Christmas Eve --- 24 December 2018

Luke

    In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. 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. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 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.
     In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 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: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth 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 heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
    [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." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.]

Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people

·       Put yourself in the place of the shepherds for a moment. We can all use our imagination for this.

·       We’re out in a field with our companions, watching over the flocks in case a predator or a robber comes, so our staves or “crooks” are handy. The quiet is deep and the conversation with the others has stopped. The sheep bleat every so often, but we’re used to that. Another normal day in the land outside the holy city, Jerusalem. We can’t often go there because we’re watching the flocks and we rarely get to clean up to go into the famous city. BUT we don’t have to deal with the Romans very much out here. Still in all, not much happens out here.

·       Wait! What was that? Did you hear something? The wild animals sometimes make noise, but that was no wild animal.

·       Where’s that light coming from? Did we light a fire or does someone have a lantern? No? Then what’s going on? We’d best look to protecting our flocks!

·       Who’s that? Over there! What did he say? “Do not be afraid!” Don’t come any closer! I’ll smack you with my stick! Of course, I’m afraid! Do you think I’m a fool? You just don’t sneak up on shepherds out here in the fields like that! We should’ve seen you coming.

·       But we didn’t. What’s that he said? “Good News of great joy for all.” What does that mean? Is this a joke? I’d laugh if I weren’t so scared!

·       You bring good news, eh? Is this freedom from Rome? From Rome’s puppets here in Judea? From laws set up as hurdles and barriers between us and God? That we would hear as good news!

·       Now there’s a whole bunch of these messengers, and they’re praising God! I don’t care what the first one said! It’s still scary! “On earth, peace to those he favours.” So for the special ones who keep the Law and decide who is special!

·       Wait… what if… we’re the ones who were meant to receive this Good News, rather than the powerful and the rich and the self-righteous? That would be something!

·       Maybe we should head over to Bethlehem and see about this. Maybe that herald and his choir know something.

·       Well, you know the rest of the story, so we can come back to ourselves and look to the angel’s proclamation: Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people…

·       That statement may have stunned the shepherds as much as the surprise of the “glory of the Lord” shining around them. Could this be? Are there more surprises?

·       Could the Messiah be born among us?

·       Could the Messiah be born as one of us?

·       Could the one to save us from our own evils have more to say about the world and the powers of the world?

·       Could those same concerns be with us now some 2000 years later?

·       Well… Yes!

·       People remain people. Problems remain problems. Sin remains sin… and thanks be to God, grace remains grace.

·       Christ is born… not over again, but once in a poor birth for us worth celebrating every year and probably every day.

·       Christ is born, and the life of God is among God’s people, within and around all of us.

·       Christ is born and new life is possible for each and every one of us… grace, the free gift of God, makes no exceptions.

·       Christ is born and our world cannot be the same… and neither can we.

·       You all know I’m no angel, but I’m charged to give the same message as those better heralds, a message to each of us individually.

·       So I might say to you and to myself…

·       O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold him

Born the King of Angels:

O come, let us adore Him, (3×)

Christ the Lord.

and another less-known, un-official verse...

·       Oh, come, ye unfaithful,

Broken and mistreated!

Oh, come ye, Oh, come ye to Bethlehem.

Come and behold Him,

Born the Friend of Sinners.

O come, let us adore Him, (3×)

Christ the Lord.

·       Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing YOU good news of great joy for all the people: TO YOU is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.