Don't Be Afraid: Christmas Eve

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. 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 and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.


God has a great sense of humor. I am reminded of that every time I look in the mirror. Here’s something that I find really funny. Back in 2 Samuel 24, we read about King David, against God’s will, taking a census of his fighting men. His rationale for doing so was for bragging rights; he wasn’t at war when he might need to know the strength of his army; Israel was at peace. David just wanted to show off how powerful he was in the size of his army and his nation. This was where his faith lay, not in God’s ability to protect them regardless of their number.

Now, in Luke 2, we find Caesar Augustus requiring everyone to go to their hometowns to be counted. Why? He wanted to know the extent of his empire. He wanted to know how many potential "taxable units" there were out there that he had power over. He had bragging rights and wanted to show off how powerful he was in the size of his army and nation.

So we have the Roman ruler doing exactly what King David was punished for, and in the midst of this census, the King in the line of David was born. I wonder if that irony was lost on those who first heard the good news, that in spite of Caesar’s show of his power, something, someone much more powerful had come.

But instead of offering a mighty show of power to Rome, God chose to show his power by not flexing his muscles. He chose to show love, tenderness, and gentleness in the form of a helpless baby, born in humble surroundings.

God sometimes shows his power in great, huge, miraculous ways, but not usually. In 1 Kings 19, there is a great episode where Elijah, God’s top prophet of the day, was extremely discouraged.

The Lord told him that His presence was about to go by.

A great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind.
After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.
And after the fire came a gentle whisper, a still, small voice
.

And the Lord was in that whisper, and he came, encouraging Elijah.

God speaks today, often in a quiet, gentle voice, not flexing His powerful muscles. But although He is quiet, He is powerful.

The angel’s words to the shepherd were appropriate: Do not be afraid. No matter the size of the enemy, there is nothing to be afraid of. Whether it is the power of armies or any of the fears that the children mentioned this evening, God’s power is greater.

The angels, God’s personal messengers, and the mighty warriors of God, came not to fight, but to announce a birth. Certainly the shepherds were terrified as God’s glory shone around them. Back in the time when God was giving Moses the Ten Commandments, Moses asked to see God’s glory, and God told him, in Exodus 33:20, You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.

Now God is showing his glory to common shepherds. Of course they were terrified. But God shows His power by not killing them, but by giving them Good News!

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

God is working to bring Himself glory, even to the least and the lowest, to show His character as the Lord, who is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and mercy. The angels announce good news for all the people: God comes to bring peace to all people, because he loves us so much.

Because of his love, we don’t have to be afraid of anything. In Romans 8:35, Paul asks, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? He answers his question in verse 38, I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is what Christmas means. No fear. Glory to God!

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