December 25: Christmas Day
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. –Luke 2:8-9
Whenever I think of God’s glory appearing to man I think of Moses’ face glowing as he descended from Mount Sinai. I think of Isaiah seeing the train of the Lord’s robe and the heavy words falling from his trembling mouth, “Woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips,” and I know that the weight of God’s holiness would crush us if we were to be exposed to it in its entirety. When I think of Moses and Isaiah, men that God handpicked to deliver His people, I think that if these heroes of the faith were thus affected by their exposure to God’s glorious holiness, what would become of me?
That’s one of the reasons I love this passage in Luke. The glory of the Lord appeared to shepherds. Shepherds didn’t live in houses and keep the Mosaic Law. They were more than rough and tumble rednecks; they were considered ceremonially unclean. These men were not allowed to come to worship because of their chronic filth.
And here they are suddenly surrounded by the glory of the Lord.
It makes me laugh. Their fear must have bordered on horror. These poor men were watching their sheep on a dark night and suddenly, suddenly…their lives are completely transformed by the God they were not allowed to approach. And simultaneously, they’re also confronted with their humanity, their sinfulness, their utter unworthiness to be in the presence of divine holiness. Our God is a consuming fire, and they felt it in their very souls.
Yet the angel speaks to the shepherds (isn’t that great? An angel speaks to these lowly shepherds!) and tells them not to fear “for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people.”
The Greek word there for “great” is mega. Mega joy. They are bringing the gospel of mega joy: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
The long-awaited and prophesied moment has arrived, and it’s almost as if it has arrived right on top of these shepherds’ heads. Isaiah, Micah, and all the prophets had looked for this day, and yet here it is on a scruffy bunch of shepherds. Make that a trembling, scruffy bunch of shepherds.
There should be no mistaking why the Father sent the heavenly host to shepherds. It announces what kind of king this Savior was. Would he be the kind to establish a beautiful palace and sit on a throne never touched or touching the lowly likes of you and me? No, He’s not that kind of savior. This Savior’s birth was first announced to shepherds as, “For unto you is born…” For you. For you shepherds.
For you who are so unclean that you are incapable of presenting yourselves before the Holy and Pure God, this Savior is born for you.
And that’s the gospel! Come hear it preached and enacted in the supper with Jesus this Sunday.
The related hymns we’ll sing are:
(Christmas Eve)
Angels We Have Heard on High
What Child is This
The First Noel
Away in a Manger
Silent Night, Holy Night
(Christmas Day)
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Angels We Have Heard on High
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP SERVICE
The Christmas Eve service will be Saturday evening, December 24, at 6:00.
CHRISTMAS MORNING AND NEW YEAR’S DAY WORSHIP SERVICE
We will have worship at the usual time (10:30) on Sunday, December 25 and January 1, but there will be no Sunday school either day.
Visitors are always welcome!