Christmas Reflections from our Travels in Germany

      

The time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. There were in the same country shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified! But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:6-12

Christmas Market Land 

 

We just returned from ministering and traveling in Europe (we will have a full update on that a little later on). Our time there included ministering in Germany, which was an amazing place to be this time of year, as there is a Christmas Market on practically every corner, so many of them in fact in the bigger cities that it is easy to lose count. Some are so decked out and over the top, it’s mind blowing. For weeks as the season approaches, large trucks full of Christmas decor come into the towns and are setting up for the Christmas season.

 

The impact of Martin Luther and his awe with Christmas and his marveling over the Incarnation still seems to abide in the heart of the land in spite of the passage of the centuries.

 

Luther was bowled over by the little babe lying in the manger: “this little babe in the lap of Mary is He who overcomes sin, death, the world, hell, the devil, and all ill.” 

 

Rerouted 

 

We were having breakfast with a pastor friend named Sarah after we had been ministering, who said: “Since you guys are in Germany you should take some time to go on the Reformation Trail—visit the towns connected with Martin Luther and the Reformation.”

 

We were kind of just thinking about what she said, but not sure if that would work out… when circumstances took place that literally drove us into that situation, and eventually made it clear she had given us a word from the Lord. 

 

We in fact ended up diverted by really bad traffic, there were six consecutive accidents in a row (!) when we were driving afterwards, that had us detoured off the freeway and unexpectedly ending up in a little Lutherstadt (Luther Town). I don’t think I’ve ever experienced running into six accidents in a row, even with all the chaotic driving in California—driving in Germany is much more disciplined, so this was very unusual.

 

We prayed, “Lord what’s going on?” And discerned that He was in fact allowing these trying circumstances and battles to reroute our steps right onto the Reformation Trail, the passage about Paul being redirected in the Book of Acts came to my heart as we prayed. Having been redirected, we hit the little Luther Museum in the town the next day which shared insights we had not known before.

 

Having read different books, studied the Reformation, including in seminary, as well as visited many different places connected with the Reformation, I do not know how we never knew: that though Luther grew up in church, and was an altar boy, and sang in the choir, was at mass every week his whole life, yet he never even saw a Bible until he was 20 years old! Thus, these mission trips have also served as something of a spiritual seminary for us… taking us deeper and deeper into subjects we may know something about, but through these experiences learning more all the time.

 

Luther was sent off to study the Bible by the leader of his monastery just to get him out of their hair with his constant confessing of his sins for hours and hours a day—reading and studying the Bible was an unusual task then, reserved only for theologians in that time, the Bible being completely inaccessible to the vast majority of people. Forced into the Scriptures, which he had learned nothing of his whole life in church, instead being replaced with rituals and traditions, he now began to stumble his way into a revelation of the amazing mercy and grace of God.

 

Revelation came to Martin Luther as he read the Bible: the Living Word, the Ancient Logos came to life to Luther via the anointing of Christ! A revelation of God’s grace is in fact what he experienced, and it changed his life, just as it has countless others throughout the passages of time. 

 

Luther remained entranced by the little babe lying in the manger, the Son of God, God the Son, God incarnate, και ο λόγος σαρξ εγέντος, the living Word become flesh!

 

Jesus, the babe lying in the manger, calls out to us still to join the wise men and humble ourselves at His feet in worship and receive His grace and mercy which will carry us to Heaven as well as through all the ups and downs of life, and in fact through each and every day, as we just look to Him in faith! Christmas is a good time to reflect on the amazing grace of the Savior who was born in a manger and died on the cross all to give us life and that more abundantly!

 

Merry Christmas!

from Bryan and Mercedes

www.graceworldmission.org