The Nativity Of Our Lord
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII, Cycle B
Seasonal Theme
God's putting on human flesh in the person of Jesus and coming into the world to demonstrate God's love for us.
Theme Tor The Day
The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem means God will also come to us and understands how it is for us here.
Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 9:2-7
A Promised Messiah Comes
Matthew applied this scripture to Jesus who began his ministry up there in the northern part of Palestine (Matthew 4:15-16). Joy (mentioned 24 times in Isaiah) will be the result of this dawning new light. When the infant-Messiah comes, the tools of warfare will be decimated (v. 5). We won't need them because of Jesus' reign of peace. John A. Martin lists five things Isaiah tells us about the coming Messiah in his commentary titled Bible Knowledge Commentary.
1. He was born a child of one of the covenant people.
2. He will rule over God's people and the world.
3. He will have four descriptive names that will reveal his character: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father. (This idiom is used to describe the Messiah's relationship to time, not to the other members of the Trinity.)
4. The Messiah seated on David's throne (Luke 1:32-33) will rule in peace and justice forever.
5. All this will be accomplished by the zeal of the Lord Almighty. The Messiah will rule because God promised it and wills zealously that the kingdom comes.
So it appears that Isaiah expected Jesus the Christ would begin his rule in one single event and then he would rule over all.
New Testament Lesson
Titus 2:11-14
God's Grace Arrives
The grace of God has arrived and is training Christians a very different way to live from that of the enemies of the church. Verse 12 lists those new radical ways of behaving. Two things here are important to the Christmas message and are probably why this passage was chosen.
1. Jesus' birth means God's grace has appeared and brings salvation to all (v. 11) and,
2. He gave himself for us for our redemption and this makes us God's people (v. 14). That's who this important Jesus is and what he will do.
The Gospel
Luke 2:1-20
A Close-To-The-Ground Story Of Birth
The Roman occupying government took a census every fourteen years to find out who should be serving in the army and to know who should be paying taxes. The records from A.D. 20 to 270 are still in existence. It's an eighty-mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Places to stay were crude at best with only a fire for cooking and fodder for the animals. There were little stalls in a common courtyard where the couple would have stayed.
I like so much that the first announcement of Jesus' birth went to the often despised by the orthodox of the day: shepherds. They were, no doubt, simple men of the outdoors. These flocks may have belonged to the Temple authorities. There is a close-to-the-ground element in this tale which is appealing. So God's own son is born in common rough circumstances and goes on to live with the people, asking for no special accommodations. He thus knows us and our life circumstances.
The word "manger" meant where animals are fed, so it can mean either the trough that held the feed or the stable. Perhaps someone should tell the artist of Christmas cards these facts.
Preaching Possibilities
No matter how much we want to preach on the Old Testament description of the Messiah or the theology of God's grace arriving in the New Testament Reading, it's the birth narrative which our people have come to church to hear, read, and celebrate in all its simplicity and beauty. In my opinion, the reading of the scripture on this night or morning ought be the highlight of the service.
All three scripture readings can go together. The Isaiah reading describes the way the one promised might best be described. The Titus account tells us what the significance of Jesus' coming really is: 1) God's grace comes to us, 2) he comes to redeem us, and 3) this makes us God's own people.
Then the Gospel relates how it all began according to Luke. If we used all three, the major outline could look this way:
A. A wonderful counselor is promised (Isaiah).
B. The grace of God arrives to be our Savior (Titus).
C. A son is born to Mary and announced to the shepherds (Luke 2:1-20).
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Retell the story. About the time Mary was due to have her son, she and Joseph had to travel eighty miles to Bethlehem for a census. This was for military conscription and taxes. Bethlehem was crowded and they had to stay where the poor without relatives often had to stay -- an animal stable. So God's own son was born in the simplest of circumstances.
The shepherds heard the good news first. It was lambing time for the temple flock so the shepherds were out at night watching the sheep. So they went into Bethlehem and saw the infant Jesus, the first ones to worship the Christ.
B. That event still affects us dramatically which happened 2,000 years ago, halfway around the world. We come to church at night, we bring families together, we buy many gifts and exchange them, we alter our schedules and take days off from work, we even sometimes embrace and speak words of endearment we haven't spoken for a long time. And many times we get panicky, are harsh with each other, feel tremendous pressure to match what others do for us, quarrel over who'll put up and take down the Christmas tree, and some of us preachers go night and day without sleeping and stretching our strength to the maximum to keep up with the frantic schedule at church and home. Then there are the Christmas cards. Our lives are changed even today by this event.
C. But what are the promises of the Christ's Advent for us from the scripture?
1. In Jesus, God brings the possibility of peace to the world of war. Talk about war at home and in other countries.
2. There is a light for all those who live in darkness (Isaiah). List the dark now in our lives.
3. God's grace arrives! Define it (Titus).
4. This is the one who will save and forgive us (Titus).
5. God knows what it is like to live like us (Luke).
6. God celebrates God's birth with common people like us (Luke).
D. Now move to what our response ought to be because of this extraordinary event of Jesus' birth.
1. We tell others about it and invite them to celebrate it with us like the shepherds.
2. We could give an offering like the wise men to Jesus' church equal to what we spend on his birthday buying gifts for others and celebrating the birth.
3. Like Joseph we ought to remain faithful to Jesus even when we are ridiculed by others for it.
4. As Jesus was God's undeserved grace come to this world, we can be that grace to others who are searching for or resisting it.
E. Frame the sermon by returning to Luke's narrative. "It's a simple tale about simple people through whom God worked great things for all creation ... and for us. In that manger, something of God's strategy was beginning, which would bring us here tonight and change lives all over the world...." Luke knew it a wrote it down. We read it tonight.
Prayer Of The Day
We, too, have seen a great light in our world tonight and rejoice in it, O God. As the shepherds did, we pray we might be inspired to go from here and share this birth announcement with all who will listen. For coming into our world and living with and understanding us, we give you thanks. As you have promised, make us your people of light, grace, and peace. In the name of the one born in Bethlehem this night (day) we pray. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
Some years ago a submarine sank off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. When divers located it they heard a faint tapping from the inside. There were still some sailors alive inside the sub! In Morse code they communicated their crucial question: "Is there any hope?" The coming of the Christ at Christmas taps back: There is hope, for we have Emmanuel.
At the DeSoto Wildlife Preserve in Iowa, I observed a highway employee driving a pickup truck along the side of the road and, with a cloth, polishing the reflectors on posts marking the side ditch's edge. At Christmas we polish up again that light which came to us who live in darkness.
On an NBC news program, the director of the stage play Annie said, "I took a flat newspaper cartoon character named Annie and put flesh and blood on her." Martin Charnin was describing incarnation. The word became flesh. The word became flesh and blood in the person of Jesus.
On CBS News a man by the name of Al Copeland in New Orleans had millions of lights in his front yard for Christmas. One thinks first, how beautiful! Then it's reported the neighbors are suing him for disturbing the peace. I think the light of Christ is like that. When we really let it shine, those who prefer the darkness will always complain and try to extinguish the light.
God's putting on human flesh in the person of Jesus and coming into the world to demonstrate God's love for us.
Theme Tor The Day
The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem means God will also come to us and understands how it is for us here.
Old Testament Lesson
Isaiah 9:2-7
A Promised Messiah Comes
Matthew applied this scripture to Jesus who began his ministry up there in the northern part of Palestine (Matthew 4:15-16). Joy (mentioned 24 times in Isaiah) will be the result of this dawning new light. When the infant-Messiah comes, the tools of warfare will be decimated (v. 5). We won't need them because of Jesus' reign of peace. John A. Martin lists five things Isaiah tells us about the coming Messiah in his commentary titled Bible Knowledge Commentary.
1. He was born a child of one of the covenant people.
2. He will rule over God's people and the world.
3. He will have four descriptive names that will reveal his character: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father. (This idiom is used to describe the Messiah's relationship to time, not to the other members of the Trinity.)
4. The Messiah seated on David's throne (Luke 1:32-33) will rule in peace and justice forever.
5. All this will be accomplished by the zeal of the Lord Almighty. The Messiah will rule because God promised it and wills zealously that the kingdom comes.
So it appears that Isaiah expected Jesus the Christ would begin his rule in one single event and then he would rule over all.
New Testament Lesson
Titus 2:11-14
God's Grace Arrives
The grace of God has arrived and is training Christians a very different way to live from that of the enemies of the church. Verse 12 lists those new radical ways of behaving. Two things here are important to the Christmas message and are probably why this passage was chosen.
1. Jesus' birth means God's grace has appeared and brings salvation to all (v. 11) and,
2. He gave himself for us for our redemption and this makes us God's people (v. 14). That's who this important Jesus is and what he will do.
The Gospel
Luke 2:1-20
A Close-To-The-Ground Story Of Birth
The Roman occupying government took a census every fourteen years to find out who should be serving in the army and to know who should be paying taxes. The records from A.D. 20 to 270 are still in existence. It's an eighty-mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Places to stay were crude at best with only a fire for cooking and fodder for the animals. There were little stalls in a common courtyard where the couple would have stayed.
I like so much that the first announcement of Jesus' birth went to the often despised by the orthodox of the day: shepherds. They were, no doubt, simple men of the outdoors. These flocks may have belonged to the Temple authorities. There is a close-to-the-ground element in this tale which is appealing. So God's own son is born in common rough circumstances and goes on to live with the people, asking for no special accommodations. He thus knows us and our life circumstances.
The word "manger" meant where animals are fed, so it can mean either the trough that held the feed or the stable. Perhaps someone should tell the artist of Christmas cards these facts.
Preaching Possibilities
No matter how much we want to preach on the Old Testament description of the Messiah or the theology of God's grace arriving in the New Testament Reading, it's the birth narrative which our people have come to church to hear, read, and celebrate in all its simplicity and beauty. In my opinion, the reading of the scripture on this night or morning ought be the highlight of the service.
All three scripture readings can go together. The Isaiah reading describes the way the one promised might best be described. The Titus account tells us what the significance of Jesus' coming really is: 1) God's grace comes to us, 2) he comes to redeem us, and 3) this makes us God's own people.
Then the Gospel relates how it all began according to Luke. If we used all three, the major outline could look this way:
A. A wonderful counselor is promised (Isaiah).
B. The grace of God arrives to be our Savior (Titus).
C. A son is born to Mary and announced to the shepherds (Luke 2:1-20).
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Retell the story. About the time Mary was due to have her son, she and Joseph had to travel eighty miles to Bethlehem for a census. This was for military conscription and taxes. Bethlehem was crowded and they had to stay where the poor without relatives often had to stay -- an animal stable. So God's own son was born in the simplest of circumstances.
The shepherds heard the good news first. It was lambing time for the temple flock so the shepherds were out at night watching the sheep. So they went into Bethlehem and saw the infant Jesus, the first ones to worship the Christ.
B. That event still affects us dramatically which happened 2,000 years ago, halfway around the world. We come to church at night, we bring families together, we buy many gifts and exchange them, we alter our schedules and take days off from work, we even sometimes embrace and speak words of endearment we haven't spoken for a long time. And many times we get panicky, are harsh with each other, feel tremendous pressure to match what others do for us, quarrel over who'll put up and take down the Christmas tree, and some of us preachers go night and day without sleeping and stretching our strength to the maximum to keep up with the frantic schedule at church and home. Then there are the Christmas cards. Our lives are changed even today by this event.
C. But what are the promises of the Christ's Advent for us from the scripture?
1. In Jesus, God brings the possibility of peace to the world of war. Talk about war at home and in other countries.
2. There is a light for all those who live in darkness (Isaiah). List the dark now in our lives.
3. God's grace arrives! Define it (Titus).
4. This is the one who will save and forgive us (Titus).
5. God knows what it is like to live like us (Luke).
6. God celebrates God's birth with common people like us (Luke).
D. Now move to what our response ought to be because of this extraordinary event of Jesus' birth.
1. We tell others about it and invite them to celebrate it with us like the shepherds.
2. We could give an offering like the wise men to Jesus' church equal to what we spend on his birthday buying gifts for others and celebrating the birth.
3. Like Joseph we ought to remain faithful to Jesus even when we are ridiculed by others for it.
4. As Jesus was God's undeserved grace come to this world, we can be that grace to others who are searching for or resisting it.
E. Frame the sermon by returning to Luke's narrative. "It's a simple tale about simple people through whom God worked great things for all creation ... and for us. In that manger, something of God's strategy was beginning, which would bring us here tonight and change lives all over the world...." Luke knew it a wrote it down. We read it tonight.
Prayer Of The Day
We, too, have seen a great light in our world tonight and rejoice in it, O God. As the shepherds did, we pray we might be inspired to go from here and share this birth announcement with all who will listen. For coming into our world and living with and understanding us, we give you thanks. As you have promised, make us your people of light, grace, and peace. In the name of the one born in Bethlehem this night (day) we pray. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
Some years ago a submarine sank off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. When divers located it they heard a faint tapping from the inside. There were still some sailors alive inside the sub! In Morse code they communicated their crucial question: "Is there any hope?" The coming of the Christ at Christmas taps back: There is hope, for we have Emmanuel.
At the DeSoto Wildlife Preserve in Iowa, I observed a highway employee driving a pickup truck along the side of the road and, with a cloth, polishing the reflectors on posts marking the side ditch's edge. At Christmas we polish up again that light which came to us who live in darkness.
On an NBC news program, the director of the stage play Annie said, "I took a flat newspaper cartoon character named Annie and put flesh and blood on her." Martin Charnin was describing incarnation. The word became flesh. The word became flesh and blood in the person of Jesus.
On CBS News a man by the name of Al Copeland in New Orleans had millions of lights in his front yard for Christmas. One thinks first, how beautiful! Then it's reported the neighbors are suing him for disturbing the peace. I think the light of Christ is like that. When we really let it shine, those who prefer the darkness will always complain and try to extinguish the light.
