Christmas 1 2024
Christmastide at a Glance
Matthew 2:6 (Mica 5:2-4) ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler, Who will shepherd My people Israel.'”
Introduction
This morning I want us to put on our liturgical hiking boots and make our way up to the liturgical overlook so we can get the big picture of the Christmas season.
Now the reason for doing this is that there is a lot happening on the liturgical calendar over the course of Christmastide and it all ties together. Not only that, everything about the liturgical calendar during this time is intended to give us a profound picture of the birth of Christ that we are in the midst of celebrating.
Therefore, this morning I want to share a few brief reflections on the events of Christmastide and what they combine to tell us about Christ’s birth.
1] First and foremost every detail of the Christmas season is grounded on and takes its bearing from the celebration of Christ’s birth
Matthew 1:21 “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” FN#1
Simply put: the Christmas season is the celebration of the fact that Eternal God the Son, came to us to save us from our sins and to reconcile us to God. As such, it is the celebration of Immanuel, God with us (in the most comprehensive sense of the word- God has come to us in order to restore us to God).
That said, notice the picture of this new life that the liturgical calendar and the wisdom of our fathers provide as they draw our eyes back to key events in Scripture. Not only that, notice that many of these events are taken out of their chronological order and instead placed on the calendar according to their theological significance FN#2.
2] The very first picture that the calendar provides is that of St Stephen. Remember, Stephen is the first Christian martyr. That is, he is the first person to die because faith in Christ.
Acts 7:58 And when they had driven Stephen out of the city, they began stoning him, and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Importance: remember the commemoration of St. Stephen is always on December 26th (the day immediately after Christmas). In other words, right after the celebration of Christ’s birth, the wisdom of our fathers reminds us of the high cost of following Him. Not only that, it also reminds us of our response to that cost: we are to respond with a faithful witness and a desire for God’s mercy.
Acts 7:59 And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And having said this, he fell asleep.
To the very end, Stephen responds to the high cost of following Jesus with both the content and the character of a faithful Christian witness.
3] Next, notice that right after St. Stephen (the very next day- December 27th), the very next picture of the Christian walk that our Fathers provide is that of the Apostle John. Why? Like Stephen, John loved Jesus and was a faithful witness. However, unlike Stephen, John was the only Apostle not martyred.
John 21:21 Peter therefore seeing John said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
Importance: right after the account of Stephen and the high cost of following Jesus, the account of John reminds us that God is in control of all we encounter. As such, our destiny/future is determined by the sovereign plan of God (not the hostilities of the world). Therefore, we are to respond to the birth of Christ by following and trusting Jesus with the very details of our life.
4] Next, notice right after assuring us that God is in control, on the very next day (December 28th), the third picture of the Christian walk that that our calendar draws from Scripture is that of the Holy Innocents (that is, it directs our eyes to the biblical account of the children murdered by Herod as he tried to eliminate the Messiah).
Matthew 2:16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its environs, from two years old and under
Importance: at once the account of the Holy Innocents reminds me of the true and very real hostility of the world into which we are sent. Remember, the objective of Satan and his entire kingdom is to eradicate the Gospel and every remembrance of God from creation. However, I am sent to this very world in love. That is, I am not sent to meet hostility with hostility. Instead, I am to trust God and respond to the world’s hostility with a faithful, unwavering, and compassionate witness.
5] Finally, on January 1st (just one week after Christmas) the last picture that Christmas week (the octave of Christmas) provides is that of the circumcision of Christ.
Luke 2:21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
Importance: notice at once that Christmas week ends the way it began, by turning our eyes to Jesus and the celebration of His birth. Not only that, notice the point: the circumcision of Christ reminds us that Jesus took on the whole of our condition (by His birth). As such, He has faced the world’s hostility, rejection, sorrow, and even death. Not only that, Jesus also took on the fullness of our responsibility/ obligation before God (circumcision). As such, He has perfectly fulfilled for us all that God requires of us. Notice the result: His victory over the world, the flesh, the devil, and even death (all that we face) has secured/guaranteed our own victory.
Bottom line: as we celebrate the birth of Christ, our liturgical calendar gives us a very real picture of what Scripture says it means to follow Him. Yes, it is a costly journey but it is one over which God is Lord and His purpose of love, mercy, and salvation will not fail. Therefore, as I celebrate Christ’s birth, I am reminded that I am to trust and faithfully follow this Savior that God has sent.
Footnotes:
1] Jesus is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name Joshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ), which is the combination of two Hebrew words: יְהוֹ (יְהוָה YHWH) + שֻׁעַ (ישַׁע Saves) = יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Joshua- YHWH Saves)
2] Remember, the church calendar we follow is not simply the Anglican calendar nor is it simply the calendar for the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Instead, the order of events for Christmas week has been pretty much in place since the 4th century. In other words, the picture provided by our prayer book reflects the understanding of the Church since ancient times