Sermon - Christmas Eve 2020 - Luke 2:1-20

 Merry Christmas! “Thou christian heart, whoe’er thou art, be of good cheer and let no sorrow move thee! For God’s own Child, in mercy mild, joins thee to Him; how greatly God must love thee!” Tomorrow is Christmas, and for us Christians it’s the greatest celebration on earth, second only to Easter! God Himself, the second person of the Trinity, has become man in order to join us in our flesh in order to redeem us from the sins of our flesh.

What joy and gladness cheers our hearts because of this most profound act of God! The whole heavenly host of angels even sing of this wondrous event: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” The Immortal has put on our mortality; the eternal has stepped into the temporal; God is clothed in our flesh and blood. “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,” in the small human body of Jesus.

The Light of the World has entered into the darkness within which we dwell. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” This is the great joy of Christmas, not that everything in this life is just peachy, but that God has entered into the world to rid us of such darkness. 

To help us understand this darkness which Christ has entered into, consider the events of the first Christmas. To begin with, Joseph and Mary had to travel in order to be registered with the census. The purpose of the census? Taxes. We Americans this Christmas are apparently getting a stimulus check from our government, while Joseph and Mary were preparing to be taxed. 

So here’s Mary and Joseph, travelling from Nazareth up to Bethlehem, on hilly and mountainous terrain, about 80 miles, in order to pay taxes. On top of that, Mary is about nine months pregnant and ready to give birth. I know the depictions show that Mary rode a donkey, and maybe she did, we don’t know, the Bible doesn’t say. But given the fact that Joseph is a simple manual laborer, it’s unlikely they had a donkey to ride. 

So that means they walked probably four 8-hour days to get to Bethlehem. Upon arrival into Joseph’s hometown, filled with his relatives and family, they can’t find anywhere to stay. Here’s a woman with child, about to give birth, just walked 80 miles, and no one is willing to give up their bed for this poor young teenager. So now they’re relegated to lodging in the barn.

As if this trip couldn’t get any worse, she goes into labor, away from home in a barn, in a town where no one likes her. So first time mom Mary doesn’t even have any help in delivery, according to the text she does it all herself. “She gave birth to her firstborn son and she wrapped him in swaddling cloths and she laid him in a manger.” Yeah, as much as we romanticize it, this is not your picturesque birth story, it was the worst nightmare come true. But it was into that dark nightmare which Christ, the Light of all the world, was born for Mary and Joseph, and for you and me.

Christ has come not because everyone is happy and things are going so well, but because sin has ravaged this world so violently. Gloom and sorrow are the norm in this world, not because a bunch of random bad stuff happened to us, but because we’re sinners who do a bunch of bad stuff and reap the deadly fruits of our wicked labor. We deserve the rod of oppressors, the stench of plagues, and every boot of tramping warrior in battle tumult.

Yet, in spite of all that, we’re to be of good cheer and let no sorrow move our hearts. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” He is our blessed hope for whom we’ve been waiting! He is our great God and Savior who gave Himself for us to redeem us.

Just as He was born in the midst of a nightmare scenario, so did He die in a nightmare scenario. In a most horrific fashion He was prosecuted, torchered, and crucified. And He suffered it all for you. His birth and His death took place in the great miseries of this life in order to redeem you from your sin and many nightmares. Death is swallowed up by this little Babe who has been born for me and for you!

The joy of Christmas is not just some cute decorations, pretty lights, family gatherings, and familiar sentimental songs. Even when those things don’t happen, the joy of Christmas is still yours because Christ has made His manger here on earth among the beasts! So here, this altar, is the manger of God, who comes down from on high and is wrapped in swaddling cloths. From this altar we brutes feast upon the Lamb of God who has been born for us and we are now filled with glory from on high!

We’re like the shepherds, awake in the night, to whom the angels have appeared and declared the Good news of great joy for all people. While many are sleeping, missing from the pews, the angels have appeared to us keeping watch in the night. So you have come with haste to see this thing which has happened. Tonight, you have become a shepherd, as you kneel before the Lamb of God. You’ve become Mary, as the Son has been born unto you and now you treasure up all these things and ponder them in your heart, since all joy has come unto you in these sorrowful days. 

As we bring this year to a close in a few days, let us ever remember these comforting words from our hymn: “Though plagues thou bear, Do not despair! Thy Brother will not spurn thy grief and sighing. His heart is meek And loves the weak, Nor can He see our suff'ring without crying. The world may hold her wealth and gold; but thou, my heart, keep Christ as thy true treasure. To Him hold fast until at last a crown be thine and honor in full measure.”

Merry Christmas!