By Steven Norris
It is very hard to read and accurately understand the Bible when you already “know” what it says. As a pastor, I find that the hardest passages to preach are often the ones that most people in my congregation have heard numerous times.
We open the Bible and begin, “For God so loved the world…” Please do not misunderstand me. Worshippers do not mind hearing these stories again, for they are foundational to our faith. However, they already know what it means, so they listen differently.
For example, if I told you that we were going to look at the so-called “Parable of the Prodigal Son,” what would you expect? We all “know” that it is a story about a young man who wastes his inheritance and returns home broken, penniless, and dejected. Except, the story begins like this: “There was a man who had two sons…” The main character is not the son, but the father. There are two sons and each one is alienated from the father and in need of reconciliation. Placing the father at the center of the story dramatically shifts its meaning.
If I mentioned the story of the “Good Samaritan,” my hunch is that you quickly identify with the Samaritan. You likely wouldn’t put yourself in the story as the man in the ditch. Jesus’ listeners would have and that dramatically changes everything. Likewise, would the story of the mustard seed change if you learned that mustard bushes were an invasive species and no self-respecting farmer would plant one in his garden? What does that say about the Kingdom of God?
For those who attend some kind of worship service over the next week, my guess is that you are going to hear some familiar passages. Maybe you will hear about a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. You will likely hear about shepherds, angels, and maybe even magi (though they really should wait for Epiphany).
We already “know” what the story is about. We “know” about Mary riding to Bethlehem on her donkey (except there is no donkey in the story), about the harried innkeeper (except there was no innkeeper in the scripture), and that the baby Jesus was surrounded by livestock in a stable (except that detail is nowhere to be found in the text). So much of our Christmas theology is derived from familiar carols, greeting cards, and Hollywood depictions rather than the scripture text.
Therefore, when one of the children stands up at the Christmas Eve service and begins, “In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken,” I pray that you may set aside all that you “know.” I hope that you will listen for the little details that you’ve never stopped long enough to notice. I encourage you to see the story through a new perspective or a new character.
My sincere hope is that you may experience anew the awe and magic of Christmas this year. Love has drawn near. Redemption is nigh. Peace can be yours, for Emmanuel — God with us — has been born.