On The Way to Bethlehem – Rome – Part I
Sermon Title: On the Way to Bethlehem – A Longing in Rome
Good News Statement: Jesus’ birth shows us our own Advent Journey
Preached: Sunday, December 1st, 2024 at Dogwood Prairie UMC & Seed Chapel UMC
Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.
Scripture (NRSVUE): Luke 2:1-3 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Luke who informs us about a census being ordered in Rome to be observed by all those under Roman law. This story encourages to ask ourselves, “What do we long for during Advent? Our scripture reading is Luke Chapter Two, Verses One thru Three. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life.
The Birth of Jesus
2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered.
Future Glory
18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God, 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its enslavement to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labor, 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in[a] hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what one already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”
Introduction:
Any important journey requires planning, preparation, and patience. Questions such as the following are often asked: How will we travel? Will we break up the trip along the way? What will be our route? What kind of weather should we expect? What clothing should we have? Will we need travel documents or even other currency? How long will we be gone for? Who is going to take care of the animals? Who should we notify that we are taking a trip?
For many people, the anticipation of a journey is half the fun. Doing all this work—the planning and preparation—builds excitement about the places you will see and experiences you hope to have. No matter how much we plan, one thing is for certain, we never return from a journey the same. No matter how much planning and preparation we tend to do before leaving for any sort of journey, something during the journey changes us. As a matter of fact, our journeys shape us. We learn from them. We form and deepen relationships along the way. We have unexpected encounters that move us and provide memories that last the rest of our lives. Have you ever gone on a journey that changed your life or at least opened your eyes to something new?
“It is no wonder that the word journey is used as a metaphor for the spiritual life,” shares author Rob Fuquay in his book On the Way to Bethlehem: An Advent Story. During our spiritual life—our walk with Christ—our life is changed much like it is when we take a vacation. From beginning to end, the Bible is a collection of journeys. God called Abraham to leave his home in the land of Ur of the Chaldeans and make his way to a place God would show him—a place where Islam, Judaism, and Christianity could trace their histories to. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt into the wilderness where they journeyed for forty years: fraught with life-threatening obstacles and life-altering decisions, but yet were given the Promised Land. The residents of Jerusalem journeyed to Babylon defeated and hopeless but were given a new hope and a new desire to live faithfully once they returned to Jerusalem. The disciples journeyed with Jesus throughout Israel for three years not knowing where they were going, not understanding what was happening, and not realizing that their lives were being changed. Lastly, the Apostle Paul journeyed throughout the Mediterranean world starting churches and spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, building churches and bringing hope to people of various nations, races, and languages.
The Bible ends by picturing a new heaven and earth, reminding us that when this life ends, all life doesn’t end. The journey continues and there are more adventures that wait. There are more adventures that change our spiritual life, that get us closer to following in the footsteps of Jesus. And during this specific season of life, of the year, our spiritual journey leads us to the place where the news given to a virgin named Mary by the angel Gabriel, a dream given to a carpenter named Joseph, and an empty stable and trough filled with hay, changed the world. This Advent Season, we embark on a journey of spiritual change: a journey to a small town known as Bethlehem. But along the way, we will encounter other places that help our spiritual life find the true meaning of Christmas: places such as Rome, Jerusalem, and Nazareth. The planning and preparation, for the anticipation and expectation of the arrival of Jesus, begins today. Are you ready for a journey? Are you ready to travel to Bethlehem?
Body:
Many of us associate the Christmas season with the birth of Jesus Christ, with festive colorful lights adorning the outline of our homes, with certain carols and songs, with photos sent and received in the mail, with packages wrapped in decorative paper and color-coordinated bows, with the smells of evergreen needles, with a tree decorated with memories upon every branch, and with certain iconic commercials. This time of year, the Christmas season is seen in almost everything and everywhere. However, there are many people out in this world that don’t necessarily associate Christmas with the things previously mentioned, but instead associate Christmas with travel.
As a matter of fact, according to a FOX News report from 2023 around this time, it reported that “The Vacationer, a travel agency specializing in theme park excursions, cruises and resort vacations, reported that its survey found more than 50% of respondents plan to travel during the Thanksgiving and Christmas period, suggesting that this holiday season will be one of the busiest.”[1] Later on in the article it noted, “In 2023, AAA projected that 55.4 million people would travel for Thanksgiving and another 115.2 million would travel for the Christmas period—the second-highest amount since 2000.”[2] I recently read that this number is projected to increase for this year. Shannon Thompson, with Elite Travel, said their travel agency has seen an over “20% increase in people traveling for 2024.”[3] As I mentioned earlier, travel is what many people think about this time of year—and Emily and I are one of those people as we map out when and where our families are having Christmas this year.
So, I thought, instead of focusing on what is most familiar to us in relation to the Christmas season, why not use what millions of people are thinking about to help us relate in a deeper way to the Christmas story of Christ’s birth? Why not travel to Bethlehem? Advent is the first season of the Christian year. We begin the year moving toward—traveling to—Christmas with themes like preparation, getting ready, and waiting as if we’re going on a trip. The difference, however, is not to get to a destination but several destinations on the way to Bethlehem. We find the meaning of Christmas throughout this journey. As the old saying goes, the journey is the destination.
Each Sunday, we will travel to Bethlehem, making stops along the way. Today, we begin our journey by stopping by the city of Rome, a world empire during the time of Jesus. While in Rome, we will ask ourselves, “What do we long for? And do we have enough hope to make it to Bethlehem?”
Movement One: History of Rome…
Let’s begin by examining the city of Rome. Rome is the capital of Italy with a population of nearly 3 million people and covering an area close to five hundred square miles today. It has the largest metropolitan population in Europe with roughly 4.5 million people. Often called “The City of Seven Hills,” Rome is located along the Tiber River in the central region of Italy and is the only city in the world to have a country unto its own within the city limits, Vatican City—the home of the Roman Catholic Church where the Pope resides.[4]
Rome was the center of the major Empire that wrapped around the Mediterranean Sea, as far north as Great Britain, as far east as Germania down through Greece and modern-day Turkey, and as far south as North Africa—regions and places and towns upon which Jesus would find himself sharing his mission. Modern social services like plumbing, water supply aqueducts, engineering advancements in construction, and roadways spread through Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor.
Rome is also known for its political roots. Rome’s political influence is established on principles that shaped much of modern democracy. Founded in the eighth century BC, Rome was one of the first cities at the time to have an electoral monarchy, a ruler chosen by the people. By the sixth century BC, Rome was governed by a republic, with electoral officials known as senators who worked with the ruling monarchs. As the years passed, Octavian, later named Caesar Augustus, took the area of Rome, especially its political practices, and made Rome an empire in 27 BC.[5] Essentially, Rome became a powerhouse.
The place of power determined the atmosphere of many places. As a matter of fact, the power of Rome determined the atmosphere of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth. Rome shaped the culture, the laws, and even the beliefs of people of other nations, races, and religions. Rome was in power when Jesus was born; therefore, Jesus grew up and began his ministry under the culture, laws and beliefs established by the Roman monarchy.
Although Rome produced several life changing advancements, it is also known for producing the one King that attempted to kill Jesus: Herod. Herod stopped at nothing to eliminate any threat to his position. He executed his wife, his in-laws, and three of his sons. So, the idea of Herod ordering the execution of male babies in Bethlehem because he learned a future king had been born there was not out of character for him. Rome was powerful, mindful of its people, but also corrupt by the people in charge, so it’s interesting why we begin our journey in the very place that almost stopped the birth of our Savior.[6]
At this point let’s make a few observations about Rome. It is a place that has power to do good things. By creating aqueducts and sewer systems, disease and sickness were reduced. A military presence brought a certain amount of security and reduced crime. The Roman Empire was known for its advanced highways creating faster connection between cities in the Empire. Massive construction projects created jobs and stimulated economies.[7]
But not everything about Roman occupation was good. While allowing certain freedoms for residents in occupied countries, compliance with Roman law was nonnegotiable. Those who broke the law were often punished publicly to serve as a warning to others. Crucifixion was a painful, humiliating way to die with crosses placed along highways. Bodies might be left for days to deter others from crossing Roman justice.[8]
Furthermore, Rome treated conquered people as second-class citizens, or perhaps more realistically, noncitizens. They had no vote or voice. What happened in Rome could adversely affect an individual’s life, but there wasn’t much that could be done about it. Rome was not to be trusted. Rome is that place where decisions impact your life beyond control. Some of us live in “Rome.” We are in positions to make decisions that affect people far from us, and we must keep their needs in mind. Bu all of us live affected by the “Romes” of our world. We are impacted by events beyond our control. Sometimes the impact is minimal, but other times it is deep and painful.
Rome reminds us of the reality of the Israelites. They lived under an occupying force beyond their control. They longed for more. They longed for freedom. They longed for justice. They longed for peace. But changing the way things were felt impossible. All they could do was long for something better. They longed, with hope, for the coming of a Messiah.
This is where Advent begins: it begins with longing. The way to Christmas begins in Rome, the seat of power and principalities where our hopes and fears are released and sometimes collide. What are you longing for this Christmas Season?
Movement Two: God Directing Us…
Have you ever given any thought to what Bethlehem may have been like when Jesus was born? Sure, we picture everything much differently than today. A quiet place, moonlit sky—clear enough for shepherds and wise men to follow a star. Candlelight in a stable giving a soft glow to the cattle lowing and baby Jesus cooing on a bed of straw. We sing, “O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie.” Bethlehem, too many of us, is a small quiet town where nothing seems to happen. However, keep in mind that Bethlehem was under to control of the world’s most powerful empire: Rome.
Certainly, soldiers would have been present. A Roman census had been mandated as our scripture passage reminded us. People had to return to their ancestral homes to be registered. The small village would have been overcrowded—hence, there is no room in the Inn—many people were no doubt irritated by the inconvenience of leaving homes and work some distance away. Crowded conditions and bad moods are not usually a good mix.
Plus, no one besides the locals would have been there by choice. Not even soldiers. Fuquay notes in his book, “Everyone was there by decree, an order from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. Strangers and friends alike would have wondered why.”[9] A census was usually taken for the benefit of taxes so that the current leader could plan accordingly for major projects or even war. These were the circumstances into which Jesus was born. Caesar Augustus issued a decree, Herod was on a rampage, and the people were longing for God’s direction. The Christmas story began in Rome: it began be forcing a simple family to a crowded place that was on Herod’s radar.
We may wonder why God has allowed such things to occur or where God is in the midst of confusion and pain in the world. After all, where was God during the expansion and horrendous acts of the Roman Empire? Where was God when a struggling family of a virgin and carpenter were forced to travel hundreds of miles, constantly being watched by soldiers, on their way to Bethlehem? Where is God in our world, in our life, today? These questions require faith and hope. When we choose to believe God is acting, even doing God’s greatest works, so that by the time we see a result we can say with Jacob, “Surely the Lord is in the place…”(Genesis 28:16). But sometimes we don’t feel His presence. We don’t have hope. Sometimes what we long for seems unreachable, unachievable, and unrealistic. Simply put, we don’t believe, we don’t have hope, and we don’t have that faith that can move mountains. But, I am going to be honest with you; in those moments we can’t let the empire control us: we need to believe. We need to long for the promise that God is with us and directing us and that He will lead us to Bethlehem safely, the place where our longing is found in a baby swaddled in bands of cloth.
Let me share a story with you: In a recent reflection, Glenn MacDonald told a story about the Dean of Gordon Conwell seminary in 1975, William Kerr. He was in his office praying one day when he was interrupted by a student, Mike Ford. The student asked what he was praying for. The Dean explained that there was a distinguished British scholar, Andrew Lincoln; they were trying to get on the faculty. The Dean knew this person could have great impact on many students, but the government wouldn’t grant a work visa. The student said, “I might be able to help with that.” You see the student’s father was Gerald Ford who had just become the president of the United States. Within a short time, the red tape disappeared, and Andrew Lincoln was teaching at the seminary.[10]
In a time of distress, the Dean was given hope. In a time of worry, the Dean was given peace. At time longing for an individual to help grow his students spiritually, the Dean was given an answer. At a time when God seemed absent, God was present. Before Mary and Joseph could travel to Bethlehem, they had to be told about the wonderful news of Jesus. Before the news about Jesus was given, angels were given a message. Before the angels were given a message, God was stirring the minds of the Roman leaders to take a census. Sometimes what we long for isn’t something that just happens: rather, it takes time; it goes through stages before it reaches us. Is there something in your life that you have been longing for or hoping for that hasn’t happened yet? Have you noticed how God started something back then but is now coming to fruition today?
Whether or not we can feel, hear, or see God’s presence in our life, God is there directing us toward what we long for in life. What do you long for? What is God directing you towards this Christmas season? Are you longing for peace, for joy, for comfort, for continued memories, for love, for direction, for hope? Are you allowing God to guide you or have you given into the “Romes”, the powerhouses, of your life and therefore have put your faith and hope in things of this world instead of the world above? Rome is our reminder that God is what we long for in our life: the answer to what lies on our heart. This leads us to the words of the Apostle Paul.
Movement Three: Groanings and Pains…
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he captured the angst and anxiety of how many people feel about the world: “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God, for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its enslavement to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-21).
Paul said the whole creation waits in eager longing. That is the mood of Advent. Advent is the first season in the Christian year. We begin in waiting. We wait because we can’t make a better world happen by our own willpower. We need help. We need God. Yet Paul spends a moment to capture the intensity of our longing. He uses other words: subjected, futility, enslavement, and decay. Paul uses the language of bondage to articulate the feelings of longing. So much of Israel’s history was spent in bondage. They were captive to the Egyptians, Babylonians, and eventually the Romans. Paul taps into the reality of people feeling like their lives are not their own, as if to say they don’t have a voice.
Then Paul suddenly shifts metaphors in verse 22: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labor…” (Romans 8:22). The pain Paul talks about now is not associated with what keeps us from fully living, but what gives life. The intense pain a mother feels in giving birth is forgotten once the child is born and she is holding them in her arms for the first time. Paul encourages us to believe that God is doing something in the world that will one day cause our pain to subside and give way to new life. But we aren’t there yet: we haven’t made it to Bethlehem yet. Our journey has just begun. We long for the day when there is no more pain and no more suffering, when there is unity and love.
I realize that Rome is not the easiest place to have faith and hope. I mean, after all, how can one have faith and hope in a place that allowed a King to issue such a decree to kill our king. Yes, Rome can be a hard place to have faith. But it is also a place to realize our need for faith and hope.
This Christmas season, we will experience pain and suffering and hurt and disappointment and discouragement and anxiety and worry and stress, but just because we experience those things doesn’t mean we have to give into those things: it doesn’t mean that we can’t long for what will bring us closer to Bethlehem. It doesn’t mean we can’t long for peace, joy, happiness, moments with family and friends, opportunities to know that everyone is okay. This Christmas season, don’t let the “Romes” in your life dictate your life. Don’t let them take away your faith and your hope. Instead, allow God to direct you and guide you to Bethlehem. This Christmas season long for what will help you stand before the manger of Jesus Christ: long for what will give you hope, love, joy, and peace; and long for what helps you remember the true reason of the season, Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
Some of us live in “Rome.” We are in positions to make decisions that affect people far from us, and we must keep their needs in mind. But all of us live affected by the “Romes” of our world. We are impacted by events beyond our control. Sometimes the impact is minimal, but other times it is deep and painful.
Remember, Rome as an empire ended nearly a thousand years ago. Empires come and go. It is the purpose of God that prevails. Looking for that purpose, seeking God’s hand and presence, is what builds our faith. Christ meets us in the midst of chaos and fear. He meets us in the places where we feel helpless to know how to help others. He meets us when we get so weary of the world the way it is that we just want to crawl in bed and pull a pillow over our head. He meets us in our deep longings where hope is not lost but prevalent and thriving.
The journey to Christmas begins in longing, but not little longings. Not longings like New Year’s resolutions. Rather, the longings of Advent are deeper and spiritual. What longings do you bring into Advent? What are you hoping to experience or witness this season?
Let it be so…
Communion Transition…
Closing Prayer:
Let us pray: Dear God, we long for a season of Advent that is not controlled by the “Romes” in our life, but directed and guided by the hope of your Son, Jesus Christ. As we journey toward Bethlehem, may we continually long for hope, love, joy, and peace so that we can be made new before the stable. Amen.
Benediction:
What are you longing for this Advent Season? What has God started in your past that has got you here today? Next week we journey to Jerusalem, a place of waiting.
May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth anticipated and expecting the birth of Jesus Christ. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.
[1] https://www.foxweather.com/lifestyle/christmas-travel-air-roads-november-december
[2] https://www.foxweather.com/lifestyle/christmas-travel-air-roads-november-december
[3] https://www.kfvs12.com/2024/11/21/expect-another-busy-holiday-travel-season
[4] Rob Fuquay, On the Way to Bethlehem: An Advent Story, Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN (2024). Pg. 3. Rome is also full of ancient ruins, such as the famous Colosseum, recalling times when gladiatorial games were held there. Slaves known as gladiators were forced to fight for their lives as entertainment for crowds. Fuquay notes, “Historians estimate that the Colosseum could hold fifty to ninety thousand people, rivaling the size of modern stadiums and arenas.”
[5] Rob Fuquay, On the Way to Bethlehem: An Advent Story, Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN (2024). Pg. 4.
[6] Rob Fuquay, On the Way to Bethlehem: An Advent Story, Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN (2024). Pg. 10.
[7] Rob Fuquay, On the Way to Bethlehem: An Advent Story, Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN (2024). Pg. 10.
[8] Rob Fuquay, On the Way to Bethlehem: An Advent Story, Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN (2024). Pg. 10-11.
[9] Rob Fuquay, On the Way to Bethlehem: An Advent Story, Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN (2024). Pg. 8.
[10] Glenn MacDonald, “Open Doors,” Morning Reflections. January 4, 2024.
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