Community Covenant Church - Sermons

December 31, 2006

“For All the People”

Luke 2:1-14

A couple weeks ago a few of us “adult-types” brought our Confirmation youth to see the movie “The Nativity”. It appears that Hollywood has recognized the “Christian market” and is increasing its sales to us; but for whatever reason, this movie was a good one as it spent 90 minutes expanding upon the events described in about 90 verses of the Gospels’ stories.

The main reason I liked “The Nativity” was that it captured the true Christmas spirit:

- Not the one we whip up when we bake cookies and decorate gingerbread houses,

- Not the one we fabricate with colored wrapping paper and tinsel on the tree,

- Not the Christmas spirit that rises with carols, gift-giving or snow falling. And,

- Not the Christmas Spirit that fades with the packing away of ornaments, and gift-returning.

Rather, “The Nativity” movie captured a shockingly bad world where kings raged, wickedness flourished, and where innocent children were massacred; a world of political intrigue where lies, deceit and fear ruled the day. “The Nativity” movie accurately captured the story of Mary & Joseph’s struggle with her pregnancy, their life in Roman occupied Palestine, and their calling to flee for their lives and live as political refugees in Egypt until King Herod died.

It is sad but true that most people would not consider “The Nativity” movie a “typical Christmas movie” like they might consider “Santa Clause 3”, “Miracle on 34^th Street”, or “A Christmas Carol”. It is sad, because at the very core of “The Nativity” is the Christmas story; the story of God coming to offer salvation from human sin, a sinfulness most obviously seen in the politics of the day, where the powerful oppress the powerless.

This morning I want us to consider the Christmas story from Luke 2:1-14 from a new perspective by asking with whom we most relate.

Luke 2:1-14

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.

4So 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. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and 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.

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When you hear the Christmas story, or see it depicted in movies, with whom do you most relate?

1. Do you relate with Mary & Joseph?

Can we really relate to this engaged couple.... nearly married according to their cultural customs? Has our life been stifled by the occupation of foreign forces in our country? Can we relate to Mary’s surprise, yet willful obedience to the will of God for her life? Can we really say that our lives have shown the grace of Joseph, who laid down his reputation as a righteous man of God to take Mary as his wife? In so many ways Joseph’s actions were a reflection of the humility of Jesus’ incarnation and His dishonorable death for our sakes.

Perhaps we can relate a bit to Mary & Joseph as we see them forced to comply with governing forces over them; as they journeyed to Bethlehem, a 3-day 90-mile trip amid Mary’s pregnancy, so to be obedient to Rome.

Perhaps.

But surely what our democratic government asks of us is dramatically different that what Rome required of the Jews.

I remember being a child and playing Joseph may times in church Christmas programs, but I cannot really say that my experiences in life cause me to relate with either Joseph or Mary.

2. Do you relate with the Shepherds?

Perhaps we relate more with the shepherds. Independent, outdoorsy types. They were not usually owners of the sheep but hirelings/employees responsible for caring for the sheep. While some of the Bible’s greatest examples were shepherds: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David... first century shepherds had a rather unsavory reputation. While not universally true, most people assumed them to be lazy in their responsibilities, even dishonest when it came to the ownership of the land upon which they led flocks to graze. While the owners of the Bethlehem sheep probably sold them nine miles away in Jerusalem for temple sacrifice, the pious people of Jesus’ day were told not to buy anything from the shepherds directly, neither wool, milk nor lambs, for they were probably stolen.

A Jewish teaching called a “midrash”, commenting on the famous 23^rd Psalm, reads, "There is no more disreputable occupation than that of a shepherd."

But despite that attitude, Jesus lifts up the image of the responsible shepherd, and like the 23^rd Psalm which likens God to a shepherd, Jesus calls himself “the good shepherd” who lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11). For indeed, shepherding is a dangerous job, it was an outdoor guarding job; a protector against thieves and wolves.

Maybe you can relate to the shepherds of Jesus’ day whose work was rough, even dangerous, and whose lives lacked the respect given to the more educated and wealthy of their day.

3. Do you relate with the Magi described in Matthew’s gospel?

There is another character you might relate with in the Christmas story; as told by Matthew:

Matthew 2:1-10

1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
      are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
   for out of you will come a ruler
      who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"

7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Might it be that you relate closest to the Magi? While I do not fully understand the worldview of these Magi from the East, we can say they were astrologists who attempted to correlate physical signs in the universe with human events on earth. Their study led them to conclude that a King was to be born in Judea. They were so certain of this that they traveled for months in order to worship this King.

Maybe you can relate to the Magi in that you are always on the lookout for the activities of God. You too believe that:

Psalm 19:1-3

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

And like the Magi, when you hear that voice, does your faith leads to action? Maybe you relate best with the Magi as you imagine yourself searching for, then bowing before Jesus and offering your gifts to One worthy of your worship.

4. Do you relate with King Herod?

But sadly, we might in the end, relate best to King Herod. For the Christmas story is the story of God coming to offer salvation from human sinfulness, a sinfulness most obviously seen in the politics of the day, where the powerful oppress the powerless.

Realistically, none of us would imagine ourselves as King Herod or Governor Quirinius, much less Caesar Augustus (known better as Octavian), the main power-players noted in Luke’s and Matthew’s gospels, for none of us wheel that kind of power over nations to make people register, so that we can control them and tax them even more.

But perhaps, those to whom we can best relate with are the unmentioned though very real citizens of Rome.

As citizens of the United States, we find ourselves in a precarious place in this world.... for we are citizens of the most powerful nation on earth. Like Rome once did, we influence our world today in ways we can name, and in ways we are totally unaware of. While we often times point to the positive ways we wheel national power in this world, must we not also confess amid our recognition of human sinfulness, that we too wheel power in negative ways?

Today I am not passing judgment on any specific policy of our government. Rather, I am inquiring about our perspective on the Christmas story. Can we really relate with the oppressed and powerless in our world? Can we relate to being exploited and in need of “Good News”; in need of a change of dramatic proportions?

Or, like King Herod, is the “Good News” we hear a threat to the status quo, something we need to control for our own good? Look at the consumerism our nation has attached to Jesus’ birth, and consider the numbers we hear; 30-50% of retail sales happen at Christmas time! While evil and paranoid Herod pretended a desire to worship this newborn King so that he could kill off the One who threatened his Kingship, why do we as a nation seek Christ at Christmas? Is it to worship Him, or to sell Him? We see it in the movies coming out of Hollywood, but also in the “Merry Christmas” we heard again at Wal-Mart this year, because “Happy Holidays” threatened their sales last year.

This is a difficult word to hear, especially a week after our traditional Christmas celebrations when the afterglow of friends and food, music and gifts still warm our hearts. But, when we are real with ourselves, when we are able to soberly assess the way we use the power God has given to us, and repent from those ways which as a nation have intentionally or unintentionally oppressed others, rather than helped them... then we will know that God forgives and saves us from our sin.

You see, the real point of this message was neither to reinforce the images of the nativity in our minds, nor remind us that the world is filled with powerful and powerless people; the real point of this message was to remind us of the good news proclaimed by the angels:

Luke 2:10b

... (a) good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

For all the people.... do you “hear” that? For all the people!

- Not just the poor and oppressed Josephs and Marys in our world,

- Not just for the disrespected shepherds of every generation,

- Not just for the Magi who have the time to search for God’s activity, and quickly respond in worship.

What we received that first Christmas was good news of great joy that was for all the people.

Although Herod could not see around his own paranoia and desire for absolute power, Jesus’ birth was good news of great joy even for him, as it is for all who were currently in positions of power over others. For all of them, like us, were people caught up in human sin. But now, God has come to save us... to save us all.

Will you accept that salvation today? Will you embrace and worship the baby born in Bethlehem for you? Will you allow His Spirit to so fill your life that the sinner within you will be transformed into a saint; that the power God has entrusted to you will be power for the good of others and not a power over them? Will you accept God’s salvation and let the light of Christ shine as a witness to our nation as a whole?

This is the good news of great joy we proclaim in Jesus’ name, and it is for all people. AMEN

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (r).