Christmas Eve

December 24th, 2005
Text: Luke 2:1-20

Dear Christians, merry Christmas! Really - merry Christmas – because, “It happened!” That is how the Christmas Gospel begins. “It happened!” “It came to pass” (NKJV) is how we heard that first Greek word (egeneto) read tonight. There is a bit more mysterious ring to that expression “it came to pass”. But the Greek (egeneto) literally means, “it happened”! Some modern versions leave it out altogether, regarding it as redundant. It is, after all so matter-of-fact and so ordinary – “It happened!”

The usual thought is that if you report what took place, you don’t also have to begin by saying say that “It happened”, that it took place. For example, we wouldn’t normally say “It happened that it rained on Christmas Eve”, or “It happened that our family gathered together for a meal.” We would just say “our family gathered together for a meal”.

But tonight I would like you to take the first word of Luke 2 for all its worth – because it’s worth a lot. “It happened!” The true gift of Christmas happened. The angel’s song, the shepherd’s joy, the virgin birth of the Son of God; beloved - the miracle of the ages happened – for you!

Current attempts to rename Christmas trees as holiday trees won’t change the life and death reality of what happened when God broke into the darkness of our world. But the danger of losing sight of the factual nature of Christmas is far more serious than the anti-Christian pressures of our culture.

The greatest danger is the sinful nature that we live with that believes it determines what is real, what happens, what matters. Week in and week out we easily go on as if what we see and feel is the chief determiner of what is real and what we can’t see is anyone’s guess. Such unbelief clings to each of us.

We live in an age that celebrates everyone making their own reality and deciding their own truth. We live in a time when even those who contend for the word “Christmas” easily turn it into a sweet, sentimental myth. A jolly man in a red suit or reindeer in the sky easily give the season a make-believe atmosphere. Frosty the Snowman and candy cane lanes add their hypnotic effect.

Christmas movie classics and delightful stories of angels abound this time of year. But have you noticed, those angels are presented as doing everything except what the real Christmas angels did – proclaim Jesus Christ. “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

How refreshing! St. Luke makes no Christmas demands of us. He simply states what happened. His telling of the story is reason to say “Merry Christmas”. His telling of God’s gift contrasts sharply with societal expectations that multiply pressure and add stress in this season. After all, tis the season to be jolly! The be-nice, be-happy, be-prepared expectations of this season are so heavy that human depression is at an all time high in these days. It’s presented as something so magical and so marvelous and of course marketable. But for us sinners in need of salvation, it is also ultimately meaningless without the certainty of the gift of God described by the evangelist St. Luke.

Tonight, take the first Greek word in Luke 2 for all its worth, because it is worth a lot. With all of the inner charades of our self-centered hearts, with all the cultural clutter of the Christmas season, rejoice in what St. Luke reports so matter-of-factly, “It happened!”

What happened? First of all, the government wanted more taxes – no surprises there. In a census, people and property were listed as a basis for assessing taxes. As even secular historians acknowledge, the taxation spoken of in our text happened. Although Galilee was a hotbed of opposition to Roman taxation, Joseph set out to be registered as he was told, as a loyal citizen.

The chief player in what happened might first of all seem to be mighty Caesar Augustus, ruler of the world? His power was unparalleled. His life seemed to unfold in a dream-come-true way. His concern was for law and order and taxes for the millions of people whom he ruled. Even if Caesar had known of this carpenter and this woman and the baby she carried, what would he care?

But tonight, two thousand years later, we remember Caesar Augustus only for something he neither knew nor intended. By God’s design, his taxation was instrumental in bringing Mary and Joseph and the unborn child to Bethlehem. Without their choice, the most powerful man in the world of that time and an insignificant carpenter, bring it about that Jesus’ birth is in Bethlehem. In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered…And Joseph also went up…to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Dear Christians “It happened” and when it did, there was no place for Him in the inn. Our sin is that we go on living as if it didn’t happen. Our sin is also that we are reluctant to give place to the Savior even as He had no place on the holy night of His birth. It is as if our hearts are bursting with struggle and sorrow that is so serious that the love of God cannot overcome it. Conversely, it is as if our life is so full and free and fabulous that we can’t be bothered to make room for God’s perfect gift of undeserved love.

Make no mistake that is exactly what happened in Bethlehem. Love came down. God’s love was freely poured out on us dying sinners. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. He who formed Adam from the virgin earth this night is born from the Virgin’s womb. It happened and its effects reach right down to you this evening and into the New Year and into your eternal future.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” As St. Paul wrote to Titus, The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 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...”

Beloved, God’s grace has appeared in person for you. God’s love for you is so sure He is clothed with flesh and blood. The swaddling clothes didn’t look like much. The manger didn’t look like much. Even the baby didn’t look like much. But He is the Savior of the world. He is God’s love in the flesh. He came down to take you up with Him. It happened. It happened for you!

Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace good will toward men. This child is God’s gift of peace to you. As Isaiah named Him, He is the Prince of peace,

So what if your life doesn’t seem to be full of peace? What if it doesn’t seem to be happening for you the way you’ve hoped for? What if you feel like you have to renounce self-control and grab for worldly passions to manufacture love or else you’re headed for a dead end. So those feelings do not change what happened on this holy night. It happened! Love and life came down in the flesh. Even death is not a dead end to Him.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. On those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. The glorious light in Bethlehem’s fields foretells the glorious light from inside a garden tomb on Easter morning. God’s angels were at it again – proclaiming Christ. In between the light of Christmas and the light of Easter was the darkness of our death and God’s damning wrath against our sin. Jesus suffered it in His body for us. The baby nestled in the manger was born to die on the cross and so defeat death for us. For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given. It happened!

By God’s grace, it is still happening. Christ is still in the flesh, now risen from the grave. And just like at the incarnation of His Son God does not wait to get approval from us as to how it should happen. He continues to come in ways that surpass our understanding.

With the message the shepherds were given a sign – after all – babies look pretty much alike. The baby they were to seek was to be found in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. Only one baby like that to be found in Bethlehem on that night!. When they saw Him, they told others what had been told them about Him.

You also have been given a sign and told where to find Jesus. Jesus said whoever remains in His words, remains in Him. Jesus also said to keep on eating and drinking His body and blood. There are lots of divine claims, but there is only one God who claims to have sacrificed His body and blood on the cross for the life of the world. There is only one God who bids us to continue to receive that same body and blood under the bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins.

The shepherds returned to their same vocation, tending their sheep. The gift of Christmas was not disconnected from their daily life. In a few hours or few days we also go back to what we have been given to do – sheep to tend – children and home to care for – studies to give attention to – daily work to perform – friends and family to love. We go back to the same tasks, but it is all different in Christ. God will do things in you and through you beyond your knowing and planning just as he did through the shepherds and Mary and Joseph and even Caesar Augustus.

You came here on this Christmas Eve to hear again the good words from God about His gift of love. You brought along the parts of you that still say, no, it couldn’t have really happened just this way. You brought along those parts from a world of death and taxes and all the things that threaten to wear you out and dry you up. You brought along those questions about loneliness or pain or meaning in life or health, that seem to shout, “no, it didn’t happen”.

But those feelings are wrong. Merry Christmas! It happened! God’s word helps us through to the rock bottom of what happened, and on that we can build. On His word we can fit in all the pieces and layers of our lives, the hard things yes, but also the happy things too. We can let them be the happy things they are, family, home, friends together, gifts, food, drink and all the fun and kindliness of Christmas. We can let them be truly happy things for they are liberated from having to cover a wretchedness or emptiness of heart. For our heart is now fixed where true joy is found – a Savior who is Christ the Lord!

Dear Christians, it happened! Joy to the world, the Lord has come. God’s word has carried it to our ears again this evening. The Word made flesh will carry it to our lips in bread and wine again tomorrow. God grant that His forgiving love continue to pass from the ear and the lip to the heart of each of us. The giving of God’s love and forgiveness in Christ Jesus is still happening!

As you return this week to the duties God has given you, He will have things to do with you that you have not planned. In Christ He is working out your salvation. In Christ He will bring to completion what He has begun in you. Merry Christmas! Really! In the name of Jesus; AMEN.