A very merry and Blessed Christmas!
Behold I bring you good news of great joy! You have heard the words of the angels once more this evening. May we never grow weary or tired of these words, the account of Jesus’ birth, nor the rest of God’s Word which speak to the reason why He was born.
There are so many interesting and important details in the nativity account: all of which have the potential for explaining and teaching in several short sermons, all which should cause more wonderment and awe at God’s great plan, His timing, and how He used creation; even pagan governments to accomplish His will and prove His plan in the fulfilling of prophecy.
Take for example the wording at the beginning of Luke 2. “In those days” in the ESV translation or “It came to pass” in the King James. The Greek is Egenetw which has more of the meaning of something coming into completion on the stages of history, like a miracle, a momentous event which will change everything.
And so it was. God was moving all the pieces together as He had since creation to bring about the fulfillment of Scripture. He had already visited Mary by the Gabriel and with His Spirit conceiving in her, He had spoken to Joseph by the angel and spoken of the name to be given. But Mary and Joseph were in Nazareth, but what of the promise in Malachi that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem? How would they get there; what would compel them so it did not seem that they chose it in order to manipulate the prophecies? Enter Caesar, the Emperor. God used the man who declared himself a living god to serve the true living God by moving Caesar to take a census. A census which would have Joseph return to his hometown with Mary to Bethlehem at the time when she was due to give birth. Therefore, this was not a plot of Mary and Joseph to manipulate the fulfillment of Scripture, to give it a nudge. This was God moving history.
Why Bethlehem? The name is significant as it means “house of bread”. Jesus in John 6 declared that He was “the bread which comes down from heaven that if anyone eat of it, they may live”. It is bread that Jesus chose to use as one of the two elements in instituting the Sacrament of the Altar, and there is so more that could be said. Therefore, it is prophetically significant that Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, the “bread of life” would be born in the “house of bread”. The shepherds out in the hills surrounding Bethlehem were keeping sheep in the same hills and valleys that David had kept sheep before he became king of Israel. Now the fulfiller of the kingship of David, the truly Good Shepherd who has come to save His sheep by becoming the sacrificial lamb is born in the stomping grounds of David before he was glorified. So, Jesus was born in a humble town, laid in a humble manger, attended to and greeted by mother, Joseph and humble shepherds. This child would not even be given His name officially until His circumcision on the 8th day. This Bethlehem baby with no name, but a name to be given was God. God who reverses His status of glorious Divine one to become the most humble servant of all in the flesh of mankind. And this humble servanthood would be His glory, the glory of the cross which was proved by the glory of the empty tomb and the transfiguration. Proven by that name which He would be given: Jesus: which means “Yahweh saves”. This sacrifice is what the world needed to accomplish peace on earth between God and man. It was the union of God and man in the flesh that would mend the division caused by our sin and the sin of our parents. Therefore, the birth of this miraculous child was showing that the Salvation of mankind was drawing nearer to being accomplished. God was moving all things according His plan to prove His love to the world: to those who were waiting and those who would believe.
God continues to move and to work His will for you using the events of this sin plagued world. Plans not for your destruction, nor your sorrow, but that in the darkness, sadness, and events that often occur, you would all the more grasp onto Him by faith. So that you would enjoy His gifts in His Word and sacraments as the instruments of His good news in Jesus Christ. That you can see them as a continuation and personal affirmation of the gift given at Christmas. Then the joys and the good things and the happinesses of this life are that much sweeter more awesome, more wonderful because we know that the good comes from His hand pointing us to the goodness that will be ours forever.
On this Holy night, let this message of Great joy remind you that these events and all the events of your lives, God has used to bring you to Him, to Jesus at the manger, at the cross, at His Word and Sacraments…all so that you may believe and be saved from fear, death, and the power of the devil. Oh, and on more thing: “Phatnay” the Greek word for “manger” comes from “pateomi” to eat. Jesus was born in Bethlehem which means “house of bread”. Jesus is the “bread of life” come down from heaven. As He said: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John 6:51
This same Christ instituted the Sacrament of the altar in which He gives His body to eat in the bread. Is it not a wonder that God provides a prefigurement of the Sacrament in the manger? The One who gives His flesh to eat for forgiveness and life is first laid upon the most humble plate and feeding trough. This He did so that we may no longer remain beasts and brutes but receive His perfect humanity and Divinity being brought into fellowship once more with God as sons and daughters. Reconciled to the Father through the Son by His death and resurrection, invited to come to Him who has come to us we rejoice and sing: Glory to God in the highest and peace to His people on earth in Jesus Christ! Amen.
Pr. Aaron Kangas