Sermon - Christmas Eve 2023 - Luke 2:1-14

Angels Announcing the Birth of Christ to the Shepherds, Govert Flinck, 1639

Our Christmas Journey

1. To ancient Judea

2. To the manger

3. To the shepherds in the field

4. To the angels

Merry Christmas! “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” This evening’s message is a simple message, albeit remarkably profound. It’s a message of joy and a cause for celebration, a message of happiness and peace: The Son of God has been born a man and is our Savior. This evening we go on a journey, a Christmas journey, better than a magical sleigh or train could ever offer you, because this journey is real and its impact eternal.

Today we journey from Iowa to Judea, from the 21st century to the 1st century. “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.” In those days Rome was the world power, ruled by the first Roman emperor Caesar Augustus. For Rome these were days of peace and prosperity, the Pax Romana as it came to be called. Augustus was so adored by the people he was even worshiped as a deity. 

Of course this prosperity and golden age had to be funded somehow, so a special tax was imposed upon the Empire and all of its conquered lands. Quirinius was a Roman aristocrat given charge over Syria and also Judea, and he was in charge of tax registration in Judea. The fact that pagan Rome was taxing Judea meant that not everyone in the world approved of the Roman Empire. This was a controversial subject among the Israelites. Life in Judea was not a bed of roses.

Nevertheless, there wasn’t much choice in the matter. “All went to be registered, each to his own town.” Joseph and Mary were no exception. “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, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.” Joseph had to pay taxes according to his lineage and ancestry, so he had to return to his fatherland of Bethlehem. It was a 90 mile journey, taking four days to walk if they walked for about eight hours a day. While it’s possible Mary rode a donkey, that’s not in the Biblical record, and it’s unlikely. So instead Joseph and Mary journeyed to Bethlehem with her being nearly 9 months pregnant.

It’s this historical context in which Jesus was born, fulfilling the Old Testament Prophecy from Micah: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be ruler over Israel.” So indeed, here in this dinky little town was born our Savior! “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 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.”

Having journeyed to Bethlehem, now we journey to a manger in which our Lord was first laid. The romantic picture we have is of Joseph and Mary finding the hotels all filled up with folks coming to pay taxes. But the greek word doesn’t mean inn or hotel, rather it means guest-room. So the picture is more like this: Joseph and Mary enter Bethlehem, Joseph’s hometown filled with his relatives. But none of them make room in their homes for Joseph and Mary. Here’s a pregnant woman, either in labor or very close, having just walked 90 miles, and no one is willing to let Mary and Joseph into their home. So they lodged with the animals, and Mary gave birth to the Lord in a barn, wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a feeding trough.

But how appropriate that Jesus, who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, was born among the sheep. He was laid in a manger, which for Joseph and Mary became their altar at which they and the shepherds and the angels worship the Son of God. The manger is a feeding trough, from which lowly animals feast, and so the Bread of Life was laid there reminding us that one day the Bread of Life would be laid upon this altar here where we lowly people might feast upon the body and blood of Jesus. With Joseph and Mary we’ve journeyed here and we kneel before this manger, worshiping the Lamb of God and feasting upon the Bread of Life.

But then we continue on our journey to the fields near Bethlehem and we greet the poor shepherds. “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” Here our journey doesn’t return to the Roman Emperor Augustus whom people treated like a god, or any other such prestigious individual, but to lowly shepherds working the night shift. I don’t know about you, but these are my kind of people, ordinary country folk, hard-working and dedicated, although often ignored. But it’s to these that our journey continues.

The Son of God is born a man and is our Savior, and that good news of great joy is for the ordinary everyman. This greatest, most joyfilled announcement, is for the shepherds in the field and for the ordinary folks today, for people like you and me. We’re not in the news, nobody on earth thinks we’re particularly important, yet we’re like the shepherds in the field and here we are hearing the most important news imaginable as declared by the heavenly host.

That’s immediately where our journey now turns. Seeing the shepherds standing watch in the field, suddenly: “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!””

You wouldn’t think that our journey to ancient Judea, from the Roman Emperor’s court, to Bethlehem, to a manger, would bring us all the way to heaven, but here we are! Standing amidst the shepherds we hear the angels announce and sing: “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord… Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased.” That’s right, unto you dear Iowans of the 21st century, a Savior is born who is Christ the Lord! This news of great joy is no more wondrous for the shepherds of long ago than it is for us. The Savior, Christ Jesus, has become man! Through this One we are saved and redeemed from sin, death, and the devil. Let sighing and sorrow flee away, for Christ has come, and we’ve been rescued! We can’t say it enough, since it’s the greatest news: The Son of God has been born a man and is our Savior! 

Merry Christmas!