Christmas Eve - The God of Hope in the Midst of Trouble

I don’t know about you, but there are some things about the last 2 years I’d like to change. Political tension and strife…yup, let’s change that. Racial tension and the unrest from that…yup, let’s change that. Recent tornadoes in the middle part of our country…yup, let’s change that. Drought conditions in the west…yup, let’s change that.

Did I miss anything? Oh yeah…that thing about the virus…definitely change that.

If all we see in the world are these things, we can get very discouraged. Things can look hopeless and dim…even dark.

Tonight, we are here to celebrate the light coming into the world. A light that brought hope, peace and joy. Not just for the time He lived, but for all generations, for then, for now and for all eternity.

Just like the time we are living in now, the time of Jesus’ birth held many difficult situations. We get a glimpse into a few of those in our text tonight from Luke 2.

Luke 2:1–3 NIV

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

Caesar was a ruthless ruler. He had to be in order to hold the Roman empire together. Under him was King Herod who reported to Caesar and kept his area of the empire in order. In Matthew, we read about how Herod was so threatened by the birth of Jesus that he had all boys under the age of 2 killed.

I don’t know about you, but that pretty much sounds worse than our current governmental leaders...

So we have a terrible government and tensions between people groups and in the midst of this Mary and Joseph go to register...

Luke 2:4–7 NIV

4 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. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 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.

Unwed, pregnant teenager travels with older man who is her fiance and her water breaks and they get to spend the night in a barn.

This is a tough situation, yet this is the world Jesus would be born into. In the midst of all of this, Jesus came. Let’s also make note that when Jesus came, the situation did not change. There was still a unwed teenage mom in a barn. There was still an oppressive government.

The thing that changed was the focus. The focus changed to the prophecy fulfilled. To a Savior being born. To a miracle having taken place.

When we take our eyes off our problems and look at the miracle of Jesus’s birth and then the empty tomb, our problems don’t go away, but we can have hope that Jesus will walk us through it. Let’s keep reading...

Luke 2:8–20 NIV

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to 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. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 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.

Shepherds started off terrified and then they hear the message the angels came to proclaim. A message of good news. A Savior is born. This is a reason for great joy.

Initial fear turns to curiosity and curiosity then turns to praise.

In a few moments, we’ll light candles and sing Silent Night. Before we do, I want to zoom in on one last thing from this passage. Verse 19 says:

Luke 2:19 NIV

19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

There are 2 things that Mary did that night with all this experience. She treasured up and pondered.

The act of treasuring something means to protect it. To place it somewhere safe. To preserve it. We pick fruit and vegetables in the summer and process them into cans or jars to preserve them so that when winter comes we take them out and enjoy them.

If you have not already treasured up all these things about Jesus, tonight is a good night to do so. Undoubtedly, there will come a time when you are spiritually hungry. You’ll need what Jesus has - hope, joy, peace. Store them up now. Protect what you’ve heard so that when times are dark, you can refresh yourself with the light of Jesus.

The other thing Mary did was to ponder what she was hearing and seeing in her heart. This act of pondering is a deep thinking. A serious thinking and processing. I don’t know about you, but those things that I have spent time meditating on, thinking about, turning over and over in my mind are the things I can remember the most.

Would you take some time this evening and ponder Jesus in your heart. Examine what place He holds. What does it mean to you that a Savior has been born? What does it mean to you that Jesus came and ultimately died on the cross?