“Rejoice!” (Christmas Eve worship)

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

If you ask folks what Christmas means for them, you will hear answers like 1) it’s a time to get family together, or 2) it’s a time for giving to others, or 3) it’s a time for parties with friends, maybe 4) it’s a time to shop ‘til you drop!, and for some, unfortunately 5) it’s a time of too much work, to much cost, and too many memories that hurt. Christmas has become a time for presents, and trees, and meals, and decorations that are better than the ones our neighbors put up. And, oh yes, I think that it might have something to do with Jesus?

Christmas has, for most of the world, been secularized to the point that all the joy that it should possess has been wrung out until the holiday is so dry and purposeless that it seldom ever bears a resemblance to that holy night so long ago.

So what should Christmas be about?

Read Luke 2:1-20

There had been many prophecies regarding this day, but very few were joyful. Micah 5:2 proclaimed that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, a small suburb of royal Jerusalem, and not in the holy city itself. Isaiah 7:14 said that Messiah would be born to a virgin – as if anyone in their right mind would believe that story! Of course, Isaiah also prophesized that “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2) He also said that Messiah would have glory – in Isaiah 9:6-7 we read that he will come as a child, but that he would have all power within his grasp. “He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” And it didn’t end there – the good words continued on. But most of the words that the prophets offered were dire and painful – (Isaiah 53) he would be rejected by his own people, he would be betrayed (Psalm 41:9), he would be tried and condemned, and wouldn’t even defend himself (Isaiah 53:7-8), and that he would be crucified and die at the hands of sinners (Psalm 22:16-18), but Israel managed to forget most of the negative, and only focused on the majestic and royal.

And in their misdirected thinking, they would miss out on the most joyful period in their history. They missed out on experiencing the very promise of deliverance that they had watched for during the previous centuries. Why did most people fail to see the most incredible entry that this world had ever known? Simply because it didn’t match their expectations and beliefs.

But the coming of the Son of God was truly an overwhelmingly joyful event, even while struggle and opposition threatened to destroy God’s plan. Take Mary as an example.

Here is a young, unmarried, common, and poor girl, promised for marriage to a local man, who receives a visit from the angel Gabriel with a message for her from the great Yahweh Himself. This girl, a youth who was without any personal resources or royal lineage or glorious future for herself, had been chosen to give birth to the Messiah. Today, an unmarried and pregnant teenager may not seem so unusual, but in that day and in that society, this was a sign of adultery, and the punishment was death by stoning – no exception. And yet, Mary received this honor with grace and joy.

In Luke 1:46-55, we read of her song of praise. It begins with these words - “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Might One has done great things for me – holy is his name.” She believed, she accepted, and she rejoiced that she had been chosen by her God to be his blessed servant.

And then there was her intended, Joseph. An honorable man who loved this young woman dearly. He had begun preparing for their life together, creating a home, and developing a trade to support her and the family they would have together! But she told him that she was pregnant through the most unbelievable story he had ever heard. She should be stoned for her sin, and yet, his love for her never wavered. He decided to quietly break their engagement, and allow her to live, somewhere, alone.
But God’s plan didn’t include their separation – Joseph was to continue to love her, and to discover his love for the Child, and to care for them both throughout his life. So the Lord sent his angel with a second message for him. He was to let go of his fear, for the child who was growing within Mary was, indeed, a gift by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph was to love them both, and when the child was born, he was to take responsibility as the boy’s father, giving him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-22)

He had struggled – with fear for his wife-to-be, and, undoubtedly, a little for himself; the unsettled sense of her apparent betrayal in their relationship and their commitment to each other; knowledge of what the law demanded and how unfair it seemed to be. And in spite of it all, Joseph’s love for Mary and the great expectation that he had for their life together, survived and triumphed through the glorious gift that Yahweh had given them. He, too, believed, and accepted, and rejoiced, that together they had been chosen as God’s special servants.

Shepherds, too, would be scared half to death, and yet this same joy caused them to leave their sheep behind to go to find their Savior. (Luke 2:8-20) Magi from many miles away would marvel at the signs that proclaimed the Savior’s birth, and then led them for many days so that they, too, could worship at the Christ Child’s side. (Matthew 2:1-12) And nothing – not King Herod’s hatred, not the Pharisees’ misplaced dependence on their interpretation of the law, not the ignorance and hard hearted lives that resided in the people – nothing could interrupt God’s plan or the joy that believers experienced.

On Friday, we had about 30 folks who took a bus trip to Lancaster, PA to visit Sight and Sound – a Christian company that presents the most incredible stage shows you will ever see. We attended their production of “The Miracle of Christmas”, and every one of us was blown away. The acting, the music, the choreography, the staging, the live animals – everything contributed to this wonderful story of God’s personal entry into the lives of humanity. For me, the most powerful moment was when the innkeeper’s wife reluctantly helped to deliver the Christ Child in the stable. When the child was born, she picked the baby up, marveling at this new life, and quickly coming to the realization that this child was different than the other babies she had known.
It was his eyes, she said, that struck her first, and slowly, the truth of this birth began to filter into both her and her husband’s lives, and suddenly, they realized that this child that she was holding in her arms was the long awaited Messiah! But then, reality began to set in – she was holding God’s own in her arms, and yet, she was a sinner – unworthy of such an act. What might the Lord do to her for this arrogant act? She begins to quickly walk back to Mary, prepared to give the child back to his mother, saying “I’m unworthy, a sinner – I must not even touch this child!” And Mary replies “But you’re wrong – you are the reason he has come!”

At that, I began to choke up, remembering that the Child of Bethlehem had also come into this world to save that unworthy sinner named Bill Prentice. We sometimes say that Christ came for the salvation of the world, but the truth is that he came to save each and every individual person of the world, not to just offer some general “Y’all come” to humanity. And each and every one of us must be like Joseph and Mary – to set our own fears, and reluctances, and prejudices, and failures, and misconceptions aside, so that the joy and truth of Christmas might rise up in our life to bring us the greatest blessing that we will even know!

And just as Christ’s offer of salvation to us is individual, so must our acceptance of his offer. It isn’t what our parents have done, it has nothing to do with what our husband or wife has done – it is whether we are willing to set our fears, our misunderstandings, our sin aside in favor of welcoming Messiah into our life, too. If you have never had the opportunity to discover the fullness of Christmas joy, tonight is the night. If you have never given your life to Christ, or wish to renew and refresh your joy in him, I would be honored to lead you in a prayer of surrender to the Lord’s way.

Lord of heaven and Lord of my life, I have avoided you for much too long. I know that I have sinned. I know that I am unworthy to reach out to you. I know that I’m unworthy to even ask, but Lord, I need you today. I will no longer close the door when you call, and I gratefully accept your gift of salvation.
I praise you Lord for coming to earth to save me. I believe that you are the Son of God who died on the cross of Calvary to free me from my sin, and who rose to new life, promising me that same new life. I believe that your words are true, and that by the power of your Spirit, I can live the life you have created for me.
Come into my life and my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior today. Amen.

May you know the joy that sustained that young couple of Nazareth over 2000 years ago, and may the glory of Christ bath you during this Christmas season.