The First Sunday after Christmas

December 29, 2024

Luke 2:1-20

The Gift of God—

God Gives Heaven’s Best Gift in Earth’s Unlikeliest Place!

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.

4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (NIV1984)

Dear fellow worshipers of the Christ-Child,

Think back to the Christmas gifts you have received. Start with the gifts you received just a few days ago and then go back to the Christmas gifts you have received over the course of the years. Is there any gift that stands out in your memory? Is there any gift that when you unwrapped it you were simply overwhelmed with awe? Maybe it was a piece of jewelry that took your breath away. Maybe it was a keepsake ornament that instantly brought you back to a certain place and a certain time with a certain individual. Maybe it was something that captured your relationship with someone special— in a unique way that only the two of you can truly understand.

When you first unwrapped that gift, when you were first overcome with awe, you may have wanted to block out everything else that was going on around you and just concentrate on that one amazing gift. But since that was probably not possible, you set that gift aside— fully intending to come back to it when things settle down. Then perhaps later on that night when you pick up that gift once again you were once again overwhelmed with awe and with appreciation.

If that scenario is even remotely familiar to you then you will be able to understand my rationale for our worship service today. All three of the Scripture lessons that are a part of today’s service are commonly associated with Christmas Eve— especially our sermon text, Luke 2:1-20. Since Christmas Eve is oftentimes busy to the point of being stressful it can be difficult for us to truly focus on these powerful words. Now that things have quieted down in our lives, I wanted to place this portion of Scripture before us once again so that we can quietly meditate on these words. Today as we begin a new sermon series entitled The Gift of God let’s see how God the Holy Spirit has His servant Luke remind us that: God Gives Heaven’s Best Gift in Earth’s Unlikeliest Place!

You may recall that Luke was writing his Gospel account to a person he addresses as “most excellent Theophilus.” You may also recall that one of the ways in which Luke assures Theophilus that he had “carefully investigated everything from the beginning” was to give Theophilus the historical context of the event he was writing about. We see yet another example of that in the opening portion of our text for today. Luke writes, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.”

In Luke’s time Caesar August was the most powerful human being on the face of the earth. He ruled over the mighty Roman Empire— an empire that included most of Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa. In an effort to quantify and solidify his power, Caesar decreed that a census be taken. The purpose of this census was to find out how many people he ruled, how many men he could conscript to serve as soldiers in his army, and to determine how much money he could assess in taxes. This was pure and unadulterated power, wealth and greed on display. We, however, know the full story, don’t we! While the world’s most powerful man was flexing his puny muscles, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth was setting the stage for heaven’s best Gift to be born into this world— in the most unlikeliest place!

The familiar words of Luke then continue, “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” Even though his beloved Mary was nine months pregnant, Joseph was obligated to follow Caesar’s decree. The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was certainly not an easy one. Trusting in the Lord to guide them and protect them Joseph probably took his time on this journey— going no farther each day than Mary was capable of traveling. I can’t help but wonder if the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem gave Joseph and Mary an opportunity to discuss the Messianic prophecy recorded in Micah 5:2, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient time.” Recalling what Gabriel had revealed to Mary concerning her Son, “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, his kingdom would never end” (Luke 1:32, 33) did this journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem start to make everything real for Joseph and Mary? Did they talk about how the Lord their God was sending heaven’s best Gift in earth’s unlikeliest place?

While Scripture doesn’t tell us what Mary and Joseph discussed on their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, it does proclaim to us how the heavenly Father faithfully kept His promise! Look at verses six and seven of our text. Luke continues, “While they were there the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Those of you who are Moms can relate a little bit to what Mary experienced. You know what it’s like to have your child grow inside of you. You know what it’s like to be able to feel your child move and kick. You understand the words “the time came for the baby to be born.” You will always remember what it was like when you held your child in your arms for the very first time.

While you can personally relate to that aspect of these words, what you can’t relate to, what no one can relate to is the fact that when Mary held her Child in her arms she knew that she was holding the eternal Son of God “through whom all things were made” (John 1:3). When Mary looked into her Child’s eyes she knew that those were the eyes of the God who is able to see into the deepest parts of a person’s soul— including her own soul. And as Mary’s Child wrapped His hand around her finger, Mary may have recalled how the prophet Isaiah described why Mary’s Child came into this world— “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). No one would have had to explain our sermon theme to the virgin Mary. As Mary held the Gift of God in her arms she understood perhaps better than anyone else that God Gave Heaven’s Best Gift in Earth’s Unlikeliest Place!

As astonishing as these words are, the Holy Spirit is not done describing how God Gave Heaven’s Best Gift in Earth’s Unlikeliest Place! Look at verses eight through sixteen of our text. Luke continues, “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in a manger.”

These lowly shepherds were living examples of how God Gives Heaven’s Best Gift in Earth’s Unlikeliest Place! God could have sent His angels to Jerusalem to proclaim the birth of the long-awaited Promised Messiah to the religious leaders of God’s people— but He didn’t. God could have sent His angels to powerful men such as Caesar Augustus and Quirinius to proclaim to them the royal birth of great King David’s greater Son— but He didn’t. God sent His angels to shepherds, to men who were among the poorest and the lowliest people of the land of Israel. Why? God did this to demonstrate that while heaven’s best Gift is for all people, by sending His angels to poor lowly shepherds God was emphasizing something critically important about heaven’s best Gift! Heaven’s best Gift was born into this world as a tiny little Baby, born of two very poor parents, born in the most humble surroundings, and welcomed by poor lowly shepherds— as a testimony to the fact that heaven’s greatest Gift came to save even the lowly, the humble, the outcast, and the poor in spirit.

While these shepherds may have been poor and lowly, their faith is rich and mighty! Not only did they instantly go to Bethlehem and “see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about,” but they automatically put their faith into action! Luke tells us, “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

Once these humble lowly shepherds saw heaven’s best Gift they instantly became missionaries! They are beautiful examples of the hymn we are going to sing at the close of our service today! They are also beautiful examples of how heaven’s best Gift changes the lives of even the lowliest of people. The shepherds were still shepherds. The sheep were still sheep. But now as they kept watch over their flocks at night they knew that they had every reason to “glorify and praise” God! He had graciously given heaven’s best Gift— to them!

As you and I gather together here in God’s house today the comfort and the joy of Christmas is still fresh in our minds and in our hearts. As you and I gather together here in God’s house today it is very easy to look at these familiar and beloved words of Luke chapter two and see that our God did indeed give heaven’s best Gift in earth’s unlikeliest place. But, as we gather together here in God’s house today how do we apply these beloved words of Luke chapter two to our own hearts and to our own lives? Let me make three suggestions.

The first application of our theme for today— God Gives Heaven’s Best Gift in Earth’s Unlikeliest Place— is found in the angel’s words to the shepherds, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Heaven’s best Gift, the Gift of a Savior, is God’s gift “to you” just as much as it was God’s Gift to these shepherds. Whoever you are, whatever your station in life might be, God’s Gift of a Savior has been given “to you.” God’s Gift has been given “to you” even if your hearts are sad at this outwardly joyous time of the year. God’s Gift has been given “to you” even if you are chronically ill, even if you are wearied by doctor’s visits and medical tests, even if you are overwhelmed with questions for which there doesn’t seem to be any answers. God’s Gift has been given “to you” even if— or perhaps we should say especially when — there is an empty place at the table because a loved one is now celebrating Christmas in heaven. While nothing can replace the loss of a spouse or the loss of a parent or the loss of a child, God’s Gift “to you” comforts you with the assurance that everyone who dies in the arms of the Lord now lives in the presence of the Lord. God’s Gift “to you” guarantees that through faith in what the Child of Bethlehem has done for you (Pointing to the cross), you will see your loved ones again in the glory and the perfection of heaven!

The second application of our theme for today— God Gives Heaven’s Best Gift in Earth’s Unlikeliest Place!— is found in Mary’s humble reaction to the visit of the shepherds, “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” “Ponder” the fact that your heart is one of the most “unlikeliest” places into which God graciously placed heaven’s greatest Gift! By nature our heart was overflowing with nothing but sin and rebellion and hatred for the one and only living God. But when the power of the Gospel came to us in the water and the Word of Baptism, God placed into our hearts heaven’s best Gift— the Gift of the Savior, the Savior who willingly lived and died and rose again to save us from our sins and guarantee to us eternal life in heaven!

And finally, the application of our theme for today— God Gives Heaven’s Best Gift in Earth’s Unlikeliest Place!— is found in the lives of these lowly shepherds. Not only did they go to Bethlehem to worship heaven’s best Gift, not only did they joyfully “spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,” but they also openly lived their lives in a way that glorified and praised God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told! Certainly we have every reason to follow their example!

As you look back on the Christmas gifts you have received over the years, there may indeed be one gift that stands out from all the others, one gift that still overwhelms you with awe and with appreciation. My prayer this morning is that as you remember that gift you will also recognize that it pales in comparison to the fact that your heavenly Father has given to you heaven’s best Gift: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord!”

To God be the glory!

Amen