Dec. 24, 2015 – Christmas Eve Text: Galatians 4:4-5
Dear Friends in Christ,
There is something timeless about Christmas. We get very nostalgic at this time of year as we think of happy memories that surround family and church traditions. We see nativity scenes and Christmas cards and sing carols of the baby Jesus “sleeping in heavenly peace” surrounded by angels. It is right and meet so to do to celebrate our Lord’s incarnation in every time and place and from generation to generation.
And yet, we don’t want to forget that Jesus became flesh in a specific moment in history. “When the fullness of time had come,” says St. Paul, “God sent forth His Son.” (Gal. 4:4a). Do you know about that “fullness of time” when the prophecies had been fulfilled and all was ready? It was a time of social turmoil, religious confusion and moral decay. Then and now. Today and yesterday. The past and the present. They all lead to the fact that . . .
“CHRISTMAS IS TIMELESS”
We go back to the years before Christ was born. Pompey the Great captured Judea in 63 B.C. He became a bitter rival to another brilliant general by the name of Julius Caesar. They fought a civil war on a global scale. It ended with Pompey’s murder and Caesar’s victory. Caesar himself was then assassinated by Roman senators and another power struggle ensued. Marc Antony fell in love with the Egyptian queen Cleopatra and he abandoned Rome. Caesar’s adopted son Octavian then took over the city, made himself ruler and took the name Caesar Augustus. Now there is another familiar name!
By the time of Christ’s birth, Augustus reigned supreme not only over Rome, but also over Judea, all of Asia Minor, northern Africa, and much of Europe. His power and wealth and influence seemed to fit the bill for a son of God more than the homeless Child laid in a manger.
History has shown that Rome was a great civilization with a system of laws that continue to shape our legal code. They have a legacy of literature, education, and technology and still influence the world. But, by the time the Christ child was born this civilization morally was going down the toilet. Prostitution was everywhere and had been accepted by society. Homosexuality was widespread throughout this Greco-Roman world. Abortion and the killing of children were not uncommon. The masses were entertained with blood sports in the arenas that could involve anything from the torture of criminals by burning to those being devoured by wild animals.
That first Christmas was a time of social upheaval, political conflict, moral decay, recreational sex and violence, religious disunity and general hopelessness. Sound familiar? How many of you are beaten down and feeling hopeless this night? Most of us live in a state where political fighting or non-activity is a regular occurrence. Aren’t you concerned about what the leaders of the “Land of Lincoln” will smack us with in the New Year? On the national scene, how many debates do we need? Can’t there be a better system than wasting all this money two years out from the election?
Who saw marijuana not being a crime and then being sanctioned by the government? Can legal prostitution be far behind? Abortion is still a challenge and life is seen as worthless for those with terminal cancer or even a disability? The gays and lesbians continue to push their agenda and now we have the transgender screaming about their rights in our local school districts? How much longer before we all share the same bathroom? Our entertainment is provided by the Kardashians and reality television where people make a train wreck of their lives. Sports have become a god in our country and people are purposely breaking their arms just to make it on the Internet. Yes, we are tired and worn down and fed up to here.
Enter a Savior. Interestingly enough, the events that brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem were put in motion by government. A census was being taken. Every person was to be counted. During their time away, a baby, the one who would be counted the greatest of all time, would make His way into our world. John says that he came into the darkness and boy did He ever. The world at this point was groaning and God knew it was time.
Our world is groaning. We use words like “tired”, “worn down”, “I’ve had enough,” or the all-time favorite, “the world is going to hell in a hand basket.” But that is the nature of the world and the world does not recognize it. We think we always have to have an explanation for things when the explanation has been there since the Garden of Eden – human sin. This folks is not going away.
So how then do we “sleep in heavenly peace”? Led by the Holy Spirit we in faith believe in this Savior who came into the darkness. He comes to you and me through His Word and His Sacraments. That Word is a reminder that He is Christ the Lord. He has come with joy to this world to tell us that He has overcome our doubts, our weakness, our sin. He breaks into our sin-ravaged lives and declares that we have been redeemed from our sin. Our Baptisms cleansed us from the muck and mire of society and the body and blood of Christ continue to strengthen us against the evil that surrounds us. This world can provide the body blows but the knockout came by one born King of kings. His victory over sin, death, and the devil is your victory over sin, death, and the devil. In every age and throughout the course of a person’s lifetime, He brings to us the redemption won by His incarnation, death, and resurrection. His peace and favor rests upon us forever. In that sense, Christmas really is timeless.
Amen.