Hymns: 88, 103, 85, 102, 87

Luke 2:1-14 — “And this to You’all the Sign”

      Grace, mercy, and peace to you all from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

      The sermon text is the Gospel reading appointed for the eve of the Nativity of our Lord: Luke 2:1-14:

     And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
     Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
     So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
     Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
     And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
     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, goodwill toward men!”

      In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Introduction

      On this evening all the world hears of God’s salvation. On this evening all the world receives her Lord and His mercy. Not everyone welcomes the Lord, but He comes on behalf of all the world. Not everyone receives Him, but He is present to bless everyone with mercy, grace, and peace. The message has gone forth into the world. God has seen to it. The preparations have been made from eternity and have been brought to fulfillment in time. God has provided the ultimate sign, the ultimate miracle! “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

I.      And Came to Be

      Our text begins with St. Luke telling us, “And came to be in those days.” There is much packed into these few words.

      First, “And came to be . . .” This is not the announcement of an accident. This is not the announcement of a circumstance that simply happened. This is the same phraseology that the Septuagint uses in Genesis. “And God said, “Let come to be light, and came to be light!”

      “And came to be” is the pronouncement that God’s eternal will has come to be. What God in His mercy established even with the foundation of the earth has come to be. This is not an accident. This is God’s plan. God has brought it into being.

      The nations do not simply form. Kings and governments do not merely happen. All things are worked for good by God. Caesar Augustus did not make this decree merely on a whim. God moved the Caesar to do this at this particular time in order that the Scriptures would be fulfilled and the sign that was given to the world in those days, those days long ago, those days when wicked King Ahaz refused to believe the gracious Word of God, would now, in the days of Caesar Augustus, be fulfilled. Yes, “And came to be in those days.”

      Those days are the very days that were promised already to the woman in the garden of Eden. Those days are the very days that were promised to Noah and to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, to David, and to every believer in the Christ until the end of time. “And came to be in those days” is the “Yes” and “Amen” of God fulfilled in the gift of Jesus to the world. For even as His name declares, “Yahweh Saves.”

      Because of the Caesar’s need for taxes to support his wicked kingdom, Joseph and his dear bride traveled to Bethlehem at the most inconvenient time of their lives. Yet God had promised that His Son would be born of the virgin, and not in Nazareth, but in Bethlehem, which means, House of Bread. Yes, the Bread which comes down from heaven was to be born in the House of Bread, and for this to come to be, Caesar had to invoke a census of all the world. Truly what St. Paul declares regarding the governing authorities is verified in this coming to be of this sacred event. Through Caesar, God came to be in the promised city of David and the sign came to be even as was foretold to wicked Ahaz. God’s Word is never broken. God’s Word always fulfills Himself. The Word of God was born to Bethlehem.

II.      And this to You’all the Sign

      How marvelously God works. Who but God could have accomplished such a plan?

     So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
     Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
     And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

      This is the sign that God promised and that the Jews were expecting. Yet the sign came to be, and no one recognized it. Even Joseph and Mary did not realize what God was doing by bringing them to Bethlehem. The King of Glory was born, that is, carried, to the promised birthplace, and no one knew.

      Can you imagine what would happen today if Joseph showed up with Mary on Christmas Eve? Can you imagine the hoopla that would be made? Can you imagine the innkeeper turning them away?

      But this was God’s plan. Rather than contemporary forms of worship and pretty lights and presents and birthday cakes and candles, God came in the promised way and sent messengers from heaven to pastors out in the pastures. These pastors did not even realize that God planned for them to be the ones to tell the world of the miracle that had come to be in Bethlehem. Even upon hearing the message of the angel they did not realize what God had ordained for them. First, they had to receive the sign for themselves.

      This is how God works. He takes away all the works and words of men and replaces them with His own works and words. He makes it clear that the miracle of faith is not something that people choose for themselves, but that faith is produced by the preaching of Christ crucified.

      For truly, this is the message that the angel proclaimed to these pastors. “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

      Even before mentioning the portion that we tend to fix our attention upon, even before mentioning the sweet and cuddly baby Jesus in the manger, the angel preached Christ crucified, the one born in the city of David as SAVIOR. This salvation was not accomplished by being born into the world. This salvation did not come to be by breathing His first breath or by sucking milk from Mary’s breasts or by pooping His diapers. These are all part of the sign of God’s salvation. But Salvation is in the proclamation of His death on the cross. Thus the angel proclaimed Jesus to be the “Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” The baby wrapped in swaddling clothes is the sign that points to the purpose for which He was born. Jesus was born to suffer and die on the Cross for the sin of the world. This is what the angel told those pastors. This is what they later ran into Bethlehem to see for themselves. This is what they began to tell far and wide having seen it for themselves.

III.      Glory in Highest Places to God, Even upon Earth Peace, in Men Goodwill

      After preaching Christ crucified and telling the pastors where this Savior had come to be found, then suddenly there “came to be” conjoined with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory in the highest places to God, even upon earth peace, in men goodwill.”

      This is a three part doxology. Glory in the highest places to God. This is in the name of the Father. Even upon earth peace. This is in the name of the Son. In men goodwill. This is in the name of the Holy Spirit. God the Father sends the Son to be born of the virgin, to grow to be a man, to proclaim peace and to suffer and die to procure that peace, which peace the Holy Spirit generates in hearts through the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments.

      Who would think that so much could be proclaimed in one little hymn stanza? But then, these are no ordinary preachers and their message has been established for all time by the author of all that is good. I wonder whether they only spoke this once. I seriously doubt it! I expect that they shouted it and sang it over and over, even as we continue to sing it in the holy liturgy of the Mass, most especially on this Eve of the Christ Mass. This is, after all, where the Gloria in Excelsis comes to be!

      And this truly is the song that befits the manger in which Christ is found today. Wrapped in the white strips of unleavened bread we find the body of Christ given for us. Within the Cup of the New Testament, we taste the blood of life which Christ came to be for us to be shed for our forgiveness and renewal into the life of God’s Holy Communion.

      Truly, as we partake of this blessed gift from heaven we hear the angels singing along with us, “Glory in the highest places to God, even upon earth peace, in men goodwill.”

Conclusion

      Is it any wonder that the saints so long ago chose this dark season of the earth to hold this gift of light and life to the world? Into the darkness and cold of winter comes the celebration of Christmas, the holy reception of Christ in the manger of the blessed Sacrament of His body and blood. Truly this is the sign promised and given long ago. Truly what God has planned from eternity and promised throughout the ages has come to be, not only for Joseph and Mary and the shepherds, for even for us today. Let us join in the Holy Communion of the Saints with the Holy Trinity and all the company of heaven so that even as it came to be in Bethlehem it may also come to be for us. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

      The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus forever. Amen.

THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD (Christmas Eve)

Hymns: 88, 103, 85, 102, 87

The Introit      (Ps.2:7; 93:2)

The Collect     

O God, who hast made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light, grant, we beseech Thee, that, as we have known on earth the mysteries of that Light, we may also come to the fullness of its joys in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, and reigneth, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

The First Lesson      Isaiah 7:10-14 (NKJV)

The Gradual     (Ps.110:3,1; 2:7)

The Epistle     Titus 2:11-14

      For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

The Sentence for the Season     (Psalm 96:11; 98:2)

The Holy Gospel      St. Luke 2:1-14

Luke 2:1-14 — “And this to You’all the Sign”

Introduction

I.      And Came to Be

II.      And this to You’all the Sign

III.      Glory in Highest Places to God, Even upon Earth Peace, in Men Goodwill

Conclusion