John 1:1-14
In the darkness of night, under the nose of the Empire, Jesus was born into this world as the true King of Kings. During the time of Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph, tired from their long journey from Nazareth, settled in for the night, making a bed out of straw and finding blankets to make themselves as comfortable as possible. Joseph was doing everything he could to care for Mary, perhaps feeling a sense of disappointment that the best he could do for Mary and his soon-to-be son was a room unsuitable for a King. With the smell of animals that surrounded them, they huddled together to keep warm.
Then, at some point that night or the next morning, the cry of a baby broke the silent night as Jesus was born. They wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, a feeding trough for animals. The location of Jesus’ birth is a sign that there is no place Jesus won’t go. There is no place that is too dirty, too far gone, or too dark for Jesus. He is with us no matter where we go. In fact, he is already in the dark places of our world, in the places of the hurting, abused, and neglected.
We are told in John 1:5 that “the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Later in John, he writes, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” This is the Good News of Christmas.
On that Christmas morning, the Light of the world was born to Mary and Joseph. Even though darkness surrounded them and it seemed as though the Empire was in control, Immanuel, God with us, had come to earth to announce that the ever- lasting Kingdom of God had arrived.
Not only is he with those who are on the outside and fringes of our society, but he is also with you. No matter where you’ve been, what you’ve done, he comes to you seeking to heal, restore, and redeem. He seeks to make you whole and for you to discover your true identity in Him. There is no one too far gone because, as you read the rest of Jesus’ story, you will realize that he will literally go to hell and back for you.
As Mary and Joseph held their precious little boy, they realized the promises of God were coming true. In a quiet moment, they may have reminisced about their journey together the last nine to ten months, realizing God’s faithfulness to them as a result of their obedience in the face of adversity.
As we walk through life in the shadow of Empire, let us be faithful to our King first, seeking to love and care for the “least of these” in our community. Let us stand against the Empire’s oppressive ways towards the vulnerable by following God’s calling to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). In so doing, we will let our Light shine in the darkness because the darkness cannot overcome it, defeat it, or extinguish it.
Phil Steiner 