Theme: Look, your Saviour comes
Text: Is. 62:11-12; Tit. 3:4-7; Lk. 2:15-20
Christmas is a time for giving and celebration and a time to remember God’s great gift to us. A time for giving presents and it is also a time of thanksgiving; thanksgiving to God for His many gifts, for answered prayers, for healing, for new friendships and above all for His indescribable gift, Jesus Christ, a gift too wonderful for words. This gift meant that the Son of God left His throne in glory to come to earth as a man. Everyone moves during his or her life. Some people move when they get married and others move because of their jobs. But most frequently people move when they build their dream houses or when they find better houses even if it is in the same neighbourhood. Sometimes we also move because we can no longer afford the cost and need a cheaper place. Unfortunately there are people today without homes. We pass by them everyday and it has become such a common sight that we are no longer concerned about their plight. Would you give up your home to live under the conditions these people live under just to help them? This was what God did. The Word was made flesh, God’s messenger in person.
The Word was made flesh because man needed a Saviour. When God created man He never intended for man to sin, but gave man a free will to chose his own course. God put man in a perfect environment called the Garden of Eden and gave him only one commandment to obey - not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam, the father of us all, chose to disobey that one small commandment and through Eve, he rebelled and sinned against God. By choosing to depend on themselves they became separated from God. They, not God, caused the conflict with their Creator. Their sin not only affected themselves, but it affected the world and even the whole Universe. Yet God promised salvation and deliverance and the possibility of the restoration of true peace. God in the moment of man’s failure, promised a Saviour. He promised one who would undo the sin effects of sin and restore peace with God.
Christ came for everyone. How amazed the angels must have been when they saw the Creator born as a creature, the Word coming as a speechless baby, completely dependent on others so that man could be reconciled to God? As the Lamb of God He was born in a stable and the first ones to hear the news were shepherds in the field. Perhaps these shepherds were caring for the flocks that would provide the sacrifices for the temple services and it was their duty to inspect the sacrificial lambs and make sure they were without blemish. The Lamb of God was without blemish, the perfect sacrifice for the salvation of the world. Our reconciliation with God is the basis of our peace. The Jewish word for peace, shalom, means wellbeing, health, prosperity, security, soundness and completeness and deals more with character than circumstances. Life was difficult at that time just as it is today. Taxes were high, unemployment was high, morals were slipping lower, and the military state was in control. Roman law, Greek philosophy and even Jewish religion could not meet the needs of men’s hearts. So God sent His Son, the only one who could meet that need. Jesus gave up eternity to come to a hostile earth so that we could be reconciled to God and experience peace. As we celebrate Christmas have we invited Christ into our hearts or are we behaving like the innkeeper who had no room for Him in the inn? Today is a day of great joy. Let us welcome Jesus Christ, our Saviour, into our hearts.
When God gave us His greatest gift, the news did not even make the headlines. Rather it was the news that Augustus Caesar had ordered a census and everyone had to return to their hometown. But who would have thought that Augustus Caesar was merely God’s errand boy being used to fulfil OT prophecy. Although everything was focused on Caesar and Rome, and no one noticed Joseph and Mary travelling from Nazareth to Bethlehem, nor noticed the first cries of the newborn child, Jesus Christ, the most important news event was what had taken place in Bethlehem. They failed to notice the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Within Jesus’ fragile frame, undiminished deity and true humanity existed together as God’s supreme gift of grace to man, a gift too wonderful for words. Just as the news of the birth of Jesus Christ did not make the headlines in those days so the birthday of Christ and the significance of the good news that was proclaimed by the angel does not make the headlines today. Rather it is the news of the parties that are being held the sales that are being made the clothes that are being worn and the places that are being patronised. All eyes may be focused on new clothes, food and drink, but the most significant event today is the birth of Christ. Great care was taken so that when the Word was made flesh He would be recognised and prophecies concerning Him were fulfilled to the smallest detail. The only ones who took any notice were the angels who announced His birth and some shepherds and wise men.
The infinite unlimited God took on the limitations of humanity and was born in a manger by a virgin. This was something the world could not understand. They were used to royalty being born in palaces, the birth announced with parades and celebrations which everyone would notice. The baby would be clothed and laid on the most expensive materials and the best servants would attend to him. However, only bleating sheep and braying donkeys welcomed God’s Son, who lay wrapped in strips of cloth, rags used to wipe down animals, on a pile of hay in a feeding trough for animals. A dark and dirty stable with a disgusting stench is a far cry from what the Christmas cards portray. The only ones who celebrated were the angels who announced His birth and the only ones who took any notice were some shepherds and wise men. Why would the Son of God want to become human? Why would He leave His celestial home to enter our world of pain and sorrow? Why in heaven would God come down and be born in a manger? Soren Kierkegaard, the great Danish theologian told this story about a prince who wanted to find a maiden suitable to be his queen. One day while running an errand in the local village for his father he passed through a poor section. As he glanced out the windows of the carriage his eyes fell upon a beautiful peasant maiden. During the ensuing days he often passed by the young lady and soon fell in love. But he had a problem. How would he seek her hand? He could order her to marry him. But even a prince wants his bride to marry him freely and voluntarily and not through coercion. He could put on his most splendid uniform and drive up to her front door in a carriage drawn by six horses. But if he did this he would never be certain that the maiden loved him or was simply overwhelmed with the entire splendour. The prince came up with another solution. He would give up his kingly robe. He moved, into the village, entering not with a crown but in the garb of a peasant. He lived among the people, shared their interests and concerns, and talked their language. In time the maiden grew to love him for who he was and because he had first loved her. This very simple story portrays what God did for us. He came and lived among us. He had to reveal Himself to us in a way we could understand, and this is precisely what Jesus did - became flesh just like you and me. He made Himself understandable. A great event in history happened when the Messiah was born but there was no room for Him in the inn. Today, 2000 years later, millions of people have no room in their hearts for Jesus. Although they participate enthusiastically in the festivities of the Christmas season, they keep Him out of their lives. Is there room in your life for Christ?
To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. To receive Christ is “to welcome” or “to accept” Him. It is to welcome Christ into every area of our life and believe in Him. To believe in the name of Jesus means to put faith in Him as a person and in what he represents. This simple act is life changing and transforming because we become children of God - we become a part of eternity. One of the greatest joys of Christmas is found in giving. It is indeed better to give than to receive. It is a great joy when you give a gift to Christ. What does Christ want from you? The greatest gift you can give to Christ is yourself.
Jesus revealed the glory of God. In the Bible “glory” often means the bright shining light which was seen when God was present. It also means the perfection and excellence of God. No man can see God and live because of man’s imperfection. Moses desired to see God’s glory to give him an assurance and an experience of His presence but God could not grant his full request. He was only allowed to see God’s back, when God had passed by. Moses could only know God by what He does and how He acts. We however can see God as He really is when the Word became flesh, and John says we beheld His glory. In Jesus we have God’s glory veiled in a body of flesh so that we are not slain by it. It is manifested in His perfect life and character and He was perfect in all His ways. The visible outshining of His glory also took place on the mount of transfiguration, which indicated to His disciples that He was truly the Son of God. Jesus is full of grace and truth and undeserved kindness for others. He is also completely honest and upright and can never excuse sin or approve evil. To be completely gracious and at the same time completely righteous is something that only God can be. Today as we celebrate the birth of Christ let us allow Him to lift the burdens we are carrying from your shoulders - the burden of unforgiveness, the burden of despair, the burden of anxiety and the burden of guilt. Come to the manger this morning. Come to Christ. Let the Prince of Peace finally give you the peace you long for.
Without Jesus in the manger, there is no Christianity. Apart from Christ, Christianity is an empty feeding trough with only wood and straw. For Jesus Christ and Christianity are really one and the same, and Christians, those called by Christ’s name, are people who are personally and individually related to Him. The baby Jesus is the central focus not only in our nativity scenes but also in our lives. However, just as it is easy to lose sight of Christ amid the presents and celebrations of the holidays, so it is easy to lose our devotion to Christ amid the attractions and pleasures of life. Today as we celebrate the birth of Christ, we need to ask ourselves whether He is our Saviour. Do we believe that God came in human form when Jesus was born in Bethlehem? Have we invited Him into our hearts or are we behaving like the innkeeper who had no room for Him in the inn? Jesus gave up eternity to come to a hostile earth so that we could be reconciled to God and experience peace. As we celebrate Christmas are we promoting peace and reconciliation in our lives? Let us who have been reconciled to God also be reconciled to one another and experience peace in our lives. Today is a day of great joy. Let us welcome Jesus Christ, our Saviour, into our hearts. Look your Saviour comes. Amen!
