Sermon: Christmas Eve – Lessons and Carols - 2010

24 December 2010 at Salem Lutheran Church, Gretna, LA

Text: Isa 7:10-14, Mic 5:2-4, Isa 9:2-7, Matt 1:18-25, Matt 2:1-12, John 1:1-14

In the name of + Jesus.  Amen.

“The angel Gabriel from heaven came.”  He had something to say.  Or more accurately, God had something to say.  For that’s what angels do – they bear a message, not of their own, but of God.  And God had something to say to Mary, something the angel had said seven centuries earlier: “the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

For long before anyone had a clue what God had up His sleeve, the plan was already established.  God was going to fix a world broken by sin by means of a young girl and a baby, a girl who was a virgin and a baby who is God. 

And nothing confesses this better than Isaiah’s surprising prophecy of the virgin birth, and its fulfillment in humble Mary of Nazareth.  We have been singing of the glory of this angel’s prophecy ever since its fulfillment: “And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say: “Most highly favored lady.  Gloria!”

For God delights in surprising us with His gifts and in using the humble to confound the mighty. 

“O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie!”  Scorned little Bethlehem, “too little to be among the clans of Judah,” and yet from this place considered unimportant comes the Savior, He of whom the whole world sings: “O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Immanuel.” 

For God delights in surprising us with His gifts, and uses the humble to confound the mighty, so as to free us from our sins.

“It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old.”  For “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”  The darkness of sin and death have been banished by the brilliant light of forgiveness and life.  The Christ child doesn’t come merely to fulfill a prophecy about a virgin having a baby in Bethlehem, but rather to carry out the prophetic mission to become our Savior, to lead heaven and earth in the song of the angels, in praise of God, and in the joyful good news that our separation from God is forever shattered, even in the midst of where we dwell: in the darkness of midnight.  And the one thing that darkness cannot abide is light.  “And all who take this gift will hear the song the angels sing.”

For God delights in surprising us with His gifts, and uses the humble to confound the mighty, and He frees us from our sins in real time and real space, taking on real flesh and real blood.

“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed.”  When the time had come for God’s Word to be fulfilled, God forever altered the history of the universe by bringing together Joseph and Mary, who “was found to be with child.”  And yet Joseph did not seek to have Mary stoned to death under the law, nor even seek her to bear the shame that would naturally come upon her when the news got out, but rather Joseph sought to cover Mary’s shame.  And God used Joseph to cover our shame, for in protecting Mary and the Christ child, Jesus would grow up to cover our shame at the cross, to take away our sins and the sins of the world.  Joseph’s act of kindness and mercy in protecting His stepson assisted in God’s plan to act kindly toward us, to adopt all of us as His sons and His daughters, even as we pray to Him, “And take us to heaven to live with Thee there.”

For God delights in surprising us with His gifts, and uses the humble to confound the mighty, and He frees us from our sins in real time and real space, taking on real flesh and real blood, bringing this Holy Child into our sinful world to save the world from sin.

“What child is this, who, laid to rest, On Mary’s lap is sleeping?”  This helpless little baby who can hurt no-one, this Savior sent from God to bring peace and forgiveness to the world, is also a target.  He is sought out by strange foreigners from far away, who have come to acknowledge His dominion and kingship, bearing exotic gifts and recognizing Him as a baby God in their worship.  But the child is also a target of another kind, of the evil Herod who sought to protect his own flimsy claim of dominion and kingship through the slaughter of the innocents.  And the Lord protected Jesus by warning the wise men in a dream not to return to Herod.  For evil would not prevail against this child, and we have sung ever since: “Joy, joy, for Christ is born, the babe, the Son of Mary.”

For God delights in surprising us with His gifts, and uses the humble to confound the mighty, and He frees us from our sins in real time and real space, taking on real flesh and real blood, bringing this Holy Child into our sinful world to save the world from sin, defeating evil and upholding righteousness, protecting all who call out to Him for mercy.

“Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be.”  For this child is not merely to be great man or a prophet, not simply a wonderful teacher, or pious example of living.  This child is God in the flesh, who came to us out of love.  His Father is the Father.  And we have been created, redeemed, and sanctified by a Father who loves us.  He loves us with the intensity that a father has for a newborn child, and the Father loves us enough to send His Son into the flesh in order to die for us poor miserable sinners.

For there is no greater love than the love that is willing to sacrifice all, even life itself, for the beloved.  You, dear friends, are God’s beloved.  You are the ones the Lord came to save.  Listen to His Word!  Hear Him speak and proclaim that Word to you!  Let it sink into the depths of your mind and your heart, and rejoice in the new life that He offers you as a free gift. 

For “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” 

Dear friends, the Lord is speaking.  Hear Him.  He continues to speak today through that same Word made flesh, that Word that dwells with us in the proclamation of the good news, the Holy Word that comes to us in Holy Baptism and the Holy Supper!  This Word is the Word of forgiveness and life, the Word of a clean slate and of starting anew, the Word of love and mercy; the word of “honor, glory, and dominion, and eternal victory.  Evermore and evermore.  Amen.”

For God delights in surprising us with His gifts, and uses the humble to confound the mighty, and He frees us from our sins in real time and real space, taking on real flesh and real blood, bringing this Holy Child into our sinful world to save the world from sin, defeating evil and upholding righteousness, protecting all who call out to Him for mercy,

continuing to be with us in His Word and in His sacraments. 

The Lord’s surprising Christmas gift to you, dear friends, is the gift of Christmas itself.  For it is the gift of Himself, the gift of life, salvation, joy, hope, and divine promises.  It is a gift of forgiveness and a fresh start.  It is the gift of the resurrection.  It is the true and loving gift of true and abiding love.  And it is offered continually to you by this selfsame Christ child, who comes to you day in and day out, year round, from generation to generation, and even unto eternity.  Amen.

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