Stunning Sunrise Over Bethlehem Guarantees Your Jackpot

I needed a jackpot in December 1996.

A jackpot of relief. I was burned out.

Burnt from life changes swirling around me.

Our business was being audited in an unfriendly fashion.

And I was just married for the second time.

I wanted “peace on earth.”

So, I traveled to Bethlehem for Christmas.

A bus ride led me to a jackpot.

Holidays shattered by reality

The six mile trip from Jerusalem to Bethlehem was beautiful.

I couldn’t believe the sheep and shepherds roaming the fields.

But, minutes later, the peaceful scenery changed to guns and soldiers.

Horns are honking.  Motor bikes are buzzing.  Everyone is in a hurry.

We park next to the Church of the Nativity.

The church was built by Constantine’s mother, Helena.

She led a delegation in 326 A.D. to mark Christian holy sites.

They were easy to identify because the Roman emperor, Hadrian, targeted them for desecration by building pagan temples on top.

Eusebius (264-340), a Christian historian, wrote extensively about Helena’s work of uncovering and preserving the sites we visit today.

Walking across the scaffolding inside the church was overwhelming.

A narrow opening with steps leads to the dim cave where a silver star marks the spot where Christ was born.

“In Bethlehem you are shown the cave where he was born, and within the cave the manger where he was wrapped in swaddling clothes.”  Origen, 185-254 A.D.

Crowds, stress and taxes

There’s little time to pause in the spot that historians (from 160 A.D.) mark as Christ’s birth.

I was lucky to get this pic from my friend Steve Fanning.

At that moment, the paradox of Christmas hit me hard in a cave below . . .

• noise
• crowds
• soldiers

Today’s tragedies of disease and mass murder colored the first Christmas.

Even debates about politics and taxes charged the air.

Mary rides a donkey 100 miles in her last month of pregnancy to register for taxes.

• She gives birth in a cave
• Uses a feed trough for a crib

The announced savior was born in a parking lot for animals.

• Born where everyone had access
• Born in the midst of violence
• Born in shattered expectations

The jackpot for you and me

Sunrise, the morning we drove to Bethlehem, got me thinking.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and Peter used light to describe Jesus.

Here is Matthew’s version of a transforming moment.

“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.  There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”  When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.  But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.  As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Matthew 17 selected verses)

If we look, we can see a bright light this Christmas in the middle of our pain.

This light, Christ, has the power to save us.

That’s the jackpot.

Salvation.

You can loose everything.

• Your health
• Your money
• Your family

But, if your faith is in Christ, you can be saved from this world’s losses.

This doesn’t minimize the pain or size of your losses.

But, salvation adds the jackpot of God’s presence.

Immanuel.  God with us.

What are you thankful for this Christmas?