Sermon -- Christmas Eve (December 24, 2015)

         On Christmas Eve, we employed the Service of Lessons and Carols which includes nine lessons from the Fall into sin through the birth of Jesus.  We pondered our need for the Savior, God's gracious promise of that Savior, and the fulfillment of the Savior's birth.  There were brief devotions following each lesson.  Here is the devotion from the 7th lesson, Luke 2:8-20.


Glory to God in the highest!

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)
He is the Lord.  He is Yahweh, or Jehovah if you prefer.  He is the one who made heaven and earth, Adam and Eve.  He is the one who appeared to Moses in the burning bush in order to deliver Israel from slavery.  He is the one who parted at the Red Sea to save Israel and destroy their enemies.  He is the one who gave the Law at Mt. Sinai and chose to dwell in the temple.  He is the one who has been born and lay in a manger.

Glory to God in the highest!
He is the Christ.  He is the Lord’s Anointed, sent and set apart as prophet for proclaiming good news to sinners; sent and set apart as High Priest for making the atoning sacrifice for sinners—for being the atoning sacrifice for sinners; sent and set apart as King for conquering our enemies—sin, death, and Satan.  He is the Lord's anointed, sent and set apart for redeeming us.

Glory to God in the highest!
He is the Savior.  In a trough where the lambs fed, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world was found.  The shepherds saw their Savior, their Christ, their Lord.  He had come as a commoner to save common sinners.
The shepherds came and saw.  The shepherds went and told what they had seen and heard.  God has been good on his word.  God has been merciful.  God has come for sinners.  God in the manger.  God with us.  God for us.

Glory to God in the highest!