Sermon for Christmas Eve
+ Luke 2:1-14 +
It used to be that most people in our country—in our Western civilization!—knew the basic facts of Christmas. But I think that’s no longer true. For years the unbelieving world has been painting a picture of Christmas that has nothing to do with the birth of Christ, and finally, it looks like the world is succeeding in snuffing out the story from our collective knowledge—though never from the hearts of Christians. Still, it’s hard for us who have grown up in the Church to fathom—a world in which many people are ignorant about even the most basic facts of the Christmas story. Sure, they’re all still there, laid out in the Charlie Brown Christmas episode—the same reading you just heard this evening from Luke 2 is read at the end of that cartoon. But even that cartoon isn’t nearly as popular as it once was. We’ve entered a new Dark Age when it comes to knowing the basic facts of the Christian religion.
That’s a tragedy. But it’s also an opportunity. It’s an opportunity for us, as Christians, to tell people a story that, to them, is brand new. Or if not brand new, then told to them as a fairy tale that’s only as real as Santa Claus and his magical sleigh. In other words, they were told it was a children’s story, a piece of pious fiction, nothing more, with little place in our “progressive” society.
But we’re here this evening to repeat the facts of this story that we know so well, of this story that isn’t a fairy tale at all, but a record of historical events, and not just any historical events, but history-changing events that were planned and executed by the Creator of the world for the purpose of saving the world from its own beloved darkness, to bring all men into the Light of Christ. Let’s ponder again the facts of the Christmas story, this suddenly secret knowledge that Christians have which was never intended to be a secret. Because the Christmas story is a story for everyone.
About 2,000 years ago, somewhere between 5 BC and 1 BC—dating these ancient events more precisely than that becomes difficult—Caesar Augustus issued a decree. Caesar Augustus, the adopted son of Julius Caesar and the first emperor of the recently-formed Roman empire. A real historical figure, attested by all of secular history, along with Quirinius, the then governor of Syria—the same Syria that’s in the news today for the war going on there. Augustus never knew or worshiped the true God. He had no idea that the Old Testament prophet Micah had foretold Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah, no idea that the Virgin Mary was carrying God’s Son in her womb or that Joseph belonged to the house and lineage of King David and so needed to be in Bethlehem with Mary for the birth of their Son. And yet, by God’s divine design, Augustus issued the decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world, forcing the holy family to make the 80-mile-or-so journey down to Bethlehem.
80 miles—roughly from here to Elephant Butte—may not seem like much. But 80 miles on foot with a 9-months-pregnant woman, possibly in chilly weather, was still quite a journey, even with the help of a donkey or two.
By the time they arrived in the little town of Bethlehem, the inn was already full. No one had room for Joseph and Mary, even though she was almost ready to give birth. The Bible doesn’t harp on that fact; it just presents it as the reality. Even this faithful couple, even this young virgin who so willingly consented to become the virgin-mother of God by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit, was compelled by God to seek shelter outdoors, where a manger was, where animals feed, in a cave, in a stable. And that’s where God chose for the Virgin Mary to give birth to her firstborn Son. Not a single one of you would ever choose for your child to be born in such a way, in such a place. But this is exactly how God the Father wanted His precious Son to be born into the world, so that we might know, He did not come to live as an earthly lord and king, but to live as the lowliest of men, in order to save even the lowliest of men.
Then our story turns to some of those very lowliest of men—to a group of shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Not kings. Not priests. Not rich men. But shepherds. Shepherds like King David had been a thousand years earlier, right there in Bethlehem, before God exalted him to be king over Israel. Now David’s Seed, David’s Offspring, David’s Son and true Heir had been born in the same city where David was born, and shepherds were the first to hear about it.
They heard it first from a single angel who stood before them, as the glory of the Lord shone brightly all around them. It was the “glory of the Lord” that appeared in cloud that led the children of Israel safely through the Red Sea. It was the glory of the Lord that rested on Mt. Sinai, that was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. It was the glory of the Lord that shone from Moses’ face and that filled the tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem. And it was prophesied that the “glory of the Lord” would also accompany the Messiah’s Advent. And now, here it was, appearing to the shepherds of Bethlehem, signifying the Lord’s presence among men on earth.
The angel told them what had happened that night and explained the meaning of it, too. Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
Good tidings of great joy for all people. When we consider the wickedness of this world, including the wickedness of the person staring back at each of us in the mirror, the very last thing God should have for the world is good tidings of great joy. Because while we may be able to fool ourselves into thinking that most people are good—or, at least, that I am good!—and that God came to save all these good people, the Scriptures paint a very different picture of mankind—of an entire human race gone bad, of a world in which there is no one righteous, no, not one, where no one is good at heart, but all are corrupted, self-centered and evil. Into a world that stood condemned before the court of God’s justice, He sent an angel to some shepherds with good tidings of great joy for all people.
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Notice how similar their words were to the words you heard from Isaiah this evening: For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given—given upon the throne of David and over His kingdom. The long-prophesied Son of David had come to the city of David. He is a Savior. A Savior, not from abuse at the hands of men, not from earthly poverty, not from an oppressive government, not from earthly suffering. But a Savior from sin, death, and the devil. A Savior from the just condemnation we deserve because of our sins, because He bore the condemnation for us on the cross when He grew up; a Savior from the permanence of death, because He died and rose again and promises everlasting life to all who believe in Him; and a Savior from the accusations of the devil, who would have every right to drag us to hell, except that the Savior, who is Christ the Lord, descended into hell and stripped the devil of his power, so that no one who believes in Him will ever experience the torments of hell.
Unto you He is born, the angel said, for which reason all of humanity has reason to celebrate on this night. Christ was born for everyone. Not one person from our race is excluded from God’s desire that all men should be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. So let every man, woman, and child turn from sin and find free forgiveness and eternal salvation in the Child of Bethlehem!
After the one angel was done speaking, he was joined by a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men! If the holy angels could sing praise to God for His goodwill toward men, for bringing peace from on high down to earth in the Christmas gift that is His Son, surely we who are not holy of ourselves, but who are counted holy before God only by His grace, only through faith in Christ Jesus, have much more reason to sing, Glory to God in the highest! We thank You, Lord God, for offering us this undeserved peace through the birth and through the blood of Your Son, our Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
So, you see, we have a story to tell, a Christmas story for everyone. A story of God’s grace and love for sinners. A story of a Savior born for all. A story which comes with the power of God to convince people that it’s true. So never be afraid to ask your neighbor, have you heard the real story of Christmas? Some have, and disbelieve it. Others have, and do believe it. But still others haven’t even heard it. So this is your chance, every year, to be a Christmas angel and to spread a little bit of light into this dark world with the lifechanging story of Christmas. You don’t have to be a great storyteller. Your words can be as simple as the angel’s words: Unto you, on Christmas Eve, was born a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the highest! Amen.
