Luke 2:4–12, 16–20

Chair and Armstrong Professor of Religion, Department of Religion, Samford University

The Savior of Christmas — Celebrating the Savior’s Birth
Luke 2:4–12, 16–20

Nobody knows the exact date of His birth, but that one event divides the whole of human history into the years labeled B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (from the Latin anno Domini, meaning “in the year of our Lord”). He never wrote a book, but more books have been written about Him than about anyone else in the whole of human history. It reminds us that at the heart of the Christian faith, rather than a creed or an ethical code, there is a person whose friendship is always open to us and who is able to give us comfort in our deepest inward needs. He offers us not only gifts of His grace but Himself, as the Gift of all gifts, and in knowing Him, we discover all that is worth experiencing. This was the impact that His coming made on Joseph, Mary and the shepherds who lived in the vicinity of Bethlehem, whose lives were turned upside down on that first Christmas Day.

Challenge of Human Circumstances (4–7)
In the mystery of God’s providence, various events of human history were going to be the means through which God fulfilled His promises that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Many of the circumstances of this journey would have caused Joseph and Mary to be concerned. Mary was heavily pregnant and no doctor would ever have advised her to take such a hazardous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, some 70 miles as the crow flies. Three or four days of traveling would have brought them to Bethlehem, although it might have taken as long as a week. Furthermore, although she was “betrothed to him” or “engaged to him,” Mary and Joseph were technically not married. Their “marriage” was not yet consummated, although knowledge of her pregnancy led to questions being asked in the community. Joseph and Mary would have encountered many people who spoke behind their backs about their situation. Yet they were to discover the wonder of God’s grace and the mystery of His saving purposes.

Hearing the Good News (8–12)
Within this section of the story, the angels fulfilled the meaning of their name by communicating a message. To a group of terrified shepherds, they brought a message of peace, joy and hope. We read this story with stained glass-tinted spectacles, softened by years of Sunday School children’s pageants and a vision of cute shepherds with their sheep on greeting cards. Throughout Israel’s history, in fact, shepherding was a shady profession. Shepherds were hired help under contract to absentee landowners. Their pay was meager, their reputation shot as they resorted to theft and dishonesty to eke out a living. Shepherds were outcasts: despised, dirty and smelly.

Yet to people who were part of an underclass section of society, the message came to them of good news of great joy for all people — a Savior had been born. It’s a reminder that the message of Christmas is there for each of us, no matter what our station in life, what we have done, however we have messed up.

Praising God for Salvation (16–20)
One-room houses of Palestinian peasants often made use of a manger on an adjacent wall of the animal stall. The stall was frequently distinguished from the living area only by the raised platform floor of the latter. In the place of divine condescension, when “He who was rich, for our sakes, became poor,” the shepherds discovered the Savior.

Their response was one of sharing the message with whomever they met and of worshiping and praising God. The people that heard the message were amazed, but Mary was quiet, reflective, pondering on the things that were happening, silently giving thanks to God for what she had seen and heard. In the same way, we respond to the message of Christmas in different ways. At times, we will be thoughtful, reflecting on all we know of this event. On other occasions, we will take the opportunities that come our way to share the good news with those who have not found Jesus as their Savior. Always we will have a spirit of thanksgiving in our hearts to praise God for the grace He has shown to all.