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Storytelling Introduction
In a moment we are going to hear the Christmas story in perhaps a way that you have not heard before.
Luke, who authored the Christmas story that we are so familiar with this time of year, also included in this same book an account of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection.
Debbie and Marijo will be telling both of those stories in a way that enables us to see 2 things: 1) Both the stories of Jesus’ birth and his death ironically mirror one another, as you’ll see.
2) But even more importantly, we will also see that Jesus was born for one ultimate purpose: to die.
Debbie and Marijo
Sermon Introduction
Would it surprise you to know that it took 300 years before the Christian church decided to establish and celebrate a Christmas holiday?
It might surprise you to know that for three centuries there was no Christmas holiday.
The church did not set apart a day to celebrate this very important event.
Almost immediately, the early Christians began celebrating the resurrection of Christ.
First they made Sunday their day of worship, the day that Christ was resurrected.
Soon after that Easter was established as a celebration of Christ’s resurrection.
Why the delay in making Christmas an official Christian holiday?
If you look at the Scriptures, and you look at the early preaching of the Church, you can easily see that they were far more concerned with Christ’s resurrection than they were Christ’s birth.
In other words, the early church understood that Christ’s resurrection was even more important than Christ’s birth.
It’s impossible to understand the Christmas story, if we don’t understand the Easter story.
Almost immediately, the early Christians established Sunday as the Christian Sabbath, but also as a celebration of Christ’s resurrection.
So the event and the moment of Easter became the singular message of early Christianity.
Within a century, the church also
When you know the end of the story, the beginning of the story makes a lot more sense.
Try leaving a movie 15 minutes before it’s over.
Close the book before reading the climactic chapter.
The most brilliant story in the world can be ruined by lack of a useful ending.
The story offers no answers, no conclusions.
It’s impossible to understand the Christmas story, if we don’t understand the Easter story.
When you know the end of the story, the beginning of the story makes a lot more sense.
This was an important way to tell the Christmas story: The beginning makes more sense when we know the end of the story.
This was an important way to tell the Christmas story: it gives us the proper perspective of Christ’s birth.
It reminds us of the hardship, pain, suffering and sorrow that is to come.
For the next several minutes I want us to look at the Christmas story, and I want us to think of it in 2 categories: Humiliation and Glory.
For the next several minutes I want us to look at the Christmas story, the birth of Christ and I want us to think of it in 2 categories: Humiliation and Glory.
Whenever we talk about the humiliation of Christ, we are talking about how the eternal God took upon Himself human limitations.
When we talk of glory in the Bible, we are talking about times when the power and majesty of God are revealed.
In the Christmas story, we see both.
We can see both Humiliation and Glory in the Christmas story, at the same time.
And not just in the Christmas story, but as Debbie and Marijo have shown us, throughout Jesus’ life
In the Passion story, we see both.
Humiliation
We see Christ’s humility in that he was disadvantaged.
There is a big difference between someone who is born in a wealthy family and someone who is born in country that in the middle of a war.
The wealthy have greater access to quality education, less exposure to violent crime.
Greater opportunities to a good life.
We see this throughout the Christmas story, and it continues throughout His life.
There is a big difference between someone who is born in a wealthy family and someone who is born in country that in the middle of a war.
The wealthy have greater access to quality education, less exposure to violent crime.
Greater opportunities to a good life.
We see Christ’s humility in the political climate in which he was born.
Jesus was born to a poor family during a dark time.
The Roman Empire had taxed most Jews into poverty.
Exceptions to that would have been the wealthy Jews, who received special treatment.
But God chose not to send His Son to be born among the powerful, wealthy and privileged.
Jesus was born among the oppressed, the poor and the unimportant.
Jesus was no rags to riches story.
He stayed poor.
The same taxes were in force 30 years later.
The same miserable poverty existed 30 years later.
The same ruthless dictatorship.
The same people were in power 30 years later, and they executed him.
At the end of Luke’s story, when Jesus was executed, we see the same evil is still in power.
When Jesus was born, the Roman authorities were absolute.
The Jewish leaders were corrupt.
The Son of God did not seek power.
Even when He was offered power, he rejected it.
We see this at the end of Luke’s story, when Jesus was executed, the same evil is still in power.
We see Christ’s humiliation in his clothing.
We see Christ’s humiliation in his clothing.
Jesus was literally clothed with humility.
This is a small detail, stated a matter of factly, but it is important.
Jesus was literally clothed with humility.
This is a small detail, stated a matter of factly, but it is important.
she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
She wrapped him in cloths…
Some English translations, such as the classic King James the word “swaddling clothes.”
When we had our first baby I had to learn how to swaddle.
Start with a diamond, fold the top down, wrap the left side, wrap the right side and tuck in the front.
Give them warmth and security.
Nothing special about Jesus’ birth clothes.
The Son of God was just wrapped in strips of cloth like your typical peasant baby in the ancient world.
Swaddling was used then (and now) because of the helplessness and dependency of infants.
God in the flesh was helpless.
Vulnerable.
Needed to be cared for.
Some English translations word this differently and used the word “swaddling cloths”
tells us that Jesus had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He dressed common.
He looked common.
He was one of us.
Jesus’ clothing is also significant at the time of his death.
Later on in his story, Luke describes the time when his clothing was taken away.
We read that
when the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them.
We see Jesus’ humility in His birthplace:
Jesus was born in a stable.
Illustration: Pregnant Mary in pageant.
Authentic.
A manger is a feeding trough used for cattle, sheep, donkeys, or horses.
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