Tonight’s Scripture:

Isaiah 9:2-7                 Luke 2:1-20

 

            Tonight we celebrate what we were promised.  We have been preparing for Christmas for weeks.  Sometimes the family travel arrangements are made months ahead of time.  What are some of the things you have done to prepare for Christmas?

 

 

            God prepared us for Christmas long before Jesus was born.  He gave the prophet Isaiah the words to write as if this promise had already been fulfilled.  The people walking in darkness have seen a great light…You have enlarged the nation…you have shattered the yoke…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

 

            Jesus entered this world as an infant, born just the same as you or anyone else has been born.  That is part of God’s miracle, conceiving himself and growing from that point on.  He lived and experienced everything that you have and ever will experience.  That is why his name, Immanuel which means “God with us.”  That has been his plan all along, to come to earth himself to free us from our sins. 

 

            We have walked in the darkness of our sins, not knowing how to get rid of them.  Jesus is the great light, one that brings all who believe in him out of this darkness and into the light of God’s glory, a light we cannot understand.  God created light and called it good.  He gives you that good light in Jesus.

 

            God enlarged the nation of his people.  As Simeon sang when he held Jesus in the temple, Jesus is the light to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.  Jesus came for all people of all time, not just to a select few. 

 

            Jesus shattered the yoke that burdened us, the yoke of sin.  We cannot get that sin off of our backs, but in baptism all of that is washed away.  Jesus’ blood shed on the cross takes care of that for all and is received by all who believe in him.  In place of our yoke, he gives us his that is easy and light.

 

            And now, as we celebrate tonight, God’s very own son is given.  In the manger we also see him on the cross.  On the cross we also see him resurrected and now ascended and sitting at the right hand of God.  From heaven we know that he will come again and take us to be with him.  All of this because God loves you.

 

            There is a practice in some churches.  During Advent the manger is filled with crumpled paper.  That useless paper represents the sins of all people.  On Christmas, Jesus is placed in the manger replacing the paper that is thrown away.  Jesus removes our sin.  It is no more.

 

Let us pray:

Dear Jesus, thank You for being each one’s personal gift from God.  You bring healing for all my hurts and disappointments.  You bring forgiveness for all my sins.  Help me to follow the example of Your godly life.  Thank you for loving me.  In your name we pray.  Amen.