The Nativity of our Lord, Christmas Eve

“It’s a Baby!”

The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel

Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Lessons: 

“It’s a baby!”  A couple of months ago, one of our families with a brand new baby, as well as a four year old, knelt at the communion rail for the Lord’s Supper.  And as I laid my hand on the head of the newborn, older brother looked up at me and said, “It’s a baby!” 

     What an innocent, yet straightforward observation.  “Hey, pastor, it’s a baby!”  Tonight, we run to the manger, with shepherds and angels, to come close to the mother and father, huddled against the night chill.  Tonight, we yearn to get near the holy family, wanting but a glimpse of the mystery and majesty that’s taking place in that humble stable.  And we, adults, look in—unsure of what we see there.  The angels proclaim, that we’re seeing the Christ, the Lord, son of the Living God.  The prophet, Isaiah, called him, “Wonderful counselor, mighty Lord, Prince of Peace”.  St. Paul, in his letter to Titus, named the one in the manger, “our blessed hope, the glory of our great God, our Savior, Jesus Christ.”  And we look down into the feed trough, overcome with it all.  We find it hard to comprehend, to understand all that this means;  for us, and for our world!  And what we need, is a child—maybe a shepherd boy, maybe the daughter of the innkeeper—maybe our own son, or daughter, to remind us, “It’s a baby!”  Because the fact is, we need to be reminded, not just at Christmas, but throughout the year, “Hey, remember, it’s a baby!”  And why do we need to be reminded?  Why is that so important? 

     Because our salvation—the redemption of the world, is intimately tied to the incarnation.  In other words, it’s significant that the one who dies on the cross, and is raised for our salvation, first came as a baby.  Not as a conqueror—not as an alien from outer space, not as an adult, fully grown, to sit on a throne in a palace.  But—a baby.  God became human, took on our flesh and blood, to be as close to us possible—and to keep us from being afraid, and hesitant, and unsure, God came as a baby.  A baby!  That, in and of itself, is mind-boggling!  What self-respecting god would come as a baby?  A vulnerable, defenseless, non-threatening, baby?  The least and the lowest of all creation.  And not just a baby, but a baby, born to poor, working class parents, weathering the night in a barn, in a village far away from home.  It’s no wonder we look into the manger, and aren’t really sure what we’re looking at.  It’s no wonder we’re baffled by it all. It’s no wonder we choose to forget—that it’s a baby! And yet, to forget that, is to miss the incarnation—and so also, the crucifixion and the resurrection.  To forget that Jesus came as a baby, is to miss the power and the promise, of God, become flesh and blood;  God, become human, not to frighten or terrify us, but to comfort us, and to save us.

     Martin Luther preached often about this, mystery, because he saw the power and the promise, in the fact that the God who was crucified and raised, was first, born as a human child.  Luther once said in a sermon, “Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger.  Why a manger?  Because they had nothing else, except the manger of the oxen.  That was the first throne of this King.  There, in a stable, without servant or maid, lay the Creator of the world.  And He was a real human being.  He was a true Baby, with flesh, blood, hands and legs.  He slept, cried, and did everything else that a baby does, only without sin.  Let us then, meditate upon the birth of Christ, just as we see it happening with our own babies.  I would not have you contemplate the deity of Christ, the majesty of Christ, but rather, his flesh.  Look upon the Baby, Jesus.  Divinity may terrify man.  Inexpressible majesty will crush us.  That is why Christ took on our humanity, that he should not terrify us, but rather that with love and favor, he should console and confirm us.  Because, just look at the Christ child lying in the lap of his young mother.  What can be sweeter than the Baby?  To me, there is no greater consolation given to humankind than this, the Christ became man, a child, a babe, playing in the lap and at the breasts of his most gracious mother.  Who is there whom this sight would not comfort?  Now is overcome the power of sin, death, hell, conscience and guilt, if you come to this gurgling Babe and believe that he is come, not to judge you, but to save.”

     Luther reminds us, “It’s a baby!”  Luther reminds us not to look upon Jesus, in his divinity, or in his inexpressible majesty—for these terrify and crush us.  Rather, look upon Jesus first, as a baby, lying in the lap of his mother.  Look upon Jesus first, as a baby, whom you cannot fear;  as a baby, who lies peacefully in his manger, setting your spirit at peace;  as a baby, who wants not to strike fear into our hearts, but simply to love us and comfort us.  Luther said, “Look at the child and you will see how great is the divine goodness, which seeks above all else, that you should not despair…so, trust Him” --trust the Father, and trust the Son.  Trust the baby who came to comfort and save us!  In the midst of life full of uncertainty and doubt—full of trial and tribulation—full of betrayal and lies and half-truths, trust the child who is innocent and without sin-- the child who would never lie to us or deceive us.  For God’s sake, look into the manger, this Christmas Eve, and remember, “it’s a baby!”  It’s a baby, come to deliver us from sin, death and the devil.  It’s a baby, come to save us from ourselves.  It’s a baby, come to lead us through this world of pain and grief, back to our Father in heaven.  It’s a baby.  It’s a baby!  Amen.