The Gift - Christmas 2020

The Gift Imagine this. I bought you a Christmas present, but I didn't tell you about it. In fact, I didn't tell you I had something for you, and I didn't tell you where you might find it. It may be the "greatest" gift ever purchased, but if you never find out about it.... never know where you might find it, well it certainly wouldn't do you any good! You need me to tell you all about it. Christmas is like that. God has given us the greatest gift ever. If we don't know about it, or don't know where to look for it...well it certainly wouldn't do us any good! Thankfully, God sends this wonderous gift, announcing it with this great company of the heavenly host singing this glorious hymn of praise so all of us know about it. This wonderous story unfolds in the readings compiled in the holy bible. And this gift, my friends, will do us eternal good. Let's begin with the gift itself: the birth of Mary's son, in the town of Bethlehem. Luke's gospel account begins back in chapter one...an angel tells Mary that she will have a child, and she is to name him Jesus. The child would be conceived by the Holy Spirit, the very Son of God. He would be the Messiah bringing with him everlasting peace and salvation. In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So, Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:1-7 Why Bethlehem? An order was sent out from the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus that all families were to return to their ancestral homeland. For Joseph and Mary, that meant travelling from Nazareth the Bethlehem, where King David was from. Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of David would need to be born in Bethlehem too. This extraordinary gift from God arrives in such a humble way...not in full view of the entire world, not in a fancy hotel in downtown Bethlehem, but in amongst the lowly surroundings of a stable. Jesus was laid in a manger, in an animal's feed trough. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:8-14 Next comes this wonderous announcement. An angel appears to some shepherds out in the fields, simply doing their jobs. Notice how it's not announced to Caesar Augustus. Notice how it's not announced in the temple in Jerusalem. It's announced to simple shepherds, looking after their flocks...anticipating the ministry of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. I don't know about you, but I think I might be at least a little frightened if a heavenly being suddenly appeared in front of me! The angel begins by saying "do not be afraid, I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the peoples". All the peoples...think of that. Not only the chosen people identified in old testament writings, but the entire people...you and I and all generations. And the angel continues, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger" The angel tells the shepherds that God's greatest gift has arrived, the Messiah. The angel tells them exactly where he was born. It is a sure sign that will lead the shepherds directly to Jesus...to the savior. And to top the whole experience off...picture a festive fireworks display. A full choir of angels appear in the night sky, lighting up the fields, praising God signing, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests". God establishes peace between heaven and earth...between God and us. All through the birth of this little child, the Savior. There is no peace apart from Jesus. We are apart from God without Jesus. Our sins had separated us from him. We cannot find peace on our own. God himself must make the peace. Years later, Jesus whose triumphant birth announcement by the choir of angels would find himself dying on a wooden cross. Years later Jesus would willingly take our sins upon himself. Years later this child wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in the manger would be wrapped in burial cloths and laid in a tomb. But he rose from the dead, showing that his death had done the job and made peace. And those who trust in him will share in eternal life with him in heaven. This is the only way that peace between God and us could be established...in the body of Jesus Christ our Lord. This is why we need the greatest gift, the Christmas gift that God has given us. Today, in our world filled with uncertainty. In a world that seems filled with un-justices, filled with health concerns, measuring successes by the material possessions we accumulate...where do we find this Christmas gift that God has given us? We could go to Bethlehem today, but we wouldn't find a baby in a manger. Where do we find Jesus and the peace, he brings in our "modern" world? The angels sing "Glory to God in the highest heaven". We sing in worship the same words. It is the Word that brings us God's great Christmas present in his own presence among us. Jesus in here. He is forgiving our sins. He is providing his peace. He gave us his life. These are the greatest gifts we could ever want. O Holy One, heavenly angels spoke to earthly shepherds and eternity entered time in the child of Bethlehem. Through the telling of the Christmas story, let our lives be caught up in the eternal in that same child, that we might join shepherds and all the heavenly host in praising the coming of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen. Readings: - Isaiah 9:2-7 - Psalm 96 - Titus 2:11-14 - Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)