Thoughts on the 40th Christmas

I had to go out today to pick up a few things. It is one week until Christmas and the stores and the parking lots are packed. And nobody is very happy. Wow. It got me thinking about how Christmas got started. I am thinking maybe five years after the death and resurrection of Jesus a couple of the disciples were talking. Maybe a couple of the lesser known ones, let's say Nathaniel and Bartholomew. They are walking along sometime late December (you Bible scholars out there- I know it wasn't December but work with me) and Nathaniel turns and says," Hey Bart, did you know that Jesus was born right around this time?" And Bart says, "Really? I had no idea. How do you know?" And Nate says," One time when we were walking near Bethlehem I was walking close to him and he stopped and just looked over toward the town. For just a minute it was just me and Jesus and he said, 'Nate, it was there. Right there. Thirty two years ago almost to the day the census brought us down and my mother gave birth to me there'. That is about all he said but I will never forget it". So that night Nathaniel and Bartholomew are with around six other guys and Bartholomew blurts it out. Every one just sits there for a minute and lets it sink in what it means that Jesus ever came in the first place and how their lives have been forever changed by what happened in Bethlehem nearly 40 years earlier. They talk for a while about Jesus and particularly the first time each of them met him. They laugh and they joke and more than anything they are thankful. They end up spending some time praying and thanking God for what He did in sending Jesus to be born and then to die for them. I think it was one of those really sweet good nights when friends get together and remember the best of times and there is nothing remotely bad about the evening or anything that was said. And they decided to do it again the following year and then they went home. Today it is full of shopping and presents and wrapping and deadlines and people frustrated and people spending more than they should on people who have too much already. So, maybe it is too much to ask to try to change the 25th from being a gift orgy but maybe between now and then we can get with a couple of friends and have a Christmas like I imagine the disciples did and that will be the best night of all.