CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE
DR. JIM DIXON
DECEMBER 24, 1998
LUKE 1:26-35
On January 8, 1815, General Andrew Jackson routed the British in the Battle of New Orleans. It was that victory and the glory of it which, years later, catapulted Jackson into the White House and the Presidency of the United States. But, of course, the Battle of New Orleans should never have been fought because 15 days earlier, on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1814, the Treaty of Ghent was signed in Ghent, Belgium. The Treaty of Ghent, signed on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1814, was good news for the British and good news for the United States, good news for the world because the war had ended, and the Battle of 1812 was over. But, you see, news didn’t travel so fast in those days, and the message didn’t go forth quickly. Fifteen days later, on January 8, 1815, the Battle of New Orleans was fought, and the rest is history.
Tonight we’re gathered here on Christmas Eve, December 25, 1998, in Denver, Colorado, and there is good news, good news of great joy, and we want you to hear the message. We don’t want you to miss it. So this evening, on this Christmas Eve, I want us to examine two words that help us to understand the good news of Christmas, to help us to understand the meaning of Christmas. The first word is the word incarnation. This, of course, is the word that theologians use to describe the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. They call the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem “the incarnation,” “God becoming flesh,” “God becoming man.”
Of course, the word incarnation is based on the Latin incarne which means “in flesh.” The Bible tells us that on Christmas morning God became flesh. In the first chapter of John’s Gospel, the Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Then we’re told in the prologue of John, “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” You see, that’s a description of the incarnation. In Hebrews, chapter 1, the Bible says, “In many and various ways, God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days, God has spoken through a Son whom He has appointed the heir of all things and through whom also He created the worlds. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp, the very impress, of His nature, upholding the universe by His word of power.” This is a reflection of the truth of the incarnation.
In Colossians, chapter 1, the Bible says, “Jesus Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.” You see, that is a description of the incarnation. In Philippians, chapter 2, the Bible says, “Have this mind in you, which is yours in Christ Jesus who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be held onto but emptied Himself, taking on the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of man.” You see, a description of the incarnation.
In Luke, chapter 1, the angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you. The power of the most high shall overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born shall be called holy, the Son of God.” You see, another description of the incarnation.
In Isaiah it was prophesied, “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. The government shall be upon His shoulders. His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God.” You see, God in the flesh.
Of course we sing about the incarnation in all of our Christmas carols. In the second verse of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” which we sang tonight, are the words, “veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail incarnate deity. Pleased as men with meant to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel.” Even the word Emmanuel is a word of incarnation, meaning “God with us.” In the hymn “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” are the words, “Word of the Father now in flesh appearing, oh come let us adore Him.” The incarnation. Of course, even “Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright. Round yon virgin, mother and child. Holy infant so tender and mild,” is really describing the beauty of the incarnation. Throughout church history, Christians, believers, have struggled with the mystery of the incarnation, and some of you probably struggle with it.
In the year 325, at the Council of Nicaea, the church of Christ declared that the baby born in Bethlehem was fully God. This was in response to Arianism that had taught that Jesus was “almost God.” Then in 381, at the Council of Constantinople, the Church of Christ declared that Jesus was not only fully God but the baby born in Bethlehem was also fully man. This was a response to Apollinarianism, which taught that Jesus was fully God but only partly man, having a human body but not a human spirit. Then in 431, at the Council of Ephesus, the Church declared that Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem was fully God, fully man, united in one person. This was in response to the Nestorians, or the theology of Nestorianism, which said that Jesus was fully God and fully man but two persons in one body, creating a kind of schizophrenic Christ. Then in 451, the Church of Jesus Christ and the Council of Chalcedon declared that the baby born in Bethlehem was fully God and fully man, united in one person with two natures forever. This was in response to Eutyches which taught that Jesus Christ was one person but didn’t have two natures.
It’s very obvious when you look at the history of the church of Christ and all the theological councils that the church of Christ that it has struggled with the mystery of the incarnation. It’s only natural that we struggle with it. Even Mary, when the incarnation was announced to her, said, “How can this be?” I’m sure that many of us here tonight would ask that same question, “How can this be?” The important thing is not that we understand how God became man, how the Son of God took our flesh upon Himself. The important thing is not that we understand “how” but “why.” Why did Jesus come? Why was He born in Bethlehem?
I’m sure that many of you have heard of John Howard Griffith. John Howard Griffith was an amazing man, a white man who became a black man, an Anglo who became an African American. The year was 1959 when John Howard Griffith, using a combination of suntanning techniques and oral medication and chemical stains transformed himself into an African American by way of his appearance. He moved into the southern portion of the United States, into the southern states, to see what it was like to be an African American in the South in 1959. What was it like to be black?
He was amazed to find that suddenly he wasn’t welcome on buses and other means of transportation. He was not allowed in certain restaurants. He couldn’t use restrooms or even drinking fountains that he had used before. Suddenly he was persecuted, and he experienced the horror, the nightmare of racism. He wrote a book, of course, called Black Like Me, describing the sin of racism and his experience of entering the world of African Americans.
Now, there are some people who think that this is what the incarnation is kind of like, that Jesus wanted to experience our world—that God, through the Son of God, wanted to experience what it’s like to be human, what it’s like to live life on this earth, and that that was why He was born in Bethlehem. Some historians believe that Peter I, better known as Peter the Great, at times traveled incognito in his empire to see what it was like for his people to live in his realm. Some historians believe that Queen Victoria, particularly when she was in Balmoral in Scotland, would sometimes travel incognito amongst her people to see what life was like for them.
Those stories may be true or not true but, you see, the idea is that Jesus came into our world to see what we were like. It’s a nice idea, but it’s not really biblical. Jesus wasn’t really born in Bethlehem in order for God to experience what life is like for us. It wasn’t about trying to understand us. You see, God is omniscient. He’s all-knowing. He created us. He knows us, the Bible tells us, better than we know ourselves. It’s true that Jesus has forever identified with us, and it’s true that He experienced our joys and our sorrows and yes, even suffering and death, and He’s linked with us. But God already knew what we were like. He made us. “Before Him, no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”
And so He didn’t come into our world just to see what we’re like but quite the opposite the Bible tells us. He came into our world to show us what He is like. That’s why, in the prologue of John’s Gospel it says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. We beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father. No man has ever seen the Father. The only Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made Him known.” You see, that’s why He came into the world, that He might make God known.
One of my favorite passages in all of the Bible is John 14 where Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions, many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we don’t know where You’re going. How could we know the way?” Jesus said, “I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. Henceforth, you do know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said, “Have I been with you so long, Philip, and you do not know Me? How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ He who has seen Me has seen the Father. I and the Father are One.” You see, that’s what the incarnation is all about, that we might know God. If we want to know the heart of God, if we want to know the mind of God, we look at Jesus, and that’s why He came to Bethlehem and that’s why He came into our world.
To really understand Christmas, there’s another word we have to look at. Not simply the word incarnation, but this second word, and this is the word “enthronement.” If we would really understand what Christmas is all about, we have to understand the meaning of the word enthronement.
Now, of course, the Bible makes it clear that Jesus was born to reign. The angel said to Mary, “You will conceive and bear a Son and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord will give to Him the throne. He will reign forever. Of His kingdom, there will be no end.” This baby was born to reign. Even in Isaiah 9, the prophecy of the birth of Christ says, “Unto us a Child is born. Unto us a Son is given. The government shall be upon His shoulders. His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His kingdom and its peace, there will be no end.” He was born to reign.
Of course the Christmas carols all bring this out too. We sing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing, glory to the newborn King. Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing. Come adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.” Perhaps the third verse of “We Three Kings of Orient Are” says it best: “Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain, gold I bring to crown Him again. King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign.”
Of course, every Christmas we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her King.” But the problem is, the earth hasn’t received her King. The Bible says, “He came into the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came into His own people, and His own people received him not.”
Some have asked, “Well, where is His throne? Where is His enthronement? Where is this kingdom?” Some theologians have responded, “Well, it’s eschatological. It will come at the close of the age, at the consummation, at the Second Coming of Christ. And there’s truth in that. Certainly when Christ comes again, His kingdom will reach fruition. Certainly when Christ comes to earth, when He comes a second time, His kingdom will be physically present on the earth. Jesus Himself said, in Matthew 25, that when He comes, He will “sit on His glorious throne and before Him will be gathered all the nations and He will separate them one from the other as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”
The Bible tells us that the “kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” But the kingdom of Jesus Christ and the enthronement of Christ is not just future. This Child was born to reign now, and He wants to be enthroned in your heart and soul. He wants to be enthroned in my heart and soul, and this is really what Christmas is about. It’s what the gospel is about. The gospel of Christ is an invitation to accept the enthronement of Christ in your soul and in your heart. Much is at stake.
I know that most people in this world want a Savior. Most people want everlasting life. Most people want forgiveness of sins. But, you see, the Bible makes it very clear that none of those things are possible unless you accept the reign of Christ, because in the Bible, the concepts of Savior and Lord are joined. Christ can’t be your Savior unless you’re willing to make Him Lord, unless you’re willing to make a commitment to Him as King and allow Him to be enthroned in your soul. That’s the invitation of Christmas.
Pepin the Short was the King of the Franks who lived in the 8th Century. He ruled all of France and part of Germany. A few of you have heard of Pepin the Short, but most of you have heard of his son. The son of Pepin the Short was Charles the Great, better known as Charlemagne. Charlemagne was not short. In fact, some historians believe that Charlemagne was 7 feet tall. Other historians believe that’s a tall tale so to speak, but all historians believe that Charlemagne was at least 6′ 6″. I mean, he was a giant of a man for the time. He was great in war, and he was wise in the administration of peace. He built a vast empire, conquering most of Europe.
It was Christmas Day in the year 800 when Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by Pope Leo III. Charlemagne wanted to be crowned Emperor on Christmas day to demonstrate that his crown was beneath the crown of Christ. He wanted to be crowned Emperor on Christmas day to demonstrate that his reign was subject to the reign of Jesus Christ. But, you see, Charlemagne never truly understood the reign of Christ. He didn’t truly understand it.
His chief educator and advisor was Alcuin of York. Time and again, Alcuin of York, who loved Christ, said to Charlemagne, “You can’t force people to become Christians. You can’t force them to accept the reign of Christ. They must come freely as they hear the word of God. They must come freely.” But, you see, Charlemagne, without a doubt, tried to force people to become Christians. In 43 years, through forty campaigns, he conquered many peoples and he drove the conquered into rivers and lakes and sometimes into the sea, forcing them to receive Christian baptism. If they accepted Christianity and the reign of Christ, he would treat them well though they were conquered. But if they rejected Christ, the penalty was great.
In one day, he beheaded 4,000 Saxons because they refused the reign of Christ. Even those who accepted the reign of Christ didn’t really become Christians because they didn’t do it freely, and they didn’t do it sincerely. We might genuinely ask whether Charlemagne himself ever really embraced the reign of Christ. If Christ had been enthroned in his soul, how could he have done the things he did?
Tonight, no one is forcing you to embrace the reign of Christ. You must come freely, but so much is at stake. If you would enter His kingdom and receive His grace and mercy and forgiveness. You must make a commitment to Him, a commitment that you’ll seek to live for Him as Lord and King from this day forth. That’s a great commitment. We live in a culture and society where people don’t like to make commitments.
You might have heard the joke about the pastor that was performing a marriage. He said to the groom, “Will you take this woman to be your wife? Do you promise and covenant before God and these witnesses to be her loving and faithful husband in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health?” The man thought a second and said, “Yes, no, yes, no, no, yes.” That’s kind of a reflection of the commitment level of the culture that we live in today. But, you see, as Christians, we’re are called to be different. We’re to be people of commitment, and we are people who have committed our lives to a covenant with Christ whereby we have embraced His reign.
You know, we really do want you to have the best Christmas of your life tomorrow. I know some of you have opened your gifts already. Some are probably waiting to get home tonight. Some of you will open gifts tomorrow morning. I’m sure most of you have a Christmas tree, maybe an artificial tree, maybe a real tree. Maybe a few of you went into the mountains and chopped down your own tree. You probably noticed in the newspapers that the authorities in Colorado have had a problem with people illegally chopping down trees. They’ve not had sufficient law enforcement personnel to prevent people from illegally chopping down trees.
Perhaps you’ve read (and it’s also been on the news) that the legal authorities have developed a spray that’s a combination of fox urine and skunk musk. They’ve gone into these areas where people typically cut down Christmas trees and they’ve sprayed the trees. They call it Scrooge Spray! People will take that tree home, and when they get it into the confined space of their house, it just stinks up the whole house. Nobody wants to have a stinky Christmas. We want you to have the most fragrant Christmas possible. We want you to have a wonderful, wonderful Christmas, but I promise you this: you’ve never really even experienced Christmas until you’ve placed Christ on the throne of your soul and you’ve found the peace that only He can bring and the forgiveness that only He can give, and the grace and mercy of His salvation. Only when you’ve asked the baby born in Bethlehem to be born in your heart and to sit on the throne of your soul can you find the true Christmas experience.
So, this Christmas we want you to understand the message of the incarnation. He came to show us what God is like. In understanding what God is like, we might embrace the reign of God through His Son by accepting Christ as King. Let’s look to the Lord with a word of prayer.