Sermon for Christmas Eve -- the Festival of the Nativity of Our Lord -- 24 December 2016

(Since the bulletin for Christmas Eve was rather large, it will not be included any blog entry.)

Luke 2:1-14 [15-20]

1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth 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 heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

[15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.]

she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

·        The pictures these verses bring to our mind are always quite memorable. Mary and Joseph gathered around the manger with the child, all wrapped up in cloth, lying quietly in the hay. The animals stand by and look on in their animal way. Shepherds arrive to see this incredible sight, one that had been told to them by an angel with accompanying choirs and then they leave, glorifying and praising God. There’s usually snow and a gentle glow of light, too.

·        This is how we picture it and how we see it depicted on Christmas cards and in most other visual ways. Many churches even make a three-dimensional show of it, some even using live actors and real animals.

·        Whether or not the birth of Christ came about in just the way we imagine it does not matter quite so much. All of this has become traditional for us. It can be heart-warming… or it can just be cute.

·        But is it over-whelming? Is it astounding? Is it humbling?

·        It is, if we think about it a while.

·        Christmas, the festival of the Nativity of Our Lord, can be over-whelming. This is not so much because of all that has been added to the festival – the lights, the gifts, the pastries, the visits, which are all enjoyable even as they add to our stress. It is over-whelming because the festival is filled with awe, something the dictionary defines as “a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.” The truly awesome birth of Jesus Christ deserves respect… and wonder… and fear.

·        The Creator of all lies hidden as the youngest child. The All-powerful One has become as helpless as an infant because the All-powerful One has been born an infant. The Saviour of the world and all of humankind wears a diaper and shivers in the night.

·        Christmas can be astounding and it should be. We cannot wrap our minds around what is actually going on. It is and will always remain beyond us. It is not possible for us to comprehend what has taken place here in what might be called one of the most common human experiences. Think for a moment: haven’t we all been through being born? It really is the only way we know how to get here. And tonight we celebrate God laying aside all power and glory and majesty… to become like us, to be as we are.

·        Christmas and all that it encompasses is humbling. Christ is born in the most humble circumstances – born in a stable because there was no place for them in the inn. His birth is attended by his family, some animals, and later some poor and despised shepherds. The angels are not there at the stable, at least they don’t make their presence known. The angels do sing the praise of God and tell the shepherds of this great event out in the field where the shepherds’ flocks can be found, but at the manger they are silent.

·        What is truly humbling is the reason why this birth came to pass. The angels told the shepherds to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. The One who was promised and awaited was here, but not as many had expected. The humble circumstances of his birth is humbling and up-lifting to us at the same time. As John would write “THE WORD became flesh” which uplifts us and “The Word became FLESH”, which humbles us.

·        Throughout the history of the Church, Christians have looked at this mystery with wonder and amazement. The presence of Jesus as both divine and human is beyond our understanding and shows God’s willingness to join with us and all of creation in the brokenness of the world just as it is. The fact that God became one of us was the most wonderful thing Martin Luther could imagine. It shaped everything else he thought, did, and felt. He wrote this:

Upon a manger filled with hay

In poverty content he lay

With milk was fed the Lord of all

Who feeds the ravens when they call.

·        We Christians of this present day can only stand in wonder of what we know of the event we celebrate. Over the past few weeks, I was blessed to find an ancient Christian hymn that expresses this wonder. It’s not well known in the West and it comes from the Christians of the ancient churches of Syria and the Middle East. Here is text of it:

Today is born of a Virgin,

     he who holds creation in the hollow of his hand.

he who in his essence cannot be handled

     is wrapped in swaddling clothes.

God, who in the beginning established the heavens,

     lies in a manger   

He who rained Manna on the people in the wilderness,

     is nourished with milk from his mother’s breast.

The Bridegroom of the Church summons Magi.
     The Son of the Virgin accepts their gifts.

We worship your birth, O Christ.

     Show us also your Theophany.

God bless and be with us all this Christmas… for that is why Jesus, the Word, became flesh.