"Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." - Luke 2:11-12
Let’s talk about chaos. Cos Christmas and Chaos go hand in hand! They’re like two peas in a pod – or two Brussel sprouts in a pod! The mad rush before – Decorations! Nativity plays! Parties! Shopping! Carol Services! Then the madness of the day - a turkey bigger than ya oven! Every vegetable known to humankind! Mad! Plus, maybe some mad relatives! Chaos! Even if you don’t like Christmas, you’re forced to go along!
But it’s no different from the first Christmas. That was chaos. Step into Joseph and Mary’s world. Caesar makes a random decision that affects everyone. They’re forced to go along - travelling while heavily pregnant. On roads packed with roamin’ Romans. They probably didn’t get a donkey - they definitely didn’t get an Uber! Then they arrive! We sung, ‘O little town of Bethlehem.’ Cos it was. A little town. And like Meadowhall in December. It had too many people in it! Chaos!
Far from home. No guest rooms available. And now the baby arrives. The only place for him to rest? A feeding trough for cattle. But finally - baby Jesus is laid down to sleep – ‘Away in a manger.’ Finally, a moment of calm. We can imagine Mary turning to Joseph and saying, ‘That was mad! Who’d choose to do that?!’ Yet we do. Every year. Without fail. Chaos!
I’ve noticed a chaos trend this year. Something called ‘chaos packaging.’ What’s that? Well, that’s a good question. Cos with chaos packaging all is not what it seems. So, manufacturers are packaging their products in unexpected ways. They look like something else. Something designed to cause mind-muddle – chaos!
For instance, one company’s redesigned their gravy container. Do you get excited about buying gravy? Maybe y’will now. Cos this gravy container looks like a can of beer. That’s mad! That’s the idea! Cos. Let’s face it. No-one. Ever. In the history of the world. Ever sat outside on a warm afternoon and said, ‘Ya know what I fancy? I nice cold pint. Of gravy!’ It's designed to look better.
But whadda contrast to that first Christmas. In the history of the world. Never. Had anything happened better than this. It sounds awesome. God sent his Son. The living God living with us. It sounds so awesome. But it looks so opposite. Ordinary - less than ordinary. Just a baby in a makeshift cot.
Imagine those shepherds. ‘While shepherds watched their flocks by night’ they’re told the massiveness of what’s occurring. The world’s Saviour – or rescue person – he’s arrived! The one who God himself’s been promising – he’s here! God is on the scene! Our scene!
They must’ve thought, ‘what’s this look like?’ What magnificent thing are we gunna find? But they’re told, ‘you’ll find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a cattle trough.’ I mean, who’d believe that?
If some random person had told them that - that night - they’d have gone, ‘Yeh! Right!’ And gone back to sleep. But that isn’t how it happened. Cos it wasn’t some random person. It was God’s chosen angel. Followed by the most amazing – in the moment - advertising campaign! ‘Hark the herald angels sing!’
‘Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared… praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’ That would wake you up!
And they go. And see this life that looks so ordinary. And they believe it’s the opposite of how it appears. Just a baby in a manger. A tiny package. But God’s little package of peace. And they find peace. Out of life’s chaos - these people see a new prospect. Can we?
It’s the only way. Cos, in the chaos of life, we’ve no chance. Our inward chaos – the chaos of life that surrounds us – broken people living in a broken world – means that we can’t live the life that God’s pure thinking demands. We can’t. But this baby could. And this baby would.
So, what’s left for us to do? Like those shepherds - believe. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’
Do we just see a story of a baby wrapped in cloths? Or can we see that wrapped up in him is life? Where peace is restored between God and us. Now. Always. And for ever. If only we believe in what began here in Bethlehem. At the birth of Jesus Christ.
Life is chaos. Especially at this time of year. But God sending his Son invites us. To look beyond. And see his Son for what he really is. And so, see God.