And the angel said to [shepherds], “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will 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 cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2)
Some of you have heard these words hundreds of times and dozens of Christmas.
There is comfort in the familiarity of the Christmas story and Church service –
The songs,
The readings,
The people in the story.
This familiarity is comforting and wonderful
But there can also become a danger in thinking we know it well enough in that we might also miss what should constantly surprise us.
So, for example, you have a Savior – you!
We could sometimes swing between not thinking we would need one, because we’re so awesome, and in thinking we couldn’t possibly deserve one, because we’re so awful.
But this news surprisingly pulls us out of ourselves and into faith in God and love toward others.
Today especially we want to consider the surprise that God gives us through Luke 2. Be more familiar with it and be surprised by it. So consider this:
In those days a decree went out from Caesar August that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.
The beginning of the birth story reminds us that the eternal Son of God also has a those days.
It reminds us that He who will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end,
was born on the one hand with all authority to rule over all thrones and reigns and kingdoms who will be answered to Him whose kingdom has no end,
and on the other hand born under authorities and thrones and reigns and kingdom (all of which will have an end.)
Caesar Augustus and Quirinius, governor of Syria were far from perfect earthly rulers, yet the Son of God,
through Mary and Joseph submitted Himself to them in all things that was not against God’s Law, like being carried by authoritative mom, Mary in her womb, and authoritative adoptive Dad and protector Joseph to be registered,
to have His name written in a book that He was part of an earthly kingdom and an earthly family.
Surprise, dear saints, your Jesus, whose kingdom will have no end, is still ruling today.
Through His Word,
In His Church,
In your heart and mind and will.
Today, Dec. 25, 2017, is these days when Trump is President,
And Cooper is Governor,
And Democrats and Republicans and judges are ruling our country and states and cities, far from perfect earthly rulers,
All of whose kingdom and rules will have an end,
we take comfort that Jesus’ rule and throne and kingdom will not.
And surprise, He Whose name was and is and always will be, writes Himself into an earthly family and earthy Kingdom to live and die and rise and ascend for you,
so that you, you, might be confident that your name is written in the Book of Life, by His blood, inscribed in His palms,
so that you, you, might know that you bear the eternal name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, inscribed on your forehead and heart,
that you are in the family of God,
that you are in the His kingdom of forgiveness and love and joy and peace and the Holy Spirit.
The surprises are everywhere.
He who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger,
came also to die and be wrapped in burial clothes and placed in a tomb,
all so that He might wrap and cover your guilt and shame and clothes you with Himself and promise that all who are baptized in His death are promised to united with Him in His resurrection even when they are placed in a tomb.
And He who sends angels to announce His birth also continues to sends angels to protect you, and do battle against the demons.
And He who sent angels to lowly and unimpressive shepherds to come and see what He is doing, announces to you, lowly and unimpressive you today again what He has done and is doing and will do.
And that He promises that even as He worked through the shepherds to make known His Word, so also He works through you and pastors and all Christians to make known His love and joy and peace and forgiveness, His good news, through words and works and love.
And surprise that all the gifts that He and His Kingdom brings with it,
peace between heaven and earth,
God and sinners reconciled,
Salvation from sin, death, and the devil,
the gift of not having to fear,
it is for all people, and get this,
knowing yourself,
and your sin,
and your fears,
and your troubles,
it is also for you,
And the angel said to [shepherds], “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will 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 cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2)
God help us know this so well, be so familiar with it that’s it’s a part us,
while also being surprised that the Son of God is flesh of our flesh.
A joyful and Merry Christmas to you in the familiar and in the surprises. Amen.