And 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. (Luke 2:13–14, KJV 1900)
At the birth of Jesus, there were very few human beings who saw the Lord in the form of a baby. Not a single person in Israel or beyond its borders were even aware of the arrival of Jesus to the world. The most significant and fascinating event of all human history is took place in a small town south of Jerusalem. God had come to earth. Had He announced His entry with thunder or earthquakes or an entourage of noble servants, more would have certainly taken notice. Had He come as a commander, a conquering king, or a great wise sage with an assembly of followers, He would have been heralded by all. But no, here is this little infant which appears no different than any other baby born in Judea. So no one really cares.
The angels must have felt the disgrace. I can imagine them looking at one another, utterly aghast. They eye each other, mouths pursed, hearts throbbing in sympathy with their creator who has now become the created. Is no one going to promote the appearance of Jesus? Somehow a plan is concocted to find some worthy company of souls who would appreciate meeting Deity. A few shepherds, probably longing for the Messiah to reveal Himself some day, are accosted by a lone angel who is eager to share the news. He tells them of the birth of Christ, the Son of David, the Savior of the world. The angel prepares them for what they will encounter. A rough stable, a poor couple, and a child lying in an animal’s feeding dish. What a welcome for the Lord of the Universe. And all of the other angels cannot contain themselves. They rush onto the scene and burst into songs of glory and praise to their Lord, giving the shepherds a concert they will never forget. These men quickly run to behold the baby. But unfortunately, they were the only ones.
Fast forward two millennia and there are millions, maybe billions who adore the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Most know that December 25th is not official. The date certainly does have some paganish roots. And yet, it is the one time of year when nearly the entire world pauses to recognize Jesus. Not all, but many. It is as if maybe humanity is trying to make up for the the no-show in Bethlehem. But are we really that much more into Jesus today than those others were in the 1st century? We sing the songs, but does He have our hearts? We buy the gifts, but have we received the gift of salvation in Christ? We set up the lights, but do we follow the light of God’s word? We cozy up by the fire, but are our hearts on fire for the mission of Jesus? We decorate the tree, but do we honor the One who was crucified and whose mangled body hung like decoration upon the tree of Calvary? Would you still think of the Lord Jesus this Christmas if all of these nostalgic and cultural icons and feelings were stripped away? I hope so. Maybe it's the perpetual cynic in me that wonders if we have used the birth Jesus as an excuse to shop and eat and display and to do other such things that have very little to do with Christ.
Might I suggest that in our haste to travel and to exchange presents, that we plan a moment to worship the Lord this season. Really worship Him. Sing, pray, humble your heart like He humbled Himself, read the nativity accounts in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke as a family and meditate on the meaning. Do something distinctly sacred and holy….different than what you’ve ever done and what others might be doing. Be like the angels who were excited and eager to celebrate the Lord. Speak of Him, live for Him, even if you are the only one.
This coming Sabbath, the annual Christmas Cantata will take place. Both the Unplugged service at 9am and the Connected service at 11am will feature beautiful and triumphant songs of the holiday season.
And thank you Clovis for the special time last Sabbath. Such love and joy…tinted with sadness and tears. Thank you so much for the gifts and well wishes. Though we will not be with you this weekend, I know that the Lord will be present in abundant measure.
Pastor Dean