“A Living Nativity”
Text: Luke 2:1-20
12-24-2021
In the name of Him who took on flesh in order to save us, dear friends in Christ. Fairy tales often begin with the words “Once upon a time.” But the Christmas Gospel begins with the words “And it came to pass in those days.” Fairy tales occur in mythical lands. But today’s Gospel occurs in the real town of Bethlehem, during the actual reign of Caesar Augustus and Quirinius. These are extremely important facts to recognize. At Christmastime, our culture often focuses on lots of make-believe and magical things. To a certain extent, there’s no harm in that. But unfortunately, for many, the Christmas lights and gifts and music can become a journey into an imaginary world; a temporary retreat from the real world and real life. That is the exact opposite of the Christmas message. St. Luke emphasizes here that what he’s writing is real history. It actually occurred in a real place and at a real time when certain real officials were in power. It isn’t a legend or a myth or a fable. It’s true. It’s an accurate and factual account of the way things really were.
Christmas is not about escaping into some fantasy world. It’s about our life in the real world being redeemed and renewed by the Lord. It’s about the real Son of God, through whom all things were created, entering into His creation as a literal baby boy, with real flesh and blood. It’s about a first-time mom giving birth to Him in the humblest of circumstances—in the cold of night, among real livestock and hay and all the smells that go with that. It’s about the Lord of all taking on the form of a servant and being laid in a cattle feeding trough so that He might rescue us from our sin. There is nothing unreal or imaginary about Christmas. Jesus is the concrete and tangible love of God who came down to be one of us.
Christ was born among the animals and that’s fitting because due to our sin, we have become like animals—survival of the fittest, self-preservation at all costs, driven merely by our evil instincts and desires. We have all fallen away from God, wanting to go our own way and do our own thing. In the process, we have become inhuman. So, in order to save us from perishing eternally, the Son of God, took on our human nature and caused Himself to be placed in a feeding trough. The One who slept near the beasts came to lift us out of our inhumanity and set us free from the beastly power of death and the devil. Jesus descended to the depths of our fallenness in order to raise us to the heights of eternal life with Himself. He became like us so that we might become like Him. By His conception and birth, Jesus has sanctified and purified our natures. His incarnation made it possible for mankind to be made holy. God has greatly exalted us by becoming not an angel or any other creature but a true man, our human Brother.
Christ became one of us so that He could take our place under the Law in order to free us from its damnation. The Son of God was born among us and became man for this very purpose: to die in the flesh in our place and to shed His blood to purchase us from the powers of darkness. He was made to be like us in every way, but without sin, so that He could be our perfect substitute. As true man, He was our substitute in death; as true God, He paid the infinite price our sins required, which we could not even begin to pay. Therefore, only in this God-man is there eternal life. Only in this child, who was laid in a manger and who is now bodily raised from the dead and seated at the right hand of the Father, is there salvation. Only He could accomplish it. Every other religion that teaches other ways or methods of salvation are an illusion and a false hope.
The angels tell us of our only real hope: “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.” Fear not—do not live in terror any longer of death or of the judgment of God, for your sins are forgiven. Christ the Savior has come to rescue you from the devil’s prison and to bring you into the eternal kingdom of God. Light has broken in and shattered the darkness of sin forever. Rejoice greatly in this good news, because all of this is for you! Jesus is born to you, the angel said. He is your merciful King, your gracious Lord.
The angels certainly rejoiced over what God was doing for us. After announcing the good tidings to the shepherds, a whole multitude of the heavenly host spilled over heaven’s edge and burst forth with praise to God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” The coming of Christ as a baby in a manger is a sign of God’s good will toward us, that He wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Only Jesus brings real peace on earth—not temporary peace between people but eternal peace with God. In Christ, we who were once at war with God are now reconciled and put right with Him. God and man come together in Jesus, because He is Himself both God and man. Those who believe and are baptized into the body of Christ are thereby reunited with God. Truly, Jesus is your Prince of Peace.
The shepherds were given a sign to look for: a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. You also are given a sign of where to find Jesus. He is to be found humbly, “mangered” in the bread and wine of Holy Communion. You don’t need to go to a grand and magnificent musical presentation of the Christmas story in order to experience closeness to the Christ Child. It isn’t necessary to have a living nativity with actors and live animals to feel like you’re there. The living nativity is here, because Jesus Himself is here, concretely and tangibly. He is really there on the altar in Holy Communion. Martin Luther once said that the bread and the wine are Christ’s manger. His body and blood are truly present to bring you all the blessings of His forgiveness and salvation made possible by His birth in Bethlehem. In a real sense, you are in Bethlehem now. The name Bethlehem means “house of bread.” And He who is the living bread from heaven comes down to make this place a house of bread, to satisfy your spiritual hunger and to fill you with His life.
Of course, if this is the living nativity, if that is the manger, then figuratively speaking, we are the animals. Don’t be offended by that. If sin made us animal-like then let’s humbly eat this Holy Sacrament of Christ so that our humanity may be eternally restored by Him who is truly human and truly divine. With Mary, let’s keep and ponder all these things in our heart in penitent faith. And with the shepherds, let’s glorify and praise God for all the things we have heard and seen in Christ, just as it has been told to us. For your Savior has been born, so rejoice and celebrate this great news! Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!