Christmas Midnight (1882)

Luke 2:1-14 The Christmas message of the angels is the greatest message that has ever resounded on earth. It comes directly from heaven and opens God's heart. The messenger is a high, holy angel. The audience was visibly illumined by the Lord's clarity. All the holy angels appear and glorify this message with heavenly singing. Yet would this message be nothing more than the greatest that would therefore help poor sinners? Even the message on Sinai was a great message; but the Jews could not bear it. Great also will be Judgment Day, but many will cry out to the mountains: Fall on us! Yet our message is not only the greatest, but also full of joy. The Christmas message of the angels: the greatest message of joy. For 1. it takes all fear from us; a. Fear makes pain. "The shepherds were very afraid." They could not bear the clarity of the Lord, the glory of the angels. We are no better. The thought of God and his Court, the clarity of the law brings about the darkness of affliction, death, and hell in us, by nature fills us with horror. Reason: we are sinners. What a terrifying plague this fear! b. but the message of the angels takes all fear from us. "Do not be afraid." I preach no Law, but Gospel. I demand no fulfillment of the commandments. I preach no wrathful God. You shall be free from the law, from sin, death, and hell. "All warfare now has ended"1; c. believers are of course not free from all fear in this life - they are still tempted by sin, by the Law, by death, etc.; but this message indeed takes all fear from them. If they have faith, they have no fear, and the deepest depths of her hearts is pure joy; 2. They bring and bestow the greatest treasure; a. Gifts come from a dear hand, they gladden the heart. According to our message God gives Himself, He is our father. What are all rulers compared with Him? b. God gives the highest gift. The "Savior", the Redeemer, the Deliverer and Helper. "Christ" the Anointed One, therefore the Prophet, High Priest, and King of His people. The "Lord", the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End; His Son. He is "born", has become flesh, man, our Brother; c. this is a gift! - where this gift is properly praised and recognized, there must be great joy;
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KELG 1:1. ET is "Oh, thank Him for His goodness!".

3. It concerns all people; a. it is expressly stated in the message: "that will happen to all people." If this message concerns merely a city, a country, etc., then joy would fade, then the question: "Am I the unfortunate one who is ignored?"; b. the birth of the Child testifies this: "to all people". This Child is a true man. He has body and soul like us. He is born like us. He looks like us. He thinks, speaks, behaves, etc., like us, but without sin. c. therefore: you, to you is born the Savior. Your blind He will enlighten, your dead He will resurrect, your ungodly He will justify, your lost He will seek and save; d. unfortunately many people are not partakers of this grace. The Pharisees, scribes, many Jews excluded themselves from the "you". The servant of mammon seeks joy in temporal goods, the ambitious in fleeting glory, etc. But for many this message by God's grace finds joyful reception. There is joy then. Georg Link