Bah, Humbug

Christ is born! He is born, indeed! Especially this week Christians give thanks for the Savior Who has been born. It is the appropriate thing for saved sinners to do. Today the invitation goes out to the world: join us as we rejoice in His coming, as well as in His life, death, and resurrection. Christ remains God’s good news of great joy Who alone can save. In Jesus, may God bless us, everyone. Amen.

This week the Christian world will be celebrating the Savior’s birth. During the course of the week, those who are responsible for programming what you see on television will, no doubt, play Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol. That story is, with the obvious exception of Luke’s account of the birth of God’s Son, the most well-known of Christmas’ tales. But unlike the Gospel of Luke, it is a beautiful fiction which tells how an old curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge, with an assist from a dead partner and the spirits of Christmas past, present, and future, comes to repent of his miserly ways, his hatred of the holidays, and his indifference to the needs of others. One of the last lines of that story is spoken by the narrator and he says of the converted Scrooge: “and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us.”

I tried to find out exactly what Scrooge discovered, what enabled him to keep Christmas well, if any man possessed the knowledge. In the entire story the name “Jesus” was never mentioned. In that classic fiction, the name Christ is never used to describe the world’s Redeemer; and almost always, the name Christ, when it was used, had become part of something else, such as Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas party, or Christmas goose. Having reread the story, I began to wonder: if more than 150 years ago, Dickens could create his wonderful story without hardly a mention of Jesus; and if he could say Scrooge kept Christmas as well as anyone, but managed to do so without the Savior, how many of today’s Lutheran Hour listeners might not be doing the same?

My wonder became concern when a pastor shared a story with me. He told me about a little girl; a little girl who had been watching mom and dad get ready for Christmas. Unfortunately, it seemed to the little girl both parents were preoccupied with burdens and bundles, parties and presents. Sunday mornings, church time, was spent shopping and evenings were spent wrapping presents and producing the family Christmas card newsletter. At any rate, the girl felt she, and Baby Jesus, were being shoved to the side. Finally, one night, the little girl added an extra petition to her regular bedtime prayers. She said, “Dear Father who art in heaven, please forgive us our Christmases as we forgive those who Christmas against us.” Hearing that, Mom and Dad realized maybe, just maybe, they didn’t have the knowledge, if any man alive possessed it, to keep Christmas well.

Which is why, this Lutheran Hour message is going to be just a little different. With our producer of The Lutheran Hour, Mr. Mark Eischer reading the words of the Savior’s birth as told in the Gospel of the beloved physician, Luke, I’d like to explain to you why the story of Jesus’ birth is so very special. The story begins this way:

Mark: And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

Surprisingly, the story of Jesus’ birth begins in Rome, as the crow flies, more than 1400 miles away from Bethlehem. It starts not with the mention of Jesus, His mother, or foster-father, but with Caesar Augustus, the most powerful man in Europe. Concerned with the decline of public morality, the rise of abortions, the fear his country might not be able to defend itself in the future, Caesar had implemented various laws which punished those who shirked their civic duty. Wishing to see if those laws were being successful and desiring to predict what the future might hold, he called for a census to gather needed information. And so it was, a Roman decree sent a carpenter and his pregnant, virgin wife on a trip from Nazareth to God’s predicted place of prophecy.

Mark: And this taxing was first made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

God wanted you to know that the redemption of humankind took place in real time, and touched the lives of real people. It was while Publius Sulpicius Quirinius was serving as the ruling authority of the Roman province of Syria that this census of Augustus took place. There would be others, but this census, sending Jewish citizens to the place from which their family had come, put Joseph and his blessed bride onto the dirty and dangerous roads. Scripture speaks of that 90-mile trip when it says:

MARK: And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

Are you among the many folks who think all religions are the same; that all religious leaders are interchangeable and transposable? They’re not. Jesus is different and unique. So the world might identify Him as the Son of God, the promised Savior of the world, the Holy Spirit inspired men to give more than 100 exclusive and exceptional indicators describing the Redeemer’s life, passion, death, and resurrection.

More than 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Micah had written (5:2 excerpts ESV) “But you, O Bethlehem… from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.” You have already heard that Caesar Augustus called for a census, now the Lord lets you know why He moved the Emperor to do as he did. If Jesus was to be the Savior, it was necessary for Him to fulfill the prophecy predicting He would be born in the city of David, and come from the lineage of David.

Mark: And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Over the centuries the keeper of the Bethlehem inn has received bad press. Still, if we are to be faithful to God’s Word, we must admit, we don’t know his name; we don’t even know if he existed. Unlike a modern hotel which takes reservations, Mary and Joseph may have looked for lodgings in a caravansary, a large building which provided shelter for travelers and safety for themselves and their animals. With Bethlehem’s population swollen by citizens complying with Caesar’s command; it is not surprising Mary and Joseph found themselves on the ground floor of the building when the time came that she ‘should be delivered.’

Luke tells the story of Jesus’ birth without embellishment. She brought forth her first born. He could have said so much more. He could have shared how the birth of the Christ Child was a fulfillment of the promise made to our first ancestors after they had rejected the love and perfect peace of their Creator. He could have spoken how, while every other religion of the world says you must work your way up to god; the Bethlehem birth shows God’s Son came down to us. Luke could have told how Jesus’ birth was the earthly beginning of a life which would, from start to finish, be a gift from God to us. He could have told how, so we might be forgiven, Jesus would fulfill the laws we have broken; how God’s Son would resist every temptation which we find so… well, tempting; how Jesus would, in victory, die the death we deserved. Luke might even have shared how Jesus would rise from the dead and, in the most wonderful event in all history, assure humanity’s forgiveness and reunion with the Creator.

Luke could have said all of those things and he would have been right in saying them, but those things would come later. Instead, he merely reported, ‘she brought forth her first-born Son, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger.’ Simple words, but those words are so important, so earth and eternity changing, that the calendar on your wall, the date on your computer screen, the milestones of your own life, the dates of your birth, your marriage, and, yes, your death, are calculated from the night Jesus was born. But the events of that night were not yet over. Scripture tells us:

Mark: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Jesus’ birth, which took place in a stable and not in a royal palace, lets humanity know Jesus came to give His life as a ransom for us all, and not just a select few who are of a certain race or specific color. That truth is underscored by God’s angels sharing the story of the Savior’s nativity with some shepherds. Understand, shepherds were not held in great respect by the cultured citizenry. On the contrary, shepherds were considered to be low-class ruffians, crude and uncouth; outcasts with sticky fingers, whose testimony would be dismissed in a court of law. Worst of all, because shepherds were ceremonially unclean, they were shunned by decent society. In later years Jesus would say and show He had come to be the Physician for the sick; the Finder of the lost, the Deliverer of the damned. That night, His Father went on record saying the same. Scripture says:

Mark: And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Do you understand? The angels are speaking to you. I don’t know what has made you afraid. I could begin a list: there are health problems; financial reverses; marital difficulties; rebellious children; addictions; perversions; depressions, guilt over sins done and good left undone. Fear stalks our world and spares no one. To you, this day the angel speaks: “Fear not.” Silly? Not at all. He explains, ‘I bring you and all people great joy.’ There is no one too bad, too sad, too detestable or deplorable to be excluded. God’s good news is for us. The Savior is for us. Are you guilty? He provides forgiveness. Are you lonely? He will be a Friend Who never forsakes you. It makes no difference. Jesus Christ, true God and true Man is born in Bethlehem and He wins forgiveness and salvation. He is good news of great joy for all people. It was news so good the shepherds wanted to see it. To that end, the angel gave directions:

Mark: And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

If you have never given thanks to the Lord and said: “Glory to God”, then this would be the appropriate time to do so. Look at your life; look at your future. What does it hold? Without Jesus there is darkness; with Him there is forgiveness and an eternity without pain, hurts, tears, or sickness. Yes, indeed, ‘Glory to God in the highest.’ You can understand why….

Mark: And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

If I told you I found a gas station selling unleaded for $1.00 a gallon, you would go and fill up. If I told you ladies that I knew a place where designer purses and shoes were being sold at 90% off, you would go and buy. If I told you men that I knew where you could receive a new fishing boat, or season tickets on the 50-yard-line for your favorite football team, you would be more than curious. If I told you I had a sure cure for every cancer, or Alzheimer’s, or diabetes, or any other disease common to humankind, the world would beat a path to my door.

In truth, these things would be good news, but they would be small potatoes, almost inconsequential when compared with the good news which comes in Jesus Christ. God’s Son has been born to clear our sinful consciences, to assure us death will not have the final word in our lives; to guarantee eternity is going to be spent in the joy of heaven rather than the fires of hell. Jesus is God’s good news of great joy and it is right that you should, like the shepherds, go and see this thing which the Lord is telling you about.

No, you will no longer find Him in a Bethlehem manger, nor on Calvary’s cross, and He most certainly is not in His borrowed tomb. But you can still find Him and, like the shepherds, worship Him. This week many Christian churches will have special services giving thanks to God for the Redeemer’s arrival. Now, if you would hurry off to see these other, these lesser items of good news I’ve mentioned; will you not also go to worship Jesus Who alone gives salvation to sinners? Will you not give thanks to God for having sent His Son to be born, to live, to suffer, to die, to rise and redeem you? I encourage you, maybe for the first time, to join with the shepherds and see the salvation which the Lord is telling you about. And if this is not the first time you have gone to the Bethlehem stable, this year will you not go one step further? You have followed the shepherds in worshipping God’s Son; now follow them in proclaiming Him. That is what the shepherds did! Luke writes:

Mark: And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

To share the Savior’s story. That is what we spectators of the Savior’s birth, death, and resurrection need to do. Is there not someone you know who needs to see God’s good news of great joy which comes to us in Jesus? Tell that person. Is there not someone who is lost, lonely, despondent, depressed, discouraged? Invite that person to join you. Is there not someone in your circle of friends who is sad, sorrowful, or distressed? Let them know: A Savior has been born. A Savior, Christ the Lord. Showing people the Savior is what The Lutheran Hour has tried to do for over 75 years. It is what this message is doing even now. Why? So that, to paraphrase Mr. Dickens, it might always be “said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.” May the presence of the Savior be with you and bless you this holy week. If He is with you as your Savior, Tiny Tim will be right in observing, “God bless Us, Every One!’ Amen.

LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for December 21, 2008

ANNOUNCER: Now, Pastor Ken Klaus talks about the date of Christmas. I’m Mark Eischer.

KLAUS: Hello, Mark; or should I say “a most blessed Christmas.”

ANNOUNCER: Certainly, since later this week western Christianity will celebrate the Savior’s birth. And a blessed Christmas to you!

KLAUS: Mark, if you don’t mind a little side-trip here, what you just said about “western Christianity” gives me a chance to clear up something I’ve been seeing more and more.

ANNOUNCER: And what is that?

KLAUS: I’ve seen critics of Christianity saying, “We don’t know when Jesus was born, so we can’t be sure he was ever born.”

ANNOUNCER: Well, we really don’t know the exact date of the Savior’s birth, do we?

KLAUS: Nope. The Bible never says, “Celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25th, as it is remembered in the west, or January 7th, as it is celebrated in the East.”

ANNOUNCER: Are either dates right?

KLAUS: We really don’t know. There are all kinds of theories as to why we celebrate Jesus’ birth on the days we do, but we don’t know.

ANNOUNCER: So, are those critics right when they say, “Jesus might not have been born at all?”

KLAUS: That’s a big jump in thinking. And it’s flawed thinking.

ANNOUNCER: Flawed, how so?

KLAUS: I had a grandfather. His birth certificate gave one day for his birth, but his mother always insisted he was born on a different date than the official record said. He never knew which one was right. He always said he had two birthdays and he felt perfectly fine in celebrating them both.

ANNOUNCER: Sounds like he had a good deal going.

KLAUS: He did. He was a very special fellow. But the point is, just because my grandfather didn’t know the exact day of his birth, it would be irrational to say that he had never been born. Since I am here speaking to you, I am pretty sure my grandfather had been born, too.

ANNOUNCER: So, not knowing the exact date of Jesus’ birth doesn’t mean we should conclude He never was born.

KLAUS: Exactly. We do know that Jesus was born during the rule of Augustus and when Quirinius was Rome’s main-man in that part of the mid-east. So, having said that, a question from one of our listeners.

ANNOUNCER: We don’t have too much time, but we did get an email from someone who is troubled by the story of King Herod. He thought the story of Herod killing the children of Bethlehem didn’t happen. Too bloody, and the political fallout from such an act would have caused an uprising–or so he thinks. He adds that it was in bad taste for Matthew to include the story.

KLAUS: First, was a guy like Herod capable of such a thing? Absolutely. Herod killed a wife, a few sons, a high priest, a ton of folks who he thought were a threat to him. History tells us he was perfectly capable of such a thing.

ANNOUNCER: But wasn’t he afraid the people would rise up against him?

KLAUS: You bet. If you go to Jerusalem today you can see a place called the Herodium. That’s the palace-fortress Herod had built as his safe spot in case there was a general insurrection. Herod built Masada by the Dead Sea and other places of refuge in case he ran up against the people, or the Romans.

But we need to understand, Herod was ruthless, and he was backed by the Roman government. Mess with Herod and you messed with Rome. That’s not something people would do without thinking it through most thoroughly.

ANNOUNCER: Anything else about Herod?

KLAUS: Mark, we shouldn’t think what Herod did is out of line with the other rulers of the world. In the Islamic world, when a caliph came to power, it was almost customary for him to get rid of anyone who might, down the road, be competition for him. Then, of course, we have the modern-day examples of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. When they felt they could act with impunity, these rulers would ruthlessly silence their perceived competition.

ANNOUNCER: And how about the story of the Holy Innocents in the Bible? Is it bad taste on Matthew’s part?

KLAUS: Hardly bad taste. If there is any story, other than the crucifixion of Jesus Himself, which shows us our need for a Savior, it has to be the conduct of Herod. Herod tries to get rid of the competition and his soldiers carry out his perverted order to murder children.

That is the world into which the Savior was born. That is the world of envy, greed, hatred, prejudice, power that is still around today. No, Herod’s story is needed to remind us Jesus was born not just as a cute, cuddly, Baby, but as Savior Whose cross and resurrection would rescue us from ourselves and redeem us from sin.

ANNOUNCER: This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Music selection for this program:

“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC