The Birth of the Christ-Lord | Sermon 12/26/2022

Luke 2:1-20

The time was finally fulfilled and the arrival of the Christ was imminent. Caesar Augustus called for a census to be taken of the Roman empire during the rule of Quirinius as governor of Syria showing that the birth of Christ took place in actual history. Augustus wanted the people to regard him as a savior, a deity, the son of god but One was now on the scene who would actually be all those things. Joseph was of the lineage of David and therefore had to travel south to Bethlehem, thereby showing that Jesus had the full rights to the throne as His birth will be there too. The King of kings was born in a stable and laid in an animal’s feeding trough. And instead of Judea’s royals and priests, in continued humility, shepherds were approached by an angel to be told of this good news first.

The angel tells them this Child will be the Christ-Lord; the divine Messiah who will be the Savior to the people. He will accomplish perfectly what every earthly king or false deity could never do. He will be bridge from earth to heaven as He is totally of heaven and totally of earth. A count of angels without number, all the armies and hosts of heaven appeared in the night sky lighting it up in supernatural brilliance to proclaim praises to God; the God of the most high place who has come to bring peace to the men He chooses of the most low place of earth, all of His good pleasure. Judean law did not allow shepherds to be official witnesses in trials, so in one of the biggest role reversals, these low men get to witness in-person, the Child of the angels’ declaration and praise.

They found Him just as it was spoken. The shepherds were some of the first evangelists: bringing the good news of the Christ-Lord to others. Mary, stored all these things in her and pondered them in her heart and she would not cease to consider them. From the time of His birth, to the prophecy spoken at His circumcision, to the time He was 12 years old and spoke with understanding at the temple, to the time of His death: she treasured the Son of God knowing He would save not only her but the world from its sin.