Christmas in June. Luke 2.

In Yellowstone Park on the 25th of August, the park employees celebrate "Christmas in August in Yellowstone". It's primarily an end of summer party for them, but the decorations and costumes all around the park are big surprise if you happen to be there visiting on the 25th, and don't know about the tradition. (Maybe you'll forget about this if you go sometime.) While the celebration in Yellowstone is all about Christmas trees, and elves, and Santas, and candy canes, it's not so difficult to consider what Christmas is all about, on a hot, ripe, sunny day in one of the most amazing places in God's creation.

We have the opportunity, as we did when reading Matthew, to think about the entry of God into history, in the birth of Jesus. As I said then, the days that are not during the Christmas season can be particularly fruitful to actually think about "the reason for the season". (I intensely dislike that phrase, maybe I'll tell you about that some day, but it's useful here.) So make yourself a cup of cocoa, put on your wool socks, and enjoy Luke's account of the birth of our Savior.

Years ago, the Sunday School class I was in got to take a "Christmas quiz." The purpose of the quiz was to have some fun, but to also separate out what the Bible says from the traditions developed around Christmas. Later, I've given this quiz to other groups, and my life group kids me about this, when they see a production that isn't "quite accurate" in its portrayal of the nativity -- "uh, oh, Jim's not gonna like that." So I thought this morning, I'd create some imaginary Christmas cards, based on chapter 2 of Luke. These will be genuine, 100% Jim-certified and approved cards you could send to your friends and neighbors, straight from the text. Whether they'll have any meaning to the recipients or not, is a totally different question.

The first card would have giant gears at the top, with a God-like hand emerging from the clouds setting the gears in motion. The gears could be seen to be moving the figures below -- Roman officials in togas and soldiers in their armor. The caption inside would read, "At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire... And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He took with him Mary, his fiancée... And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son."

The second card would be a court scene of some sort. In it, we would clearly see that two witnesses are giving testimony, and the judge and jury approves. (I have no idea exactly how one would convey that, maybe they'd all have smiles on their faces, and have their thumbs up.) Inside, the card would say, "For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: a light, for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

A third card would be more traditional looking. In it, we see a temple courtyard scene from Jesus' time, and several Jewish men sitting in a semicircle, talking with a 12 year old boy, whom we see from behind. The conversation is lively, and interest and wonder show on the men's faces. Perhaps there are a few onlookers scattered around the grouping, men and women and kids, drawn to what's taking place. The caption inside would read: "... they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Jesus were astonished at his understanding and his answers... And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people."

For your enjoyment, here's a more traditional take of Anna and Simeon in the temple: