Word of Salvation – Vol. 21 No.05 - November 1974

 

God's Private Christmas Present

 

Christmas Sermon by the Rev. N. Hart, B.A., B.D. on Luke 2:11a, 18,19

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-20

 

Some 1970 years ago, the small town of Bethlehem was a crowded place.  From all over the country the descendants of David had gathered in the city of their forefather.  But there was nothing princely about their gathering.  They came at the command of a foreign emperor.  There they were, herded together.  How far the royal tribe of David had fallen!

Yet, among them, happened the greatest event of human history.  It happened to their tribe.  Of David's royal line was born the King of kings, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and whose kingdom knows no bounds.

If only they had known!  Here, caught up in the political events that were beyond their control – here, carrying within their bosoms the agony of failure and defeat – here, confused by the failure of their religious tradition – here, they had come.  They had come, not to make a new beginning, but because God had a Private Christmas Present for them.

1.  The Present was given in secret.

When the promised Son of David came to His people, He came in secret.  When the Lord of Glory came into our world of human failure, He came in secret.  When the Holy One came into our world of sin, He came in secret.

A young girl gave birth to the Messiah in a barn.
            "Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
             The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head".

The cattle were there to watch it, but no people.  In spite of the multitude gathered in Bethlehem, God entered the world of our sin in secret.  Yes, Joseph was there, but he had no part in it.  Luke tells us in verse 7:
            "And she gave birth to her firstborn son,
             and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes,
             and she laid him in a manger."

Mary received her child, the world received her Saviour in the secrecy of the night in a stable.  A silent night.  A holy night.  Isn't that just like God?  That is the way He does so many big things in the secret of a private life.

We would have done it differently.  Even if he would have been only an earthly king, we would have made it a big event.  Prominent people belong to the world.  The public has the right to know.

We would have given day by day reports.  The birth would have taken place in the capital city, yes, maybe in the temple.  Pictures would have been published of the principal characters.  It would have been a glorious pageantry – gorgeous robes, brilliant ornaments, and impressive rituals.

All the world would have held its breath in anticipation.  Every eye would be turned towards that glorious birth-place.  And, at the signal flashed across the world, churches would ring their bells, ships would sound their sirens...  a holy day would have been proclaimed, and the celebrations would have begun.

There would have been committees for everything.  A publicity committee, a committee for decorations, a programme-committee.  Possibly even a committee of committees.

This is the way we would have done it, if God would have given us charge of the birth of His Son.  With splendour and publicity we would have welcomed Him, the Saviour of the world.

But God did it His way.  God's Gift came unnoticed, secretly, in a place where one would have least expected it.

O, to be sure, there was a Christmas service.  But it, too, was very private and secluded.  It was outside, attended by a few shepherds and lots of sleepy sheep.  Very quiet, even though they had a preacher directly from heaven.  He had a beautiful sermon – “Unto you is born a Saviour" – but a very small audience.  A good choir, too... a choir of angels, which no human choir could excel.

And that for shepherds and sheep!

Just think what we would have done!  Imagine!  An angel preaching and a choir from heaven!  We would have hired the showground with the overflow crowd in the racecourse.  Blow the expense, the offerings would have looked after that.  It would have been 'taken' on closed-circuit T.V.  Every T.V. mast would have beamed it out to 'the unfortunates' who were not able to get tickets.  Radio beams would have sent the message into the farthest corner of the world.  Such things happen only once.

This we would have done!

But God kept it a private affair.  Right in the midst of the hustle and bustle of people on the move; right in the midst of the tension and turmoil of the Roman empire; God found a quiet place for His Christmas Gift.

And God STILL does so.

Look around you as you leave this place.  What shop window does not carry the sign CHRISTMAS?  Is there a newspaper in the land which does not carry its Christmas story?  Is there a world leader of any renown who does not give his Christmas message?  Is there a church without a Christmas pageant?  Oh, yes, there may be a few, but what are they among us.  God's Christmas has been made a public possession.  Put the Name of God's Gift on a pudding or a ham and it is sure to sell.

That is the Christmas which surrounds us.  But is THAT Christmas?

The God Who came into our world came not with splendour, such as Moses saw in the 'burning bush', nor with the 'Quaking and Quivering Mountain' as Israel saw Him in the wilderness.  He came as an infant, first under the heart, and then in the arms of a young girl.  When He came He spoke the simplest of all languages – understood by every tribe in the world – a baby's cry.

What a way for the Word to become flesh, so that we might behold His glory, as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth!  The greatest things of life come in the seclusion of our private life.

From this mysterious birthplace he went to His cross.  From His grave he arose and ascended to heaven.  He 'dipped' into our time, he was baptised with the suffering of our humanity.  But only few took note of the mission of the Messiah to redeem His people from their sin.  They are those who have met with Him in the quietness and privacy of their soul.

Has He already come to you?

Maybe, you have sought the Lord Jesus in the well-organized worship services, maybe even in this service, the carols, the hymns, the 'sacredness' of it all.  Yes, we are people who like atmosphere, style, the impressiveness of ceremonies.  But God seeks to come home to our inner secret personal life.  If we have not yet encountered Jesus there, we may have missed Him all together.  Let us never forget that in that bustling city, among the crowd of the faithful royal Jews, there was no room.  No room in the inn!  But,
            there is room in my heart, Lord Jesus:
            there is room in my heart for Thee.

2.  How He was received

Well, then, how is Jesus to be received?  In our text we find that some wondered, and others pondered.

There were some who wondered.  Oh, the sermon had been a good one.  Even though it was night, none had fallen asleep.  And immediately after the service, the whole congregation got up and went straight to Jerusalem, just as the preacher had told them to do.  They went to see for themselves what the preacher had said.  They were the first Christmas converts.

We do not know how much they believed of the event, nor even how much of it they understood.  But this much is certain, they certainly told others about it.  They certainly repeated the message of the angel about the Infant Jesus, Who He was, and why he came into the world.  The news was spread abroad
            "and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them."

They were astonished and amazed.  Surprise and wonder drew their attention.  Fancy, what a story!  Imagine, angels singing in the sky!  Never heard of the likes of it before.  This was even better than what father Jacob saw.  He only saw them ascending and descending before the throne of God as silent messengers.

These were singing 'glory to God in the highest' and 'on earth peace among men'.  Fancy, glory to God, whilst the temple still lies in ruin, and the Holy City is desecrated by the soldier's sandal of the uncircumcised Gentiles.  Peace, indeed!  With military control forcing them to leave their homes, and robbing them with taxation.  In this world PEACE?

And then, that Little Child – unknown, and without glory, and power – a Saviour?  Was this the One who would deliver them from the yoke of the pagans?  If they had to wait as long as that, they would all be dead!

It was too good to be true.  But then one never knows.  Angels in the sky.  The shepherds were simple folk, their words could not always be relied upon: their testimony was not readily accepted in a court of law.  Simple folk, these.  How can one be sure?

That is how some received Him, God's private Christmas Gift.  They were amazed and wondered about what they had heard.  Enthralled.  But.... DID THEY BELIEVE?

Millions are hearing the same story, today.  They hear of this Child's life.  His death.  His resurrection.  His ascension into heavenly glory.  Plenty of witnesses.  They have told their story.  Peace with God.  Peace, not as the world gives.  Strange words: Jesus said:
            "I have told you this, that in me you may have peace.
             In the world you will have tribulation;
             but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world".

Tribulation, indeed!  Yes, in the midst of the holiday period, tribulation, because of the uncertainty of employment.  No more school, but not all passed the examinations – tribulation.  During the year always too busy to have time for each other, but now, quarrels, misunderstanding, unhappiness tribulation indeed!

Do you really think it could be possible to have peace and goodwill among men?

And glory to God?  Yes, we are here.  It is part of the religious pageantry.  But are we really here for the glory of God?  Is the choir, the congregation, singing to the glory of God?  Have all gathered, here, really to shout praises to God for the marvellous things He has done a Saviour from heaven above ― a Saviour for me?

How many there are who simply wonder. . . and no more.

But Mary...
            “Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart."

In secret the angel had come to her to tell her of that wondrous event that was to take place in her life.  New life, divine life was to grow within her  The Christ was to grow within her ― the Christ of God.  She had answered:
            "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord,
             be it unto me according to your word." (1:38)

With the Child growing within her, she had responded to the greeting of her cousin Elizabeth:-
            "My soul magnifies the Lord,
             and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
             He has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. . . . !".(1:46-48)

She pondered because she had received in secret the Present of God, and she had believed and submitted herself to God's ways.

For her there were yet many questions, and many, many more to come.  His strange independence:
            "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (2:49)
            when as a twelve year old he had remained in the temple.
            And they were so worried.

            "Woman, what have you to do with me?"
            He said, when she only wanted to bring,
            the needs of this wedding-feast to his attention.

            But what was all this compared with His strange death,
            a death on a cross?  Her son?  Her Saviour!

No, Christmas will forever remain a mystery.  How can One, Who created the vast universe, and Who holds it in the hollow of His hand, be a Man?  How can eternity dip into time?  How can glory be enshrouded in human misery?

Immanuel, GOD-WITH-US!

Yet, there is peace in my heart, even though sometimes it is as if a sword pierces my heart.  My Saviour... yet many reject Him, ridicule Him, deride Him.  There is peace in my heart, even though I do not always understand the turmoil around me.  There is PEACE, because He is in my heart!

And... ONE DAY there shall be GLORY, too!  GLORY TO GOD.

            "Blessing and glory and wisdom
            and thanksgiving and honour and power and might
            be unto our God, forever and ever.
            Salvation belongs to our God,
            who sits upon the throne,
            and to the Lamb.”

Yes, HALLELUJAH, also MY salvation.

AMEN.