2022 Christmas Eve

2022 Christmas Eve

Old Testament: Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm: Psalm 96

Epistle: Titus 2:11-14

Gospel: Luke 2:1-20

Sermon Text: Luke 2
Sermon Title: “Christmas Spirit”

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

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given … and His name shall be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. (Isaiah 9:6) “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men”. (Titus 2:11) “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy … For to you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”. (Luke 2:10b-11)

This time of year, one frequently hears about what some call, “the Spirit of Christmas”. This saying usually refers to something like the good feelings one has at this time of year; hearing the familiar Christmas carols or spending time with family and friends. It may even include a little extra kindness shown to others, a little extra generosity, giving a few more dollars to the church or to some charity that goes to the poor. Of course, there is nothing inherently wrong with any of these things; if this Christmas season makes you happy; well and good. There is much good news from God in the birth of our Savior, Jesus.

Still, there are several things wrong with this way of thinking. For example, it is frequently assumed that something is wrong with those who do not outwardly show sufficient “Christmas spirit”. We expect people who are suffering loss or sickness, or depression this time of year to simply “get over it” and pretend to be happy. Instead of “bearing one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2a) as Christ calls us to do, we often look down on those without; what we call “Christmas spirit”. In addition, our gifts and good works are often done not for the sake of the person who is in need, but for ourselves; that we may “feel good” about or take pride in, what we have done or look good in the eyes of others.

As Luther wrote, and the Scriptures agree, even our best good works are tainted with sin. He said in a Christmas sermon that there were many in his day who liked to brag about how if they had been alive at the time of Christ, they would not have treated the “Holy Family” so shabbily. “If only I had been there, how quick I would have been to help the baby”, they say. To which Luther replies, No; “if you had been there, you would have done no better than the people of Bethlehem”.

Instead of thinking about a “Spirit of Christmas” that has little if anything to do with the real reason we are here, we would do well to think of the Holy Spirit; the true “Spirit of Christmas”. The Holy Spirit who “was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2b) at the creation of the world. The Holy Spirit who filled the unborn John the Baptist and his mother Elizabeth when they encountered the pregnant Virgin Mary.

“The same Holy Spirit has (also) come upon Mary and the power of the Most High has overshadowed her; therefore, the child to be born to her will be called holy, the Son of God”. (Luke 1:35b) It is the same Holy Spirit who empowered Joseph to believe and (repeatedly obey the voice of the angel. Thus, the Holy Spirit is the true “Spirit of Christmas.

The true “Spirit of Christmas” is not the good feelings you get when gathered with family and friends around the Christmas tree, looking at the lights and singing carols. The Holy Spirit of Christmas (the third person of the Holy Trinity) draws us to the Christ child in the manger at Bethlehem through the hearing, once again, of the familiar Christmas story. The Holy Spirit works faith, “when and where He wills, through the hearing of the Gospel” of Christ.

Isaiah prophesied about His birth 700 plus years ago saying, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given … and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. (Isaiah 9:6) Jesus is all of these things to us as the angels declared; “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace”. (Luke 2:14a) Jesus, who is both true God and true man, will bring peace to the earth, but only thru the cross; His suffering and death; which earned for us the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life. As Paul wrote; “He made peace, through the blood of His cross”. (Colossians 1:20b)

This is how “God and sinners” are reconciled”. (Hark the Herald Angels Sing). Or, as another Christmas hymn proclaims, “Nails, spears, shall pierce Him through, the cross be borne for me, for you”. (What Child is This) Or, as we will sing in a few moments; “Jesus my Savior, paid all I owed”. (God Loves Me Dearly”)

In the Epistle reading, Paul declared “the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all people; training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled and upright and godly lives in this present age”. (Titus 2:11-12) Whatever good works we may do this time of year, is not to earn some sort of favor with God, to prove our worth, to show how “good” we are; but rather it is in response to the “grace of God” shown to us in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we will hear tomorrow, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us … full of grace and truth”. (John 1:14)

So, we rightly celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus this evening. He who is true God became man (one of us) in the baby Jesus. He then “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”. (Philippians 2:8) So, let us once again hear of His humble birth on that first Christmas.

“And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she (Mary) gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, for there was no room for them in the inn”. (Luke 2:6-7) The Savior of the world is born, and no one except the parents know.

But that would soon change, “for in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were filled with fear”. (Luke 2:8-9) The Savior of the world is born and the first to hear of it are the lowly shepherds in the fields.

“And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be for all the people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger”. (Luke 2:10-12) The Savior of the world is born and the shepherds can hardly believe the good news just announced to them.

But the message they heard was confirmed when “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”. (Luke 2:13-14a) “When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another; Let us go over to Bethlehem to see this thing that has happened, that the Lord made known to us”. (Luke 2:15)

Once they saw the Christ child for themselves, “they made known the saying that had been told them (by the angel) concerning this child”. (Luke 2:17) Finally, Luke recorded that “the shepherds returned, (to their jobs/vocations) glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen” (Luke 2:20a) regarding the birth of their Savior; the world’s Savior. Like the shepherds, at the drawing of the Holy Spirit, we too come in humility (once again) to the manger, to worship our newborn King.

When all of our celebrations of our Savior’s birth are ended, (which hopefully will last thru the 12 days of the Christmas season) we too return to our everyday lives; our jobs and vocations, filled with the Holy Spirit; filled with joy and gratitude at the Scriptural testimony of what our Lord has done for us in His incarnation.

(We) “the people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light, (we) those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on (us) them a light has shined”. (Isaiah 9:2) Amen.

The peace of God …