On Christmas eve a simple play re-enacting the first Christmas took the worshippers to the four roads to Bethlehem. Mary’s humility and obedience to God’s will are the recurring themes in these travels. At his birth, the Father had always been protective of his son quietly allowing him to be born as the prophets had foretold hundred years ago. The roads likewise gave a glimpse of the dangers and suffering his son would have to go through in fulfillment of his mission of salvation. The Father, while thwarting Herod, who was threatened by the prophecy of the birth of the King of the Jews had come to pass, sent his angels and the wise men to proclaim his Son’s majesty. Bringing us to the fourth road is another recurring theme in the play- man’s rejection of God that leads to the question:” Will you come?”
The first road travelled by Mary and Joseph in obedience to the decree of Caesar Augustus chronicled their arduous trip from Nazareth. Heavy with child, Mary took to the tortuous road with Joseph amidst the cold weather, and the throng that crowded every available inn that there was no room for the Son of the Most High God to be born in the earth He created. An empty stall in a barn provided the messiah a refuge from the cold weather and from the hardened hearts of men who refused to accept him.
To simple men with faith – the shepherds who were watching their flock that silent night –was granted the privilege to have learned and witnessed the birth of the savior. An angel appeared to them saying, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” As the angels sang the shepherds came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.
The third road reflected a prelude to the suffering the baby would have to go through in obedience to the will of his Father. Threatened by the birth of the king of the Jews, Herod sought to trick the three wise men who were in search for the messiah. Alarmed that the prophecy might have come to pass the king sent for the wise men and instructed them to look diligently for the child and report to him that he too may go and worship him. Guided by the eastern star, the magi travelled the third road bearing gifts for the Messiah and found him with Mary and Joseph. In a dream they were warned not to go back to Herod, so they returned to their country taking a different road.
Will you come? The fourth road, which is for us, seeks an answer to the question. Shall we travel with him? He has been born among us and dwells among us. Shall we accept him? He made the world but the world refused to accept him. The world knew him not. That Christmas Eve God was calling us to respond to his call for salvation. In his message Pastor Oyette issued us the challenge: Will we commit ourselves and join him on the fourth road? Hebrew 3:14:15 asked everyone to come and share in Christ, to listen to his voice and harden not our hearts. The Pastor reminded the believers that those who want to become children of God need a second birth. John 1-12-13 states that those who receive him and believe in his name have been given the right to become children of God, that they are “children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
Centuries ago the three roads had been travelled. The fourth road, to quote a poem, is “the road less travelled by.” It is a road only men who have faith and who commit themselves to Jesus can travel. Their candles lit, for those who will come, the pastor, as he concluded the service with the benediction prayed, “May the light of the Lord shine in your life.”
