(Back to Christmas Eve Sermon, December 24, 2005)
The City of David: by Miriam Gautier
"Jonathan, Jonathan," shouted Nathan while dodging camels and donkeys and carts to cross the dusty main street of Bethlehem. "What's going on? Who are all these people? Why are they here?" questioned an excited Nathan. Jonathan was Nathan's best friend. They played together everyday and had dinner together almost every night.
"It is some kind of Roman government thing," answered Jonathan. "Some kind of official count of people so the Roman government can get more tax money."
"I never saw so many people," said Nathan "and they're still coming into Bethlehem."
Jonathan and Nathan moved through the crowd easily. There were young and old people filling the streets. One family of five rolled by on a squeaky ox cart with three goats following behind them.
"Excuse me young man, can you help me?"
Jonathan turned to see who spoke to him. The man had a kind face. The woman with him was sit- ting on a donkey. She was great with child and looked like she could have the baby any minute.
"My name is Joseph and this is my wife, Mary. Can you show me where we might stay for the night?"
"Over there," pointed Jonathan, "see that large building by the olive tree, that's the town Inn."
Joseph guided the donkey towards the Inn.
"Do you think they'll have a room for them Jonathan?" asked Nathan. "That woman, Mary, sure looked like she needed to rest."
"There's plenty of room in the Inn," answered Jonathan.
"Boys," shouted a gruff voice. "You boys, come here!"
A large man with long black curly hair was shouting to Jonathan and Nathan. Pushing his way past a group of people, the man stood in front of the boys. "Would you like to work for me today in the stable behind the Inn," asked the man. "I need hay pitched on the stable floor for the animals to eat. I will pay well."
"Yes," answered Jonathan quickly. He and Nathan always needed money.
"Well, then go! go! The animals need to be fed," grouched the man. "The pitchforks and hay are in the stable."
The stable was long and wide and full of hungry animals. The boys picked up the wooden pitchforks and started tossing hay to the horses. They had been working for several hours when Nathan ex- claimed, "What's that noise Jonathan? It sounds like a baby crying."
"Oh, it's just the donkey in the last stall crying for hay," said Jonathan. "We'll be there soon," yelled Jonathan to the donkeys.
Another cry rang out in the stable. Jonathan stopped tossing the hay. "It is a baby," he said.
The two of them ran to the back of the stable and there they saw Joseph and Mary and a baby.
"Why are you here, Joseph?" asked Jonathan. "Why aren't you in one of the nice rooms in the Inn?"
"Oh, my young friends, there was no room in the Inn for us. The innkeeper let us stay here."
"But you and the baby have no beds," stammered Jonathan.
"God provides, Jonathan, even in a stable. Look how the manger is a bed for our baby boy," said Joseph placing the baby into the manger.
"Jonathan it is getting late. My mother wanted us to be at my house for dinner before dark," urged Nathan.
"We'll be back, Joseph, and we'll feed your donkey," said Jonathan running after Nathan.
After dinner Nathan's father, Eli, read from the book of the prophets. Eli cleared his throat. Nathan and Jonathan knew that meant he was ready to read. They watched him pick up the parchment and sit down in his favorite chair. The boys sat down on the floor by Eli's chair and listened. Eli always finished his reading with "the promise" from the prophet Isaiah. Jonathan and Nathan knew it by heart and said it along with Eli.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called wonderful, counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."
"That is beautiful," declared Eli closing the parchments. "The Lord God Jehovah has promised us that the child will be born in our city, in Bethlehem the city of David."
"Father, a baby boy was born today in Bethlehem do you think he is the promised Messiah?" asked Nathan seriously.
Eli did not laugh at such a question. "Nathan, my son," answered Eli. "Jehovah will let us know when the Messiah is born. He will give us a sign."
"Nathan, we promised Joseph that we would feed his donkey. Let's go, maybe we'll see a sign from God!" said Jonathan grabbing Nathan's sleeve and pulling him up off the floor.
The animals in the stable were settling down for the night. The boys saw a candle light coming from the back of the stable where Mary and Joseph and the baby were. Mary and Joseph were not alone.
There were shepherds surrounding the manger where the baby was sleeping. A shepherd leaning on a tall rugged staff was speaking to Joseph.
"We were in the fields watching our sheep," said the shepherd "when a glorious light shone all around us. At first it frightened us. We have been in the fields at night for many, many years and we have never seen such a light as this. Then a voice of an angel spoke to us and said:
'Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger'
and we came and found your baby, just as the angel said."
"Nathan," said Jonathan softly. "Did you hear what the shepherd said?"
"Yes," whispered Nathan. "The angel told him 'this shall be a sign unto you.' Could it be that Joseph and Mary's baby is the "promised one of God.?"
"Come on, Nathan, let's get Eli, he'll know."
"Eli, Eli, come quickly," yelled Jonathan.
"Father, father, an angel told of a sign from God" yelled Nathan.
"Boys, boys, slow down. One at a time. What is it, what happened?"
Nathan told his father all the things that had happened. He told Eli what the shepherds had said.
"Take me to this child," said Eli.
Eli leaned over the manger and looked down at the peaceful baby sleeping. The shepherds were gone. They left to tell others about the baby born in the manger. Eli turned to Joseph and asked, "Tell me what have you named this child?"
"He is called Jesus," answered Joseph.
Tears appeared in Eli's eyes and rolled down his cheeks. He turned to Nathan and Jonathan and said, "This baby is the promised one of God. His name, Jesus, means savior."
Jonathan quietly said, "Eli, he is the child the prophet Isaiah wrote about."
Eli bowed his head and in a low, prayerful voice, spoke the words written long ago by the prophet Isaiah..."Unto us a child is born" and the boys joined in worshipfully. "Unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called wonderful, counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."