Christmas Eve is such a moment of excitement mixed with traditions. The younger you are the more excited you are by the gifts that await. When I was a young child, we could open one present on Christmas Eve; that was our family tradition. My wife’s family had a tradition of going to the midnight candlelight worship service. When they returned home, they would have a sandwich made with Italian sliced meats. Christmas Eve is just a wonderful time of anticipating the next day, Christmas Day.
Did you ever wonder why we have Christmas Eve at all? For that matter, did you ever wonder why we have Christmas Day at all? How did it come to be that either of these days are part of what excites us and has become such an incredibly significant part of our lives? What is the source of such excitement, wonder, and celebration?
Now, you might be sitting there thinking to yourself, “Pastor, isn’t it obvious that we have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day because these are the days we celebrate Jesus’ birth?” And my reply to that question would be, “No. Not really.” The origin of celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is quite different and is rather simple. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day exist only because Jesus died and then arose from the dead. You see, without the death and resurrection of Jesus, there would be no story about his birth. The Apostle Paul wrote, “14 If Christ has never been raised, then the message we tell is worth nothing. And your faith is worth nothing. 15 And we will also be guilty of lying about God, because we have told people about him [God], saying that he [God] raised Christ from death… 17 And if Christ has not been raised from death, then your faith is for nothing; you are still guilty of your sins. 18 And those in Christ who have already died are lost. 19 If our hope in Christ is only for this life here on earth, then people should feel more sorry for us than for anyone else” (1 Corinthians 15:14-19).
You see friends, without the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we would never have even heard of Jesus, and so we would not be here this evening. Without Christ, life would not have changed from the way it was in ancient time. Life was cheap and expendable, and without Christ it still would be so. Babies, especially girls, were routinely abandoned, and the same would happen now without Christ. Women were property. Slavery was everywhere and was considered acceptable. Charities and charitable hospitals would not exist. The strong would dominate the weak. Democracies would not likely exist. And these are just some of the cultural issues we would face. Worse still is that we would have no hope in this life or for the next. Everything would be quite bleak. And all this bleakness began to change because Jesus died and was raised from the dead. Once that happened, then the disciples were excited and energized to share the testimony of Jesus and compile the gospels including how Jesus was born. No one was recording Jesus’ life as he lived it; the record of Jesus was only created after his resurrection. And Paul told us why that was the case. Paul said, ““14 If Christ has never been raised, then the message we tell is worth nothing” (1 Corinthians 15:14). The story of Jesus, absent his resurrection, would never have been told at all.
And so, the story of Jesus birth, the real reason any of us is here today, begins at the end. We are here because Jesus died and arose again.
The Gospel of Matthew introduces us to the coming birth of Christ but does so by highlighting to us the grave risk that Jesus faced death before he was even born. Jesus was almost not born at all. Matthew wrote, “18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:18-19). The Law of Moses required that virgins engaged to be married who became pregnant should be put to death along with the man who impregnated her. Joseph was faced with publicly showing Mary was pregnant, though she was not married. This could well mean death for Mary and the unborn child she carried. But an angel spoke to Joseph, assuring him the baby was from the Holy Spirit and that Joseph should not fear bringing Mary into his home. Joseph obeyed the angel’s command. Instead of the death of the unborn Jesus there would be life. This was the first instance in which death was reversed to life.
Not long after Jesus’ birth, wisemen came from the east seeking Jesus one born the king of the Jews. After being led to Bethlehem the wisemen found and worshipped the baby Jesus. “13 When they [the wisemen] had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he [the angel] said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he [Joseph] got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt…16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under” (Matthew 2:13-14, 16). Instead of the death of the child Jesus, there would be life. This was the second reversal of death to life.
After Jesus had called his disciples and they began traveling together. “23 Jesus got into a boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him [Jesus], saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He [Jesus] replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm” (Matthew 8:23-26). Instead of the death of those in the boat, there would be life.
The leader of a synagogue approached Jesus one day saying, ““My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 Jesus got up and went with him” (Matthew 9:18-19a)… 23 When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, 24 he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up” (Matthew 9:23-25). Instead of the death of a little girl, there was life.
Finally, “38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left” (Matthew 27:38)…45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” 48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” 50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit” (Matthew 27:45-50). Death came to Jesus. Death upon the cross. Jesus’ body was buried in a tomb.
“1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the [Jesus’] tomb…5 An angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen…8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him” (Matthew 28:1, 5-6, 8-9). Instead of death, there was life. The resurrected life of Jesus. The stories of Christmas and Easter are inescapably linked. One story informs the other. And what those two stories teach us is that we should have hope. For in the coming of Jesus, is for us the great reversal of death to life.
The resurrection of Jesus, later celebrated as Easter, so overwhelmed the lives of Jesus’ followers that with the leading of the Holy Spirit, they began to then chronicle Jesus’ life. Two men, Matthew and Luke, sought to retrace the circumstances of Jesus’ life back to his birth giving us the nativity or Christmas stories. The resurrection of Jesus led to the story of his birth.
In those two stories, we would find in each a Roman ruler, a king named Herod, Chief Priests, the upset city of Jerusalem, angels, men named Joseph, a cave, new life, cloths, spices, a woman named Mary, and of course, Jesus. These are just some of the obvious links between the stories of Christmas and Easter.
As we look at the Christmas story, we see the Roman ruler, Caesar Augustus, directing the movement of people through a census. We find the Jewish King Herod the Great and so too the city of Jerusalem upset at talk of a Messiah. We find the Chief Priests of the Jews providing religious instruction about the Messiah in ways that benefit them. In the Easter story, we see Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, directing people. We find Herod Antipas and the city of Jerusalem upset at talk of a Messiah. And, of course, we still find the Chief Priests providing the moral instruction to governing officials. These people, the Romans, kings, and priests, in both the Christmas and Easter stories represented themselves as the elite, the proud, and the very best people of political and religious society. They lived expecting all things to happen through their will. They would determine the course of human events. But the story these people might expect to play out was changed when God decided to act.
We see in the Christmas and Easter stories that God acted and sent angels as His messengers to the humble people of the land, not to the elite, to announce His decision to change the course of human history. God was not then and is not now interested in using the proud to make Himself known for the proud are not interested in knowing God.
For the Christmas story, God sent an angel who said “Fear not, I bring you good news a child, a son, is born, a Savior, for all the people. His name shall be Jesus.” A man named Joseph became responsible to protect Jesus’ body and he would do so within a stable, a cave carved into the rock. The angel invited those hearing this announcement to find the baby wrapped in cloths. Some of those seeking Jesus, brought with them spices including myrrh.
For Easter, we see in death, another man named Joseph became responsible to protect Jesus’ body and Joseph of Arimathea would do so in a cave carved into the rock. In Easter, we see the angel returned and said, “Fear not, I bring you good news, the savior has been resurrected.” The angel invited those hearing this announcement to find where Jesus once laid wrapped in cloths. Some of those seeking Jesus, brought with them spices including myrrh. New life, however, was not found among the dead but he who had risen was moving among the living. For the Messiah had come just as God had promised and nothing on earth then and nothing on earth today can change God’s plan. The humble then and now are overwhelmed by the good news of Christ but that same news humbles the proud. Let’s us be humbled by what God has done.
Finally, the Christmas and Easter stories are linked because they record that only one person was present for both. That person’s name was Mary. Mary, Jesus’ mother, would be the sole witness to the entirety of Jesus’ conception, birth, life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Let that sink in for a moment. No other human had been granted such favor by God. In the Gospel of Luke, we have a song from Mary placed chronologically prior to Jesus’ birth. Knowing Mary’s role in the Christmas and Easter stories, her song seems just as appropriate upon Jesus’ resurrection as it does upon his birth. Listen to Mary’s words:
“My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” (Luke 1:46-55, Selected)
The stories of Easter and Christmas are inescapably linked. One story informs the other. Christmas exists only because of Easter. Without the death and resurrection of Jesus, there would be no story about Jesus’ birth. This Christmas let us remember that God was the agent behind all the characters and all the movements in the Christmas and Easter stories. His motivation was simple: He wanted to show the world, to show you and me, how much He loved us and wanted us to be free from sin. That is His gift to each person who love his son. It is the gift that changes your life, if you open it. This Christmas be humble in heart and receive not only the joy found in the birth of Jesus in the stable but more so find joy in the rebirth of Jesus from the tomb. Amen and Amen.