Merry Christmas 12-25-09

Merry Christmas. Rejoice and be glad, for the Savior of the world is born. The Lord blessed us with wonderful and glorious Christmas Eve services. I preached from Luke 2. The Lord of Heaven and Earth came down to earth, where the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. Sunita and Andy are at home with us, along with Laureen. It is a wonderful blessing to be together. Jessy and Tom are planning to come home this afternoon. Janice and Jeremy, Micah, and Simeon are in Boston, enjoying Christmas on their own for the first time. We have just enough snow on the ground to make my wife happy. Parts of the country are experiencing blizzard conditions - but not in the places you would expect.
Our first Christmas call of the morning was from "down under" in Sydney, Australia, from my nephew. It is summertime there now. We have heard from family and friends from around the globe, and praise the Lord for you. It is a great thrill to know the Savior, and to share His blessings with those who love Him around the world. What a way to live and what a way to celebrate. Praise the Lord for the way His love fills the globe.
I read the following Christmas song which came from "down under":
"Carol our Christmas, an upside down Christmas;

snow is not falling and trees are not bare.

Carol the summer, and welcome the Christ Child,

warm in our sunshine and sweetness of air.

Carol our Christmas, an upside down Christmas

snow is not falling and trees are not bare.

Carol the summer, and welcome the Christ Child,

warm in our sunshine and sweetness of air.

Sign of the gold and the green and the sparkle,

water and river and lure of the beach.

Sing in the happiness of open spaces,

sing a nativity summer can reach!

Shepherds and musterers move over hillsides,

finding, not angels, but sheep to be shorn;

wise ones make journeys whatever the season,

searching for signs of the truth to be born.

Right side up Christmas belongs to the universe,

made in the moment a woman give birth;

hope is the Jesus gift, love is the offering,

everywhere, anywhere here on the earth."


At the time of Jesus' birth in 4 B.C. the Roman Empire was filled with discouraged, dispirited, and confused people. This confusion, despair, and discouragement was the end product of many years of warfare and destruction and turmoil. The conquered peoples did not know who or what to believe in anymore. Back then each nation had its own gods on whom it depended. When a nation lost a war, that meant their gods had either forsaken them or were not powerful anymore. The Roman Empire was filled with conquered people, so these people had no gods left. Without the gods, on whom would they depend, to whom could they look? No wonder these people were discouraged, dispirited, and confused.
Augustus, who was a very ambitious man, planned to change all this. He decided to provide the security these despairing people needed after the loss of their gods. He would give them a new way of life, a new world order. He would give them the order, peace, and justice of Rome. Augustus asked the conquered peoples to forget about their gods – who had not been able to help them anyway – and to depend on the new Roman order, that way of life of which he, Caesar Augustus, was the symbol. Worship Augustus, hail Caesar, and he will provide peace and prosperity! Augustus proposed a new world-wide religion, the worship of the Caesars of Rome.
To achieve this, to bring all the world to his feet in worship, Caesar ordered a census to be taken of all the people and nations under his rule. This was the first step in establishing the new world order. This was the first step in getting all people to worship Caesar.
Augustus proclaimed himself as the savior of the world's discouraged, dispirited, and confused people. He was going to save the world by his brilliant politics, his careful administration, his powerful military, his excellent economics, and by the beauty and magnificence of Roman culture.
People today still practice the religion of Caesar Augustus. People today still believe in the greatness of man. Man continues to look to himself, his abilities, his discoveries, for his own salvation, but man can't save himself. No Caesar, no political freedoms, can spell an end to despair and bring the beginning of hope.
For hope and salvation, we are invited to a "a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger". He comes with Good News that results in salvation: "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you". This Savior's name is not Caesar Augustus; rather, "he is Christ the Lord". Caesar, as savior, is worth nothing. His plan of salvation comes to nothing. But Christ as Savior is beyond worth. His plan of salvation works and results in redemption. The anthem that echoes forth with this Savior, the refrain that is heard, does not praise man; rather, it praises God. In the heavens, there was a multitude of angels singing, "Glory to God in the highest".
That's the big difference between the two saviors and the two salvations: one brings praise to God, the other brings praise to man. No wonder the salvation of Caesar fails whereas the salvation of Christ succeeds.
Christmas is a story not only of two Saviors but also of two kings. The name of the one is "Caesar Augustus." That is not his real name, of course. It is a title that he took for himself. It means "The Exalted One." Caesar was one of the great men of the world. He commanded the thousands of the Roman legions; his was an empire that stretches to the far corners of the earth. His was power and might. Augustus commanded and the whole world set out on the road to be enrolled. People heeded his every command and followed his every wish. His birthday was a holiday for the entire Empire.
On the other side was a little child born in the city of David, called "Christ the Lord." Over 2000 years have passed since the days of Caesar. Where is Caesar today? He is gone, His empire is gone, His legions are gone. But we can't say that about King Jesus, can we? Christ is still here.
What a turn-around: Christ's birthday, not Caesar's, is a time of celebration. Christ's Kingdom, not Caesar's, is growing day-by-day. Christ's rule, not Caesar's, is still in effect. Caesar is gone. His kingdom is gone. Christ still rules. The Lord of the Heaven and Earth, the New Born King, calling us to make a choice between the two saviors and two kings of Christmas. Who is our savior: Caesar or Jesus, man or God? Who is our King: Caesar or Jesus, man or God? We have to make a choice between "Glory to man" and "Glory to God."
All is well, our Savior is Born.

In Him,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQrCYzaWUU0