Bible Text: Isaiah 62, 6-12; Titus 3. 4-8a; Luke 2. 1-20 | Preacher: Reverend Helen Dean | A sermon for Christmas Day
Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus is perhaps the most loved. It is more than a simple narrative. Luke brings this story alive with vivid detail. The things that Luke chooses to include tell very particular things about Jesus, going well beyond the time, place and circumstances of his birth.

The chapter before this is filled with prophecy, promise and fulfillment. There are two parallel stories about two women, One, Elizabeth, is not young. She has longed for a child for many years. The other, Mary, has no thought of a child as she is young and not yet married. In each case an angel appears (to Elizabeth’s husband Zechariah and to Mary) and promises the birth of a child who is very special. There is happiness and there are songs of praise and prophecy.

Elizabeth’s child is John the Baptist who prepares the way for the Messiah.

Mary’s child, of course, is Jesus, that promised Messiah, and today’s reading from chapter 2 of Luke’s gospel tells us a lot about why the birth of Jesus is such a significant event.

Firstly, we hear of the census and the registration of Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem, the place of registration for the descendants of King David. The adult Jesus is known to have come from Nazareth and so it is important to include his lineage from King David, one mark of the Messiah. But along with that establishment of the royal line, we also hear that Jesus is different, not what might be expected from the royal lineage. He is born in poor and difficult circumstances, loved and cared for, but not in comfort and luxury.

The houses in Bethlehem would be full with the many visitors to the town so the places of hospitality were not available. However, there was room in the places where animals were kept. The manger was a safe and comfortable place for a little baby, even if it was unconventional. Much like poor families in later times who used a dresser drawer or a laundry basket, Mary and Joseph loved and cared for this special child in the best way that they could. I wonder if there is a story in your family about making do in unconventional ways. Some families made furniture from kerosene tins or fruit boxes. Some cooked in large recycled food tins with a wire bail added. And many a baby had an unconventional cradle although perhaps not a manger.

It would be easy to think that such a seemingly insignificant birth was unremarkable and unremarked but the news did spread and not just to the extended family and their friends. A birth announced by angels, how special is this? Who would be so important that they would be chosen to hear this special news?

Well. It is not the rich and powerful. Like the chosen parents of Jesus, these chosen people were humble and not well regarded in society. Shepherds were of little consequence, poorly paid and working in difficult and dangerous conditions. These rough and ready men (and they were literally both rough and ready) were not easily frightened. They were used to defending their flocks from wild animals, but on this occasion they had a frightening experience. We hear that an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

Now, an angel is a messenger and this angel had a few things to say.

Firstly, don’t be afraid. This is a common first message from angels and it is also a common message of faith. No need to fear.
Secondly, this news is good news, joyful news.
Thirdly, the news is for you but not just for you. It is for all people – all people.
Fourthly, this is about the Saviour, the Messiah. He has been born right here in Bethlehem, the city of David.
And fifth and last, this is the sign, this is how you will recognise him. He is wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.

That’s a lot to process and much of it is superficially contradictory: a frightening experience with the instruction not to be afraid because this is good news, and the birth of the long-awaited Messiah but he is to be found in the humblest of circumstances. All of this is confirmed by the appearance of a heavenly host, an army of angels, all praising God and declaring peace on earth.

Then all those angels left and there were the shepherds back in their solitude with their flocks. You could not blame them if they decided to build a fire and sit around and talk it all over. But no, they said. Let’s go and take a look. And they did. They went and confirmed all they had been told. Luke says they went with haste. No messing about. Let’s take a look right now!

Having confirmed what they had been told, they then went and told others who were also amazed.

Are you amazed? I am amazed at this powerful story of God coming into our world, into our circumstances, for our sake. It is amazing. We don’t know what all these amazed people did next. Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds went back to work but they were glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

My hope is that this experience prepared them for action. When Jesus grew up and began his ministry here was a group of people who already knew something important about him, a context for his life and teaching.

The other readings we had tonight confirm this story. In the reading from Isaiah, the prophet says that the people should remind God of God’s promises and remind one another of their coming salvation. The psalm is a song of the glory of God’s reign and the letter to Titus says that we have been saved, we have new life and we should live out that new life.

So, like the shepherds, we have had great news. We should not fear but rejoice, praise God and live out the new life that we have in Jesus, the Messiah, the humble child of kingly lineage, the human and the divine, brought together on that holy night for us and all humankind.

May the joy of Christmas and the grace of God be with you, not just today but always. Amen