Luke 2: 1-6 New Revised Standard Version
SHAME UNLIMITED
Shame is a universal, primal emotion that debases and degrades whatever it touches. Shame is social pain—pain including family, friends, neighborhood, and even nation.
Mary is found to be with child. Though Mary has been visited by Gabriel to explain her unique calling, we have no indication that he notified any of the neighbors. Joseph received a dream, which called him into the plan as
well, and he was faithful, but consider the road they walked.
Shame would have been in heavy evidence.
Mary’s family would have felt shame. This was the most egregious violation of womanhood imaginable. She was not yet married—only engaged—and already having a baby. We all know that babies come after parents marry.
Joseph would have been shamed. His brothers, his friends, his neighbors—all would have encouraged him to divorce Mary and make her an outcast. But he refused in faithfulness to God as the angel had foretold him.
So Mary and Joseph, by God’s help, are above shame. But no one else was. The little town of Nazareth would have been scandalized. In a small, rural town, everyone knows everyone else’s business, and this story would have been front page news to them all.
On top of that, they have to travel to Bethlehem—Joseph’s ancestral hometown—which would be like walking into a huge family reunion.
The Gospel of Luke does not say they were married; it says they were betrothed, engaged only (Matthew says married, but not Luke). It was a recipe for shame.
Bethlehem would have been shamed by the situation—this is most likely why there was no room found for them. And not just room to be found, but room made for them, because who wouldn’t open up a room or send other guests away in order to accommodate a young woman who was about to give birth to one of King David’s progeny?
No, the family name—the House of David—suffered shame for the situation.
Mary and Joseph were innocent, but the world around them expected them to be ashamed and tried to put that badge of shame onto them.
I see Mary and Joseph in the midst of it all: gentle, patient, reverent, hopeful, and joy-filled. The world around them expected them to be shamed, and tried to pile it on, but these two were under Grace instead.
Shame can be an ugly thing——a devilish voice—that speaks a kind of mean judgment to others. When you and I feel it, shame holds us captive to the fear of having our inadequacies exposed, and there is no good in it.
You know that the very name Satan means “the Accuser.” What is shame but that constantly nagging, inward voice of accusation? Shame is a joy-killer, bringing joy only to the devils who can inflict it.
I tell you in Jesus’ name that there is no need for any Christian to live with shame. The cross represents the work of Christ who bore all shame on our behalf. He carries the shame—carried it all once and for all—buried it, sent it down to Hell where it belongs, and rose out of it in order that you and I would live our lives with joy. Joy—not shame—is one mark of authentic Christianity.
In Romans 1, Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” The Greek word for gospel is literally evangelism. This word—gospel, good news-er, or evangelist—is secular in origin. He was a kind of traveling town crier who visited Roman villages to deliver “good news,” usually of a military victory. “Your Lord and Savior Caesar has successfully defeated the armies of Gaul!” etc.
That this term was picked up and Christianized is not inappropriate, for the message or our evangelism is similar: “Your Lord and Savior Jesus has successfully triumphed over sin, Satan, and all the shame of the world—once and for all!”
This is the Covid year—2020 wants us to feel that shame.
2020 wants us to be down, irritable, angry.
2020 has encouraged the violent and vandalistic.
2020 wants Christians to feel immoral, stupid, sexist, racist, and homophobic—we know we are none of these—but the world wants us to wear that badge of shame.
Instead, we will sing and praise God.
We, like Mary and Joseph, can have patience, for we know that this too shall pass. We, too, can be gentle, knowing that God is in control and we are not needed for a revolution
We, too, can be reverent, giving thanks to God amid the onslaught of false accusations.
We. too, can be hopeful when all around are hopeless, because we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God loves us and values us—we are more valuable to Heaven than we can possibly imagine.
And we can be joy-filled, because the shame does not stick to us. We have been permanently relieved of it all. We know this because we remember how Jesus bore our shame so that we may live free of it.
A shaming world could not keep Him down—not even keep Him in a grave through death—and it can’t keep us down.
pe, too, will rise from it by the power Christ gives to us—that is resurrection power, and we can access it here and now—today, in this hour. And we would be foolish not to!
We are Mary and Joseph, making our way toward home—which is Heaven, not merely Bethlehem—and it doesn’t matter what people say about us. All we care about is what God thinks of us, and God has made it clear that we are His beloved. He loves us. Therefore, what can the world do to us?
We travel through shame to Joy.
Mary and Joseph found all the houses in Bethlehem full. No one had room. As we go into this Christmas, let us—you and I—be sure to make room for them. They are the good news we need to hear. They are the bearers of the good news that saves the world. †