Luke 2:1-14

Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ.

I would like you to pretend that you are back 2000 years ago in Bethlehem, you wake up on this day, get the morning newspaper and you read about some strange happenings which occurred in your town during the night. As most newspaper do, this one, the Daily Bethlehem covered the story from every angle. You read....There is a story about astronomy in which the strange bright star over Bethlehem is explained The top astronomers of the day give their opinions concerning this latest appearing in the sky.

As you read further, you find on article concerning the many miles people traveled and the crowded conditions in your town especially last night. A special human interest story appeared which told of a pregnant woman traveling 70 miles on top of a donkey, then arriving so late that Mary and Joseph find no room in the inn, so they have to settle for a stable.

Then in the police reports, you find that a group of shepherds invaded your town during the night. The report gives little detail, but the shepherds were reported to have gone to that stable to see a little baby who was suppose to have been born. The police kept close track of those shepherds because of their reputation for causing trouble whenever they come to town. The report said something about the shepherds seeing angels in the sky and hearing the angels singing and telling them about a special baby being born this night in a stable. The report went on to say that the police were very suspicious of the shepherd's story.

Finally in the birth announcements you read about a baby born who as yet has not been named being born in a stable behind the inn. You find out that the parents, Mary and Joseph were of the house and lineage of David and that is why they are in your town because of the census ordered by Herod.

By all the accounts, there were some strange happenings in your town last night. As you read these stories, you come to the conclusion that these were all unrelated events. You wonder how the baby is doing since little was said concerning his welfare.

Using your imagination, those might have been the stories you read concerning the strange events in Bethlehem. Notice every angle was covered, but the story which was the short shortest concerned the baby born in that stable. Is that how it should have been? Maybe not, but that is the way it was and I bet if it happened today, it would be reported in the same manner.

The most important event of Christmas, the birth of God's Son would probably receive the least print, except the human interest side, the baby being born in a stable.

Is the human interest side of the story the reason God thought of Christmas? Did God think of Christmas so that everyone would fell for Mary and the Baby born in a cold, drafty stable in the middle of the night?

Why did God think of Christmas?

God thought of Christmas because God wanted to give us the gift of Himself. God to be with us, in a human form. God wanted to give us the gift of salvation. God wanted to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves, to love us, to forgive us, to bring peace and contentment into our lives.

A story entitled The Miraculous Staircase by Arthur Gordon explains the gift of Christmas very well It seems in 1878 a chapel was built and completed and named Our Lady of Light and run by the sister of Loretto . But a problem developed, it seemed that the plans for the chapel came from Paris and the architect who drew them forgot to put a staircase leading to the choir loft. After the chapel was built, it was soon discovered that there was no room for a staircase.

One cold December day a carpenter came hearing about the problem and offered to build a staircase. The mother superior Magdalene was leaving to help in a village with sickness and couldn't talk with the Carpenter.

The best ones in Santa Fe and New Mexico couldn't figure out how to guild a staircase so she figured this one wouldn't either. She left giving orders for him to be fed and then he could go on his way. While fighting the sickness in the village she received some strange letters from home. It seemed that the carpenter was working late, into the night on something.

The Mother Superior having completed her mission in the village hurried home. Because of a snow storm she arrived late at night on Christmas Eve. The chapel was ablaze with light. She hurried in and was met by excited sister ushering her quickly into the chapel to the choir loft area.

"Like a curl of smoke the staircase rise before them as insubstantial as a dream. Two completed spirals it made, nothing seemed to support it. One sister whispered, it has 33 steps, One for each year of the Lord. Mother Magdalene moved toward the staircase, stepped up and began to climb. She reached the choir loft, she was ecstatic

"How did he do it?" she asked, "How did he finish it in time? What is his name?"

The sister answered,"He finished today, he left when he was done."

A young girl who had been mute came forward trying to form words and uttered, "his name was Jose" Jose is the name in Spanish for Joseph. The sisters bowed their heads.

This staircase can be seen today in Santa Fe. No one can explain how it was built. 33 Steps make two complete turns without central support. There are no nails, only wooden pegs. The curved stringers are put together with precision and the wood is spliced in seven places on the inside and nine on the outside!

That mysterious staircase was a gift, an unexplainable gift just as the baby born in the manger is an unexplainable gift from God to us.

Why did God think of Christmas, easy, to give us a gift, a gift of love which was freely given. A gift which is just as masterful as that staircase in Santa Fe.

This closing story tells it all, why God gave us Christmas!