In the days of Caesar Augustus, Jesus was born in Bethlehem
The
Christmas story tells of the birth of a new king. The world was moving
according to the orders of Caesar Augustus, but although he was hailed as the
great bringer of peace, real peace on earth would be realized only through the
sovereignty of the child born in Bethlehem. Today the world moves to the orders
of many different Caesars …there is the Caesar who is called The Market, and
he speaks each day from New York where he goes by the name Dow Jones,
Tokyo (Hang Sen), Paris (Cac) and
London (FTSE), and he speaks and reacts each day,… then there is the Caesar of
Brussels which this nation voted to leave earlier this year … but only to
eventually be replaced by a more local Caesar as we “take back control”. The
USA has just rejected one form of Caesar for a new Caesar. Various Caesars in
the ME have visited humanitarian disaster on the people of Allepo in this last
week. The Caesar in Russia is said to have manipulated the vote in the USA and
is getting ready to do the same in German elections. Caesar still seems to hold
much power and calls us to submit to him in many different ways.
And then of course there
is the Caesar deep within each one us, who goes by the name of sin, and who
rules to the degree that each of us let him.
The Christmas story tells
of the birth of a new king during the rule of Caesar Augustus. The world moves
according to the orders of different Caesars all with their promises of peace
and stability and better times, but real peace on earth is realized only
through the sovereignty of the child born in Bethlehem. And real peace in the
depths of your being is only realised through the sovereignty of the child born
in Bethlehem.
This is the story of the
birth of a new kind of king. His birth reveals a new world order, a world not
under Caesar but under the direction of God’s design for the redemption of all
peoples. In this world, God’s Word is
spoken to and heard by anyone who will listen. There is a place even for
shepherds. Under His rule, there is hope for the oppressed by the caesars of
today, forgiveness for those who recognise and desire the need for it,… and
those who heard what God was doing then were filled with joy, and those who
hear today can experience that same joy. The message of Christmas remains this:
God has not forgotten us or abandoned us to the brokenness we have created.
Caesar never has the final word. The story of Christmas, therefore, is both an
announcement of hope and a call to humility.
We’ve sung of all this
this evening:
Good Christian men rejoice
With heart and soul and voice!
Give ye heed to what we say
News! News!
Joy! Joy!
Peace! Peace!
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Shepherds, in the
fields abiding
Watching o'er your flocks by night
God with man is now residing
Yonder shines the infant light
Watching o'er your flocks by night
God with man is now residing
Yonder shines the infant light
Where meek souls
will receive him still,
The dear Christ
enters in.
Will you receive Him this
Christmas? … His rule on earth begins with his rule in you. His promise of
peace on earth begins with peace in you. His message of joy is His promise to
you. If you don’t know the peace and joy we have sung of, perhaps it is because
you haven't yet been saved. If that is the case, before you leave this place,
breathe an earnest prayer to God, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner.
Lord, I need to be saved. Save me. I call upon your name."
Join with me in
prayer right now, I beg you. Join with me while I put words into your mouth,
and speak them on your behalf—"Lord, I am guilty … I let so many caesars
rule in my life. I deserve your rejection. Lord, I cannot save myself … I throw
myself completely upon you and into you, O Lord. I trust the blood and
righteousness of Jesus; I trust your mercy, and your love, and your power, as
they are revealed in Him. I take hold of this word of yours, that whoever calls
on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Lord, save me tonight, for Jesus' sake.
Amen."