A blessed Christmas to each of you! Today is the 12th and last day of the Christmas season, but tomorrow or tonight at sunset, begins Epiphany! Therefore, a blessed Epiphany to you all, as well!

Epiphany is the Gentile Christmas. It is the day when we celebrate the fact that God manifested, “Epi Phany” that is, shone upon the world and publicly revealed Himself to the Gentiles as their God and Lord. Yes, salvation is from the Jews, but not just for the Jews. On Christmas we remember how God had shown His glorious heavenly glory to the Jewish shepherds so that they would know about Jesus being born in Bethlehem and would go and see their Savior. So, on Epiphany we celebrate the historic event and reality that God also enlightened the Gentiles with the message of their salvation by the guiding of the Star to lead them to the greatest of all light and truth, the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, on January 6th, which we are observing today, we give thanks and praise that what Isaiah wrote in chapter 9 has come true: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” And in chapter 60
“the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
 And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

In the Gospel text we read that sometime after Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, Magi, often translated as “wise men” from the East came to Jerusalem.

We don’t know much about these wise men. We don’t even know how many there were. It could have been 2, 3, or 23. We just know there was more than one, and they made a big enough of a scene in Jerusalem to warrant an audience with King Herod. The Greek refers to them as magi, which means they most likely were coming from the regions of Babylonia and Persia (modern Iraq and Iran) and they were astrologers, teachers, seers, interpreters of dreams. They were pagan sorcerers and star gazers. Yet to the chief city of Israel they came. Why? They said “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” They came to see the King of the Jews. Yet if they did not search the royal house of Herod. They were looking for one greater than he. No, they understood that this King of the Jews had command over the stars and creation. They recognized that the great star and celestial sign which they had seen rising in the sky belonged to this one who had been born. It testified to the birth of a god king.

Herod heard of these strangers who were asking these questions. He was greatly troubled because he was afraid of usurpers, he was afraid of losing his power. Historically, we know that Herod killed his own sons, and various relatives to hold on to the title of “king” which had been a position given to him and his line by the Romans. This jealousy drove him into all kinds of evil acts including the slaughter of innocent babies of Bethlehem after this epiphany.

After consulting experts in God’s Word, which could have been an opportunity for Herod to be converted, except for the hardness of His heart. They found that this promised one was to be born in Bethlehem. He was going to be a king who would shepherd God’s people. After finding this out, then Herod called the magi, wise men, to consult them and find out when this star had appeared so as to figure out how old this baby king was. Then King Herod directed them to Bethlehem and expressed an interest in a pious way. He said, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

Really, he desired for them to spy out this rival so that He could then deal with it according to His murderous plan.

We are told that the magi, listened to Herod and went on their way, when behold the star which must stopped shining for a while reappeared and went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. Where was the child. Often, we place this visit of the wise men as coming to the manger scene in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, but the text in Matthew implies that it was a good amount of time before the wise men came to see Jesus. In fact, it is possible that the reason the star appeared to lead the wise men on, was to lead them to Nazareth and not Bethlehem, for as the Gospel of St. Luke tells us and we heard last week. “And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.”

 We are told that when the magi saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. God confirmed their travel of faith, that He was going to lead them to their object of devotion! What joy was theirs.

So then, going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

They went into the house and saw the young child which the Greek calls paidion or toddler. When the shepherds found Jesus, he was a brephos or newborn. So, they saw the toddler Jesus, with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. They prostrated themselves: laid themselves right out. For they knew that this was no ordinary king, but the Son of God. The creator of the universe. And the gifts they brought were inspired by God’s light and direction even as He directed them to Scripture, and here to their Savior. Gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts pointed to the 3 fold office Jesus the Christ was anointed to fulfill. Gold for His kingship, frankincense for His office of priest, and myrrh for His office of prophecy, signifying that He would die a prophet’s death. For myrrh was often used as a burial spice and ointment. Then they returned a different way having been warned of Herod in a dream.

So, what do we make of all this? We see that God in His mercy comes and shines His light: the light of His Word, His Law/Gospel, and the light of His Son even to those who walk in darkness.

So that we too who have sinned, many who do not have the heritage of Abraham’s blood, we who have so often fallen into the trap of the wisdom of this world, the weakness of the flesh, who all too often have been jealous and selfish and self serving like Herod, carrying on in the darkness that surrounds us. Great sinners that we have been, we too have been called to God’s light and gathered by His truth to see and behold the great light of salvation in Jesus Christ. Though we so often fall back into the darkness of our sin, and the world, God awakens us again. Reminding us of what Jesus has accomplished. He is the glorious morning star. He is the rose springing up from the line of David. Son of God and Son of Man to take our place of judgement by being the prophet of prophets revealing the will of God in Himself, and He is the fulfillment of all priesthood by becoming the chief and perfect sacrifice for sin on the cross so that sin and death were defeated.

It is significant that the magi spoke of “seeing His star when it rose” and that it seemed to cease shining for a time to rise and shine again. For our glorious morning star, Jesus Christ seemed to have his light and life darkened at the cross on Good Friday when He died and then was buried into the ground, but this star, this Jesus Christ, rose again. He showed that the evil jealousy of the devil could not win. That death was truly defeated, that the price of sin was paid at the cross. Now the light of light eternal shines in Jesus Christ who has risen from the dead so that we can see Him as our Savior and our king. For now, He reigns with His righteousness, by His wisdom and grace through His Word and Sacraments. We who were far off have been brought near through baptism into His blood and have been purified and declared forgiven by His name. We are brought to the place of His presence where the King of Kings an Lord of Lords, the creator and redeemer, redeems us again in this Divine Service. Where we too are invited to cast off the so-called wisdom of this world, and behold Him and receive Him in His body and blood given in the bread and wine for us to eat and to drink, and be sent again into the world a different way: a way of life, a way of love. So that we have been freed to live in hope by faith, to be led by the cross of Christ which is our victory. So that as He has shown us His great love we may show the light of His love in His love.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! Let us like the wise men come into His presence with thanksgiving. We have seen His light, we behold here our God and Savior in His flesh and blood. We see His light which has shown upon us in His grace. Now that we see Him our star of beauteous wonder and grace, let us also rejoice exceedingly with great joy. Your Savior is come. A very blessed and joyous Epiphany through Jesus Christ!

Pr. Aaron Kangas

Last year for the 1st Sunday after Christmas I emphasized vs. 22ff of Luke 2, but today I am going to focus on Luke 2:21. The Advent midweek theme was all about the names given to the promised child of Bethlehem. In today’s text, we hear again that name given above all other names. In one little verse in Luke, easily overlooked in the midst of the narrative of Jesus’ birth and infancy and the account of Simeon and Anna. We have “at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” Luke 2:21 

Up until this verse, Luke does not refer to Jesus by name. In Bethlehem’s manger he is simply a baby, a swaddled newborn with no name. When the shepherds visit, they don’t ask what most people ask when a child is born, “What’s his name?” He didn’t have a name at Christmas. But He received His name the name the day He got the mark of the covenant: circumcision.

The official day which the Church observes this festival of His circumcision is Jan. 1, eight days after Jesus’ birth. While the rest of the world will be nursing its new year’s hangover and wishing one another “Happy New Year!” and settling in for some college bowl games and parades, we of the Church see January 1, the eighth day of Christmas, as a day to celebrate the naming of and the Circumcision of Jesus. Unless you are Jewish by background, this seems like a really weird thing to celebrate.

The 8th day is prescribed in the Levitical law by God’s command. There was no notion of waiting until the child was old enough to decide for himself whether or not he would be circumcised. There was no sense of an age of accountability or any such thing. Circumcision was God’s way of teaching about humanity’s sinful and helpless condition. God was showing the OT believers that sin was something that was part of them from birth, something that needed to be removed in order for them to belong to God’s people. All people are sinful by nature and need to have their sin taken away and destroyed in order to belong to God. You need someone else’s help to overcome your sinful nature, and that help needs to be drastic – drastic like taking a knife to the one body part that least wants to feel a knife. No eight-day-old baby is going to grab that knife and circumcise himself. It had to be done for him, when he could not do it himself, before he could be God’s. Therefore, on the eighth day every baby boy born in Israel received this sign of the covenant and became a son of the covenant, an Israelite, a son of Abraham and an heir of promise redeemed from the curse of his father Adam, cut out from the world. With this identity, he now was to get a name.

And so it went with this child. He is given the name Y’shua: Jesus, which literally means “Yahweh is salvation”, as the angel had said “for He will save His people from their sins.” How will He accomplish this? How will He save His people from their sins? By becoming obedient to the Law, by becoming a son of the covenant, by shedding His blood under the Law to redeem those who were under the Law, those held captive by sin and death. This is precisely why the Son of God became Flesh and was born. He was “born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law.” And here is His first act of obedience for the redemption of mankind.

The sweet little Christmas lullaby speculates, “but little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes.” I doubt that was true when He laid Him in a manger. I doubly doubt it was true on the eighth day when He experiences in His own infant flesh what it means to be “under the Law.” Think of this as a prelude to the pain and cries of the cross. In order to understand this day and the significance of Jesus’ circumcision, you need to understand fully who Jesus is as the Son of God become flesh. He really is the second Adam, the truer Adam. He’s all of humanity in one Person. He is the Stand-in for the entire human race, and He embodies all of humanity in His own body.

The apostle Paul explains this for us in his letter to the Colossians. “For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” (Col 2:9-12)

What’s Paul saying? First, that in Jesus the fullness of divinity dwells bodily. That means that even as an 8 day old baby boy, Jesus is fully God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God. Fully divine as well as fully human. And that union of divinity with humanity means that He is able to embrace others into Himself so that what happens to Him also happens to them in Him.

Now in that truth understand this, that in Him, all of you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands in the circumcision of Christ by the power of God. That includes the boys and the girls. This cutting out wasn’t done on you, it was done on Jesus, and being done on Jesus, for His sake, you were included. In other words, you might say that when Christ was circumcised and became a son of Israel, so did you in Him. And that’s why circumcision was no longer a binding law in the New Testament, it became something completely free, optional, and religiously unnecessary. Because, when Jesus was circumcised, the old Law was fulfilled in Him and all believers in Him are now assumed into Israel.

Circumcision represented the putting off of the body of the flesh, the mortification of the old Adam. Adam has to die, sin needs to be cut off and cut out. Circumcision signified that, but now something more has accomplished this, for you were buried with Christ and had the old Adam drowned in Holy Baptism. So not only did you become an Israelite in Christ, you were also joined to Him in His death and burial through Holy Baptism. You were raised with Him through faith from your weakness, death, and sin to His life, pure, and holy. In a way, you are even exalted, seated and glorified at the right hand of God in Christ, but only in Christ.

You are still existing in this body of death, in this old Adam that needs to be threatened, punished, disciplined, and put to death in confession and absolution remembering your baptism day in and day out. But now you, by faith in Christ, are reckoned perfectly free, perfectly alive, justified, forgiven, sanctified, and even glorified in Christ.

In His circumcision two gifts from God in Christ are extolled and glorified: His obedience under the Law and His Name. His obedience is the undoing of Adam’s sin. As Adam brought all of humanity into Sin and Death, so Jesus takes all of humanity into justification and life. As in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive. He kept the Law perfectly in your place. That perfect obedience is yours, your clothing, your covering, your justification before God. You have been baptized and now the name of the Triune God and Jesus Christ identify who you are as a Christian believer, and you can stand before God, forgiven, rescued, redeemed for His sake alone.

Now you are free from the selfishness of Adam and your flesh to be who you really are in Christ, to do the goodness and mercy of God for your neighbor, for those around you. You are free to lay down your life in service of others, not to please God nor to earn His favor and forgiveness, but as one redeemed and saved in the name that is “above every name.” An ordinary, common human name. But joined to His divinity, the name of Jesus becomes the fulfillment of “Yahweh is salvation” for you. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we are saved.
With His Name comes the promise of His presence, that where two or three are gathered in His Name, there He is in their midst. With His Name comes the mandate to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins to the ends of the earth. With His Name is the promise of prayer, that whatever you ask in His Name, His Father and your Father in heaven will grant it. With His Name is the promise of forgiveness, of life, of salvation, of peace: Peace which the world cannot give, but can be given in His name, in His body and blood given and shed for you for your good, for your life unto eternal life.

Baptized with Jesus Christ circumcised on the eighth day and raised on the eighth day of the week, you also have the sign of eight upon you. That is the sign of the new day of the new creation, of eternal life for soul and body forever redeemed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ which is our hope.
None of us knows what the new calendar year will bring in terms of health, wealth and love. The days and the seasons are the Lord’s, and everything we do always is within the framework of “If the Lord be willing” as James rightly says.

But we do know this and have it as our certainty in the midst of uncertainty: We have Jesus’ obedience under the Law, His perfect righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. And we have His Name which is now our name, the Name by which we are saved from our sins.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Pr. Aaron Kangas

In the beginning…
John begins his Gospel of Jesus Christ with the same words that start the creation account of Genesis. “In the beginning”.  It’s no accident, of course. The same Son of God who was there in the beginning is the one who comes in the flesh to save us born at Christmas. Yet, Bethlehem is not His beginning, nor even is the womb of Mary. The origins of Jesus Christ are from of old, even, from before the beginning.

What was at the beginning? Secular Quantum physicists have tried to reason out and discover the secrets of the universe. They examine how the smallest particles that make up our world might fit together. Using their intellect, they’ve come to the conclusion that everything had a beginning, but not by the will of an intelligent Divine creator, but by chance at the Big Bang. There and then, they believe, everything started with an explosion and all matter spread out from a single point. Of course, this is from their own fantastic theory. No one was there to see it. When pressed, even they admit their best theories break down into absurdity when pushed to the limit. Time itself becomes meaningless as they begin to speak of billions and trillions of years.

That’s their word on the subject. But we Christians have another word about the beginning, and that Word is Christ. He was with God in the beginning, for He is God. All things, therefore, begin with Him. By Him all things were made. Nothing exists that wasn’t created through Him. Not even smarty-pants physicists. Not even you or me.  

That this Baby born in Bethlehem is the Creator of all things is not something to lightly pass over. The ultimate being, the holder of all reality, God of gods, Lord of Lords, Eternal, all-knowing and all-powerful would bring Himself down to come down, to be one of us, to be conceived and born, born in the most usual way we humans are. He of such glory and majesty that even to look on Him before was surely death, but now He’s a baby and everything that it means – crying, needing his mother, making dirty diapers and all. God of the universe, here in time, for you. The one from before the beginning, now makes His fleshly beginning as one of us. Wonder for a moment at that.

John calls Him the “Word”, the “Logos” (in the Greek). How can a word be alive? How can a word be eternal? How can all things depend on this word?

In our everyday experience, words can mean very little or be tainted with sinful intent. You say something, but you don’t mean it. You hear words like advertisements. The latest words of politicians. The store checker trying to sign you up for their credit card. None of these words mean all that much. Gimmicks. Words to lie and lead and take advantage of people. But they are the words of man.

So often we use words in a negative way. We say things that aren’t true. We make promises that we know we won’t or can’t keep. We curse, swear, lie and deceive. We tear others down while acting like it is for their good. Our words are so often poisonous, bubbling out of the polluted heart and doing nothing but spreading the chaos of sin and death. We must confess with our unclean lips, that we are ruined if not for the saving Word of Christ, the very living Word of God.

The Word of God is wonderfully different. This word is creative. It made all things. This Word is powerful and has the authority of God. The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword. It cuts away the lies and false words of pride and self-justification with the law’s accusations, but it also severs us from guilt and shame by the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Word of God is eternal: none of His words will pass away even though the heavens and the earth will. This Word stands alone.

Jesus Christ is that living Word. This is John’s Christmas account: a more theological word of explanation of the events of Luke 2. It explains the meaning of the incarnation. In Jesus Christ, God became flesh. There in the manger, the silent Word is pleading for us. There in the manger, the Word that one day will be pierced by nails and spear, has come to speak the word of comfort.

In Him was life and that life was the light of men… Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, is both Life and Light. He is the source of all Life, since by Him all things were made. He is the Light of Lights, from whom even the first light shone.

“Life” mystifies the scientists and philosophers. It’s hard to define, and far harder to explain. They madly search for life on other planets, yet do not value human life here on earth. Those steeped in Darwin’s theories of evolution cannot grasp any explanations for life’s origin and purpose. Is life so complex? Where did this information tattooed on the cells of each being come from? DNA, RNA, microscopic systems that exceed the most cutting edge technology we can design. Life, which is designed to overcome obstacles and seems adapted for every challenge to its existence. Life in all of its wonderful variety yet miraculous order. Human life is in a category of its own. A PhD in biology won’t even scratch the surface of the mysteries of life. But we Christians know from whence life comes. It is from Him, the ever-living one. Life was in Him, from the beginning. The life that is the light of men. And all life and light is found in Him, even today.

But the fulfillment of life is not where we “live”, in our sinful nature in this fallen creation. The First Adam brought death because of sin. It broke God’s design. Therefore, every new life here on earth has a beginning but a tragic end: in death. We sinners know little of life, but we are well acquainted with death. We see it all around us and we fear its effects creeping in on us. We hear of this shooting and that cancer. Though we often speak of death in whispers, or hide it in hospitals, or try to sanitize it with euphemisms like “pass away” or “no longer with us”, still it exists.  We know well the wages of our sin.  It’s like a dark cloud that follows us everywhere and eventually swallows us up.  

But Christ is the life. And He brings that life to us through His death. But He is so much life, that death cannot hold Him. Risen from the dead, He gives life to all who believe on His name. He gives them the same life, making them, making us: children of God. We’re in the family. We’re of shared blood. Not of regular flesh and blood, but born of God. Because He was born of flesh and blood, for us. He has poured that blood out from the cross as a sacrifice that now covers us in Holy Baptism.

Another thing of mystery to the scientists: is light.  It’s nature, still not fully understood. It’s speed is constant, and nothing can go faster. Yet light can bend and warp. It’s a wave and a particle, depending on when and how you’re looking.  One of the simplest and basic elements of creation, still its true nature eludes our brightest and best minds. So common, so necessary to our experience as humans, and yet a mystery.

Who can see anything without light? Who can see anything without Christ? All else is sitting in darkness. Like death, we know the darkness well. Our sin loves the darkness, for in the darkness, it thinks it can hide: afraid of exposure. Woe to anyone who tries to cast the light upon our sin! “Who are you to judge me!? You’ve got your own sin, too! Your darkness is worse than my darkness”, I tell myself, and the darkness makes us more dull and blind.

The light of Christ casts out all darkness. It shines through and not only exposes sin but chases it away with the light of His truth. The true light, the source of all light comes into the world to dispel the darkness, ignorance and the lies cast by sin and bring hope and faith in its place.

John the baptizer came, preparing the way and making straight the path for the greater one to come. The one whose origins are from of old, even from before the beginning. John wasn’t the light, but he testified to it, pointed to Him, Jesus Christ the light of the world. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  The Glory of God now revealed in human flesh.

Some will see Him, with eyes enlightened by faith.  Others will remain in the darkness. He came to His own, the people who should have known Him, but they did not.  Many others who you wouldn’t think would, would come to the light. Some will prefer the shadows of sin and death, but others will believe in Him and live. This is the meaning of Christmas for you who believe: Life. Light. And an eternal word of salvation.

In the love and hope and joy and peace that God gives this Christmas, we see a child, born to die, a perfect little one: truly innocent in every way. The Word made Flesh. The Light of the World. The Life of all mankind, wrapped up in this little bundle of Bethlehem joy. Thanks be to God for this one, this Jesus, the Christ, who brings us grace and truth, even today. In the beginning, at the manger, from the cross, in the fount, in His Holy Supper, and in His Word always for your salvation. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him
Born the king of angels:

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord!

A very Blessed and merry Christmas, it is good to be gathered here tonight. Christians the world over gather on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to remember that all that we may be joyful tonight in Jesus Christ. Jesus who was born of Mary 9 months after the messenger of God, Gabriel, announced the into flesh visitation of God’s Son through her. A baby boy who would be named Jesus: literally “Yahweh saves”. In the town of Bethlehem, the city of David was born and gulped his first gasps of air, the Savior of all humanity. As we sang in verse 2: “born of a virgin, a mortal He comes”. The everlasting light, the immortal Divine, Son of the Father now places Himself in flesh that not only with a potential to die, but He has come for that very purpose: to die. To for us. To die for even us who have not been faithful to God’s Word, It is in Him that we can be joyful and triumphant, because as we will sing: “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Him tonight.”

Every child conceived in this world is fragile and precious. Why? Because they are born under the curse of sin, hence the fragility, for sin comes with the curse of death. A descendant of Adam and Eve we have an inborn fear because there is an immediate knowledge of death, therefore fear often controls and motivates a desire to live only for self, and in living for self, we sin. This selfish perspective is an attitude that only can inevitably leads to disappointment and sadness, anger, strife, despair, and emptiness and finally that feared death. Without true hope, this life can be wearisome and full of fear.

But tonight we are reminded that there is hope outside us, there is reason to live in joy. A hope that the Old Testament believers ached and yearned to see, a hope that comes from God as He had promised so many many years before. Instead of death and separation, God promises life, reconciliation, and unity with Himself for those who do not refuse His grace. That is why we rejoice in awe and wonder this night. The salvation of mankind through the flesh of Jesus Christ began to be realized here in time on this day.

So we by faith behold Him in the manger: The eternal Son of God, now a Son of Man: fragile and soft, like every new born baby of all times in all places. This fragile flesh of this new born baby Christ child, so much like every baby we have ever seen, this fragile flesh came to be fragile for you and me. He came in fragile but sinless form, to give of Himself, to be broken so that you and I and all believers would no longer have to be broken in our sins, our heart ache, our broken dreams and hopes that were placed in and for ourselves. No longer destined for eternal death, we have a hope far greater and far more eternal, because that new born babe of Bethlehem was fragile for you and me. He grew up sinless in our stead to be broken and die on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. The immortal one dies in the place of mortals so that by His sacrifice, we might gain eternal life by faith in Him. To show His power over death, Christ was raised bodily from the dead, to show the resurrection that believers shall also receive.

Our troubles, our sins, our failures and fears and all that would overwhelm us from the past and even the future when they cast upon and meet Jesus, they are overcome. Sin, death, and the power of the devil are also overcome and crushed by Jesus the Christ. The same baby voice which cooed and cried from the manger now speaks with command over our spiritual enemies. In the voice and comfort of His Word as He speaks to us giving us already a peace on earth and in our hearts by the forgiveness of our sins.

So we laud and worship, adore and give thanks to God as we marvel at the miracle made known to the Shepherds. On this Christmas night we think on this, that God did not forsake His people of old; He will not now forsake His people today. Jesus comes into the darkness of our sin and our clouded minds and becomes our light of hope. Baptized into Him, with the Word of God coming to us, we may be startled at first, and our flesh like the shepherds may become afraid at His light dispelling our darkness, but the message of Jesus Christ born, crucified and raised is glad tidings of great joy. It is the message of courage, of life, of hope. Listen and hear the voice of the Angel who speaks from God to you: “Fear not!” Let go of the fear. Hope in Him: for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. Tonight, by the power of the Holy Spirit let the Christ be born anew within you by faith as when you were first baptized. Let His peace envelope and swaddle you by the forgiveness of sins and be warmed by His love. You have seen and do see this Savior in the sacraments in water and bread and wine where the Christ comes to you and continues to enter in. He promises to abide with us as our Emmanuel through these means throughout the year and our lives to eternal life.

Tonight, as we ponder the mystery of God’s love, the wonder of the angels and shepherds. As we sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and “Silent Night”, listen to that sound which speaks in the silence: peace, love, joy with God in Jesus Christ, your Savior, your hope and the answer to all your fears, not only for tonight but for all your years until we meet Christ at the last. He will take us to heaven to live with Him there; to abide with Him and sing forever with the angels: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men and women who are made faithful believers for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen

Pr. Aaron Kangas

Luke 2:

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

I am sure that at some point you have heard the Popular Christmas song called “Mary did you know”. If you haven’t heard of it, the singer asks the Virgin mother if she knew that her baby boy was going to do many of the various things that Jesus ended up doing His earthly Ministry including walking on water and so on. Eventually the singer asks: “Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?” The song of the Virgin Mary which we heard today answers that question. She may not have known all the specifics of what all He was going to do during His earthly ministry, because she could not fully know the future, but she knew that the boy growing inside her was her Savior and the Savior of the world. The message that the angel had given, along with her knowledge of Holy Scripture, and now spurred further by the greeting of Elizabeth, tells us that she knew. She sang the song which we heard read today. That song is called the “Magnificat” because of the first word in its Latin translation of her first words referring to her soul magnifying the Lord. Mary’s song is the first song recorded in the Gospel of St. Luke, and its placement is like an aria in an opera or a musical number within a musical or movie. The action stops and the song is sung so that the hearers and readers may stop and reflect and meditate on the situation; so that they too may better savor the moment and message that is taking place.

Surely this is the work of the Holy Spirit, not only in moving Mary to sing, but in moving Luke to include this song right where it is so that we today and believers of every generation may savor the message of God’s grace.

The Magnificat is sung after the two mothers of promise are brought together; Elizabeth who was pregnant despite her old age and previous barrenness, and Mary pregnant by the power of the Spirit of the Lord even as she remained a virgin. Elizabeth would bear the great prophet who ushered in the age of salvation, John the Baptizer, the one who prepared the Way of the Lord. John was already filled with the Holy Spirit enough to leap at the sound of Mary’s voice. She who bore in her womb the Good News carrying the Word of God made flesh, God Himself, the very Son of God as the Angel Gabriel had just announced to her. In response to the Angel’s announcement and the greeting of her cousin Elizabeth, Mary was moved by faith to sing this song which has been and still is sung by believers ever since.

As I said, part of Mary’s inspiration for her song came from her knowledge of Scripture. So, she carries within her song many of the same themes and messages from not only the Psalms and the poetry of the prophets, but also the song of Hannah from the 1st book of Samuel. Mary, by the Holy Spirit, was realizing her role within salvation history. She was overcome with joy in what God had accomplished in the past, and what He was establishing now in her womb, and the fact that God was and is ever faithful. He remembers His promises and He remembers those who suffer and cry out to Him. To them He shows mercy, both now physically and spiritually now and hereafter in eternity.

This is very much the theme of the Nativity songs of Christmas, but it is also the theme of the Beatitudes, within all the miracles of the Gospels, the very theme of the earthly Ministry of Jesus Christ. Which theme? The theme of remembrance and mercy, the theme of lifting up the humble and broken hearted, even as God also brings down the proud and arrogant, the rich and mighty of earthly power. This theme is often called “the great reversal”. The Great Reversal describes how God works within His Fallen creation. It is the paradox that God in His mighty power might reveal Himself in weakness. That He who is master of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and thunder bursts would reveal Himself in a still small voice. The Great reversal echoes the paradox that the Son of God, the King of Kings would come as a suffering servant to sacrifice and be sacrificed for those who don’t deserve salvation. The Great reversal explains the power of God’s Word working through His Law and Gospel. Through the Law He tears down the arrogance and hypocrisy of self-righteousness, He tears down those who have placed themselves above Scripture as though they ruled over God’s Word, those who have been filled with the junk food of this world’s treasures and priorities. They are truly empty and are revealed to be empty by God’s Word. If this reversal in the spiritual realm is not clear to earthly eyes now, I assure you it will be fully revealed when Jesus Christ does come again in judgment and those who remained arrogant in the thoughts of their heart will be scattered to Sheol, that is Hell, and those who thought they were mighty will be cast down into Hell, and those who filled their bellies and lives with the priorities of this life will be turned away empty into the eternal abyss.

The purpose of the preaching of the Law here in time is to prevent the final condemnation for people. So that the arrogant might become as the humble, that the proud and self-righteous might realize they have no righteousness within themselves, so that those who were filled with the evil of this world might become empty of it, to become filled again with that which is good: God’s righteousness and forgiveness. This is what Martin Luther meant when he said “God breaks what is whole, and makes whole that which was broken. It is God’s purpose to break so that He might make whole again.” This wholeness is what Mary is singing about.

Mary knew that she was a sinner, she knew that she needed a Savior. Now the announcement that her Savior was near, that she was going to be the vessel to bear her own Savior amazed her, even as the miracle of the incarnation, God made flesh continues to amaze us. Therefore, she praises the Lord for her salvation, that the Mighty One, Yahweh, has descended upon her, and upon humanity in the flesh that was growing within her. He has done great things for her, but then she, in her song, quickly turns to listing all the things that God does and has done for others and us. His name she declares to be Holy even as the angel told her that her child would be holy, the Son of God, whose name “Jesus” bespeaks the task of salvation which He would accomplish. Mary speaks of God helping His servant Israel in remembrance of His mercy as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and His offspring forever. Jesus was sent to bring God’s mercy to earth, to be the offspring of Abraham through which the world would be blessed, to be the Israel that Israel could not be in His perfect life of obedience to God’s covenant and laws.

Because of Jesus Christ’s incarnation and His crucified death, God and man may be reconciled, and through the righteousness of this true servant Israel, all believers, Jew and Gentile alike, can be accounted as God’s people of promise by repentance and faith in Him.

God has lifted us up from our sin, He has washed us in Baptism and feeds us His Word and Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper. Now we may also rejoice and praise Him as we await His final return. This is the joyous message of Christmas, that God has come to those of low estate to those entrapped in the slavery and imprisonment of sin and rescued them by His Word in Jesus Christ. So today, this last Sunday of Advent, we can be excited and joyful. Joyful as we are amazed looking at our place in salvation history: that God would come and save us. That the baby boy come from Mary is indeed the Son of God and Lord of all creation. That God would come and suffer all, even death, for you and me, in order to rescue us and forgive us our sins by His own death on the cross. The same one born in Bethlehem comes to us at His Christmas each and every time that we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. Now we have the privilege to receive Him again on Christmas morning to witness His presence in His Divine Service, but think of it. We have the privilege to know even more than Mary did as to the specifics of our salvation through Jesus Christ. What a blessing. Mary’s song of wonderment and joy is now our song. Christ has come to serve and to save. And He continues to serve and to save. Our Emmanuel, God with us, does come to us in our weakness, to exchange our weakness for His strength, to take our sins away and forgive us. He continues to send forth His Holy Spirit by His Word and sacrament, calling you, me, and all people to believe His promises, to confess His name, and to wonder at the marvelous things that God has done for us, and continues to do for us, even our eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas