The Nativity of Our Lord, Christmas Eve (2022)

Matt 1:18-25

Our Meditation for tonight comes from the Prophet Isaiah who foretold that the virgin would be with child and that he shall be called Immanuel which means God with us, and He came out of His Love for You. The purpose of the service this night is to draw your attention to a most miraculous and singular event in the history of mankind. It is on this night that we remember that God desires the salvation of mankind even after Adam and Eve fell into sin, and so he promised a savior. He showed Abraham how great the sacrifice would have to be that the Son of Promise would have to die upon the mount to satisfy the cost of our sins, and all this was foretold by the prophet Isaiah that he would inherit the throne of David and reign forever as a wonderful counselor and mighty God. For God comes to be with us. This night isn't about presents, or trees, traditions, it isn't even about family. It isn't about Holiday Cheer or Carols, or bells, or candy canes, or any of that. It is all stuff that we can have surrounding Christmas, but it isn't Christmas. If it has become your view of Christmas, then you are losing sight of the Christian faith and it is being choked out by the world. But fear not, for just as the angels long ago told shepherds in field, we shall proclaim what Christmas is about. The reason we celebrate Christmas is the great and Glorious truth that God is with us to save us. I want you to push out your mind the Christmas dinner, the presents, the tree, even your family, clear all of that from your mind, and close your eyes, and imagine that you are walking down a dirt road, you come to a little town, and as you walk past the sheep that are starting to lie down for the night, the windows on the house are being closed, the families are starting to quiet down in their small houses, that you come up to the inn, and you see light still pouring out from the windows, and you hear singing and laughing from inside the inn, and its loud because the inn is filled with people from all around the area. Who have come because of the census. Then at a distance you hear a cry, a woman crying out in pain, you look around trying to figure out where the cries are coming from, and its not from the houses, its not from the inn, its from the stable. You come in and find the smell of the animals, and the hay, but in a stall in the back there is a young lady no older than 17, her face is flushed and covered with sweat, she is clearly in pain giving birth, and you see with her, her husband, and suddenly you hear a baby cry out as it takes its first breath. And then the excited words and great joy of parents, and you hear them glad, happy, and overjoyed, and you hear them give this child its name, and they call him Jesus. And they clean the baby off and wrap him in cloth and lay him in the feeding trough. That Child is the reason we are gathered here tonight, for that baby boy is the Savior of the World. He is God in the flesh. Christmas isn't about cookies or what is under the tree, it is about this child born in a stable. He is God with Us, and He was born for a purpose, He will redeem His people from their sins. This baby was born to do that which the blood of goats and sheep could not accomplish. He was born to shed his blood to save you. How precious is this night. The World will keep trying to take this night away from us, and make Christmas about anything else. But without Jesus there is no reason to celebrate, no reason to give thanks, no reason to sing, but since Jesus has come, we can sing joyfully with the angels tonight, for God is with us. Let the child born this night impress himself upon your hearts and upon your minds with the message of wonderful Joy that God did not abandon you, but He came into this world to save you.

Now perhaps you to you lost sight of that in the midst of all things happening around this time of the year, a time that should be filled with joy over the birth of Christ. To which you must confess that perhaps became to distracted busy over the things of this world like Martha when Jesus came to visit her house, and was so busy with everything else that she forgot that God was with her. But it is good that you here now, confess your sins and repent and focus your heart and your mind once again on the the baby that lies in the manger.

For this child was born for you, and that is why he was born not in some fancy home or palace, but was born in a stable, indeed if angels were to herald the birth of a child, the King of all creation, the Son of God, you would expect him to be found in a grand palace, but Jesus humbled himself and set aside his glory for your sake, that you might know he came not save only the great and the mighty but redeem the lowly, sinners like ourselves.

This is the good news that angels heralded on the night of Jesus, why they sang Gloria in Excelsis for here is the messiah that had been long awaited to redeem mankind from the powers of sin, death, and the devil. They celebrate His birth for he will go to the cross to redeem mankind, and bring us to heaven above.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, This is what Christmas is all about, and if anyone tries to take this from you, or perhaps you let it slip out of sight with all the things surrounding us, fix your eyes on Jesus who was born in Bethlehem to be your King, Your Savior, and your Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.