24
December 2011
St. Athanasius Lutheran Church
Christmas
Eve Vienna, VA
“A Saviour Is Born”
Text: Luke 2:1-20; Isaiah 9:2-7
For
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour . . .
When
children are born, parents often wonder what they will grow up to be. Perhaps
this new life, now swaddled warm and cozy in a blanket, will do great things.
Perhaps she will be a doctor or a lawyer, or a teacher or a mother. Perhaps he
will be a scientist or a leader or a father. How will God use this new life as
His blessing?
But
tonight we heard that for the child wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid
in a manger, there is no wondering. From the day He was born, from the
day He was conceived, there was never any question what Jesus would be
and do: He has come to be our Saviour. Our Saviour from sin, from death, and
from the power of the devil. He has come to be our light in the darkness, our
peace in the midst of trouble, our King who will not demand from us but
give to us - for He will give for all people His very self, laying down
His life on the cross, to enter death with us, so that in His resurrection our
sins be forgiven and the bonds of the grave be broken.
For
tonight, not just is a child born, but a son is given. The eternal
Son of God is born a man. The One who is Mercy has descended to sinners. The
One who is Truth has come to us who have gone astray. The One who is Life has
come to us who live in fear of death. To be our Saviour. To put to an end the
division between God and men caused by sin; to reconcile us to the Father and
so be our peace.
And so
the angel announced - not just to the shepherds - but to you this night:
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy!
Tonight a Saviour is born, and in Him there is again on earth peace,
good will toward men.
Fear not. How wonderful to hear those words! For what have you done
this year that should trouble you and cause you fear? How have you hurt
others and let them down? How many have you neglected to help? How many went
wanting because you didn’t want
to be bothered? How did your greed cause others loss, your anger cause others
bitterness, your words cause others pain? How often did your faith falter, did
you forget to pray, did you neglect your Lord’s Word and His Divine Service? How often did you doubt God’s love and care and faithfulness?
When your Father in heaven created you and held you in His arms, is this
what He had in mind for you?
And yet
His message to you tonight, through the angels, is not a message of
judgment and condemnation, but a message of peace. Fear not! Yes, your
sin is great, even greater than you know; but this child is your Saviour. He
has come for you. To shed His blood to atone for your sin and forgive you.
To heal the wounds inflicted by those who haved sinned against you, and give
you peace and joy. Now, your life need not be the same. This child has come to
make you new. To live in Him. To live in love.
For
tonight, see not just the birth of a child that took place in the little town
of Bethlehem a long, long time ago - but see your own new birth. Your own new
life. For when you were baptized into Christ Jesus, you were born again, born
from above, born through the water and Word and promise of God, the old you put
to death, that a new child be born. A child of God. A new life filled with
possibilities - not to sin, but to love. Because of the birth of Jesus, nothing
would ever be the same again. And you will never be the same again.
And so
repent. For that’s what
the new do. And tonight, think of repentance not as a burdensome thing, but as
a turning to the manger. Turn away from yourself and to the manger. Turn
away from your sin and to the manger. Turn away from all that old stuff that is
still clinging to you and dragging you down, to the manger. And see there a
picture of who you now are in Him: a child of God. And then hear the angels of
God rejoicing and singing over you! For they do, you know. Rejoice over every
sinner who repents (Luke 15:10); over
every new birth in Christ.
And know
this too - that if the angels are rejoicing, then so is your Father in heaven
rejoicing over you. For they wouldn’t if He didn’t. But as earthly fathers delight in the child they hold in
their arms, so your heavenly Father delights in you. It doesn’t seem possible, does it? Knowing
ourselves, knowing our sin, knowing how much we do not deserve His love. But it’s true. As John said, the Son in the
manger proves it.
So
tonight we celebrate not just the birthday of Jesus. Tonight is much, much more
than that. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour .
. . That it may be to us as we sang earlier:
O holy
child of Bethlehem, Descend to us we pray.
Cast out
our sin and enter in Be born in us today.
We hear
the Christmas angels Their great glad tidings tell.
O come
to us, abide with us, Our Lord, Emmanuel (LSB
#361 v. 4).
In the Name of the Father and of the (+) Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.