Last Updated on January 2, 2024 by pastor.rocklyn

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday this year and, in my Christmas Eve sermon, I shared some reasons that we should rethink our traditional understanding of the Nativity.

It was within my first few years as a Christian that I remember my pastor, in a sermon, pointing out a couple of things about the Nativity that I found surprising at the time:

• The Bible said nothing about the number of Magi who came to see Jesus.
• The Magi almost certainly DID NOT visit Jesus at his birth. It was much more likely that they arrived up to two years later at the home where Joseph and Mary were living.

Teaching About the Nativity

These insights stuck with me and I generally share them in my own teaching and preaching. Naturally, that includes our “Following Jesus” discipleship curriculum which guides believers through the Gospel of Matthew. Back in 2020, as I was looking for helpful links to supplement the teaching on Matthew 1 & 2, I came across an informative article from John Dyer. In it he too points out that the traditional understanding of a “hotel with no vacancy” is almost certainly wrong.

• CHRISTMAS NATIVITY MISTAKES: CYBERTRUCKS AND OVERBOOKED INNS

This year, I found the following short YouTube video which makes very similar points.

• The Bible Explained: What We Get Wrong in the Nativity Scene – YouTube (00:08:39)

I actually shared it during our Christmas Eve sermon.

Following the Jesus of the Nativity

• Following Jesus: Focus On the Message – Matthew 1
• Following Jesus: Focus On the Message – Matthew 2

Enjoy!