Christmas Eve
12/24/10
Luke 2:1-20
Bror Erickson
[2:1] In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. [2] This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. [3] And all went to be registered, each to his own town. [4] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, [5] to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. [6] And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. [7] And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
[8] And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. [10] And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12] And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
[14] "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
[15] When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." [16] And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. [17] And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. [18] And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. [19] But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. [20] And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:1-20 (ESV)
Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Fear not. It is a strange greeting, but then fear seems to be the normal for people to react with fear when approached by angels, the messengers of God. Lots of fear where God is concerned. People usually don’t want to hear from God or about God. We have a natural aversion to him. We think we know what he has to tell us. And it usually isn’t good news, it isn’t normally gospel. Perhaps the shepherds had reason to think they should fear. They were men like you and I. Sinners like us. Shepherding isn’t easy work. And as the saying goes, those who work hard tend to play hard. One can imagine them passing the time in the fields, tossing dice and drinking wine in the wee hours when the sheep are sleeping. Perhaps stealing a lamb from their employers flock and having a feas. Their boss would never know. Lambs get lost, lambs are attacked by wolves, bears, lions, jackals. One can imagine the next morning the resentment building among the shepherds as they suspect eachother of cheating at cards, trying to win their money back with a double or nothing bet. Perhaps waking up with black eyes, cauliflower ears, busted lips and missing teeth as from fighting out the differences. And now the angels are standing in front of them.
Now perhaps you can sense the fear. Perhaps you can empathize just a little bit from your own experiences. What would be your thoughts seeing an angel. Think about that now, for angels come for us too. There will be a day when angels come to gather the harvest when Christ comes not as a baby boy to save us from our sins, but in glory on clouds with angels announcing to gather the harvest, and Him to judge the living and the dead. And I imagine their will be fear.
There is not a one of us who deserve to be counted in with the righteous. There isn’t a one of us that should expect good news on that day, expect the angels to bring gospel. Who of has no reason to fear the advent of our king? And the shepherds too knew of this day to come. How much they must have thought that it had come now, in their young days before they had a chance to make up for the sins of their youth even, not to mention the sins of older more mature years. It seems we never grow out of sin. Told to love our neighbor as ourselves, and we let our friends down. Let resentment boil. Love our neighbors as ourselves, and we can’t even seem to love our family enough to have a peaceful Christmas dinner. We let the stress of the season, the added credit charges trying to top one another in gift giving or making this year better than last year. And it never happens. The season goes out of control, and we wake up resenting ourselves and those around us.
Now, I’m not one for going on anti Santa crusades. And I caution do not deprive children of Christmas in the name of Christ. Don’t blame Christ with nice sentiments about what the season is supposed to be about etc. etc. I like Santa. And I do know the season can get out of control, but that isn’t Christ’s fault, and it isn’t even Santa’s. But I do say somewhere amid all the stress, somewhere amidst all failures of friendship and family, boiling over into bickering and resentment, that we remember the angels came this time with good news, with gospel, the anouncement of a blessing for all nations, a great joy for all people. That tonight we celebrate the birth of our God, in the city of David, not a curse but a blessing, for unto us a savior is born.
Oh, and he knew who it was he was saving. Can you imagine the resentment building up in Joseph? As he watches the love of his life, the girl he loves so much that he stays with her despite the taunts of friends and family that his betrothed has been unfaithful. Sure he knew better, he knew who this was being born into his house, into his family. But these taunts against her character and his credulity continue to this day even as the most dimwitted idiots in the world parse out the meaning of Alma, the word translated Virgin, in Isaiah seven and claim that Mary was not, and that the meaning is young girl. Though what prophecy would that be? And Joseph stays, he stays for love. And now he watches the love of his life give birth in a barn. Yes our Lord, our God, our Savior was born in a barn, makes you wonder if he left the door open a lot when he was growing up. Here he is in his home town, and his brothers, uncles, cousins, aunts, they leave them in the cold. The inn has no room, and there isn’t a soul in this city of sinners who can care enough to give up their room so the mother of their God can give birth in a room with a modicum of warmth, perhaps even a bed with some half way clean linen. And who would blame them for having a little resentment? I think I might have just of anger. Jesus knew.
He himself had reason to be angry, but then he knew that before he became our brother and bore our flesh, our bone, our blood. He knew who it was he came to save. He came to save sinners. He came to save the city of sinners, the city of David in which he was born. He came to save you.
And the angels this night came with good news, they came with gospel of a great joy, that on this night a savior is born. A savior who forgives. And what a great joy it is. A joy that can’t help but boil over into gift giving and love, a joy grounded in forgiveness and love of a God who cares enough for you, that he would wear your flesh, and bear your sin, even as a helpless little child born in a barn, to die in your place and forgive you. So that amidst all the seasons stress, we too can forgive and know the joy of life abundant.
Now the peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
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