Isaiah 9:2-7; Titus 2:11-14; St Luke 2:1-14(15-20)
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
And it came to pass that as Jacob and Rachel were traveling they approached the little town of Bethlehem. And while they were there, the time came for Rachel to give birth. And she gave birth to her second-born son. But Rachel would not be wrapping her baby boy up in swaddling cloths and laying him anywhere. For there, on the outskirts of Bethlehem, tragedy struck. Rachel died giving birth.
To Jacob and Rachel a child was born. To Jacob and Rachel a son was given. But what shall his name be? From the dying lips of Rachel a name was given. Her last words, his name. Ben-Oni, which means, “Son of My Sorrow.” She was right. Death always brings sorrow. Jacob was sorrowful because death tore away his favored wife. The midwife had sorrow because death ripped away the one she served. Joseph, her firstborn, would also have sorrow, for death would rob him of a mother.
If death was natural and normal, just a part of life, this would have been no big deal. Everyone could have just smiled and gotten on with life. But no one breaks out the champagne when a loved one dies in childbirth and leaves behind a husband and children. No, one breaks out in tears.
Death is not natural. God sees it as completely unnatural. Death is a horrible intrusion into God’s good world. Death is sin made visible. And though man is very skilled at hiding his sin and keeping up appearances, as a body is lowered into a grave, there’s no more hiding death’s power.
To Jacob and Rachel a child was born. To Jacob and Rachel a son was given. But what shall be his name? From the living lips of Jacob came a name too. Jacob spoke up and renamed him, Benjamin, which means, “Son of My Right Hand.” An exalted and kingly name. In that naming Jacob was not simply trying to forget painful memories. He was preaching to his family and to us a wonderful sermon about a future birth in Bethlehem. The birth of a Greater Benjamin who would come to strike a lethal blow to the power of sin and death and raise man with Him to the right hand of God.
For to us a Child is born, this night. To us a son is given, this night. But what shall His name be? His Name would be Jesus, the name above all names, the name at which every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:9-11). But Isaiah tells us His name is also Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is our Benjamin. For God heard the sad and bitter cry of Jacob and Rachel. And He has heard your sad and bitter cry, He has seen your sorrow in this world of misery.
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given. To us? A people who dishonor’s God’s name? Who live as though He and His commandments don’t matter? To us? But we’re a people who drag God’s name through the mud and give His Church a bad reputation. To us? We’re an ungrateful people, people who are always grumbling because we refuse to believe that God knows what He’s doing. To us?
You heard right. To us. While Jacob and Rachel did not make it to Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary did. And when they were there the time came for Mary to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger. For she would not die, but live.
While Jacob and Rachel named their child, Joseph and Mary didn’t have to, because He was named from heaven before He was even born.
And while Jacob’s preaching on the outskirts of Bethlehem was good, tonight we hear preaching the outskirts of Bethlehem by an angel of the Lord that is even better: For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. God’s mercy make visible. Jacob’s preaching fulfilled.
Our true Benjamin, Jesus, has been born to rescue us from the threatening perils of our sins and from its evil progeny - death. The greater Benjamin, Jesus, is born to live in dishonor and lowliness, so that sin-loving man might be forgiven, glorified and seated in the heavenly places at God’s Right Hand, where there are pleasures forevermore.
But for Him to accomplish this, for Him to truly fulfill the name of Benjamin, He first had to be Ben-Oni. And because He loves you and because He loves His Father, He did it gladly. He truly was the Man of Sorrow who came to bear our grief and carry our shame and guilt to the Cross. He was born and took on flesh so that death would encompass Him and not you. He was born so that the pains of hell would get a hold of Him and not you. He came to be like a magnet drawing trouble and sorrow, sin and death unto Himself so that it would never overwhelm you.
Jesus is indeed our Wonderful Counselor, but for our sake He was first the Sorrowful Sufferer who suffered our sins to their death on the Cross. Jesus is indeed our Mighty God, but first He was a Lowly Servant, who served you by emptying Himself and letting His holy Flesh be pulverized by the Father’s Wrath. He is the Everlasting Father, but first He had to be the Earthly Man who died an early death for sins He didn’t commit. He is our Prince of Peace born to be devoured by the Prince of Demons so that hell would not devour us.
Raised from the dead, bursting death’s belly, He is seated at God’s Right Hand so that He could send out preachers to proclaim His salvation everywhere. For in your Savior, Christ the Lord, the grace of God appeared, bringing salvation to all people; training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given. People loved by God, that Son is given here this night. Caesar August gave the decrees that all the world should be registered. He gave the decree to get names written down so that he could get, collect, take and enrich himself and his Roman Empire. But not God the Lord, He used that decree to get Mary and Joseph all the way into Bethlehem so that the Christ Child, our Greater Benjamin, could be born bringing salvation for all people, writing your names in heaven with His own blood.
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given. Swaddling cloths were a sign for the shepherd. What is the sign for you? The very swaddling pages of Holy Scripture which preach Jesus the Savior to you. The manger - a feeding trough - was a sign for the shepherds too. Behold, beloved, the Altar upon which is laid the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is your manger, the “paradise at which your soul reclineth” (LSB 372:1), by which He gives you forgiveness, life, and salvation.
Join your song to the angel choirs once more this Christmas night, dear Christians. Glory be to God on high! Gloria in excelsis Deo! Here, on earth, is peace, good will toward men. Merry Christmas.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
And it came to pass that as Jacob and Rachel were traveling they approached the little town of Bethlehem. And while they were there, the time came for Rachel to give birth. And she gave birth to her second-born son. But Rachel would not be wrapping her baby boy up in swaddling cloths and laying him anywhere. For there, on the outskirts of Bethlehem, tragedy struck. Rachel died giving birth.
To Jacob and Rachel a child was born. To Jacob and Rachel a son was given. But what shall his name be? From the dying lips of Rachel a name was given. Her last words, his name. Ben-Oni, which means, “Son of My Sorrow.” She was right. Death always brings sorrow. Jacob was sorrowful because death tore away his favored wife. The midwife had sorrow because death ripped away the one she served. Joseph, her firstborn, would also have sorrow, for death would rob him of a mother.
If death was natural and normal, just a part of life, this would have been no big deal. Everyone could have just smiled and gotten on with life. But no one breaks out the champagne when a loved one dies in childbirth and leaves behind a husband and children. No, one breaks out in tears.
Death is not natural. God sees it as completely unnatural. Death is a horrible intrusion into God’s good world. Death is sin made visible. And though man is very skilled at hiding his sin and keeping up appearances, as a body is lowered into a grave, there’s no more hiding death’s power.
To Jacob and Rachel a child was born. To Jacob and Rachel a son was given. But what shall be his name? From the living lips of Jacob came a name too. Jacob spoke up and renamed him, Benjamin, which means, “Son of My Right Hand.” An exalted and kingly name. In that naming Jacob was not simply trying to forget painful memories. He was preaching to his family and to us a wonderful sermon about a future birth in Bethlehem. The birth of a Greater Benjamin who would come to strike a lethal blow to the power of sin and death and raise man with Him to the right hand of God.
For to us a Child is born, this night. To us a son is given, this night. But what shall His name be? His Name would be Jesus, the name above all names, the name at which every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:9-11). But Isaiah tells us His name is also Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is our Benjamin. For God heard the sad and bitter cry of Jacob and Rachel. And He has heard your sad and bitter cry, He has seen your sorrow in this world of misery.
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given. To us? A people who dishonor’s God’s name? Who live as though He and His commandments don’t matter? To us? But we’re a people who drag God’s name through the mud and give His Church a bad reputation. To us? We’re an ungrateful people, people who are always grumbling because we refuse to believe that God knows what He’s doing. To us?
You heard right. To us. While Jacob and Rachel did not make it to Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary did. And when they were there the time came for Mary to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger. For she would not die, but live.
While Jacob and Rachel named their child, Joseph and Mary didn’t have to, because He was named from heaven before He was even born.
And while Jacob’s preaching on the outskirts of Bethlehem was good, tonight we hear preaching the outskirts of Bethlehem by an angel of the Lord that is even better: For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. God’s mercy make visible. Jacob’s preaching fulfilled.
Our true Benjamin, Jesus, has been born to rescue us from the threatening perils of our sins and from its evil progeny - death. The greater Benjamin, Jesus, is born to live in dishonor and lowliness, so that sin-loving man might be forgiven, glorified and seated in the heavenly places at God’s Right Hand, where there are pleasures forevermore.
But for Him to accomplish this, for Him to truly fulfill the name of Benjamin, He first had to be Ben-Oni. And because He loves you and because He loves His Father, He did it gladly. He truly was the Man of Sorrow who came to bear our grief and carry our shame and guilt to the Cross. He was born and took on flesh so that death would encompass Him and not you. He was born so that the pains of hell would get a hold of Him and not you. He came to be like a magnet drawing trouble and sorrow, sin and death unto Himself so that it would never overwhelm you.
Jesus is indeed our Wonderful Counselor, but for our sake He was first the Sorrowful Sufferer who suffered our sins to their death on the Cross. Jesus is indeed our Mighty God, but first He was a Lowly Servant, who served you by emptying Himself and letting His holy Flesh be pulverized by the Father’s Wrath. He is the Everlasting Father, but first He had to be the Earthly Man who died an early death for sins He didn’t commit. He is our Prince of Peace born to be devoured by the Prince of Demons so that hell would not devour us.
Raised from the dead, bursting death’s belly, He is seated at God’s Right Hand so that He could send out preachers to proclaim His salvation everywhere. For in your Savior, Christ the Lord, the grace of God appeared, bringing salvation to all people; training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given. People loved by God, that Son is given here this night. Caesar August gave the decrees that all the world should be registered. He gave the decree to get names written down so that he could get, collect, take and enrich himself and his Roman Empire. But not God the Lord, He used that decree to get Mary and Joseph all the way into Bethlehem so that the Christ Child, our Greater Benjamin, could be born bringing salvation for all people, writing your names in heaven with His own blood.
For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given. Swaddling cloths were a sign for the shepherd. What is the sign for you? The very swaddling pages of Holy Scripture which preach Jesus the Savior to you. The manger - a feeding trough - was a sign for the shepherds too. Behold, beloved, the Altar upon which is laid the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is your manger, the “paradise at which your soul reclineth” (LSB 372:1), by which He gives you forgiveness, life, and salvation.
Join your song to the angel choirs once more this Christmas night, dear Christians. Glory be to God on high! Gloria in excelsis Deo! Here, on earth, is peace, good will toward men. Merry Christmas.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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