Silent Nights!
Our Bible reading for today – Luke 2:21-40
“Silent Nights!” Among the most beloved and most familiar Christmas carols is “Silent Night”. “Silent night, Holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin, mother and child Holy infant, tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.” I wouldn’t for a moment try to take away from the message of that great old carol by Joseph Mohr and Frantz Gruber, written in 1816. But let me say this – The night wasn’t silent. It began with the despair of hearing “no room” when Mary was already in labor. Then proceeded the throes of labor, which were without not completely silent. Out on the hillsides around Bethlehem arose the song of hosts of angels. Then in the stable there was the reverent excitement of the shepherds. I was not a silent night. But then what? The Bible tells us that Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. But how were they feeling after that night? What was going through their minds? What next? What was it supposed to be like to be the earthly mother and father of the one who was described as the Son of the Highest? What were they supposed to do? The baby Jesus seemed like any other baby. Contrary to the familiar line from “Away in a Manger”, He cried. He nursed. He needed his diaper changed. He needed cuddling, warmth, protection. It was all very ordinary, except they were guests in a relative’s home. On the 8th day, they knew that He must be circumcised. That was the Jewish law. That was probably done by the rabbi at a synagogue in Bethlehem. They knew about the rites of purification for the 40th day as Moses’ law required (Leviticus 12:18, Ex. 13:2 & Num. 8:17-18). It certainly was not required because of any sin, but was a kind of dedication of the “firstborn male” was to have, in the Jewish family, a priestly role as head of the household. It was also an initiation rite for the mother to readmit her to the privilege of participation into their religious ritual lives as “clean”. They made the couple of hour 5 mile trek to the temple in Jerusalem. But all this seemed so normal, so unspecial. Were they feeling doubts? The heavens were silent. Silent nights & days. Then God broke the silence with the words of two godly old people, Simeon and Anna. Words of assurance, hope, encouragement and warning, which Mary and Joseph needed. That’s the way God is. We walk by faith, not by sight. But He gives us what we need, when we need it to keep going. The heavens are not always silent, nor are the nights. GracePointe, an Evangelical Free Church, Tucson, Arizona, December 24, 2017
“Silent Nights!” Among the most beloved and most familiar Christmas carols is “Silent Night”. “Silent night, Holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin, mother and child Holy infant, tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.” I wouldn’t for a moment try to take away from the message of that great old carol by Joseph Mohr and Frantz Gruber, written in 1816. But let me say this – The night wasn’t silent. It began with the despair of hearing “no room” when Mary was already in labor. Then proceeded the throes of labor, which were without not completely silent. Out on the hillsides around Bethlehem arose the song of hosts of angels. Then in the stable there was the reverent excitement of the shepherds. I was not a silent night. But then what? The Bible tells us that Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. But how were they feeling after that night? What was going through their minds? What next? What was it supposed to be like to be the earthly mother and father of the one who was described as the Son of the Highest? What were they supposed to do? The baby Jesus seemed like any other baby. Contrary to the familiar line from “Away in a Manger”, He cried. He nursed. He needed his diaper changed. He needed cuddling, warmth, protection. It was all very ordinary, except they were guests in a relative’s home. On the 8th day, they knew that He must be circumcised. That was the Jewish law. That was probably done by the rabbi at a synagogue in Bethlehem. They knew about the rites of purification for the 40th day as Moses’ law required (Leviticus 12:18, Ex. 13:2 & Num. 8:17-18). It certainly was not required because of any sin, but was a kind of dedication of the “firstborn male” was to have, in the Jewish family, a priestly role as head of the household. It was also an initiation rite for the mother to readmit her to the privilege of participation into their religious ritual lives as “clean”. They made the couple of hour 5 mile trek to the temple in Jerusalem. But all this seemed so normal, so unspecial. Were they feeling doubts? The heavens were silent. Silent nights & days. Then God broke the silence with the words of two godly old people, Simeon and Anna. Words of assurance, hope, encouragement and warning, which Mary and Joseph needed. That’s the way God is. We walk by faith, not by sight. But He gives us what we need, when we need it to keep going. The heavens are not always silent, nor are the nights. GracePointe, an Evangelical Free Church, Tucson, Arizona, December 24, 2017
