ALL Are Welcome At The Manger Text: Luke 2:1-20

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1 ALL Are Welcome At The Manger Text: Luke 2:1-20 At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census of the Roman Empire. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All the people went to register in the cities where their ancestors had lived. 4 So Joseph went from Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a Judean city called Bethlehem. Joseph, a descendant of King David, went to Bethlehem because David had been born there. 5 Joseph went there to register with Mary. She had been promised to him in marriage & was pregnant. 6 While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have her child. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth & laid him in a manger because there wasn t any room for them in the inn. 8 Shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem. They were taking turns watching their flock during the night. 9 An angel from the Lord suddenly appeared to them. The glory of the Lord filled the area with light, & they were terrified. 10 The angel said to them, Don t be afraid! I have good news for you, a message that will fill everyone with joy. 11 Today your Savior, Christ the Lord, was born in David s city. 12 This is how you will recognize him: You will find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth & lying in a manger. 13 Suddenly, a large army of angels appeared with the angel. They were praising God by saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, & on earth peace to those who have His good will! 15 The angels left them & went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, Let s go to Bethlehem & see what the Lord has told us about. 16 They went quickly & found Mary & Joseph with the baby, who was lying in a manger. 17 When they saw the child, they repeated what they had been told about him. 18 Everyone who heard the shepherds story was amazed. 19 Mary treasured all these things in her heart & always thought about them. 20 As the shepherds returned to their flock, they glorified & praised God for everything they had seen & heard. Everything happened the way the angel had told them. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ How many of you have seen the movie Christmas Vacation starring Chevy Chase? The movie has become a holiday favorite. It s a parody about the false expectations that we often build up around the traditional family Christmas experience. Many of us can probably identify with the character Clark Griswold, who does everything within his control to give his family the gift of a perfect Christmas. The movie starts with Clark taking his family into the wilderness in search of the perfect Christmas tree. After a road rage accident (that ends with the family station wagon crashing into a snow bank) the Griswold s set off into the wilderness on foot. After a long march in the snow, Clark finds the perfect tree, only to realize that he forgot to bring a saw. From wrestling with strands of Christmas lights that don t work, to suffering extended visits from difficult relatives, the Griswold s continue to face experiences that cause many to think: Been there, done that. 1

2 How many of you have had the yuletide experience of trying to assemble a bicycle at 2 a.m. on Christmas morning, only to learn that you probably should have paid the assembly fee? Like Clark, our intentions to plan a good, old-fashioned family Christmas may not always live up to what the consumer-focused marketing companies have made it out to be. And then, after weeks of preparation, all for the purpose of creating one perfect day in an imperfect year, someone probably will be upset because they didn t get the present they wanted, a toy is already broken, Grandpa drank too much, Uncle Louie acted like a royal jerk, Aunt Jane wept for joy about everything, & to top off the day, Grandma got run over by a reindeer! We want everything to be perfect at Christmas, don t we? We want everyone to love their gifts, to have their fill of food. We want to create the most wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. But here s the thing about our typical Christmas celebrations; the joy they bring is relatively shallow, it s only temporary, & it s all but forgotten within a few weeks time. Each of us has within us a longing for, something great, something to bring us overwhelming joy, something to satisfy our greatest hopes & deepest longings. Yet, I am certain that there is nothing you or any of your family members will open on Christmas morning that will satisfy the deepest desires of your hearts. That s why we are gathered here tonight, though, isn t it? We know there is more to Christmas than just giving & receiving gifts. We know that in the birth of that Christ child, there came an answer to our deepest prayers. And so we celebrate. But WHAT is it, exactly, that we celebrate? Or rather WHO is it? We heard just a few moments ago Luke s telling of the Christmas story. Immediately following the birth of Jesus, an angel appears not too far away from Bethlehem in the midst of some shepherds. Now, we need to keep in mind that the word translated as angel here means messenger. It s very likely that, as in other angelic appearances in 2

3 the Bible, this angel looked just like any other person; no wings or halo, just a messenger bringing some noteworthy news from Bethlehem. When we consider that, it s no wonder the shepherds were afraid. How would you feel if you were approached by the stranger in the middle of the night? But that s the way angels work sometimes, isn t it? Strangers who appear at the most unexpected time, but just when we need them the most. So this angel, sensing the fear of the shepherds, tells them not to be afraid, just as Gabriel told Mary not to be afraid. Then the messenger proceeds to explain what has just happened in the little town of Bethlehem. The messenger says, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths & lying in a manger. Just a few moments after Christ is born, we have the first gospel proclamation! This angel tells these shepherds that if they go to Bethlehem, they will find there a baby who is Savior, Messiah, & Lord! Indeed, there is in Christmas an answer to the great longings of our hearts because the one whose birth we celebrate is also the Messiah, our Savior, Christ, & Lord! Caesar called himself savior & lord. Herod called himself the messiah. Therefore, when the angel told the shepherds about the baby in the manger, they were probably expecting to find a heroic king. But how many Caesars have brought true salvation? When did Herod ever transform lives or offer life in the kingdom of God? No, Jesus was not an epic or heroic king like Caesar or Herod. He did not come with military might, just an invitation to follow Him. He did not build an army or levy taxes; He had only one command, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, & mind. And love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:30-31) And in the end, this King laid down his life for his subjects, so that they might have life abundant. 3

4 Tonight we celebrate the birth, the new life, of the one who brings new life for His people! The angels said to the shepherds, This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths & lying in a manger. It seems so strange, doesn t it that the sign of salvation, the sign of new life, is a baby in a feeding trough?!? (Pix of a stone manger) **[Explain]** Now Luke tells us 3 times that Jesus was in a manger; There is something very important about the fact that Jesus was born in a stable & spent His first night in a manger. Why would Luke repeat this fact over & over & over again? Certainly, the manger reminds us of God s favor for the humble & lowly. But there s more to it than that. What happens at the manger? It is the feeding trough. Within the humble walls of the stable, the manger is where the hungry are fed. Do you begin to see the significance of this night, this birth, in a new way? Moses told the Israelites as they were preparing to enter the Promised Land, a person cannot live on bread alone. (Deuteronomy 8:3) The prophet Isaiah (55:1-2) asked the people, Why spend money on bread that won t satisfy? And early in His ministry, just after feeding the 5,000, Jesus said to the people, I am the bread of life. My friends, we all have within us a deep hunger. We try every way we know how to satisfy that hunger & those longings, especially at Christmas-time. But we won t find what we re looking for at any Mall or Big-Box store. It s not neatly wrapped under a tree or even in Santa s sack. We won t even find what we re longing for on a holiday visit with family. No, we have to go to the feeding trough in Bethlehem. The only place we can find our hunger truly satisfied is here, at the manger. Here, in the presence of our Savior, Christ the Lord, Jesus our Messiah, We find true meaning & purpose. Here we have value. Here we are not alone, but know that God is with us. Here we are loved & forgiven. Here we are offered life eternal. 4

5 On that Christmas night so long ago, a messenger came with good news, & the angel didn t have to go far to find some people who were hoping & praying & longing for it. In the olive groves on the hills just outside of Bethlehem, there were some humble shepherds, who were hungry for meaning & purpose, for love & forgiveness, for salvation. And so the messenger brought good news of great joy to these lowly shepherds keeping watch over their flocks. It was an invitation, What you hunger for is what this baby brings. And the way you will know what I say is true is that you will find Christ the Lord lying in a manger, a feeding trough. So the shepherds came to the trough, (that manger) & they went back rejoicing for all they saw & heard. Tonight, the same invitation is extended to you, & to all. It doesn t matter who you think you are or what others have labeled you. Come to the manger. It doesn t matter what your past has been or even your present circumstances. Come to the feeding trough. Jesus is saying to you tonight, Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me & you ll recover your life. I ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me & work with Me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me & you ll learn to live freely & lightly. (Matthew 11:28-30-The Message) Come to the Lord s Table. You are hungry, & what you are longing for is here. So I invite you to take & eat of this bread of life. Find your fulfillment in God s presence this Christmas. And then, like the shepherds, go from this place rejoicing! Telling of all you have seen & heard in Christ s presence. Be a messenger in the world this Christmas & every day throughout the year...to this world that is hungering, hoping, & fearful Be the one who brings GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY!!! For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior who is your Messiah. And this is how you will know Him He will be wrapped in cloths & lying in a MANGER. Come tonight to His Manger Eat & be filled with His Abundant Love! Go Directly Into Communion 5