Rev. Doug Floyd

Christmas Eve 2022
Rev. Doug Floyd
Luke 2:1-38

Caesar Augustus decrees that all the world should be registered. 

“All the world”

As “all the world travels” to their own towns, Joseph and Mary arrive in Bethlehem, and she gives birth to a son and wraps him in swaddling cloths and lays him in a manger. This little baby in a tiny town has come to transform “all the world.”

O come let us adore Him.

There was no place for them in the inn. There still is no place for him. He disrupts our lives, our plans, our selfish desires. And yet He comes.

He was born among the beasts, in the animal fold smelling of animal waste. He was born in a world broken by human sin and deprivation and death. 

“Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.”

O come let us adore Him.

“though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

O come let us adore Him. 

Away from the sounds of the village, in the dark of night, the shepherds keep watch with their sheep at night. Suddenly the dark is pierced with the light of glory as an Angel of the Lord appears. Terror all around. Then a word of hope enters into the terror and brings great joy. 

Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

O come let us adore Him. 

A host of angels light up the night sky saying, 

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Peace. 

Reconciliation. 

This babe will reconcile us to God and entrust us with the ministry of reconciliation. Peace. Shalom. Harmony. Peace to those far and those near. Peace between the nations. Peace between brothers and sisters. Peace between husbands and wives. Peace within families. Peace between families. In and through him, enemies will become friends.

O come let us adore Him. 

The shepherds respond to the call of the angels, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” Their common life is interrupted with a glory that exceeds the grasp of earthly minds. God’s Word appears like favor, like new birth, like a sword of love that pierces the heart. 

Suddenly, light streams shower from a dark sky, and we step forward into the dawn of a coming Day. 

O come let us adore Him. 

Filled with joy, the shepherds made known what they had heard and seen and the town was filled with wonder. We have also heard the story of Jesus birth, life, death and resurrection. We have seen His redeeming grace awakening our own hearts from death to life. We are called to make him known. We behold this wonder of God’s Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. By His Spirit, we translate this wonder of wonders in words, in deeds, and in life spent in thanksgiving and worship of our Lord whose love is deeper and wider and richer than anything we can fully know. 

O come let us adore Him. 

Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Like Mary, we pause and ponder the birth of Christ: the mystery of God’s descent into humanity.

¹⁵ For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. 

The Lord on High condescends to our brokenness, the brokenness of our world. He enters into the human story and redeems it, raising us up to His loving communion. 

Like the shepherds of old, we rejoice, glorifying and praising God for all we have heard and seen. We celebrate the mystery of His incarnation. We rejoice in this babe who is the living promise of God to set the world to rights. Our calling as homo adorans, human worshippers has been properly restored and all we can do is praise. 

O come let us adore Him.