Dec 6 - Luke 2:1

 

And it came to pass in those

days that a decree went out

from Caesar Augustus that all

the world should be registered.

Luke 2:1

 

In the Christmas story, everyone plays a role.

 

Mary obviously played a role. She accepted the awesome responsibility of giving birth to the Son of God.

 

Joseph played a role. He stayed by Mary’s side.

 

The shepherds and angels played a role. So did the innkeeper who turned Mary away.

 

And there was at least one more character in this part of the Christmas drama: Caesar Augustus. Caesar essentially means king. He was the Roman emperor. The country where Jesus was born, Israel, was a small outpost in the vast Roman Empire. And Caesar ordered that all the people in his kingdom be counted. They call the counting of citizens a “census,” and Caesar probably ordered a census for two reasons. The first was pride. He surely wanted to brag about the size of his kingdom. The second reason was that he surely wanted to tax his citizens more precisely. Therefore, because of Caesar’s desire for power, fame, and money, Joseph and a very pregnant Mary had to make their way to Joseph’s ancestral town of Bethlehem.

 

One of my favorite movies is It’s a Wonderful Life. George Bailey is discouraged. Clarence – the Angel – gives him a glimpse of what the world would be like if George hadn’t been born. As George is realizing the consequences of him not playing his role well, Clarence says to him, “Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?”

 

Caesar Augustus probably wasn’t a particularly nice guy. But he had a role to play. Indeed, a foreign king helped fulfill prophecy! For hundreds of years, it had been prophesied that the Messiah (Jesus) would be born in Bethlehem. It’s it interesting how God used a foreign king to fulfill a necessary prophecy. God had a plan … even for an unbelieving King, and his absence, his unwillingness to play this role, would have left “an awful hole.”   

 

Well, if God had a plan for an unbelieving King, how much bigger of a plan do you think he might have for a believer like you?!

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who used to be

a lot like old George Bailey …

but I learned a long time ago

that God’s plan is generally less

about us striving for big things,

but doing the small things faithfully

– like loving our family,

serving our neighbor,

doing our job with integrity,

and worshipping regularly

 

Discussion Questions

 

1.    Caesar was a king. He played a role. Jesus was a King. Why do you think Jesus’ role was bigger in the long run than Caesar’s?

2.    If a foreign, unbelieving king had a role in the kingdom, what role do you think God has for you – a believer, his child – in the Kingdom?