December 24, 2025 · Rev. Derek van Gulden · Isaiah 11:1-3, 6-9; Luke 2:1-19
In the Christmas Eve homily, Rev. Derek van Gulden hands the story to Malachi, cousin of Joseph, whose house in Bethlehem was so full of relatives that the only room left was downstairs with the animals. With that first cry, Malachi says, time reset itself, and hope came back into an occupied world.
Transcript
Good evening. Pastor Derek asked me if I'd come by and talk to you a little bit this afternoon. Well, this evening I'm sorry where I come from. Well, it's on the other side of the world. My name is Malachi.
Every year you see the nativity scene. You hear about the inn where there was no room for them. But you never hear about me, have you? Anybody know the innkeeper that puts him in with the animals?
The truth is, the truth is, during that time when Joseph and Mary were traveling. Joseph's a cousin of mine, by the way, because we come from the house of David and Caesar. Great Caesar, the one who brought us peace through occupation, oppression, and all kinds of other things. Decided there needed to be a census. To tell you the truth, the only reason he needed a census so he can figure out how to get more money from us. Don't you think his cronies and him know that we live day to day just getting by? I'm sure you don't have that in your time. But let me tell you, as somebody who was there what it was like.
Now, I had a house and all my relatives were coming from all over the place. Joseph and Mary were the last ones to arrive. And you could say my house became like an inn because every single room was occupied. Every single room. And when Joseph and Mary got there after a week or more, nine months pregnant, traveling on a donkey. Strong young woman. But when they got there, there was no place for them but the lower part of the inn or my house, where we kept all the animals at night to keep them safe. And when it was cold outside, the heat from their bodies came up through the floorboards and kept us warm. This is where Mary and Joseph stayed. Come to think of it, I don't think they'd want to be anywhere else.
Because that night, Mary gave birth. Now, some believe that because in the advent manger scenes, it's Mary and Joseph, a shepherd or two, and the kings that come later. But they do show up that there was no one else with them. Well, I don't know about you, but in our time, we traveled together. Safety in numbers. And these were families coming from different parts, and they traveled with others. And I'm pretty sure because I saw one, there was a midwife and other women to be there with her at the birth.
But as somebody who was there, this was not a normal birth. I mean, she gave birth to her son Jesus in the same way other people do. But there was something different about it. Having watched this and getting to know, getting to know them in that moment. Life changed. It's hard to explain why. It was just a perception on my part. But life changed in that moment. That first breath, that first cry. You heard of that baby Changed everything, at least for me, because I was there to witness it.
And I think all the creatures that were around him in this safe place were there to welcome him into this world, a world that God created for everyone. Every one seems to be a word sometimes that we miss. All are welcome. All are created in the image of God. And yet humans set limits. It wasn't any different in my time.
Mary and Joseph. My cousin Joseph. Mary. The first time I met her. But in that night In this place that most people would consider. Why would you have a baby in a manger? Now, I've talked to some people and they say, well, we don't have a barn, but we have a garage. I. Well, would you have a baby that. No, no oil stains on the floor, stuff hanging along the walls.
But in that moment, on that night that you remember. With that breath, with that first cry. Time reset itself. The created world reset itself. And hope was brought back into the world. At least for us it was. It was hard for us to say what happened, but we felt it. We knew that something had gone on and we finally found some hope in this world where. Roman soldiers occupied our territory. We scraped by every day trying to figure out the next.
But in that moment. When time stood still for a second. And the world changed. And when Mary and Joseph gifted the world with this amazing gift of this child. Who would go on to change the world. And I say change because you're, what, two hundred and twenty five thousand years? Two hundred and twenty. Right. I'm terrible at math. So we didn't have calculators back then, or those smart things you're talking to.
But over two thousand and twenty five years ago, this birth happened. And today you still celebrate it. Do people remember Caesar? Oh, no. I'm not in your time. But I know they remember this infant who changed the world and came into the world in very humble beginnings. Born in the midst of all the animals with other people around.
And yet, in my life, it was the most beautiful moment I experienced. And from that came hope. And from that we're finding peace. And from that we find joy. And from that we know where love comes from in that moment. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me.