Luke 2:1-20; Titus
2:11-14; Isaiah 9:2-7
In the Name of the Father and of the
+ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Something
that I miss from growing up in the Midwest are the sunsets and the sunrises
there. In a word, they are simply stunning and spectacular. Why is that? Well,
have you been there? Have you been to states like Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa,
and even Wisconsin and Minnesota and others? They are flat! You can see for miles
and miles in every direction. And, the sunsets and the sunrises seem to stretch
for miles and miles in every direction too. It is in the Midwest that the sun actually
looks like that iconic sunny-side-up fried egg when it rises. And, when it
sets, its colors are rose and violet and orange and yellow as far as the eye
can see. But, it all begins in the silence and darkness of the night. When all
is as still and dark and quiet as death, then, all in a moment, a point of
light appears. And, quickly, the darkness flees as the horizon breaks forth in
glorious light. Yes, the people of Illinois, a people sleeping in darkness,
have seen a great light. “Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them
has light shined.” Just like that, it’s day, it’s no longer night. It is a new
day, for the night has passed and cannot return.
The coming of
Jesus at Christmas is like that. “When all was still and it was midnight, Your
almighty Word, O Lord, descended from the royal throne.” The stillness and the
darkness of midnight represent our fallen condition. When the Scriptures
describe us as a people walking in the darkness, even children of the darkness,
they mean that we are completely corrupted and enslaved by sin and death.
Moreover, the stillness and the silence are symbolic of our inability to help
ourselves out of our fallen condition, or even to see that there is hope for
help outside of ourselves. Thus, the images of dawn and light bespeak something
happening to us that is beyond our control, an action that is done to us
and for us from outside of us – God’s gift of His Son Jesus
Christ.
Jesus is the
dawn that rises upon us. He is the morning star, the brightest of the stars of
the morning, rising just before the dawn. Jesus is the Light of God before He
created the sun, the moon, and the stars, even the Light of the World who
scatters the darkness, in whose presence darkness cannot abide. Jesus is the
free gift of God’s grace given to us without any merit or worth in ourselves.
Jesus is the free gift given into a virgin womb without the aid or work or
merit of any man or woman. Jesus is truly extra nos, from outside of
us. And, yet, wondrously, mysteriously, miraculously, He has become one of
us: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling amongst us; and we have beheld
His glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Blessed Christmas!
And that has
changed everything! For, without the light, darkness remains darkness and will
never be anything other than darkness. But, when the light comes, there is no
darkness – period! Likewise, without the dawn, the night continues on
unchanging. But, when the morning star rises, the night has ended and the day
has come – period! And, when the Archangel Gabriel spoke the creative Word of
God into the virgin soil of Mary’s womb, the Light of the World pierced man’s sin-darkened
humanity and obliterated its deathly hold over us evermore. In the beginning of
the new creation, God spoke His creative Word into the nothingness of a virgin
womb and said, “Let there be Light, and let there be Life.” And, it was so. And
the multitude of the heavenly host praised God and sang, “Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” Blessed
Christmas!
And, that is
the meaning of this night. That is the meaning of Christmas. God has reconciled
the world, God has reconciled humanity, God has reconciled you to Himself by
taking on your flesh and by becoming your brother in Jesus Christ. And, just as
Jesus would teach, “Greater love has no man this, that he would lay down his
life for his friends,” even so, the greatest gift God could give you was
Himself. He made Himself a little lower than the angels that He might crown man
with glory. God became a man that man might become God. You are not gods, but
you have been joined into God in Jesus Christ. He is your Father even as He is
Jesus’ Father. His kingdom is your kingdom even as it is Jesus’ kingdom. His
eternal life and reign are yours to share, as you are His body, and He your
head, flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. Blessed Christmas!
And, on the
night of Jesus’ birth, the heavens were ablaze with the brilliant light of God’s
glory as the angelic host appeared to the lowly shepherds keeping watch over
their flock by night. They proclaimed the announcement of Jesus’ birth and
peace with God. The shepherds were stricken with fear and the unexpected sight
and because of their sinfulness in the presence of the holiness of God, but the
first message the messenger gave was an absolution, “Fear not!” And he
continued, “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.” And, “When the angels went away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this
thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went
with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” The dawn
has broken. Light has come. No longer need men dwell in the darkness of sin and
death. Blessed Christmas!
“And when
they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this
child.” They were no longer mere shepherds, but they were changed. Yes, they
were still shepherds, but in their vocations they were also messengers,
evangelists, and more! For, when the light shines in the darkness, the darkness
scatters and is no more. So, too, did Mary treasure all these things in her
heart. She was changed. At all times she would be aware of the grace and the favor
that was shown to her, and so would she show grace and favor to all. You too
have received God’s grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. You too have been changed.
No longer is anyone unlovable, unacceptable, unforgivable, but all have been
redeemed in Christ Jesus. Blessed Christmas! The silent night has been broken
by the bright and joyous sound of the Gospel, the Good News that is for all
people. Let us be like Blessed Mary, and ponder these things always in our
hearts. Let us be like the Blessed shepherds, and refuse to remain silent, but
praise and glorify God by telling the Good News to all!
Like the
morning star, which pierces the darkness of the night, the Son of God has
broken into our night of sin and death and has transformed it by taking up our
flesh and being born as a child. And, that has changed everything! Blessed
Christmas! The gift of God in Christ Jesus has made you to be a gift as well.
Let us who have received everything from Him withhold nothing from others. In
this new year of God’s grace, let us not forget His gift at Christmas, but,
like Mary His mother, treasure these things in our hearts. And, from the
treasure and blessing of our heart, let us bless each other, and others. May we
give of the gift we have received freely and graciously to the glory of God’s
holy Name. For, Christ is truly the gift that keeps on giving. He is the grace,
mercy, love, peace, compassion, and forgiveness of God poured out for you,
poured into you, overflowing out of you without end into the lives of others.
You can never exhaust His grace. And, you can never run out of His grace to
share. Blessed Christmas!
In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment