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Christmas Eve, 12/24/2013
Sermon on Luke 2:1-14, by Andrew Smith
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and 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 among those with whom he is pleased!"
The sermon this evening will be an interpretation and explanation of this part of the reading from Luke chapter 2 we just heard read. "And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." This is our text.
I saw it in the paper last week, a Christian talking about how Christmas was the most important holiday for Christians and I couldn't help but chuckle at little bit and wonder where this guy was going to church because, Christmas is not the most important holiday in the Christian church. That may come as a surprise to many people, may even a few of you here tonight, but it's not. Christmas runs a fairly distant second place. Oh, I see how some might think it's the most important, what with all the gift-giving, the music, the greeting cards, and special meals, the decorations and lights and the mistletoe. But it's not. Historically, the first Christians celebrated Jesus' resurrection from the very beginning. Christians did not begin to celebrate Jesus' birth until well into fourth century, some 350 years after Jesus' death and resurrection. Notice even that the Bible doesn't record the date Jesus was born but we know exactly when Jesus died and was raised. Historically and Biblically, the resurrection of Jesus is more important. But Christmas is important, theologically, and the importance of Christmas is in this one line from Luke chapter 2, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
Unfortunately these days outside of church, the name Jesus Christ, is more often invoked as a curse than a blessing. But God's angel that Christmas night certainly proclaimed this name as "good news of great joy that will be for all the people." Because Christ's name is so often misused, much of the wonder and glory has been stripped away from it. But in this one word, Christ, are all the promises God made to His people, to Adam and Eve, down through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, through to Isaiah and the prophets and up to even John the Baptist. In this title, "the Christ," is the entirety of God's plan to restore his people from their rebellion and sinfulness and rescue from the depths of hell to which they were doomed. "Christ" is the Greek word for "the anointed one," "the promised one," "the Messiah." In the OT, those who were called to high office, prophets, priests, and kings, were anointed with oil. To this day, kings and queens of historically Christian countries are anointed with oil. This is a physical sign to confirm that they are officially installed in, and declared competent for (quite literally sealed into) their office. The history of the OT is populated with people who, although anointed, carried out their office imperfectly, even unfaithfully. And so, God's people longed for the arrival of the Anointed One, who would not be anointed by men and with oil prepared by human hands, but by God, with the Holy Spirit. Anointed by the Holy Spirit at His baptism, Jesus could say of himself: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me ..." Jesus of Nazareth, born of Mary is the Christ of God, his sacred office is Mediator between God and man for all people and but also in this title is the authority and power through which he is able to complete his mission. The message of the angel is that "the Christ" is born.
We are a cynical and rebellious people. Like Israel, we have had our fill of leaders and their titles, whether they are known as judge, senator, or president. So often, titles are just words to us because we have seen the corruption and abuse of those in office. Although the Bible never uses the phrase, "the offices of Christ," we know that in Deut. 18:15, God would raise up "a prophet"; at Ps. 110:4 the Lord is called "a priest forever"; and at Zech. 6:12-13 the future "Branch" would have "royal honor, and [would] sit and rule upon his throne." Through his birth, life, suffering, death and resurrection, Jesus proved himself to be the true prophet, the true priest, and the true king, who fulfills and restores God's original order in the world, and also restores meaning and honor to these titles.
As prophet, Christ, was appointed to bring God's message to his people and to reveal God's will. But Christ was not merely a prophet, but the greatest of the prophets. That is, his message cannot be augmented by future prophets. For in him "are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3) especially making known the will and love of the Father. Christ's prophetic message is to announce the plan of God to rescue his people solely because of His love. The Christ speaks with a unique authority and so his message is to be believed above all messages. The role of God's prophets today is to repeat the Good News of the love of God in his Christ.
As priest, the Christ sacrificed his own life, which provided the payment for sin and accomplished the restoration of the relationship of God with his people. Christ's sacrifice at the cross had been announced and foreshadowed for many centuries in the entire sacrificial system under the old covenant, especially in the slaying of the Passover lamb and the whole burnt offerings for sin. What Aaron and the other Old Testament priests did symbolically and repeatedly, Christ accomplished fully, once and for all time. In presenting himself as a sacrifice for human sin, he paid to God the blood-guilt for his own people. Thus, through His cross, he delivers from guilt and condemnation all who believe in him. It is a strange priest who offers himself as the sacrifice but Christ as priest is the message of the Scriptures.
And Christ is also King. Like the kings of the Old Testament, Jesus was anointed for his office. But unlike his predecessors he was not a king among other kings, forced to share power and glory with them. Rather, he was anointed as the eternal King with unlimited power and an eternal rule of righteousness and justice. Jesus is the king described by Isaiah the prophet as "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah continues, "Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore." This kingdom of God (or of heaven) is radically different from any earthly kingdom. You can't recognize it by its outward pomp but is instead established in the hearts of Christ's followers. Christ the King rules not by mighty armies but by his word. And the Christ is not just the king of Israel but the king of all nations. Christ's kingship may be disregarded on earth and his glory concealed by scorners who "mock the footsteps of [God's] anointed" (Ps. 89:51). But his majesty continues to shine in heaven where he reigns as "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Rev. 19:16). And one day he will return on "the clouds of heaven," exalting believers and humiliating unbelievers (e.g., Matt. 25:31-46). Then the reign of Christ will be ushered in with righteousness, both in heaven and on earth (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21). Christ is king.
Prophet, priest and king. Jesus is the Christ, Christ the Lord.
And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." This message delivered by the angels to the shepherds can get lost too easily in the wrapping paper and ribbons, in the cynicism and rebellion of our hardened hearts. The second part of that title, "Christ the Lord," also stands to be unpacked and better understood by folks today. "The Lord" is the title for God. In Greek the word is "kyrios." As you might expect, this is not just any old word but rather the word that the translators of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek used for the sacred name of God, Yahweh. When the angel announces to the shepherds, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord," they mean to say that the savior that is born is Yahweh himself. Yahweh, who revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush and led the people of Israel out of Egypt, Yahweh, who conquered the Canaanites and delivered his people into the promised land, Yahweh, has now taken on human flesh, Yahweh has been born of a virgin in Bethlehem. And this is the sign that Yahweh has been born, "you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." The Christ, God's Messiah, Yahweh himself, your Savior is born for you.
Christ the Lord, prophet, priest and king, is born for you. And this is the nature of the birth of Christ the Lord that he came to be Savior to those who rebel against his truth and his rule and rescue them from the eternal consequences rebellion, death and hell. Christ the Lord, the Messiah of God Himself, came to save even those who use his name as a curse and who would prefer the false twinklings of tinsel and the glitter to the true light born into this world. Christ the Lord is born for you, and yet this news is second class news compared with the Good News that Christ the Lord, the Savior who was born died in your place for your sins, and more than that was in his body raised again so that you now need not fear the eternal consequences of your rebellion against God. You too will be raised from death and live with Christ the Lord forever.
Christmas may not be the most sacred holy day for Christians but it is the beginning of the completion of God's plan to rescue us from sin, death and hell. And for this reason we celebrate tonight and for the next 12 days. "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Amen.
Zusätzliche Medien:
Luke 2:1-14 [English Standard Version, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers]