Christmas Eve - Lessons and Carols and sermon
Christmas Eve Luke 2:1-20 Song of Angels
One of the great pleasures of life is to listen to the music of songbirds. Some birds seem to have only one song to sing. Others have different songs for different occasions. The birds have provided entertainment to humans long before we learned how to make musical instruments. As enjoyable as listening to the birds are, I have a certain sadness that birds cannot tell stories about all the things that they witness from their bird’s eye view of the world. Nor can they pass their new songs down through generations to come so that there is corpus of stories to tell. If not for entertainment’s sake, at least for the purpose of teaching wisdom.
Well, birds can’t do that, but humans can. Music and the creation of songs are one of several ways in which we mark and remember important public and private experiences and events. For example, before many sport events, the Star-Spangled Banner is sung. Based on the poem by Francis Scott Key that was inspired by the flag flying above Fort McHenry after the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. The song reminds us of the bravery required to keep and maintain our freedom. When that song is sung, we are moved to gratitude and pride in our country and the forebears that gave us this treasure.
Another example, before I move into my main point. Last year’s Person of the Year on Time Magazine’s cover was the singer and songwriter Taylor Swift. I am no Swifty, but I am aware that she has made an impressive career out of her songs of hopes, romances, loves, and breakups. Her songs have impacted many. Consequently, her concerts, especially the Eras tour, has brought much needed economic stimulus into cities across the country.
Now, on to my main point, tonight we conclude a sermon series about the songs of Advent. During the Advent Vespers, we have reflected on the songs of Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary. Tonight, we reflect on the song of the Angels.
The first three songs come from people we would never know anything about. Zechariah was one priest among many that served their rotation in the temple. We don’t know the names of most of Zechariah’s colleagues. They serve in anonymity. Sadly, the inability to have children is not uncommon. Zechariah and Elizabeth’s sadness about not participating in the joys and challenges of parenthood is not unique to them. Regarding Mary, I hate to say it, but Mary is not the only young woman in history to become pregnant outside of wedlock. Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary are normal, decent, people who live out their faith in God in the course of daily life.
Despite their ordinariness, God chose them to be parents of men that would distinguish themselves by their service to our heavenly Father and to their fellow citizens of the world. Faithfulness to their calling led both men to be executed. John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod. Jesus was crucified.
Long before John and Jesus became the men we know them as, the Holy Spirit led Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary to sing about them and their future impact. Those songs were a bright spot in the midst of a dark and perilous time. Israel was under occupation by the Roman Empire. Soldiers were everywhere and kept the peace with violence. Corruption on many levels was prevalent. People who became rich often did so by disregarding any concern or love for their neighbor’s well-being. Justice and righteousness was often talked about, but the truth of the matter is that, as Zechariah states, many sat “in darkness and in the shadow of death” and they desperately needed God’s peace.
Their songs served to commemorate and teach and help future generations remember that there is no nostalgic wonderful past. People were crushed by the forces of pride, greed, and other forms of sinfulness. Human hatred was the norm as was war. The births and the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus are bright, hopeful beacons of light in a dark and dangerous spiritual landscape. Their songs commemorate the advent of God’s mercy. The promises of Scripture are being fulfilled in the births of John and Jesus. Eventually, through John’s ministry all eyes will focus on Jesus.
In Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary we have humans who are led by the Holy Spirit to sing of John and Jesus and our heavenly Father’s plans for them. Tonight, we hear the song of the Angels. Upon Jesus’ birth, we have the witness of the Angels that point to Jesus. For a brief moment the veil that prevents us from seeing their activity amongst us is removed. The Angels sing to the shepherds. Spiritual beings testify that the long awaited, long hoped for Savior is born in the town where the prophet Micah prophesied.
The angelic announcement reads like a song: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
God’s son, the Christ, the Savior, the one who will bring hope and peace and the light of God’s presence into the dark land, is born. The angels commemorate this miraculous moment with a song:
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
The Angels have much to celebrate, the healing of the great chasm between God and man is on its way to being healed. Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, is the God-Man that embodies God’s mercy. Jesus bears witness to the Father’s love for all of mankind by sending him into the world. Jesus, fully human, will suffer temptation but will not yield, he will remain faithful where Adam did not. Jesus, fully human will suffer what we suffer. He will know emotional, psychic, and spiritual pain; he will be betrayed and rejected; yet, in the fullness of God’s mercy, he will go to the cross and sacrifice his life for all sinners, even those who oppose him and intend our Lord harm. Jesus’ death is for all who would have faith in him as the Christ. Jesus is born for us. He dies on the cross for us. He is born for our salvation. He is born to cross the chasm between the Father and sinners. On account of Jesus’death on the cross for us, we receive His forgiveness. To receive His forgiveness is to receive Christ’s peace.
The world continues to be filled with the crushing effects of sinful pride, greed, and all manner of self-centered and self-serving behaviors. The world can be a dark place and many sit in the shadow of death. Yet, in the midst of this darkness, the light of Christ shines bright. The cross is lifted up and our Lord’s arms remain outstretched ready to embrace all who respond to His voice and invitation. The Church continues to bear witness to how God came into our midst. In Jesus, God walked among us and talks with us and loves us. This is no garden of Eden, yet God wants us anyway. He comes down to earth to bring us back into the fullness of fellowship with our heavenly Father. On this night, we join with the Angels in singing: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Merry Christmas! The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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