:13-14). It is why old Simeon and Anna rejoiced when they saw young Jesus presented at the temple (Lke 2:25-32, 38).

Underneath the distractions of our modern Christmas is this remarkable word: God so loved the world that he sent his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16).

Whether we live in Bethlehem, Bourke or Broadmeadow that is good news. Whether we have turkey with the trimmings, or scrappy leftovers, that is reason for joy.

Everyone one of us who reads this is a sinner who needs the saviour spoken of by Mary, Zechariah, John, Paul and Jesus himself. The one thing that matters this Christmas is whether we recognise that we are among the lost of whom Jesus speaks and whether we believe in the Lord Jesus who is the Saviour of sinners.

– David Burke, Moderator-General, Presbyterian Church of Australia.