Christmas Eve -December 24, 2007

Preached at Providence Lutheran Church, Holland, Ohio

by Pastor Dennis R. King

"A Special Gift, A Special Son, A Special Savior!"

Luke 2:1-20

May the gift of the Christ Child be a blessing to you this Christmas Eve and always!

During this Advent Season we have been concerned with preparation. But now, the events we have anticipated and waited for are taking place. On that first Christmas God acted in our history and today we stand in awe and wonder of it all.

We along with the Shepherds of Old are favored by this Great God. He offers to us the blessings of His Peace. His messengers reassure us not to be afraid. He is the one in charge. So we gather to praise Him like Mary in prayer and song! For we recognize this Jesus to be a Special Gift, a Special Son, and a Special Savior.

The angels, God's messengers, speak for God and reveal His Will and His Favor. The angel Gabriel revealed God's Will to Mary. "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive a child in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus." Mary responded to God's Will with the words of the magnificat which focuses simply and solely on the greatness and the goodness of God.

We too along with the shepherds are favored by this Great God. He offers to us the blessings of His Peace. His messengers reassure us not to be afraid. He is the one in charge. So let us today praise Him. Let us praise Him for this Jesus who is to us a Special Gift, a Special Son, and a Special Savior.

Martin Luther recognized what God did for Him and responded by writing hymns of praise. In the second verse of "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" he writes, "No strength of ours can match his might! We would be lost, rejected. But now a champion comes to fight, whom God himself elected. You ask who this may be. The Lord of hosts is He! Christ Jesus, Mighty Lord, God's only Son adored. He holds the field victorious." Luther recognized what God did for him through Jesus Christ.

For centuries, there laid a rock in a shallow brook in North Carolina. People passed by it often and saw only a rock. One day a man picked up the rock and took it home to use as a door stop. A geologist, who stopped at that man's door, saw the largest gold rock ever found east of the Rockies.

Many people look upon the Christ Child, Jesus. Some see only a child of a Galilean peasant, and turn away. Others see the birth of a prophet. Others see a special gift from God, and stop to worship. What do you see this day as you remember the manger Child, Jesus Christ? The way in which you answer that question will solve the mystery. The mystery you want answered about your future.

The mystery of Jesus’ coming is still a secret to many. The trouble is that many people take everything in general and do not take it personally for themselves. Suppose a man should say to you. "A man in Europe died last week and left five million dollars to a certain individual." No doubt you'd soon forget it and go on your way. But suppose he said instead, "the man left the money to you." No doubt you would be amazed and become suddenly interested. So we are apt to think that Jesus was born to save sinners, He was born for everybody. But the truth is - He was born for each of you!

And when the truth sinks in that eternal life is ours (yours and mine) through this special Son, what joy we have! All the glories of Heaven are ours because of Him, and then we should have a renewed interest in this Christ Child. A renewed joy and excitement like the shepherds of old. For this Son is Special.

At six o'clock in the morning of March 20, 1811, all Paris was aroused. The artillery was booming. It was announcing the birth of a future King! The cannon shot forth one hundred volleys to proclaim the fact that the great Napoleon had a Son! Soon, the city was filled with laughter and shouting as the people celebrated the birth of a prince.

How different was the world's reception of Heaven's Special Son on that first Christmas! The little town of Bethlehem made no demonstration of welcome. The world offered Him nothing better than a humble stable; yet, the Lord Jesus, one day, would be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Remember nothing is impossible with our God. We thank God for that special night when His Son, our Special Savior, Jesus humbly took on our flesh and quietly came down to live among us. His Coming that night meant new hope and new life for the world and for us. For that night, God brought us a peace we never knew before and He taught us the true meaning of faith and love. He brought light into our world of darkness on that Holy Night.

Mary caught the special significance of that night long before it actually happened. She trusted God and obediently placed herself in His hands saying, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. May we also catch the special significance of that first Christmas and place ourselves in His Hands. May our service to God be summed up by each of us in the words of Mary, "Let it be with me according to your Word. God provided Mary with the courage and strength to carry out her task. So too we turn to God for guidance as we respond to His Special Gift, His Special Son, Our Special Savior. Amen!