Candlelight 2023

Luke 2:15–20 (NIV84): 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Lk 2:15–20). (1984). Zondervan.

How do you respond to a birth announcement? Well, that may depend on how invested you are in the people to whom that child was born and what impact you believe that child may have on you now or in the future.

I recall growing up that our local radio station had a daily report called “The Stork Report”. It would announce that a child had been born in a certain hospital on a certain day and who the parents were. Local papers also would report the births of children. I used to write “The Zeeland News” and one item I would be sure to include would be announcing the births of children in and around our small community even though most people knew what had happened before the weekly paper came out.

I must admit I’m not too interested in who has been born in Marshfield that past five years and certainly not before that . . . unless the child is born to someone I know. The closer we are to people in the news the more invested we are in news about them.

We are here this evening to reflect on the birth of a child in a distant land which took place over 2000 years ago. For us now, that was the most important birth in history because when the time had fully come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to REDEEM those who were under the law. We would be calloused and very selfish if we did not annualy recognize his birth, celebrate it, and proclaim it.

But what about when Jesus was born? How did people respond then?

For the most part this was an unknown event. And even though now it is celebrated in the Bible and in worship and wonderful Christmas hymns, it doesn’t seem as though Jesus’ birth was all that big of a deal even while he was on earth. We do not read in the Gospels that the disciples celebrated Jesus’ birth or that Mary gave him something special on his birthday. There is even strong sentiment that we cannot know the actual date of Jesus’ birth and that it was not designated as December 25th until many years later. (WKBN/NEXSTAR) — Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25? As it turns out, not everyone agrees how the date was decided upon.

The holiday, which commemorates the birth of Jesus, is observed on Dec. 25 in the Gregorian calendar, but no one knows which date Jesus was actually born, according to Britannica. The Bible does not mention Jesus’ exact birthday, so there are only clues to go off of.

One possible theory? The Roman Empire, before it recognized Christianity, celebrated the rebirth of Sol Invictus (Roman god of the sun) on Dec. 25, a date which coincided with the Roman festival Saturnalia, when people feasted and exchanged gifts. Many believe Christmas celebrations on Dec. 25 were intended to concur with these festivities.

This theory is only speculation, however. Andrew McGowan, dean and president of Yale University’s Berkley Divinity School and a noted theological scholar, explains that ancient Christian writings of the time don’t seem to point to an intermingling of Christian celebrations with pagan festivals.

Under Emperor Constantine, the Church in Rome began celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 in 336. Some say the date was chosen to outshine the Sol Invictus and pagan celebrations. But there’s much doubt around whether Christians had been trying to steal Sol Invictus’ thunder.

In a 2016 essay, “Five myths about the Nativity,” Candida Moss, professor of theology at the University of Birmingham in England, points to a simpler explanation for the choice of the date.

“The real reason for the selection of Dec. 25 seems to have been that it is exactly nine months after March 25, the traditional date of Jesus’ crucifixion. … As Christians developed the theological idea that Jesus was conceived and crucified on the same date, they set the date of his birth nine months later.”

No matter what the official reason was, church officials ultimately settled on Dec. 25 at the end of the third century.

This may seem strange to us because knowing when someone was born and celebrating his/her birthday is an important part of our culture.

But even though the Bible doesn’t tell us how Jesus’ birthday was observed annually after he was born, it does tell us how it was celebrated when he was born.

God Sent Angels to Proclaim the Good News.

The Shepherd Hurried Off to See Jesus.

After they Worshiped him, The Spread the News.

Mary Pondered all This in Her Heart.

We may want to know what her thoughts were, most likely she reflected on the words of the magnifate she had spoken earlier.:

Luke 1:46–55 (NIV84): 46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Lk 1:46–55). (1984). Zondervan.

Application: How do you respond the often repeated news of Jesus’ birth?

Is it lost due to other concerns or busyness of the holidays?

Are you complacent?

Are you filled with the joy that children express and rejoice in their presentation of the Gospel?

May God fill our hearts with wonderment and thankfulness that he sent Jesus to be born to redeem us from our sins.