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Christmas Eve - 2001 (Midnight)
In the name of the Father and of the † Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our text for the Nativity of our Lord is from Luke 2:11, For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Those words may be the greatest good news ever delivered by angels to men. Those words, to you, bring Jesus birth into great focus, and help us to understand both who He is and why He came to earth.
Who is Jesus? He is none other that the Son of God. He is the perfect image of His heavenly Father. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus is the name above every name. In Him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily.
And the angel says to the shepherds and to us: to you. This Jesus, this Son of God, this co-creator of the world and judge of all the earth, is born to you.
Some of you here have had children. Others have not, but might some day. There is nothing quite like the feeling of knowing that this is your child. This is your son, your daughter sitting on your lap, your very own flesh and blood, born into your family. It is an amazing thing. It is a gift from God beyond price.
Now take all the wonder, all of the glory and majesty of birth and family and life in your own arms, and look to the manger in Bethlehem. In that manger is born a child. Isaiah the prophet put it so well: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
This child, this Son of God and Son of Mary, is born to you. This child comes into our family, the family of the human race. This One comes to give what no other child can give. For no matter how wonderful human birth is, no matter how great a gift is family, we are all born into sin and death and heartache all of our lives. But not This One. This one is born the Savior, Christ the Lord. He is God and Man. He is without sin and full of the Love of the Father for you. He is your peace and hope in this dark world. He is your life, He is your forgiveness, He is your brother, He is your eternal Father, and He is your Son, for He takes on all of your sin.
To you. Have there ever been more beautiful words spoken of in all the world? This perfect Son of God is born to you. He is born in darkness and the night, but He brings life and salvation to all who trust in Him. He comes in silence, but the angels of heaven cannot help but sing out Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
The almighty Word of God descends from His royal throne on high, and takes the lowliest form of all. He takes on your form, your likeness. He does this so that you by faith may take on His nature, as the Son of God and an heir of eternal life. This is why one theologian has said that on Christmas night, every family is holy. For you see, Christ has entered into our family. He sits at our table, sleeps in our bed. He is one of us as much as every other member of your holy family. Yet this new member of the human family comes to give us gifts like no other. For by entering into our flesh, by taking on our family, Jesus Christ has also adopted you into God’s family. You now bear God’s name as much as He bears your name. As the hymn says so well, God and sinners reconciled.
It is indeed no wonder that the angels in heaven appear to the shepherds and sing Glory to God! But no matter how much the angels sing, their song, their joy this night cannot match ours. For this Jesus, the Son of God, gives us His flesh to eat and His blood to drink for eternal life. We are not separated from God anymore. He is one of us. Indeed, He is our child, and He is our Father.
So rejoice in the mystery of God made flesh for your salvation. Rejoice and sing, for He comes to you to save you.
In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of Mary and Son of God. Amen. The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in true faith, unto life everlasting. Amen.
This page was created on 01/10/2007 and last edited on: 01/10/2007