Message

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Merry Christmas! Christmas is commercially the biggest event of the year. The Toronto Santa Clause parade is also a grand production, with the attendance of more than half-a-million people each year. First held in 1905, it is one of the largest parades in North America, and one of the oldest parade traditions in the world. Most people like the Christmas mood. However, many of people do not know or have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas and have lost the true Christmas spirit. In today’s passage, Luke 2:1-20, we learn of the first Christmas, the origin of Christmas. In this passage, we will see where and how Jesus was born and what happened on the day of his birth. May we newly and more deeply learn the core of the Christmas spirit – that is, the baby Jesus. First, the baby Jesus laid in a manger (1-7). Luke begins the story of Jesus’ birth with Caesar Augustus’ issuing a decree for a census to be taken of the entire Roman world. At this decree, everyone went to his own town to register. His decree was absolute. No one was exempt, not even a woman whose pregnancy was full-term. 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. The traveling distance was around 160 km, and the journey would take about three days in that time. It was a troublesome and very dangerous journey for the couple. This event displays the power of the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus that could force an expecting couple, as trivial subjects in a small, colonized country, to make such a trip. What an enforcement! How then does the story proceed? Look at verse 6. “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born.” Certainly, here the time was God’s time, not Caesar’s time. The census took place according to the Roman Emperor’s plan and policy, his calendar, his timetable in human history. But in fact, it was God’s timing planned long time ago in God’s redemptive history, the very time the Son of God had to be born. Also notable is that Jesus was born in Bethlehem because of Caesar’s decree. Without the decree Jesus would have not been born Bethlehem, but in Nazareth. Caesar Augustus was apparently in control, but God is the one who was actually in control, fulling his promise that the Son of God would be born in Bethlehem, prophesied by the prophet Micah around 500 years before this birth (Mic. 5:2). Unwittingly, Caesar Augustus was used by God in the history of God. We should know that God’s history overrides human history. In other words, human history supports God’s history. In human history, Caesar Augustus was the main figure at that time. However, from the perspective of God’s history, Caesar was an extra. Joseph and Mary, who looked so insignificant in the eyes of the people of the world, were the main actors, as they were acting and moving in line with God’s leading. We should have eyes to see the history of God and live according God’s time schedule. (Your coming to this Christmas worship service is according to God’s time). God’s history is the undercurrent of human history. Look at verse 7. “and 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.” This is a description of the socio-economic situation of that time in Judea. In that society, ordinary people were poor and they had to take care of themselves amidst their hard lives. Subsequently, there was no room for the newborn baby in the inn. This shows the pathetic and sorrowful state of ordinary people of that time and in that land. In any case, in this way the Son of God was born and laid in a manger. However, in this event there is an unfathomable truth of God. All the mysteries of God seem to be hidden in this one shocking event. The Son of God came into this world as a helpless baby and was laid in a manger. The Son of God gave up glory, honour, power, wealth, and position in heaven and came into this world. He was not born in a palace like a worldly prince. After giving up his heavenly privilege, he was born in the lowest place and laid in the humblest spot, an animal’s food box. This humble birth of Jesus contains his humble and sacrificial life and his atoning death on the cross. Jesus the Son of God was born as a baby in such a lowly and humble way so that all people could approach him. It was to save all the helpless and fatalistic souls who come to him. The fundamental problem of mankind is the sin of pride. In prideful ambition to be like God, the first man disobeyed God’s holy command, took the forbidden fruit and ate it and thus fell. Even after the flood judgment mankind challenged God by attempting to build a tower that reaches to the heavens (Ge 11:4). Pride goes before destruction (Pro. 16:18). In this description, the author, Luke, sharply contrasts Caesar Augustus on the throne and the baby Jesus in a manger. Most people of the world want to climb the ladder of success up to the height of the throne of the Empire, even trampling on their fellow men in the process. We can say that human history is the history of one tragedy after another because of such selfish ambition. At that time, Caesar Augustus was considered to be the saviour of the world. In truth, however, Caesar on the throne, in his system, could never save even one person. Rather, he kills and destroys, one by one. But the baby Jesus in the manger saves. He would eventually die on the cross for the saving of souls from their sins. There are two kinds of way of living: Caesar on the throne and the baby Jesus in the manger. One is the way of destruction; the other is the way of life. Even many believers envy the throne of Caesar and his glamour and luxurious life style and despise the manger in which the baby Jesus was laid. They are greatly mistaken. However, God wants us to cherish the baby Jesus in the manger and go with him, following his way in our journey of life in this world. Manger lifestyle is not necessarily living poorly. One can become wealthy yet be thrifty towards themselves and serve God and others, abundantly. That’s an important part of a manger lifestyle. It is to be content in any and every situation, and rich toward God and others, whether in plenty or want. Manger spirit is that he became poor to make us rich (2 Cor. 8:9). In 2013 around Christmas time my first daughter Sara got burned while working in a restaurant. She slipped as she was carrying hot water and the lower part of her body got burned to the third degree. While everyone else was attending the GTA united Christmas worship service, she was alone in the hospital bed, not even able to go to the toilet. In that helpless situation the baby Jesus lying in a manger was of great comfort to her. She grew in the humbleness of Jesus and this Jesus led her to marry a man of God, last September. To some of you, your life journey this year may have been a very hard one with unexpected events leading you to a very low point of your life. I believe that while no one could be with you, this Jesus laid in a manger has been with you and guided you. Still he can be a great comfort to those who seek him in their unexpected difficult life situation. He can make us rich. He can lift us up. May we not lose sight of this Jesus laid in a manger in any life situation, whether prosperous or unprosperous, because he is the very image of the sovereign God and the exact representation of the God of grace and truth. Second, A Saviour, Christ the Lord (8-12). Now the scene changes. There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby keeping watch over their flocks at night (8). At that time, shepherds were lowly people with shift jobs. They were looked down upon in the society. Yet, these shepherds were faithful people, who kept watch over their flocks at night while all others were sleeping. The spirit of these shepherds aligns with that of baby Jesus in the manger. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them. The dark night suddenly became bright with the glory of the Lord. At this sight the shepherds were terrified. But a glorious and amazing message was given to them, message no person in the world had ever heard of before. 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 Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Let’s ponder on this message from heaven by the angel. This is the first Christmas message delivered to the shepherds. This message, first of all, is not only good news but also of great joy. And the message would be for all people of the world. No single person would be excluded from the sphere/realm of this heavenly blessing. The actual message is this: “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been to you; he is Christ the Lord.” “Today” was the very day God had been eagerly waiting for, ever since God promised to send a Saviour right after man’s fall. Not only God, but also all mankind and all of nature had been wearily waiting for that day. Therefore, “today” was the day of the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Saviour into this world. Subsequently “today” was the day of the Saviour’s birth, the Saviour’s birthday. This was a day in history, which divided human civilization into BC and AD. “Today in the town of David…” The town of David, Bethlehem was prophesied to be the very place the Son of God would be born. God’s sovereign control over Caesar Augustus, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. As each of us has a birthplace, so the Son of God had a birthplace, a little town in Bethlehem as per the hymn song, “A little town of Bethlehehm.” “A Saviour has been born to you.” Now there is a clear message that the baby Jesus in a manger is the Saviour for all mankind. The Saviour saves men from their sins and all the consequences of sin, including eternal punishment. For this he would suffer and die on the cross, taking upon himself all the sins of the world. The Saviour had to be born in order to die. Yes, we were all born to die. However, again, his death would not be a natural death, but an atoning death for man’s sin. He was born as a Saviour. He would live as a Saviour. He would die as a Saviour, offering himself as a ransom sacrifice. His birth includes all this. So, his birth is truly good news to mankind. “A Saviour has been born to you.” His birth becomes personal to those who accepts him in their hearts and lives. Praise God for the birth of our Saviour Jesus. The story of Jesus’ saving people is always beautiful. There were two criminals dying on the cross, as Jesus was there also on the cross, in the middle. One of them was hardhearted to the end, to his last breath, hurling insults at Jesus who was suffering and dying just like them. But the other criminal was repentant, in the fear of the righteous God. When he was repentant, he could see the Saviour in the dying Jesus who was innocent. He stood against the other fellow criminal and the power of Rome and all the religious authorities who despised the crucified Jesus. In truth, he stood against the whole world in his helpless human condition, close to death. At that moment, salvation came to him. Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Lk 23:43). One young girl was growing well in a Christian family. She had shared the good news of Jesus with her classmates, joyfully and boldly. However, from a certain point, she felt peer pressure among her classmates and began to doubt God’s love in Christ Jesus. Her doubt grew to the point where her intellectual pride ruled her mind against God. In fact, her inner conflict was so great that she fell into deep depression. At that time, God had mercy on her to hear Jesus’ crying on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mk 15:34) at the 2009 EBC. She repented of her sin of pride and decided to put her faith in Jesus who died for her sins. Since then, her faith was restored and she has been growing in gospel faith. Now she has a direction to live as a lawyer-shepherd for Christ, leading young souls to his salvation. Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:18, 22-24). Jesus laid in a manger and crucified on the cross is truly the wisdom of God and the power of God for the salvation of mankind. “He is Christ the Lord.” It is very important to know that Jesus is not only our Saviour, but Christ the Lord. Christ means the promised Messiah, the Anointed. Apostle Peter said in Acts 2:36, “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.” Our Saviour Jesus who died on the cross was raised from the dead and thus God made him both Lord and Christ. Apostle Paul also wrote in Romans 1:4 that Jesus was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Paul wrote further in Philippians 2:8-11, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord...” Apostle Peter and Paul wrote these after Jesus’ resurrection. However, notably, at the time of Jesus’ birth, the angel proclaimed, “He is Christ the Lord.” What an amazing message! Again, his birth includes the whole of his life. He is Christ the Lord, the only one who is worthy of our worship and devotion and obedience. He is our Saviour and Christ the Lord. When even the winds and waves of the sea obeyed him, his disciples were amazed, asking each other, “Who is this?” (Mk 4:41). Evil spirits trembled before his presence and fell down before him (Mk 3:11). Death could not keep its hold on him (Acts 2:24). He is above all. Jesus is both our Saviour and Lord; it cannot be separated. This is the full message. The baby Jesus, born and laid in a manger, is our Saviour and Christ the Lord. He holds our future. He is ruling the world and will come again. Praise God for this wonderful Christmas message. The angel continued to say in verse 12, “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” The baby Jesus laid in a manger being our Saviour and Christ the Lord, is beyond human understanding. However, this is God’s way of working and, so, is God’s sign. This will be a physical sign and a spiritual sign. Third, Gory to God; Peace to Men (13-20). At the wonder of God in the time of Jesus’ birth no human could understand the amazing meaning of this event. But the angels in heaven knew it. Therefore, in verses 13 and 14, it is written, “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 favour rests.’” Glory has the meaning of revealing. At the time of Jesus’ birth God’s great love was revealed. Therefore, it was “Glory to God in the highest.” In this world, peace comes when war ends. In the spiritual world, too. Peace came when the war between God and man ended through the reconciliation of Christ Jesus’ death on the cross. This peace is peace with God. The enmity between God and man disappeared in Christ Jesus. This peace is inner peace, different from the peace the world offers. This is the eternal peace. It was very costly. It is written in Colossians 1:19-20, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things whether things on earth or things in heaven by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Peace comes from this Jesus, not from Pax Romana. If one rejects this Jesus, there is no peace. As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes” (Lk 19:41-42). Jesus lamented, when the people of Jerusalem could not see the peace Jesus would bring. When one repents of his sins and accepts Jesus as the Saviour, peace and fellowship with God begins in the heart. If I have peace with God and fellowship with him each day, what a wonderful life that is. “Glory to God” and “Peace to men.” Luke did not end the description of Jesus’ birth with the angel’s message. It goes up to the heavenly host’s praising God. It is important to know what the ultimate purpose of our life is. It is to praise and glorify God for his wonderful love in Christ Jesus. When Jesus made an entry into Jerusalem to die on the cross, a whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Lk 19:38). At this, some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” Jesus replied, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Lk 19:39-40). On the very night before the cross Jesus prayed, “Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you” (Jn 17:1). May our life be glory to God and peace to men in Christ Jesus. What can be true praise and glory to God in this world? It is the birth of Jesus in each person’s heart. When one accepts Jesus as Saviour and Christ the Lord, that’s praise and glory to God. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds hurried off to go to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger just as they had been told. They spread the word of the angel’s message them about the child, and returned, glorifying and praising God. We thank and praise God for the humble birth of Jesus laid in a manger. It is the birth of a Saviour and he is Christ the Lord. This is glory to God and peace to men. May we have this Jesus in our hearts and lives and live a life that is glory to God and peace to men in Christ Jesus.

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