The Christmas Story

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph... And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus..." (Luke 1:26–37)

The familiar Christmas story retold — and the joy it brings, meant for all people.

Why We Gather

Welcome to Cross Connection Church on the eve before Christmas Eve, our Christmas Eve Eve celebration. People have asked me whether there is a special spiritual reason we do this on the 23rd. There isn't. Years ago we gathered at the California Center for the Arts, and the union wouldn't let us do it on the 24th, so we did it on the 23rd — and it simply became our tradition.

Maybe you saw the strange star in the western sky last night. People were freaking out, thinking the end of the world had come, or that Jesus' star had appeared again. No — it was just Elon Musk and SpaceX. Pretty awesome, but not quite the star of Bethlehem.

Why Christmas

Over the last few weeks we've been in a series called Why Christmas, answering the question: why do we celebrate this holiday? Many people in our society don't really have a good answer. On Black Friday, another pastor and I went to a Target shopping center with a video camera and asked people, "Do you celebrate Christmas?" and then, "Why?" We got a lot of blank stares and a lot of interesting answers — mostly summed up in "family" or "tradition." Some people know the details of Christmas, but they don't always know the why.

Three weeks ago we started by talking about the fact that we live in a broken world. We see that brokenness perpetually; it's always around us. There isn't a single person who doesn't recognize it — even those who don't go to church or read the Bible have seen it in their own lives. We believe, as we look at the Scriptures, that Christmas exists because the world is broken. But not only that: the Bible reveals that our God is the gift-giving God.

So Christmas is the revelation of His great gift to us — that wonderful verse, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Because of the brokenness of this world, we are all subject to death — ten out of ten people die. But our Lord, looking at the brokenness caused by sin, set out to fix the problem, because to God life is precious.

Remembering the Details

We've been talking about the whys of Christmas. Tonight I want to talk about the whats. For many of you it's a familiar story. You've read it yourself, heard it at church, or watched the kindergarten production where your child or grandchild played a little goat or a lamb. My youngest son was a wise man this year — he's a wise guy, so it totally fit. You may know the details, but it's good for us to take a few minutes to remember them.

We pick up in Luke 1:26. Gabriel was sent to Mary, a virgin betrothed to Joseph of the house of David, and announced that she would conceive and bring forth a Son named Jesus, who would be called the Son of the Highest and would reign over the house of Jacob forever. When Mary asked how this could be, since she did not know a man, the angel told her the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and that her relative Elizabeth had also conceived in her old age.

For with God nothing will be impossible. (Luke 1:37)

I love that statement. Every one of us comes to circumstances where we feel we are not up to the task — often at some crisis point that reminds us of our frailty and inadequacy. In every one of those situations, may God by His Spirit bring us back to Luke 1:37: for with God nothing shall be impossible. Amen.

The Birth and the Shepherds

In Luke 2, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. Joseph went up from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the City of David, with Mary his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, she brought forth her firstborn Son, wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In the same country were shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night. An angel of the Lord stood before them, the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.

Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10–11)

Suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host appeared, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." The shepherds went with haste to Bethlehem, found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger, and made widely known what they had been told. Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart, and the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God.

May it be that those of us who know and believe this account would be like those shepherds, unable to keep these things back — that unto us a Savior has been born who is Christ the Lord. This Savior brings great joy, and that joy is "for all people," not a small select few. All of us are affected by the brokenness of the fall, but it is God's desire that this joy be extended to every single person.

The Wise Men

In Matthew 2, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the king, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." When Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

It's amazing that the news was sounding throughout Jerusalem. We sometimes imagine it happened quietly, tucked away in secret, but it didn't. Herod gathered the chief priests and scribes and asked where the Christ was to be born. They answered, "In Bethlehem of Judea," citing the prophet: "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel."

Herod secretly summoned the wise men and sent them to Bethlehem, asking them to bring back word. The star they had seen went before them until it stood over where the young Child was, and they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. Coming into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, fell down and worshiped Him, and presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Being divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed another way.

Joy to Experience, Express, and Extend

These are the accounts the Gospels give us of the coming of the Christ. For many hundreds of years, God through the prophets had been giving hints about this gift — the Savior who would bring joy to all peoples, to those in darkness and in the shadow of death experiencing the brokenness of this world. He has given us this great gift that brings joy to all people.

That's why, when we gather at this time of year, we sing these great songs filled with joy — to remind us of the joy He gives, and not only joy but peace, love, grace, forgiveness, and hope. All of these are contained in that gift that is the Christ child. So we rejoice in the coming of Jesus.

It is my hope and prayer for myself, my family, and all of us at Cross Connection that we would experience that joy fully, having Christ in us, and that we would also express it in our lives. As you gather to celebrate this holiday, may that joy be something you experience and express. Even more, may God give you an opportunity to extend it to others, because in every one of our lives there are people who deeply desire this joy. They know the brokenness, but they don't experientially know the joy. As you exchange gifts this week, may the Lord give you an opportunity to share the great gift He has given us — that Jesus came and demonstrated God's love toward us, that while we were still broken, still in our sin, Christ gave His life for us that we might have life forevermore. Because to God life is precious.

A Closing Invitation

It may be that you've not yet trusted in Jesus, not yet received the gift of His grace. Jesus came to this world to deal with your brokenness, your sin. Every single one of us is a sinner, imperfect, and 2,000 years ago Jesus came to deal with that brokenness so that we could experience His forgiving grace and have joy, peace, and hope.

Receiving that free gift is as simple as ABC. First, admit that you are imperfect, a sinner who needs a Savior. Second, believe upon Jesus — not just casually acknowledging that a man named Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but actually committing yourself into His hands, trusting and believing in Him. Third, confess Him as your Savior.

If you'd like to do that tonight, pray with me where you are: "Dear Jesus, I recognize that I need You. I cannot deal with my own sin. I've failed in so many ways, too many to count. But I thank You that You came to this world to deal with my sin and my shame. I pray that You'd come into my life, forgive me of my sin, and help me to follow You by faith. In Jesus' name."

Closing Prayer

Father, I thank You that You love life so much that You, who have life within Yourself, gave it to us. Genesis says that You breathed into man the breath of life, and we became living souls because of Your touch. Through sin we experienced brokenness, and we are all subject to death. But Jesus, You came to die in our place, to deal with the problem of broken sin in this world and to give us life forevermore.

I pray that You would do a work in us — that we would experience this life, express this life, and extend it to other people, that we would see Your light go forth into this world in a greater way this holiday season. Pour out Your joy, hope, and peace in abundance upon all who put their trust in You, both those who came to You for the first time tonight and those who already know You. As we gather with friends and family this week, let Your grace be evident and seen.

And now may the God of hope fill you all with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope, to the glory of God. Amen. God bless you, and have a wonderful Christmas.