The coming of Jesus is both revelation and mystery. On the latter side is a question I’ve long pondered:
Why did God choose such a time and place to break into human history in this particularly personal way?
Why then? Why there?
Those who claim faith often feel a need to defend God with bad responses to such questioning. Two leading ones are: God had to fulfill prophecy or that God had to pay off a debt through a bloody sacrifice.
Yikes. What odd, inconsistent and limiting views of a loving God described otherwise by all those omni-words.
But, then, it’s not unusual to embrace easy answers if some fresh pondering might lead to unfamiliar and perhaps uncomfortable understanding.
We work really hard to make the Incarnation story as sweet as possible. Then quickly jump from the manger to the execution of that child as the only way to get God out of a bind and us into Gloryland.
Yes, there is a self-serving element to that version of a gory story.
In that interpretation, Jesus’ coming is less about the magnification of God’s love and the opportunity to bring about through faithfulness a contrasting way of life on earth as it is in heaven.
Instead, God “must send Jesus to die” as the only way to get out of the jam created by the prophets and sin — while providing access to heaven for those who believe properly.
It is helpful to consider the time and place of Jesus’ coming — as well as his particular life setting.
The placement of Jesus in the peasant rather than ruling class tells us something about how God feels about societal status and earthly power. Jesus’ clear rejection of political power and violence to achieve his goals tells us even more.
Often lost in our reflections during the holiday season is that Jesus’ coming came with a commission. He summed that up in his teachings, emphasizing love of God and neighbor.
It was a time of government oppression that exploited the poor to the benefit of the wealthy — colluding with the religious elite who placed law over love.
Perhaps that is one reason God chose such a time and place. So we can’t make the excuse (though many do) that living in the ways of Jesus is optional and doesn’t work for us today.
Sadly, modern Christianity is often redefined as something other than following Jesus — something that, in fact, looks too often like what led to Jesus’ execution.
The hope, joy and peace of Christmas first came amid conflict, discrimination and trials. And they do so now.
These divine gifts can be experienced both internally and externally by those willing to follow Jesus in creating an alternative kingdom built not on exploitation but on grace, justice and love.
If peace on earth and goodwill to humanity are more than seasonal wishes, it will be because we stop being seduced by status, insecurities and earthly power.
Only then will our superficial Christmas celebrations move beyond the manger to the faithful following of Jesus — seeking to bring about a way of living that reflects his way of living.
John D. Pierce is director of the Jesus Worldview Initiative (jesusworldview.org), part of Belmont University’s Rev. Charlie Curb Center for Faith Leadership.