The Christmas Story is full of critical decision points where characters have a choice to make that have implications. Some are obedient. Some are not, and have to live with the consequences. How does this relate to us today? ◊

One does not always naturally think that Christmas is about obedience. The Christmas Story is actually full of vignettes where various characters find themselves at a critical decision point. They must make a choice or a decision to do one action or another.

Each decision has serious consequences.

We know now that it was God, via angels or dream visions, that was prompting their choice. Some were obedient and so chose well. Some were not obedient, and so faced the implication of their decisions.

I believe that we are all, always, faced with decision points. And God is always behind the prompting. Here we’ll use the Christmas Story as a case study of the day-to-day working in each of our lives.

And the consequences of our obedience.

Christmas Choices:  Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary
As written in Chapter 1 of Luke, the priest Zechariah is confronted by an angel of the Lord in the temple. He is told that “…your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John…” (Luke 1:13)

But Zechariah does not hesitate to immediately doubt what he has seen and heard: Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” (Luke 1:18)

His choice to disbelieve this spectacular news is met with dire circumstances as he is immediately is struck mute:

“I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

Elizabeth, his wife, is a willing vessel of God’s hand, as is Mary. They both become pregnant:

After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” (Luke 1:24-25)

“Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” (Luke 1:30-31)

Mary questions Gabriel, but does not doubt: “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)

Mary meets with Elizabeth who was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:41) who exclaims: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45)

When John is born, Zechariah and Elizabeth now obediently have the young child circumcized on the 8th day and name him John, as he was instructed by the angel Gabriel:

He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. (Luke 1:63-64)

Christmas Choices:  Joseph, Herod and the Wise Men
As written in Chapter 1 of Matthew, Joseph of Nazareth is engaged to Mary and discovers she is pregnant. He has a common reaction but does not act on it:

Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus…” 

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25)

In Chapter 2, Jewish King Herod does not respond well to the news of a coming baby king being born:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi [Wise Men] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. (Matthew 2:1-4)

It appears that no one in all Jerusalem, including King Herod, believed or understood the prophetic Scriptures about the coming Messiah, at least not in the form of a newborn baby.

It is the Magi, or Wise Men, that obediently seek Him.

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was….And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:7-12)

The Wise Men also are obedient to a dream that tells them to then avoid returning to Herod. And we are told that once again Joseph obeys the instructions he is given after Jesus is born:

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. (Matthew 2:13-15)

Obedience – Beyond Christmas
Obedience is really trust in authority. But what authority? We face parents, teachers, bosses, civic and military leaders every day. We must act obediently in accordance with rules and laws. However, overarching all authority is the authority and Lordship of God.

How do we really stay obedient to that?

We must read and know the Word of God which will provide guidance for living. In that realm of obedience and submission to God/Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, we also pray, listen, and heed carefully, being attentive to thoughts, dreams, and circumstances all around us.

Yes, the same God who ushered in and orchestrated the Savior of the world, Jesus, through the interactions of normal men and women, is continuing to do so today.

Some believe it; some don’t. Some are listening; some are not even close to paying attention. Nevertheless, God’s will is still being done.

Are you operating in a realm that aligns with God’s will?
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And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. – Matthew 2:12

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Tags: Elizabeth, Joseph, King Herod, Mary, Obedience, Wise men, Zechariah