Everyone Should be Happy because It’s Christmas!
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Christmas, 2024
Text: Luke 2:1–14
In the name of Jesus, Amen!
In recent years, at this time of the year, most people would greet each other, saying, “Happy Holidays”, even on Christmas day. That’s what the TV, society, and government encouraged us to do. People might feel pressure and have fear to offend others by saying “Merry Christmas.” This year, I think it’s kind of a mix. The Culture is certainly shifting back. Some people may still say, “Happy Holidays”. But most people begin to feel more comfortable to say “Merry Christmas.” I remember back in the year 2000 when I worked for a computer company. A few days before Christmas, my boss, whose name was Bill, set up a nice decoration and held a wonderful Christmas party for us. However, one of our colleagues was a Muslim and felt offended by this. Bill noticed it and said at the beginning of the party, “I know some people might be offended by the trees and the party … But hey, it’s Christmas. Everyone should be Happy!” Wow! It’s so wonderful to hear. I think he has the point. I think he pretty much summarized what the angels said to the shepherds in today’s Gospel lesson, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you Good news of great Joy that will be for All the people”.
“For All the people” means for everyone. The Good News of Great Joy is for anyone from every time and in every place. It’s not Meant to offend or scare someone. Just the opposite. It’s Good tidings, Good News that should bring you Joy, Comfort and Peace because Christmas is the Good and Gracious Will of God towards humanity. If anyone fears, or is offended, or has any kind of negative feelings, it’s Their problem. It only shows that person has animosity toward God and His friendly and loving words and actions. Unfortunately, this attitude is quite common in this unbelieving and sinful world, as the Bible says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” I think this is one of the reasons why God in Christ Jesus had to bear all the negative attitudes toward Him: not understanding, misunderstanding, ridicules, humiliations, rejections, and finally crucifixion. He bears all this because He loves us. In fact, He so loves humanity that he came to this world to bring and to accomplish the Good News so that you may rejoice in it.
We should be glad and celebrate God’s Son, Jesus’ birth to take on human flesh for He is the Christ, Savior of men. God did not become a powerful AI, or an omnipotent machine. He did not become an animal or even an angel. God became man. Technologies and machines are to serve humanity, not to become our masters and enslave us. Even angels are servants of men as the book of Hebrews says, “Are they Not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” God became man to be Savior for all humanity, and only for humanity. Hebrews says, “For verily God took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.” God is comfortable with humanity for He is God of Immanuel, God with us. The Gospel of John says, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” He lived with us. He walked with us, eating with sinners and tax collectors, yet without sin.
Everyone should be glad because though He has no sin, we do. But thanks be to God! He came to this world to save us from our sins, as today’s Epistle reading tells us, He “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” God became man to save us from the darkness of sins, death, and the Devil. He came to this world to die for us, on behalf of us and instead of us on the cross. He bore the humiliation and pain for us. He thirsted, shed His blood and died for you and for all humanity. With His precious blood, He redeemed us and bought us back a people for his own possession. By doing this, God the Father through his Son, Jesus Christ accomplished the Peace, Eternal Peace of men with God. That’s why He is “called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Shouldn’t you be glad when you have peace with God? Shouldn’t you be glad that your sins are forgiven? Shouldn’t you be glad that someone has conquered death for you so that you may never die? God loves the world in This way that He gives His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Yes, everyone should be glad because God became man and died so that anyone, whoever you are as long as you are a human, will not die eternally, but have everlasting life in Christ Jesus. Eternal life means that you are going to have a new life living in the new heavens and the new earth, without sin, without fear, without pains, without tears, enjoying abundant life in peace and joy.
We should be glad because the Son of God became man so that we may be called the sons of God, the children of God. See, what wondrous love that the Father has given us. Indeed, in Christ, we ARE God’s children. Our body will be transformed into the likeness of God’s Son. We will have a resurrected body, incorruptible, strong and undying. Isn’t it wonderful? Shouldn’t we be glad? THIS is the Good News, the Good Tidings of Great Joy.
So, on this Christmas day, we celebrate an extraordinary and wondrous day in human history – when God became man. Everybody should be happy and thankful for this day. May the Holy Spirit lead and move us to remember and live in the true meaning of Christmas and also give us opportunities to bring this Good tidings of Great Joy to anyone who may still be offended, and say it joyfully and gently with a loving heart, “Merry Christmas”.
In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen!
