Not Kings, But Shepherds; Not a Magnificent Figure, But a Baby

Reading:
Luke 2:1-20

Focus:
Luke 2:8-9:"Now in this same district there were shepherds out in the fields, keeping watch through the night over their flock. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them."
Luke 2:16:"They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger."

Luke 2:1-20 is the text that my husband Jim preached from this morning, and it's probably the most familiar Christmas text from the Bible. What Jim talked about is also what strikes me in this text. If we were planning an appearance on earth by the God of the universe, we would probably make it grand and glorious, with lightning blasts across the sky, hordes of angels lining a pathway, and the Son of God stepping grandly down. He would greet the world leaders and lead them to a new world order.

But that's not how God actually did it. Instead of world leaders, a few shepherds in the middle of the night were the only ones who were notified. The choir of angels didn't sing for the kings and emperors; they sang for field workers tending animals.

And then the Son of God didn't appear in majesty. The shepherds ran to the stable, and what they found was not a magnificent figure, but instead, a little newborn baby. That was how God chose to enter our world as a human.

As it says in the Christmas carol:

"How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given;
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in."

What Are We to Do?

Reading:
Luke 3:1-17

Focus:
Luke 3:10:"The people asked him, 'Then what are we to do?'"

This is the passage my husband Jim preached on this Sunday morning.

John the Baptist was busy preparing the way for Jesus. He was announcing that the Messiah was going to come. As my husband put it, he was the first Christmas caroler.

What is fascinating is that so many people responded to John's message by asking what they should do to live differently. When they heard what John had to say, they wanted to repent and live new lives.

This is not a common reaction now when people hear Christmas carols. Instead, most people seem to think of gifts, of pleasant times around a fire, of parties, of seeing family, and so on. But back in the time of John the Baptist, the response of many people to the announcement of the coming of the Messiah was, "What are we to do?"

May this also be our response.