I saw The Nativity Story last night with some people from our Sunday Night Community. I wanted to share a few brief thoughts on it with you in case you were considering going. I honestly enjoyed the movie. It caused me to worship. I drove home with a very full, overflowing heart. I was in awe of my Savior. The movie, for me, brought to life the story of Jesus. Now that I have had a day to kind of process my thoughts, here are some of the ways I was impacted:

1. Mary was young. — It is one thing to know in your mind that Mary was 15 or 16 years old when she delivered Jesus, but it blows you away to see her youth on the screen.

2. Joseph did a very noble thing in marrying Mary. — The movie does a wonderful job displaying the accusations, judgments, etc. that were most likely passed on Joseph & Mary as a result of her carrying the baby Jesus.

3. Herod believed but didn’t display proper faith. — Herod believed the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah but refused to submit to them. Herod truly believed that God desired to deliver His people with a Messiah. But instead of giving his heart to God, he decided to oppose him.

4. Mary & Joseph were just normal people. — The faith they displayed in truly believing the word of God was amazing. I know an angel (the only part of the movie I could have done without — the angels didn’t really capture what I think angels would look like) appeared to Mary & Joseph, but it was still amazing that they obeyed. God had virtually been silent for 400 years and suddenly He speaks again in visions and dreams to certain people. They had to have second guessed what they thought they saw and heard. Despite the ridicule, questions, and accusations of others, Mary and Joseph’s actions displayed great faith. You could also sense the humbleness and shock of Joseph & Mary in the movie for being the chosen parents of the Messiah. They couldn’t believe God would choose them! Mary even says in the movie to Elizabeth, “Why would God choose me? I am nothing.”

5. The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem was brutal. — The film does an excellent job giving us a visual picture of this.

6. The wise men from the east traveled a long way. — It most likely took them months to get to where Jesus was. They displayed great faith in making the journey.

7. The firstborn of creation became a baby. — My Sunday night group has been studying Colossians for a few months. We just finished studying these verses:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him…”

When I saw Jesus the baby in the film, I became undone. Why would Jesus become a baby? Why would the firstborn become born? My heart filled with love, admiration, and joy.

So those are my thoughts. If others out there have seen it, I would like to hear your response as well. Feel free to leave a comment.