Matthew 2:1-2, 1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” NIV
I first wrote this bulletin message over ten years ago. Before and after that time it has always been a Hope Chapel tradition for many of the congregation to stay after the last Sunday service in November and decorate the church building for Christmas. This year because of COVID-19, as with many aspects of the life of the church, we had to make some temporary adjustments to our church decorating tradition to accommodate for the limited number of people we are allowed to gather to decorate. Because of these changes, we also reduced the decorations we put up this year. One of the decorations that we did not put up this year that I am going to miss and, in my opinion, is the most important, is the nativity scene.
Thinking about it, out of all the traditional Christmas decorations we put up and or see, the nativity scene is the only one that represents actual Biblical events concerning the reason why we celebrate Christmas.
Almost all of you know that during this time of the year the sanctuary of Hope Chapel is beautifully decorated with Christmas decorations. As long as I been here at Hope Chapel, we have always put a nativity scene in the back corner of the sanctuary. Most of its thirteen ceramic figures are about nine inches tall which are in a handmade manger with straw and sack cloth to give it a rustic look.
Over ten years ago there was a young man who faithfully attended our church, who had some serious and sincere problems with that particular nativity scene being in the sanctuary. Because of his religious back ground prior to coming to Hope Chapel, he considered the nativity scene figures as idols and in his mind Hope Chapel was encouraging and condoning idol worship by displaying the nativity scene.
Eliana and I, more than once, tried to demonstrate from the scriptures and to reason with him, that the nativity scene was just a seasonal decoration, and that the nativity scene reminded us of the wonderful Biblical event of the birth of our Savior Christ Jesus. At that time in his young Christian life, in spite of our efforts, we were not able to convince him otherwise. But many years later as he matured in his relationship with Christ and knowledge of the Word of God, every year we put up the Christmas decorations he always faithfully came to help.
Personally, I see a nativity scene as a way to illustrate three dimensionally a very important event in the Bible. I also appreciate the many creative and artistic ways the birth of Jesus is depicted in a traditional nativity scene. One of my favorites is one I saw made out of corn husks decorated to look like the main charters of a traditional nativity scene.
The traditional nativity scene actually depicts two Biblical events, one found in Matthew 2:9-12 and the other in Luke 2:4-16. The nativity scene itself reminds us of the miraculous and humble circumstances that our Savior who is the King of Kings was born. Yes, there are some inaccuracies compared to Scripture about the traditional nativity scene, but that should never overshadow the many Biblical truths it depicts.
Matthew 2:9-11, 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. NIV
If you note in verse eleven, Matthew tells us that Jesus was in a “house” when the wisemen found Him not in a manger. Also, nowhere does scripture state that there were three wise men, nor as some believe, does scripture give us their names. By the way how many shepherds were there? Our nativity scene has three, even though the Bible does not tell us.
I almost forgot to mention that our nativity scene has another incorrect representation of scriptural events. It has an angel hanging as if it were flying over the manger which Luke 2:13 mentions did not take place at the manger, but as verse eight says, “in the fields nearby”.
Do these misrepresentations in our traditional nativity scene invalidate or diminish the many spiritual truths and lessons that can be learned from the portions of scripture that it depicts? No, we should not let Biblically incorrect traditions or religious beliefs depicted in the traditional nativity scene rob us of the Biblical truths that the nativity scene contains.
Knowing that our nativity scene is not chronologically accurate with the Bible, does that mean we should get rid of our nativity scenes? No, I do not think so; the fact is for many people who do not know what the Bible says or will not read in the Bible about the birth of the Savior, a nativity scene is a great and for some the only way to remind them of the meaning and reason why we celebrate Christmas.
When you look at a nativity scene, what message or impact does it give you? As for me I am reminded of the following (this is in no way a complete list). The miracle of the virgin birth, God’s protection, that God is omniscient, Gods provision, the fulfillment of God’s prophecy and promise, “Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” (Matt 1:23), and so much more.
The next time you are looking at a nativity scene stop and think about the many Biblical truths that are depicted in what you are seeing, and thank the Lord that you are reminded about them in a nativity scene.
Pastor John
