Do you remember the day when you were born into this world? Whatever you may know about it comes down from other people’s memory. Even though we have no personal memory of it, every year we remember and even celebrate the day we made our first debut into this world. If you have enemies (I pray not), it may not be their fondest day, but to you and your friends, it is a kind reminder of joy, and for my kids, that joy gets pumped up a great deal by ice cream cake and birthday gifts.

Sometimes people hold birthday party to spill over a little of that joy to their friends, but in general as we advance in age it becomes a dwindling event both in size and in frequency, and eventually all future birthday parties will be called off by a funeral service.

There is only one exception: Jesus Christ. The news of his birth brings not joy but terror to his own people (Matt 2:3), and only some shepherds on duty (Luke 2:8), foreigners from far away county (Matt 2:11), plus a host of heavenly being (Luke 2:13) were summoned in haste to witness his lowly birth. After that, not a single birthday party was thrown in his lifetime, but after his death and resurrection, his birth starts to be celebrated every year on the Christmas Day and brings joy to the world.

We’re getting closer to another birthday party for Jesus this year, let us come together to celebrate and spread that joy across the lands and over the waters.

 

Matthew 2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Luke 2:8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Matthew 2:11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying.