The Lutheran Hour
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"Good News, Great Joy"
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Text: Luke 2:1-20
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Christ is risen. No, let our greeting this day in which we remember the coming of the long-awaited Lord, be: the Savior is born. He is born, indeed. With His coming, God has kept His promise of salvation which He first made to our original ancestors. The ringing of the Christmas bells, the joyful birth of the Savior says to our enemies, sin, death and devil, that their reign is done, their hold is broken, and all who believe in Christ the Lord, are saved.
Do you like bad things? Of course you don’t. You try to forget bad things. Amazingly, the world revels in bringing us bad news. It is depressing for me to see how modern technology is stretched to the ultimate so that we might have ringside seats as the bad- news story of the hour unfolds. If there is difficulty anywhere, camera crews are dispatched with the greatest of swiftness to bring us on-the-spot coverage of things that shock and sadden. No expense is spared to bring us color coverage of the latest tragedy, vivid video of people’s plight.
We can see a man who jumps from a building; watch as a hijacked plane crashes and a hundred lives are snuffed out. We see floods with people sitting on the roofs of their homes, tornadoes leveling towns; hurricanes wreaking havoc. And if that is not enough, you can watch reality TV which specializes in police car chases and convenience store shootouts. You can see animals go berserk and attack their trainers and drug-crazed parents threatening their children. And then when you have seen it all, they’ll replay it again in slow motion, in stop action, and zero in on the details. The world revels in bringing us the bad news. This Christmas week, I have good news for you.
Do you like to remember bad things? No, of course you don’t. Nobody does. We try to forget bad things. But, if you are old enough, you can probably recall where you were when President John Kennedy was shot? I do. I was in high school. First period after lunch. German class. Third desk from the front, second row from the right. I can remember what was happening when I heard about the assassination of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. Funny how we can remember bad news. Do you remember where you were when you heard about the terrorism of September 11th? I do. I was working on a sermon in my Dallas office. My secretary called out to me after the first plane hit tower one. Most of us can remember where we were when we heard about the Challenger exploding, or the Columbia reentry. We remember bad news, don’t we? This Christmas week, I have good news for you.
Do you like to remember bad things? Of course you don’t. Nobody does. We try to forget bad things. At least that’s what we tell ourselves. Sadly, as I look back over my growing number of years, the things I can recall most clearly were the bad things of life. I can remember with crystal clarity, some of the nasty words that were said to me in grade school. I can recall what was said, and who said it. I can remember the taunts and the teasings of my classmates; I can recall the times I was left out, and when I was picked last for a team. I can remember the girl who laughed when I asked her out for a date; and I can recall waiting for a friend to pick me up for a fishing trip, and hours later, realizing he never was going to show up. I remember the test everyone passed except for me. So many bad things I can remember. I can recall them as clear as day. So can you. You have your own list. The slight of a neighbor, the fact that your younger brother or sister got away with things for which you were punished. We all have our own lists of bad things. Those events, sad or scary, seem to be etched into our memories, never to be forgotten.
Why do we remember the bad? Why does the world report the bad? There is an answer. The answer is simple. It is sin. Our beloved Creator had formed the universe, perfect and pure. He said it, and it was true: creation was very good. The Lord set our perfect ancestors in a perfect garden and gave them all they needed to live, and love, and to worship Him. This too, He declared to be good. But the good did not stay. Adam and Eve, our first parents, thought they knew better than God what was good for them. They disobeyed Him and with that one action, set into motion all the evil, all the sin, all the hatred that you see around you. On that black day, humanity stepped away from God’s family and turned its back on His goodness. Generosity was pushed aside and greed moved to the fore. Harmony became hatred; happiness was now horror, peace became powerful passions for evil, and death began its rule.
Why does the world report evil? Why do we remember the bad? Because it’s part of us. It is born into us. Scripture rightly says, “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.” (Eccl. 7:20) We can no more escape this evil than we can stop our brains from thinking, our hearts from beating, our lungs from breathing. It is engrained in us, part of us, as powerful in motivation as our genetic makeup. For our treachery and treason, God in righteous rage, decreed that death, temporal and eternal, should be the reward for those who had rebelled. And so, what you see around you, the evil that is inside you, the sins from which you suffer, were set into motion, a perpetual motion machine of sadness and suffering. Still, this Christmas week, I have good news for you.
Since the time of humanity’s first transgression we have searched for a solution from suffering. Thousands of years, and billions of people, have struggled to find that good news which could bring us back into God’s family. Study the world’s religions; look at the history books; read the philosophers’ writings. All were trying to find the peace that had been lost, to rebuild the bridge between God and man that had been burned. Each century, each generation, each individual has tried to find that stairway which would allow them to climb back to the Lord and His perfection. And each century, each generation, each individual has found only futility and failure. But this Christmas week, I have good news for you.
Look down the hall of history. Let me tell you what you will see. You will find nations who prayed for peace, but saw their sons march off to war. You will discover people who searched for, but never found, security. You will see fortunes that took a lifetime to build, wiped out in a second. You will see those who longed for friendship and a chance to live out their days in comfort, destroyed by forces of animosity and cruelty. You will see people who yearned with every fiber of their being, to please their god and see him smile. No price was too high for them to pay for that smile. They gave up family and friends to live like hermits. They renounced possessions and passion. They were willing to sacrifice their own children. In spite of all they did, each of them failed, finishing their time on this earth still frustrated, and living in fear. But I have good news for you. This Christmas week, I have good news for you.
It is God’s Good News of grace. You see, you must see, that the same God Who rightly condemned us for our sin, also set into motion a plan to save us. He knew that we, with evil permeating every pore of our being, would never be able to climb back to Him. With a love that I cannot comprehend, He made a promise. He promised to send His only Son, His most precious, perfect Son, to save us. His Son would be born on earth and be one of us. In this way, He could take our place. He could carry our sin. He could die our death. Those welcome words of salvation were first given in promise. For thousands of years, the coming of the Savior was a hoped for, longed for, yearned for, yet unrealized promise.
Then, finally, in a little Judean town of Bethlehem, just about 2,000 years ago, God’s promise came to pass. After having waited so long, the world wasn’t ready. It wasn’t prepared to see God’s Son come to earth. They certainly didn’t expect Him to be born of a virgin in a stable and placed in an animal’s feeding trough. Indeed, the night of His coming might have gone completely unnoticed, if God hadn’t sent a messenger to tell us of His Good News. I could tell you about him, and what he said. I would prefer to let you hear it, as it was recorded: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'”
Did you hear that? Good News. Great joy. That’s what the angels said. Did you hear it? That is earth-shaking, soul-saving news. It is news so good that it can turn the world upside down. This Divine Christ Child has been born for you. Like the shepherds, won’t you go and see this thing that has happened, that the Lord is telling you about. Look into His straw-filled bed. Jesus is a Baby now, but He is already working to save you. He will live the rest of His life working to save you. For the next 33 years, He will fulfill every law that you would ever have broken. He will never take a day off, never have a vacation, never go on holiday. Where you have fallen into temptation; He will stand successfully and perfectly. Then, at the end of His life, He will suffer for you. In ways you cannot imagine, He will suffer for you. He will be deserted by His friends and a disciple’s kiss will betray Him. The religious leaders that had been entrusted with the promise of His coming will have Him arrested, unfairly tried, employ false witnesses against Him, and have Him condemned. His government, that should have been fair and just, will conveniently wash its hands of His blood.
Look at this Baby. God’s Son, your Savior. See His face, it will be bloodied by soldiers striking Him; His back will be torn apart by the scourge. His forehead’s soft skin will be pierced by a crown of thorns. See His little hands? They will be nailed to a cross for you. He will be nailed there, and He will die. All so that the sins He is carrying, your sins, my sins, the world’s sins might be removed. He will die willingly for you, without complaint. Then three days later, His sacrifice completed, He will rise from the dead. This He will do for you as well. He wants you to know that you can believe in what He has done. He wants to show you, He has changed the world, and if you believe, has saved your soul.
But right now, as you look at God’s Good News in His Christmas cradle, know that these things are all yet to come in His life. For today, at this Christmas moment, there is Good News. A Savior has been born for you; He is Christ the Lord. It’s His birth, His coming, His sacrifice, His saving us that the world stops to celebrate this week. No, it’s not the parties or presents or tinsels or trees that we celebrate. We stop to give thanks for God’s gracious promise being fulfilled. God’s Good News, our great Joy, a Savior has been born.
What’s that? You know all about this Savior? You’ve seen Him, beginning years ago? You’ve got other things to do. Pressing things. Christmas things. There are not enough hours in a day for you to check the many obligations you have off your list. Cards have to be sent, parties attended, shopping needs to be completed. You can’t stand here gawking all day. You have to go now. You’ve got to get back to your life, to reality, to the real world.
Yes, I know you have to go. But do you mind if I walk with you for just a minute as you go? There are a couple of things I’d like to say yet. The world you’re going back to isn’t so hot. How would it be changed if God’s Son hadn’t come to save all who believe on Him as their Savior? Suppose, just for a minute, the angels had never breathed a word about Jesus or Good News and great joy? Suppose this Baby we have just seen had never been born? Let me tell you how just some of your life would be different. Certainly, there would be no Christmas carols to sing, no uplifting Christmas stories to tell, no children retelling the angels’ message. If Jesus had not been born to be that bridge between you and God, there would be no churches dotting the land with lofty spires and crosses bearing witness that we have Good News.
Suppose, 2,000 years ago, God had been silent and inactive, never sending His Son. The troubled, the sick and dying, would find no comfort and strength because none would be available. Traveling into an eternal night, we would never find a sunrise. Suppose the angels had never sung their songs of praise, never made their announcements of Good News? What would be the feelings of families who are standing by the deathbed of their loved ones? How much greater would be their anguish; how much more sad would be their farewell? A farewell for eternity, never to end. Suppose there was no comfort of sins forgiven, no promise of a future resurrection? If Jesus hadn’t been born, the prayers which are born in your heart and head would be aborted and die, unsaid. There would be no heavenly ear ready to listen. Without God’s Good News, no amount of earthly washing could cleanse our children’s souls of sin. Without the Good News there would be no angels watching over our babies as they grow.
Are you really that anxious to get back to that world? Do you remember it? What are you going back to? There will be wars and rumors of wars. People will be filled with anger and jealousy and pride and greed and prejudice and a whole lot of nastiness. The news reports will be filled with bad news. Days will begin and end with atrocity. If you must go, don’t stop Jesus from going with you. Don’t rush back only to have Christ’s holiness hidden under the holly. Don’t be so ready to hurry away. This Christmas tide I have Good News for you.
This day I echo the words of the angels: There is Good News of great joy. The Savior has been born in Bethlehem town. He has lived for you. He has died for you. He has risen for you. I have Good News for you. Those who feel alone and afraid, He is by your side. Those who have said an earthly goodbye to a loved one, the Savior has been born to give you, if you believe on Him, a blessed and unending reunion in heaven. To those who have lost direction; to those who feel rejected; to those who feel depressed; to those who feel ignored; to those who are despondent and those who are worried, I have Good News and great joy for you. Your Savior has been born. He is the Good News that can change the world, your world. Amen.
Lutheran Hour Mailbox (Questions & Answers) for December 21, 2003
Topic: The Real Santa ClausANNOUNCER: And we’re back with Pastor Ken Klaus, I’m Mark Eischer, and all of us here at “The Lutheran Hour” pray the Lord will bless you and your family with His wonderful message of Good News and great joy that comes through faith in His Son, our Savior and Lord.
KLAUS: And a blessed celebration of the Christ Child’s birth to you as well, Mark. So, on this Sunday before Christmas, what are we going to talk about?
ANNOUNCER: Well, I thought we might tackle sort of a personal question.
KLAUS: OK, right.
ANNOUNCER: How should Christians regard Santa Claus?
KLAUS: And why is that personal?
ANNOUNCER: I didn’t know if he was a relative of yours or something.
KLAUS: Careful, Mark. You don’t want a lump of coal in your stocking. I do have connections, you know.
ANNOUNCER: Seriously though, many families try to keep Jesus at the center of their Christmas celebration. The problem is, Santa Claus keeps showing up and he seems to get in the way. Is there a way to keep Santa Claus where he belongs?
KLAUS: Mark, it’s a fairly common question. I just did a radio interview with Kay Meyer of Family Shield Ministries, and we talked about the same thing. If He were here today, the real Santa Claus, Hagios Nicholas, would not be pleased to see how he is being used. Second, Christian parents who want to keep Jesus at the center of the celebration are to be commended. It’s difficult when you find yourself swimming upstream.
ANNOUNCER: So what do you do with Santa? You can’t ignore him, he’s everywhere. It’s almost like it’s Santa-day instead of Christmas.
KLAUS: I think the best way to put Santa in perspective is to remember him.
ANNOUNCER: And who was he?
KLAUS: He was a devoted and loyal follower of the Savior. According to tradition, Hagios Nicholas, (St. Nicholas) was born around 260 in Patara, Turkey. His parents died when he was young, left him the fortune. This he gave to people in need. According to legend, and legend is really all we have about the man, there was in town a rich man who lost all his wealth. He had three daughters who couldn’t marry because he had no dowry. Hearing about the man’s problems, St. Nicholas took some of his inheritance, tied it up in a sack, some say a sock, and threw the sock or sack, into the window or some say down the man’s chimney. The legend continues. Nicholas entered a monastery, was soon selected to be the bishop of Myra. It was an untimely honor. In the year 303 A.D. the Roman Emperor, Diocletian, ordered a brutal persecution of all Christians. Nicholas was imprisoned; tortured for a number of years. Hard to think of Santa in prison, isn’t it? Those who survived Diocletian’s tortures were called saints, or confessors, because they hadn’t forsaken Jesus. That’s how Nicholas became known as St. Nicholas. Eventually he was released from prison. After that, some traditions place him at the Council of Nicea, although he is not listed in the official records. Those same stories tell how Nicholas was willing to defend the faith; at times, quite physically. I certainly can’t vouch for the authenticity of those legends. I can say with some confidence, Nicholas served Christ’s people in Myra for about 30 years after his release. During that time this tried and tested soldier of faith shared the Savior with many. Nicholas died on December 6, about 343 – a living legend, beloved by his entire city. The legendary Hagios Nicholas (St. Nick) can be brought into Christian homes as an example of how a servant of the Savior lives his life. St. Nicholas, Christian bishop of Myra, wouldn’t want anybody to think of him as anything else. If Nicholas were with us, he would say, “Don’t give your children a glimpse of a phony dime store Santa with a fake beard who makes them wait in line so they can regurgitate their list of Christmas ‘wanta haves.'” Saint Nicholas would be first to say, Jesus, not Santa, is the reason for the season. Receiving eternal life, not stuff, is the great gift of Christmas. No matter how hard people wish to push Jesus to the side, He is still the giver of every good and perfect gift. Jesus’ gifts are good and perfect, because while other gifts wear out and fall apart, Jesus remains.
ANNOUNCER: So, remember the substance of Christmas, not the fluff.
KLAUS: The treasure of Jesus, God’s gracious good news of great joy that has been born for all people, that is who we celebrate, not the tarnished trappings and the ripped wrappings of a counterfeit Christmas.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.