Of all the task that need to be performed during the Christmas season, the one that is often put off to the end is the wrapping of Christmas presents. I just finished wrapping my last present moments before this service started. I bought them weeks ago and hid them away in a top-secret undisclosed location, but It seemed like every time I thought about wrapping them something came up and I had to put it off. It’s not that I don’t like wrapping Christmas presents, I do. I make an effort to have my gifts look attractive. I always cut straight, fold over raw edges, and keep the seam at the bottom. I make an effort to make the Christmas presents I wrap look nice, though I am fairly certain there are people who exert a bigger effort than I do.
I know there are people in our congregation who have entire rooms of their houses dedicated to the wrapping of presents. They have dedicated tape dispensers, fancy paper cutters, rolls of paper, bags of bows, spools of ribbon, and boxes of labels. There are some people who have turned gift-wrapping into an art form. I appreciate their desire to make things look nice but honestly you have to question whether it is worth all the effort. I mean let’s be honest, depending on your family tradition, sometime within the next few hours all those beautifully wrapped presents will be torn to shreds (unless you are one of those weirdos that recycles wrapping paper) and all that carefully folded paper, curly cued ribbon, and all those color coordinated bows will be tossed in the trash. I appreciate a beautifully wrapped present as much as the next guy but what people are really after is the thing that lies beneath those wrappings. That statement is especially true when it comes to The Christmas gift.
Over the years I have focused on various aspects of the Christmas account, but this year as I read through Luke 2:1-20 it struck me that many of the things I have focused on in the past are externals or wrappings, if you will, of the Christmas story. The wrappings of the Christmas story are beautiful and beneficial, but this year I thought we might spend some time unwrapping the Christmas Story in order to see what lies beneath all those beautiful layers..
Luke describes a beautiful layer wrapped around the Christmas story in verses 1-3. “1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register.” Here we behold Caesar Augustus, Quirinius the governor, and the empire of Rome. We see how our God rules over the powers and principalities of this world in order to accomplish His purposes. I have, in the past, talked about how God used the Pax Romana; the peace of Rome to provide stability, security, and mobility. I have quoted from saint Paul’s letter to the Galatians, “4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons”[1] and marveled at the fulness of time in which God sent His Son. A beautiful sermon about the providence of God can be preached on these verses, but the providence of God is but a wrapping for what lies beneath.
We peel back that beautiful layer of the Christmas story and in verse 8 Luke writes, “8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” Here we behold simple shepherds caring for their sheep. The nearby fields were not only nearby Bethlehem, but they were only a few miles from Jerusalem and the holy temple. It is likely that these shepherds were keeping watch over sheep that were destined for sacrifice in the temple. These sacrificial lambs reminded God’s people that innocent blood must be shed in order to make payment for sin. I have in the past talked about how fitting it was that our Savior was born among these sheep. I have quoted John the Baptist who would latter identify Jesus as the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”[2] and made comparisons between the lambs in the field nearby Bethlehem and the Lamb laid in one of Bethlehem’s mangers. A beautiful sermon about the poetry of God can be preached on this verse, but the poetry of God is but a wrapping for what lies beneath.
We peel back that beautiful layer of the Christmas story and in verses 4-5 Luke writes, 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” Here we behold a virgin who quite unexpectedly is expecting a child. Naturally the miracle of a virgin giving birth has captured my attention on more than one occasion. I have in the past delighted in the dual natures of Mary’s child; how true God became also true man in order to be the substitute and sacrifice humanity needed. I have quoted the Prophet Isaiah who once told king Ahaz, “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”[3] and been amazed that these words were spoken seven hundred years prior to the fulfillment of the event. A beautiful sermon about the fulfillment of prophecy can be preached on these verses, but the fulfillment of prophecy is but a wrapping for what lies beneath.
We peel back yet another beautiful layer and in verses 9, 13-14 Luke writes, “9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified… 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Here we behold the earth bathed in the glory of the Lord as the very heavens are ripped apart by a heralding host of angels who are eager to announce the good news of the gospel. I have quoted, as recently as last Sunday, the angel Gabriel who announced, “30 Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.”[4] And I have found joy in relating the eager excitement that exists among the heavenly host when it comes to sharing the gospel. A beautiful sermon about the proclamation of the gospel can be preached on these verses, but even the proclamation of the gospel is but a wrapping for what lies beneath.
We peel back that beautiful layer of the Christmas story and in verse 11 Luke writes, “11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Here in this layer of the Christmas story we behold a “Savior”; that is one who is sent to rescue those who are facing a direct and dire threat from which there is no hope of escape. We think of death; the transgressors’ curse that stalks us all to the grave. Here we behold the “Christ”; that is one who has been anointed, marked, set apart by God for a specific purpose. We think of the sacrifice that was required in order to pay sin’s wage. Here we behold the “Lord”; that is one who rules and reigns. We think of the King of kings and the Lord of lords who sits on the throne of heaven eternally protecting the saints from those who would persecute them and providing the saints with everything they could possibly want or need. A beautiful sermon about a deliverer from death, a forgiver of sins, and a giver of salvation can be preached on this verse, but it is with reverent reluctance that I say to you, this too is a wrapping for what lies beneath.
Please don’t misunderstand me. The sight of our Savior swaddled in cloths and laid in a manger is one of the most beautiful sights to behold. But if you want to see what truly lies beneath it all you have to peel back one more layer of the Christmas story. Peel back one more layer and you will see that God’s gift of a Savior Who is so beautifully wrapped in providence, poetry, prophecy, and proclamation is, as Gabriel said, “10 for all the people”, He brings, as the heavenly host sang, “14 peace to men on whom his favor rests”, He has been born “to you”. Underneath it all, underneath the providence and poetry of God, underneath the fulfillment of prophecy and the proclamation of the gospel, underneath the gift of a deliverance from death, forgiveness of sin, and promise of salvation; underneath it all… is God’s love for you. Peel back all the layers of the Christmas story and you will see God’s love for you. You will of course say, “I have not earned His love”, which is why will call this a gift and not a paycheck. You will sadly confess, “I have no compensation to offer in exchange for His love”, which is why we call this a gift and not a contract. You will freely admit, “I can never repay His love”, which is why we call this a gift and not a loan. There are many beautiful sermons that can be preached from the Luke 2:1-20 because beneath them all is God’s love for you.
If you read through this account and don’t walk away from it realizing how much your God loves you then you have not really read this account. If all you see is a story about a government census, some shepherds keeping watch over their sheep, a pregnant virgin, preaching angels, or a newborn baby then I urge you to peel back the wrappings of the Christmas story and discover what lies beneath it all, unwrap the Christmas story and discover God’s love for you. Merry Christmas. Amen.
[1] Galatians 4:4-5
[2] John 1:29
[3] Isaiah 7:14
[4] Luke 1:30-31