Christmas Eve C

I don’t know about any of you, but I think I’ve been looking forward to this Christmas more than I have any other year of my life. And possibly this time because, more than any other year, this year I really don’t care what’s under the tree or in my stocking. I really don’t.

I think this year, I have come to the realization that I need Jesus more than I ever have. And I would say the same for our world. We all need Jesus as much as, or more than, we ever have. I don’t even want to turn on the TV or the news any more, because I’m tired of hearing all the bad news in the world. And it’s largely bad news, isn’t it?

Our bishop, Bishop Dan Selbo, sent out a Christmas message that speaks to this. I’d like to share part of that with you now, because I think he says it beautifully:

“There is little doubt that we are living in challenging times. Our world continues to be threatened by a global pandemic that appears to be with us for an uncertain amount of time. Our nations continue to be torn by politics that tend to separate and divide rather than unify and lead to peace. The uncertainty of the stock markets, the threat of increased inflation, the tension that exists between some of our world’s strongest nations — these are but a few of the many reasons why people are concerned for their futures and find little reason to hope for the generations that will follow.”

I think he’s captured the situation pretty well. We are concerned, and he’s right: not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren. The problems facing us now are likely to have ramifications reaching for decades. These concerns are well-founded.

Here’s just a bit more from Bishop Dan: “It is always helpful, in troubling times, to remember the context of the world into which our Lord Jesus was born. People were fearful of the political powers. Although there was a Roman peace, it was one brought about by a singular power instead of a shared unity. Countries were divided. Families were being torn apart. Racism was real. Life was fragile. There was as much anxiety and fear in Jesus’ day as there is in ours. Although much has changed in our world in the past 2000 years, little has changed when it comes to this world’s troubles and the need people have for a real and lasting word of hope.”

“Our hope is in Jesus. Our security is in Christ. We have been redeemed, bought back, justified, and made right with God in what has been accomplished for us in His Son. Christmas offers a word of needed and lasting hope to all who are willing to place their trust in Jesus.”

Bishop Dan told us when he was elected bishop that his final message to his congregation, where he served for 25 years, was simple. After all his sermons, he hoped the one thing they remember is that we all need Jesus.

If you think back to the lessons we’ve been reading through Advent, the theme of the different candles we’ve lit on the Advent wreath, the hymns we’ve been singing…that’s the message, isn’t it? We need a savior. We needed a savior 2,000 years ago, and we need a savior today.

And that’s the blessed message of Christmas: we have received our Savior. He was sent to us, just as the prophets, like Isaiah, foretold: “6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.”[ESV, Isaiah 9:6–7.]

That is who Jesus is - exactly who the Father promised He would be. He is the Word, the Logos, who has been with the Father from the Beginning. He is, as the angels told the shepherds, “a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” He is, as Paul describes him, “…the grace of God [who] has appeared, bringing salvation to all people...” (Titus 2:11, ESV). And the amazing part of this is that we have received this gift not because we did something right. No, if our Heavenly Father was like Santa Claus, making His List and checking it twice, we’d all get lumps of coal every year, wouldn’t we? But this gift of a savior was exactly what we needed. And He is still what we need.

Now here’s the part we don’t often talk about: so what? Now that we have a savior, so what? Or maybe a better way of putting it: what difference does it make? What difference does it make that we have our savior?

As with any gift, when it’s meaningful to you, you use it. You do something with it. When you get a gift that isn’t meaningful, what do you do? You put it in a drawer, or in a closet, and you pull it out when the person who gave it to you comes around, so you can show them some appreciation for their generosity. And when they’re gone, back in the drawer it goes.

But the gift you enjoy…the gift you REALLY love…you use, right? If it’s a new favorite article of clothing, you wear it often. If it’s a new tool you’ve been waiting for, you use it every chance you get. If it’s a new toy, you play with it as much as you can…and when you have to put it away, you can’t wait to play with it again.

Many preachers have said, throughout the history of the Christian church, that Jesus is the most precious gift ever given. I’m sure everyone here would agree with that statement. So, if that’s true, what do we *do* with that gift?

Very shortly this evening, we will once again, receive the gift of our savior as we come to His Table to take part in the Sacrament of the Altar. We call it the “Eucharist” which comes from the Greek word for “thanksgiving”. And that is, of course, the most appropriate first response when you’re given a gift; you say “thank you”. And we do: “let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give Him thanks and praise.”

Then, after we’ve said our “thanks”, what’s next? What do we *do* with this gift? For that, we can turn to Paul, who has given us the answer in his letter to his pupil Titus. As Paul describes what Jesus did in coming to be among us, he talks not only of the gift, but what that gift was for: “...training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” [ESV, Titus 2:12-14]

His appearing to us was, yes, to be a gift, but to train us in what to do with it. He showed us the difference he can be in our lives. He taught us *and* showed us the difference faith in Him means. He gave us the path to walk - “to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age...” That’s what it means to have a Savior - we live *that* kind of life. How do we do that? That’s the life of faith - spending time in prayer and reading the Scriptures. Participating in community worship with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Learning what God wants from us and how He wants us to conduct ourselves in communion with our neighbors. Sharing the Gospel message with those around us. And, yes, being “zealous for good works” - helping the helpless, feeding the hungry...

Martin Luther had this to say about this portion of the letter to Titus: “The apostle’s meaning is: Christ did not come to dwell on earth for his own advantage, but for our good. Therefore he did not retain his goodness and grace within himself. After his ascension he caused them to be proclaimed in public preaching throughout the world—to all men. Nor did he permit the revelation to be made as a mere proclamation of a fact, as a rumor or a report; it was appointed to bring forth fruit in us. It is a revelation and proclamation that teaches us to deny—to reject—ungodly things, all earthly lusts, all worldly desires, and thenceforward lead a sober, righteous and godly life.

3. In the first verse, the true essence of the text, “The grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men,” Paul condemns the favors of the world and of men as pernicious, worthy of condemnation, ineffectual; and would incite in us a desire for divine grace. He teaches us to despise human favor. He who would have God’s grace and favor must consider the surrender of all other grace and favor. Christ says (Mt 10:22), ‘Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.’ ... And Paul declares (Gal 1:10), ‘If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.’ Where the saving grace of God comes, the pernicious favor of men must be ignored. He who would taste the former must reject and forget the latter.” [Martin Luther, “First Christmas Sermon: Christmas Eve Service,” in Luther’s Christmas Sermons: Epistles, trans. John Nicholas Lenker, The Precious and Sacred Writings of Martin Luther (Minneapolis, MN: The Luther Press, 1908), 114–115.]

Both Luther and St. Paul are merely pointing out what Christ himself taught: God wants us to do something with this gift. So in the middle of all this bad news by which we are surrounded and continuously bombarded, we would do well to remember the gift we have been given. And that gift - the very savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ - is where we put our hope. *He* is where we put our hope.

Tonight, we look at the manger, and we recall the good news of great joy shared first with the lowliest members of society - the shepherds in the fields. But as we look at the manger and remember that joy, let’s then draw our eyes and our hearts toward the cross, which is the ultimate purpose for His coming in flesh, to give it up and let it be punished and whipped and executed in order to save all of us - just as the prophets told us he would. Let’s remember this gift as we partake in his meal tonight and each time we receive it. And let’s not put the gift in a closet, but let’s use it every day, as though it was the most precious and beautiful gift we’ve ever received or will receive, because that is exactly what this gift is. That’s exactly who Jesus is.

In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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