Better late than never, right? For the last few years, I’ve enjoyed reading a Christmas devotional. This year, it was The Dawn of Redeeming Grace by Sinclair B. Ferguson. One of the things I most enjoy about this annual habit is the chance to slow down and dwell on the details of Jesus’ birth… and it’s never as old or familiar as I expect.

About halfway through December, Ferguson pointed out a detail that I hadn’t properly considered before… and it’s possibly the saddest verse in the Christmas story. 

 … assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the [Jewish] people, [Herod] inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet…” Matthew 2:4-5 

Did you take that in? The religious leaders of Israel ‘knew’ the answer. They knew (!)… from their careful study of the Scriptures where the Christ was to be born. BUT, the appearance of Gentile travellers, following a star and seeking a new ‘king of the Jews’ didn’t rouse their interest. It took a summons from Herod the Great, ‘the enemy’! Even worse, after giving the ‘right answer’, we hear nothing more of their actions or curiosity about the Christ. Isn’t that sad? “He came to his own, and his own did not receive him” (John 1:11). No wonder Matthew later calls these leaders ‘blind guides’.

Perhaps they had become accustomed to hopelessness; languishing under foreign rulers for centuries since the Exile? Maybe they didn’t believe the words they knew so well? Matthew doesn’t tell us. Though, maybe this sad verse, here at the genesis of Jesus’ earthly life, is Matthew’s signal of what is to come - a growing opposition which ultimately led to Jesus’ death.

Are we more like those Jewish leaders than we would care to admit; the good news of Jesus Christ failing to rouse our interest? Perhaps the old and familiar story seems just that, old and familiar; our everyday circumstances blinding our hearts to the heavenly ‘unseen’ realities that God’s word proclaims? This Christmas, I was humbled and encouraged by the example of a brother-in-Christ, as he read these verses aloud.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:10-11

He must have read these verses literally hundreds of times before, yet his voice broke and his eyes shone with tears of joy. Like those ancient travellers from the east, he rejoiced with exceedingly great joy! Joy upon joy upon joy… is that where your heart is?

Maybe your heart could use a re-tune too. Christmas and the beginning of another year is a good time for that. We come to Christmas with the privilege of hindsight. Christ came into the world, died on the cross, rose to life again and he will return to usher believers into his eternal city. A city where tears of pain or mourning don’t exist, just tears of exceeding joy. Take a little time to nurture the tears of joy that only Jesus brings.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angels voices!

Oh night divine! Oh night when Christ was born.