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Christmas Eve December 24, 2010 Luke 2:1-20 A somber beginning if ever there was one! Our gospel this Christmas eve opens with an imperial decree, registration for taxes, lineage in the house of David, various rulers, historical places, names, an inconvenient trip, pregnancy, no vacancy signs abounding. It is a somber matter-of-fact account that touches on religious and political themes, e.g., emperor worship is certainly a factor, but still it is kind of romantic at least to us as we hear it two thousand years later. Augustus, aka Octavian, the most powerful human on earth at that moment in time, decrees a census. Interestingly enough, Augustus is often remembered as the founder of the empire which brought peace to the world. Then we have governor Quirinius of Syria, same place now as then, as are both Nazareth and Bethlehem both of which also receive mention in this story. Joseph, head of the family, whose lineage is from King David, takes his betrothed to Bethlehem. A young couple, going on what we often envision as a romantic, idyllic trip. Probably both still teenagers, betrothed or engaged, but not yet married. She is pregnant, "way pregnant" as you might hear said today. We can see her on a donkey, maybe against the setting sun or even in the light of stars, only a 70 mile trip, closer than we are to St. Cloud, of course it is a several days by donkey, probably even longer if she had to walk. Now I lived in northern California, roughly similar to this area of Bethlehem and Nazareth, and I have to tell you, I personally do not see much that is romantic about the idea of spending several days going 70 miles at this time of year. They probably did not have to contend with snow and really cold temps, but cold is cold and it might have been down around freezing at night. But reality offsets the romance as they get to the inn and find there is no room. I envision Mary as telling Joseph that the time is nigh, probably adding to his own sense of urgency. So here they are in Bethlehem, where the prophet Micah said the Messiah would be born, and Mary, kinswoman of Elizabeth the aged mother of the newly born John the Baptist, knows both firsthand and secondhand the power of God. But I wonder if it registers with her that her baby will be the Savior of his people. The newborn Jesus is laid in a manger, a feeding trough, in a stable of some sort. No longer outside, with probably some body heat from whatever animals were there, but hardly a place of romance, especially if you have ever been in a stable, or even a barn. Dirty, dusty, smelly, yeah this is reality. Jesus, Savior of the world, born to a young not-yet-wed mom, born in poverty, born into the lineage of David but hardly one of the nobility, is born into the world. No one there to greet him either, other than Mary and Joseph of course. No doubt there were some animals, maybe some donkeys, goats, an ox or cow, maybe a sheep or two, but beyond that? Who knows? But visitors are on the way because an angel appears to shepherds. Surely there is some kind of statement here. For one thing the angels do not appear in the temple, the meeting place between heaven and earth. The glory of God normally associated with the temple is instead manifested over fields. Angels announcing great joy appear to folks near the bottom of the social ladder, at the bottom of the scale measuring power and privilege. Probably lower than even tax collectors and prostitutes. Martin Luther wrote concerning shepherds "That was a mean job, watching flocks by night. Common sense calls it low-down work, and the men who do it are regarded as trash." Shepherds are unhygienic as well as ceremonially impure, they sleep with the sheep more often than not, no showers, little or no washing especially in cold, cold streams. They probably carried around their own distinctive odors of sheep, smoke, unwashed bodies, unwashed clothes, and I do not even want to imagine what else. And the rabbis said a shepherd was not allowed to be a judge in Israel. They grazed their flocks on the land of others and because of that they were considered thieves. So an angel appears to who? So might they have felt a bit of fear when the angels appeared above them? I would not have been at all surprised. But then their fear gives way to joy because the glory of God shows in the angel, in the multitude of angels, and in their message. "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." And this is what we celebrate this evening, the true romance and poetry of this Christmas Gospel which shines forth as the angels must have shown. And now we, like the angels, can only proclaim, "Glory to God in the highest heaven!" True glory, all due to God, all to God, all because of what God has done for you and me! No matter the historical facts, the lineage, the trip, romantic or not, not matter the reality that faced Joseph and Mary, God gives to us the most wonderful gift of all, a gift that brings eternal life, a gift that we might say starts tonight. That gift? Why it is the gift of the Christmas Gospel, which is greater than the sum of the facts that it communicates. The Christ child was delivered, and because of his birth, his death, his resurrection, because of the great gift of faith by grace, we too have been delivered! Tonight I proclaim to you "good news of great joy" for unto you this day is born "a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord!" Great joy, brothers and sisters, glory to God in the highest heaven, and Merry Christmas to you all! AMEN Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa, Minnesota |
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