The nativity.....really?

You may not have given it any thought, but each Christmas Christian churches read "The Nativity Story" from the 2nd chapter of Luke.  Never Mark, nor Matthew, nor John.  Just Luke, every year.

Did you ever wonder why?

Because that is the only quality nativity story we Christians have.

Here's some background.  Biblical scholars (or at least the ones teaching 11 years ago when I was in seminary) believe that the Gospel of Mark was the earliest written work.  Mark begins his story with the appearance of John the Baptizer.  Jesus comes into the story full grown and ready for ministry.

Matthew and Luke were probably written next.  (How they come to that conclusion is a discussion for another time).  Matthew begins his story of Jesus with a geneology - which we never read in worship - then moves to Joseph.  Matthew gives us the story of the kings comings to visist and the killing of the babies by Herod.  But no stable, no angels singing just some consideration of divorcing Mary.

Luke has the prophecy to Zachariah and Elizabeth and then the familiar anunciation and Magnificat portions before the lovely stable scene.

The gospel of John is believed to have been written last.  John takes us all the way back to the beginning of time.....before there was anything.  "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God".    John ties Jesus' coming with the very creation of the universe.

So we use Luke 2 - every year - but not because it is the only story of how Jesus came to us, but maybe, because it is the most colorful, romantic (and I might say) down to earth.  It is a story we can relate to, which may be why Luke wrote it down in the first place.

For me, I can still repeat the words of the Angel of the Lord - the part I played in my kindergarten Christmas play
"For unto you a child is born in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign to you, you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

It is a good piece of scripture to know.
Pax