A Savior Born For You ~ The Nativity of Our Lord ~ Luke 2:1-20

We all know the story of Jesus’ birth for the peace and simple beauty we see in crèches and children’s story books.  But it doesn’t begin that way...

In fact, everything that could go wrong did go wrong...

First of all, you have the Roman Emperor Augustus ruling over God’s people.  To the Jewish faithful in those days, the mere mention of his name would bring both fear and loathing. He was ruthless, he was violent—and oddly enough, he proclaimed himself to be “the Savior of the world.”

And then he decrees that all people must register for taxes.  This means that Joseph and his pregnant-bride-to-be must make the nearly 70-mile, three-day journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  When they get there, the time comes for her to give birth.  She must lay the child in a feeding trough for animals—because more suitable accommodations were not available.

And then you have the shepherds.  Theirs was a miserable existence.  They lived outdoors, they worked around-the-clock, and they endured extreme poverty and isolation.

It was there, in the dark and loneliness of the night, that God’s angels appear to the shepherds, to bring them good news:

“To you is born this day...a Savior.”

That is the good news—and the best news—Jesus’ birth...  He is born for us; for you, for me, for all creation.  He is born so that we may live in relationship with him. 

And the dire circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth should not be lost on us.  Yes, it was in the worst of times—but God worked through it all to draw them to Jesus.

God used Augustus and his oppressive decree to fulfill his promise to his people that their Savior would be born in Bethlehem from the house of David.  And God used in the dark and cold of night to invite the shepherds to be the first to meet Jesus.

All of this teaches us that nothing will stop Jesus.  When things are at their worst, Jesus will be there to save us.  He is not a Savior who prevents hardship, but he is a Savior who works through hardship and even in spite of hardship so that we may know him and the new life he gives.

Even when we find ourselves in the wreckage of our own sin, Jesus’ forgives us.  His forgiveness gets us back on our feet again, to begin anew, because God sees our sin no more.  

When everything falls apart, Jesus is determined that you know him in the strength and the comfort he gives. 

Tonight we celebrate more than just a birth.  Tonight we celebrate that OUR Savior is born.  We celebrate a love so great that the cross was not too high a price for Jesus to pay to save us from death and the devil.  We celebrate that Jesus will save us in the time of trial.  Jesus is the gift for you receive—and not just once in a lifetime, or once in a while, but daily—and that is precisely the challenge of this holy night.

The peace and joy of this night will soon pass.  Soon, we shall return to everyday life.  And it goes without saying that we are not living in the best of times.

The world and its evil ways are constantly feeding us reasons to doubt the presence of Jesus in the world.  We will sin, we will fail, and we will doubt how God could ever love such a person as ourselves.  There will be times when we will be disappointed with God.  We will wonder, “what’s the use in believing?”

All told, the gift of Christ can be easily forgotten amid the noise and struggles of everyday life.  That is why we must seize every opportunity that Jesus gives us to receive him and be with him.  When you pray and open the Scriptures, you meet him.  Every Sunday, you can meet him here in Bible classes, in worship, and at the table where he nourishes our faith with his body and blood.  We even meet Christ in each other.  We all sin, we all doubt, we all suffer; but by coming together, and by caring for one another, we receive him. 

And when you leave from this place, Jesus will turn your daily lives into sanctuaries where you will meet him.  When there is loss, where there is pain, where there is worry, Jesus will be there to walk with you and deliver you.  You will even meet Jesus in the people you serve with your love and good deeds.

Jesus, the Savior, is born for you—and God desires much more for you than to simply believe in him.  Jesus is born to be known.  So receive him tonight—and let his presence fill your hearts, your homes, and your days.  Receive him tonight—and let his presence calm your fears and fill your heart with peace.  Receive him tonight—and let his forgiveness transform you into a new person.  Receive the Savior who is born for you know, to worship, and to trust.

And let us join with the shepherds, in praising and glorifying God for this great gift we have received.  Let us be filled with the peace and joy of knowing him; not just tonight, but daily.  Let us tell the world that this Savior is born for all.