Christmas Morn
Christmas Day, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas! Salvation is created Christmas morn—come everyone praise the Lord!
Christmas Eve is a day to celebrate and anticipate.
We have heard the story of the Christ child.
We heard about how Jesus’ story begins with taxes: that’s why Emperor Augustus had the people of the Roman Empire registered. That’s why Joseph took his pregnant fiancé Mary to his hometown of Bethlehem.
We heard about the babe born in Bethlehem.
We heard the angel announce to the shepherds in the hills, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
We heard the angels sing, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
We heard how the shepherds left their flocks and went with haste to see Jesus.
We heard how Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart, while her infant son, God’s Son, rested in her arms—and her husband Joseph cared for them.
The message of Christmas is clear and simple. It is the message of “good news of great joy for all the people.” The Savior, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus is born in Bethlehem.
Who is this Savior?
Who is this Messiah?
Who is this babe born in Bethlehem?
Who is this Jesus?
Centuries earlier, Isaiah proclaimed,
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined…
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
The Older Testament is full of expectation and hope.
God’s salvation is coming.
Israel’s God will return to Jerusalem, comfort God’s people, and redeem them.
At the creation of the world, God had the gift of Christmas in mind.
Three thousand years ago and more, God promised Abraham that God would bless all the families of the world through him and his family, the Jews.
For us, God fulfilled that promise in Jesus, the Jewish boy born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger.
So who is Jesus?
John says, “the Word [of God] became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”
The Word of God, God’s one and only Son, was born of a virgin and laid in a manger.
Our salvation was born in Bethlehem.
The light of the world, the life of the world, became one of us, a carpenter’s son, the Son of God.
Jesus is Emmanuel, “God with us.”
This child, this babe born in Bethlehem, is the fulfillment of the hopes and expectations of the prophets of old.
Through Jesus Christ, God forgives our sins and we are reconciled, made right with God—we are reborn as children of God.
Through Jesus Christ, God came down to us and became one of us to draw us out into the light and warmth of God’s love, now and forever.
That’s what Christmas is all about.
To us was “born… in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
The word for Savior also means Healer.[1]
Jesus is our Savior, and our Healer.
Jesus. God with us. The Prince of Peace.
Yesterday, my family and I were talking about Christmas, and someone asked where the word “Christmas” comes from.
I knew it came from Christ Mass, or Christ’s Mass, but then someone asked what “Mass” means.
Other than a word for a worship service, I had forgotten, so I had to look it up.
I found that Mass comes from the Latin missa, or ‘dismissal.’ At the end of the Latin worship are the words, Ite missa est, or “Go, it is the dismissal.”
It’s also related to our word mission. So I started to think about the connection between Christ Mass and Christ’s Mission.
Christ Mass is truly Christ’s Mission to us; Christmas reminds us to Go and Partake in Christ’s Mission!
Salvation is created Christmas morn—come everyone praise the Lord!
Merry Christmas!
Let us pray.
Dear God, thank you for coming down to us as one of us.
Thank you for the gift of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, on Christmas morn.
Thank you for loving us so much that you gave your only son.
Thank you for forgiving us as we forgive one another.
Thank you for making us your children, heirs in your kingdom through Jesus our Lord.
Bind us together with your love.
In the name of Jesus Christ, and by the power of your Holy Spirit we pray.
Amen.
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