BECAUSE OF HIS MERCY

By Dr. Eric C. Stumpf, Senior Pastor

St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church – Munster, IN

Titus 3:4-7 + Christmas Eve + 24 Dec 2007

³At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. ⁴But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

                         The other day when I was reading the newspaper a sentence in an article about Christmas caught my eye.  “A lot of … people say its not really Christmas until you hear it.”  [Chicago Tribune, Dec. 18, 2007, sec 1, p. 3] What is it?  Any guesses?  The bells from the kettle ringers?  “Silent Night”?  “Ho, Ho, Ho,” from a store Santa?  “Away in the Manger”?  No, none of those things.  It is a song written some 30 years ago, “Grandma Got /run Over by a Reindeer.”  If that is what makes Christmas for people, then God’s word still applies -- ³At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. ⁴But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵he saved us…. 

 The Christmas Story

            At first glance the Christmas story may seem unable to attract much attention in our day. Luke tells it in twenty verses which when read out loud takes only two minutes.  Yet those two minutes of words have shaped and changed 20 centuries of human history and changed our lives.  A political candidate recently said, “You can find Santa at every mall.  You can find discounts in every store.  But if you mention the name of Jesus, as I found out recently, it upsets the whole world.” [Hammond Times, Dec 24, 2007]

            The Christmas story in Luke may seem to us simply to be a story of family forced to travel at a poor time in their lives because of a government edict.  Ill prepared to bring a child into the world, they end up in a crowded town like refugees, forced to deliver a child among animals, and laying the sleeping child in a feeding trough.  God sends angels – at last something spectacular is going to happen – to really the wrong sort of people to announce the birth of a king,  They are told to go and see.  It will be fairly easy to pick out this baby from many other babies in town, after all, how many will be sleeping in a feed bin.  They go and see, and praise God for it, telling everyone they meet what they had heard and seen.  The town is abuzz about these extraordinary events among ordinary people.  God’s plan is unfolding, words spoken many generations ago through the ages now come to light, a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ. 

            Perhaps it is too wonderful for our simple minds to grasp, or it is too ordinary to interest sophisticated people.  So we turn to ditties like “Grandma Got Run Over,” or we spice up the story as some do with spectacle, e.g., in Fort Lauderdale they will fireworks display with their manger scene, or S. Barrington will have Cirque du Soleil style acrobats, or Plano, Texas, will have dancing shepherds. [Tribune, Dec 24, 2007, sec 1, p. 16] 

What Does the Christmas Story Mean?

            Simply said it means 1) we need a Savior; 2) it comes with kindness and love; 3) it is genuine in mercy;  4) it daily washes and renews us;  and, 5) its forever.

            What do you want for Christmas?  The answers vary from, “Please, don’t get me anything, I have everything I need,” to a printed shopping lists from the computer genius in our family that reads like a store inventory.  But inside our souls we know what we need as reflected in Titus 3:3-4.  We need the Savior.

            God’s gift to you and me comes wrapped in the most beautiful packaging, kindness and love.  When our children were about 2 years old they would often unwrap their Christmas present with great glee, pull the toy out and then proceed to play with the box and wrapping paper.  We chuckle at the memory, but perhaps they were also telling us how great the wrapping God put around his Son for us – kindness and love.  ⁴But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵he saved us…  How the world and ourselves need it.  God provides it.

            Several news items have called attention to a peculiar phenomenon.  A number of confiscations have taken place across the country.  People selling counterfeit merchandise have their wares taken by the authorities.  Some people buy these high end products unaware that they are fakes, some buy them knowing they are not genuine, but can’t pass up the price of looking expensive.  God comes to us with the genuine article, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  Isaiah calls our works “filthy rags,” they are counterfeit righteousness.  But God’s mercy to save us is the real thing.

            Some gifts are ongoing gift – a magazine subscription comes to mind.  Of course good judgment has to be exercised.  “Sport Rider,” a popular motorcycle magazine would not be my first choice for Rudy Kunde, or the hip hop magazine “Yo Raps,” for David Brandt.  Sometimes gift choice is really a tough challenge.  But god has given a gift to every human being that is needed, a blessing beyond measure, and a source of comfort and joy – baptism. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior….  Our baptism is a daily subscription god has paid, he offers to us daily the forgiveness of sins our dear Savior won for us on the cross.  Each day when we remember our baptism we remember the gift of salvation God has given us, and the renewing power of the Holy Spirit to amend and guide our lives.  It is true – we can enjoy and live the benefits of Christmas each and every day of our lives.

            Finally, while most presents will break, wear out, make a second appearance at the local Thrift Store, our gifts from God just get better and better as time goes on.  For we are closer today than yesterday to the gift that lasts forever -- , ⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  Isaiah wrote, To us a child is born, to us a son is given. (9:6)  The important words here are to us.  It takes a miracle for us to believe God came to me, to be born in me, to live in me, to change me and give me life and hope.  [Adapted Luther quote, CP, p. 17]  But that is the miracle of Christmas this night – God with us, God saved us, God with you forever. 

            What does Christmas mean?  It means our need for a Savior is met.  Jesus comes with kindness and love. He is genuine in mercy. God in Christ daily washes away our sins and renews us.  The best Christmas gift for us is forever.  Amen.

SDG