12-24-25. Luke 2:1-20
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar 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 in the guest room.
8 Now in that same 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 and 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, just as it had been told them.
O holy night, the stars shine bright, it is the night we celebrate our Savior’s birth.
Another Christmas, another recitation of that familiar story from St. Luke. You heard it before, you know it well. Yet here you are. Perhaps you came to sing the familiar carols with others, maybe you like the candle lighting or you remember that wonderful , tingly feeling from years ago. You might be here to make mom happy. Whatever the reason, I am just glad you came. May the Lord come to you this night and throughout the new year.
Consider why God cares about your reasons for being here, for our coming together again. Being here is a proclamation about what you believe to be the meaning of this Christmas. You are claiming that you have faith in this God who arranged for this special child to enter the human race. It was a subtle approach the was used, so unassuming. For the time and place that he was born, it was not as unique as we might think. The stable, the place where the animals hung out, was a place of warmth. Jesus was not the first baby to be born in what we would consider a barn. At least they had made it all the way to Bethlehem, so Mary didn’t have to deliver along the side of the road. There were no special protections in place, no medical personnel, not even a mid-wife is mentioned. Joseph and Mary could not afford to even have servants on hand. They didn’t even manage to get a room at the inn. You put together all these circumstances and it almost seems that this birth was snuck into the pages of the Holy Book, only Luke and Matthew even record the circumstances.
I admit there is an appearance on this night and the announcements they delivered nine months previously that qualifies as a more unique occurrence – it is the angels! Angels, the most reliable messenger service available! God had a reason for utilizing them. They were very noteworthy. Anyone confronted by an angel seems to be forever changed. They have always seemed to preface their announcements to individuals with : “Do not be afraid!” There is good cause for that. Angels are not the cutsie creatures presented like the little child cupids in pictures, cards, and knick knacks. Nor is it likely they are beautiful beings with long flowing locks and sparkling halos. Angels are God’s warriors, charged with bringing warnings and messages that should not be dismissed lightly. They were to be taken very seriously indeed!
It was from the angel Gabriel that Mary learned of her being chosen to bear the Christ Child. An angel spoke to Joseph to alert him to this one time- divinely instigated situation with Mary and the responsibility that was being placed on his shoulders. And then, on the birth day of this child, an angel pays a visit to a bunch of shepherds.
Would you want such a visit paid to you? I would caution you about such a wish. Best to stick with asking Santa for special gifts. In the case of the shepherds, the message was one of very good and surprising new. They were privileged to receive word that the Messiah was born. Even so, this very good news was prefaced with that assurance that they need not be afraid. It is evident the arrival of angels automatically stirred up anxiety and apprehension in humans! And it was true, they did not need to fear this angel, there would be no trouble coming to them from that quarter. For them this was not a warning but an announcement, a birth announcement. However, there was a caution being provided with this news. The order within their world, the status quo, the way things were organized and expected to be done, that would be receiving a severe shaking up! There would be turmoil for the ruling powers; they were being put on notice. God was going to install his chosen one upon the throne, God’s Son would take up the authority and title of King. He was not a king backed by an army menacing the population with a taking over of property and peoples. He was to be known as the Prince of Peace. His goal was to show compassion, bring healing, and demonstrate a love that would be shared, unifying the population. Such noble ideals did not fit the objective of the current governing authorities, however. They had no intention of changing their ways or passing along anything they believed to be under their control. We still witness such attitudes, the desire for gaining and maintaining power remains the goal for many. We know how difficult it can be to sell the concept of peace, even today.
The angel gave the announcement nevertheless, with the glory of God surrounding the shepherds: 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. That is the message that comes to you this night as well. The good news is that a child was born, who is our Messiah and Lord. And the heavenly host broke out in singing, rather than warfare. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” Now, it is you and me that need to take up the message and spread it around, just as the shepherds took it up after their visit to the child and his parents. There are some announcements that bare repeating, there are some messages that should be put to music and song again and again.
Glory to God who loves us so much that the gift of life and salvation continues to hold true and be provided for us. The Messiah has come to make God’s love the real impetus for peace. Surely we can learn to care about one another and accept each other. If God can come down to earth as a vulnerable human baby to get our attention and show us how we are meant to live, then we can do the shepherd thing and tell what we know.
Let’s start with a joyful chorus of our own that repeats the tale. Go out and tell your own stories of how this Jesus, born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger and crucified on a cross, has been raised, making our lives complete and full and eternal.