by By Phares Barine
Over Christmas, I was asked to preach to our church congregation on the Nativity narrative. The Nativity story is one of enduring beauty and serenity. In the Gospel of Luke chapter 2, two youths display true humility when they humble themselves and play a part in the greatest event- God’s wonderful plan for the redemption of Mankind- the birth of Jesus Christ.
Mary, a virgin girl falls pregnant. Joseph her betrothed is sure of one thing: The baby is not his! He however keeps her by his side and saves her the social stigma of having a baby outside marriage.
These two teenagers make incredible sacrifices. The Roman rulers require Joseph to go to his ancestral city of Bethlehem to register himself, probably to ensure he is properly captured in the tax base of the ruling government. It is not clear from Luke why Joseph must take his young bride along, heavy with child, on a grueling 140-kilometre journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a journey wrought with all manner of dangers and discomforts. But then what will young love not do!
The youngsters make it to Bethlehem safely. Luke informs us that while they are there, Mary’s time to give birth comes. And then comes the climax of the story: “And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7; RSV).
The news of the birth spreads fast, carried by no less than an angel of the Lord. He tells it to a group of shepherds who are keeping watch over their flock by night. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11; RSV)
This is what I shared with the congregation; the “good news of a great joy that will come to all the people, the birth of Jesus and what it means to them. That God’s divine plan for His people, to restore His relationship with man through our Saviour is for all, Greek and Jew and African alike. I encouraged the youthful members how they hold a special place in the Church of Christ; that they should stay on in Church because the good news brings is for them too. They should not let any barriers or hardships keep them from enjoying life in Christ.
Clearly, our current generation of youths is quite dissatisfied with the Christianity they see espoused in today’s Church, because it seems so detached from the matters that matter to them — matters of governance and socio-economic injustices and brutal denial of human rights and liberties; matters of personal identity in a world caught up in a technological typhoon. They are suspicious of a Christian Church that seems to have ganged up with the oppressive systems that constantly thwart their dreams.
I exhorted the Millennials and Gen Zs not to shun Christianity wholesale, because biblical Christianity is more affirmative of their concerns than they perceive. After all, it was youths like them who braved public ridicule and incredible social, economic and physical hardships to bring God’s great plan for Mankind to fulfilment, by parenting the Saviour Himself. If they delved deeper into the Bible and other related literature, they will discover that true Christianity promotes justice and equality for all.
