They Paid for Christmas

When pagan festivals mixed with early Christianity, a birthday celebration for Jesus and the winter solstice merry-making were fused. In spite of hybrid beginnings and 21st century materialism, the Christmas season has a wonder and power for the secular world and the believers in Christ. And no matter how many bargains or sweet deals have saved us money, gift-giving and partying come with a price tag. Christmas comes with a cost, but over 2,000 years ago it was purchased at a very high price.
 
Christmas was paid for by the following:

• Zachariah the priest – Because of his unbelief in the prophecy spoken by the angel Gabriel that he and his wife would have a son regardless of their old age, Zachariah lost his ability to speak for nine months. He paid with his voice. (Luke 1:15-19)
• Elizabeth, Zachariah’s wife – Barren and well past child-bearing years, the hope to have a child had died, but God had a mission to do the impossible. He needed this woman to give birth to John the Baptist who would become the prophet to proclaim the coming of Jesus. Elizabeth paid with her barrenness. (Luke 1:23-25)
• Mary, a virgin and fiancé to Joseph – Believing the words from Gabriel without reservation that she would give birth to Jesus, the Son of God, it seems that Mary gave no thought as to how she would be seen by her village, her family and especially by Joseph. She had a mission from God that preceded everything and everyone. She paid with her reputation and her character. (Matthew 1:18, Luke 1:26-27)
• Joseph, Mary’s fiancé – To see your future wife three months pregnant after returning home from visiting her cousin with a story that the Spirit of God impregnated her must have unleashed a wild mix of emotions within Joseph, yet his compassion won. Knowing what would happen to Mary, he planned to quietly divorce her and send her away, but God wanted His plan to proceed, not Joseph’s, and confronted him in a dream. Now this man fully understands what he must do. Joseph’s payment started with a betrayal and a relationship nearly destroyed, but it turned into obedience to marry Mary and protect the coming Child. (Matthew 1:16, 19-21)
• The Shepherds – This was not going to be the usual long night with the sheep. Something spectacular was going to change them forever. Even with all the sophisticated special effects in our movies, it cannot compare with the riot of angelic joy in the heavens above those shepherds. They saw it, heard it, went to find the Savior born in the city of David and came away shouting. These guys gladly paid with joy to go find the Child and with praises to God for sending Him. (Luke 2:8-20)
• The Magi – There is much speculation over the time period when the Magi visited Bethlehem, yet we know they made a long journey following a stellar phenomenon possibly with political and physical risks to find the Baby Jesus. They paid with perseverance and determination to find this new King and worship Him. (Matthew 2:1-12)
• Herod – This ruler had a pattern of hearing a rumor that his throne was in jeopardy, then murder the traitor, go into depression and come out of it with a vengeance to build. Some have diagnosed him as a possible paranoid schizophrenic. The ruler of Judea was outwitted by the Magi. They did not report back to him the whereabouts of this new King due to the dream God gave them who knew of Herod’s murderous intentions. The king paid with violent anger. (Matthew 2:16)
• The little boys in Bethlehem* –Some historians doubt that Herod carried out the deaths in Bethlehem of boys two year olds and younger to protect his throne. Some think it is used as a literary device to enhance the story of Jesus’ birth, but some believe it did happen given Herod’s track record. Bethlehem was a small town of about 300 so the number of male babies and toddlers killed may have too small to record. Based only a belief in the written Word of God, children paid with their lives to secure a throne. (Matthew 2:16-18)

 
These actions and reactions to extraordinary events that cut into the lives of working-class people, the religious sect, foreigners, even the throne of Judea bought our Christmas. They were unknowingly apart of a grander, divine payment plan. They paid for our Christmas so that thirty-three years later the man Jesus could pay for our sins with His life.

*The Slaughter of the Innocents: Historical Fact or Legendary Fiction. 8/1/19. https://biblearcheology.org/research/new-testament-era/2411-the-slaughter-of-the-innocents. Biblearcheology.org.