Jesu Juva
“Pondering These Things”
Text: Luke 2:1-20; Isaiah 9:2-7; 1 John 4:7-16
In
the Name of Jesus.
Amen.
Mary
treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
That is what All
Ye Faithful have Come (LSB #379) here this night to
do as well. Ponder all these things. You know the story - Mary and Joseph,
travelling to the Little Town of Bethlehem (LSB #361), Royal David’s
City (LSB
#376),
to register for the tax. Arriving too late to stay with family or even in guest
quarters, and so having to spend the night where the animals were kept. And then the birth. Placing Jesus in the
manger, the feed trough. The angels announcing this
birth to the shepherds, and then their visit.
You know the story,
and we sang it again this night in all those beloved hymns and carols. So you
have not come tonight for information, but to treasure up all these things and
ponder them in your heart. After all the busyness of shopping and
wrapping, baking and card writing, travelling and shipping - it is time to
ponder. Tonight there are lots of treasures under trees, but this is your true
treasure: this child, wrapped in swaddling cloths and
lying in a manger.
But that night so
long ago, what did Mary ponder? What are all the things that she
treasured in her heart? The birth - of course. The visit of the shepherds - certainly. The arduous journey
while great with child - probably. But even more. The visit of the angel nine months before this, telling her that
she would be the mother of God’s Son. The amazing
kindness of Joseph in not divorcing her - quietly or publicly - but caring for
her and the child.
But
more too.
For as Mary spoke while visiting her relative Elizabeth while they were both
pregnant, she marveled at the plan of God that was now happening. All the
promises of old now being fulfilled. The Saviour, the One those great men of old believed in and the
great women of old hoped would be born from them, was now being born from
her. A most unlikely maiden chosen by God to bring about
His plan of salvation. From Heaven Above to Earth He Comes (LSB #358).
There was so much to
treasure up and ponder.
And
for us as well.
For even as we treasure up and ponder this story, we remember also the reason
for it: sin. The sin that makes our world such a dark
and evil place. But not just the world, our own hearts too. Just think
back over the past eleven and a half months - the hurtful words you spoke and
the kind words left unspoken. The lies and half-truths told to get what you wanted,
or to get away with what you already did. The people you hurt and those you
failed to help. Prayers left unsaid and God’s Word neglected. Negative
assumptions about those you looked down on, those less fortunate than you, and
ugly desires that would make you blush bright red if anyone else knew about
them. Good intentions never carried out, yet always finding the time to
criticize, take revenge, and complain. And what else, what other darkness, for
you?
But tonight, there is
good news. Not just of a birth, but of a Saviour.
That Isaiah words are true for you: The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a landof
deep darkness, on them has light shone. Not just then, but to us as
well, walking in the darkness of our hearts and in a world of deep darkness, a
comforting and marvelous light. For the Light of the world is born. The Light
of God to show us God’s love and give us the forgiveness of our dark and ugly
sins.
For how else to
explain this birth we ponder tonight than God’s love for you? That’s in fact
how John described it: In this the love of God was made manifest among
us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through
him. For truly, God wants no one to perish in sin,
but to have life - both now and forever. That’s why He takes the human
nature He is born with and that was laid in the wood of the manger, to the wood
of the cross, nails, spear to pierce Him through (LSB #370 v. 2), to be swallowed up
by our darkness, sin, and death, and then rise from death and the grave. That you rise too. Rise on the Last Day to a life that is eternal,
but rise also now, this day, to a life that is new. No longer stuck in
darkness and sin, but lived in the light and love of your Saviour.
That’s why The
Herald Angels (LSB
#380)
came to the shepherds that night and praised God, saying: Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. This newborn
child was God’s good will toward all people, and would bring God’s peace to
all. God’s peace, which is not to be confused with earthly peace - it is
greater than that. For as long as there is sin in this world there will not be
peace on earth. But there is God’s peace - a peace that is ours even
amid the unrest and strife of life. The peace of sins
forgiven. The peace of life beyond death and the
grave. The peace of knowing that nothing can snatch us from our Saviour who has come and joined Himself to us.
We ponder that too.
And Sing We, Now Rejoicing (LSB #386) with the angels and
the shepherds . . . even if your heart doesn’t feel so joyous tonight. That’s
okay. This night’s not about pondering happiness, but about pondering What
Child This Is (LSB
#370)
born for us. A child who came into a world of sin, a world of sadness, a world
of death, a world of trouble, a world of darkness, a world of strife, a world
that often wants nothing to do with Him - but as messed up as it is, a world of
His creating and love, and upon which He would not turn away. And so for
us a child is born, unto us a son is given. God’s
Son, for you.
Mary
treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
You
too.
God has kept His promise and fulfilled His Word. There is Joy to the World,
for the Lord is come (LSB
#387)!
O Come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord (LSB #379).
In
the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
