Emmanuel Lutheran Church

December 23

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:13-14

It is hard to place ourselves in the position of the shepherds in these two verses. Their night had begun with an angel appearing before them, with the glory of the Lord shining round about them, and they were "sore afraid" (KJV). Now—BOOM!—a multitude of angels appeared and began to sing!

The angels' song contained two messages for the shepherds. First, they praised God. In that night, God, because of his all-consuming love, had sent his Son as his gift to men. The redemption of mankind, as a result solely of God's kindness and love, calls forth glory to God in the highest. The angels, although not the recipients of this gift, were the first to be aware of it, and they praised God for his goodness with their song.

At the same time, the angels announced the result of God's goodness in sending his Son: peace for men. Because of the birth of Jesus, which would ultimately lead to the redemption of mankind from their sins, we can be at peace with God. And if we are at peace with God, all other peace flows from that peace. Our peace is the result of God's good will toward us, manifested that night in Bethlehem. And the angels, who love not only God but also us, erupted in song in celebration of this great gift to us.

Although it is hard to imagine being serenaded by a choir of heavenly hosts, there is one way in which we can relate to the shepherds. We are often "sore afraid." Especially at Christmas time, the pain and fears of our lives can feel overwhelming. The pains of sin, of loss, of broken relationships, of earthly worries of all types, threaten to steal from us the joy of Christmas. But the angels and their song serve to remind us of how special and loved we are. God sent his Son on Christmas for us. God has good will toward us. The angels sang praises to God in response to his love for us. God's Son and his angels are with us here on earth. As a result of the gift of his Son to us that night, the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard and keep our hearts and minds in Jesus, born in Bethlehem.

The hymn, "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" captures this Good News perfectly:
        Hark! the herald angels sing/ Glory to the new-born King!
        Peace on earth and mercy mild/ God and sinners reconciled!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as a result of your great love for us, you sent your Son to earth to be our shepherd. Encourage us with the knowledge that we are the men and women to whom your good will extends. We give you praise and thanksgiving for the gift of your Son and your love for us. Amen

Contributed by Dave Kuker

Christmas Folklore

Fascinating superstitions have attached themselves to this holy season—some lovely and meaningful, others just funny.

• Holly protects against witches and lightning. If the first Christmas holly brought inside is prickly, the man will rule the home, if smooth, the wife will.
• Mistletoe brings luck and should hang until replaced next Christmas. A man may kiss a woman under a sprig, but he must pluck a berry from the sprig and give it to her for each kiss. When the berries are gone, the kissing stops.
• It is unlucky to send carolers away empty-handed. No matter how badly they sing, offer food, drink, or coins.
• At the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, farm animals kneel in reverence to the Child, and at that time they are briefly given the power of speech.