It is a story we have all heard many times – just over two thousand years ago a child is born – in a manger for there is no room for him in the inn – There is Linus reciting the Christmas story in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” – there are the various Christmas pageants – with children playing different parts – we have heard this story so many times – do we let the story every surprise us yet again? – for it is not the story anyone would have come up with, a story beyond imaging – can we let it surprise us once again.
It is today, on Christmas, that we celebrate the birth of Christ – long foretold by the prophets - “Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” – It is Christ, born of the virgin, who is the Son of God – our savior – prince of peace.
There is one problem – those titles are already claimed – In Rome, in a palace surrounded by his legions, there is someone else who claims to be the divi filius – the son of god - the savior - bringer of peace – one who brings good tidings – … - the Emperor Caesar Augustus – It is by the power of his legions that peace was brought to the known world – the Pax Romana – the roman peace.
Christ’s claims to these titles – and Christians' commitment to them -are fighting words – It is not just an assertion about who Jesus is – it is also an assertion about who Caesar is not - A betting man might say Augustus Caesar was the better choice – The adopted son of Julius Caesar – he ended the years of civil war and brought peace - or at least something that can look close to it – he has the wealth of the Roman Empire and the power of its legions – all opposition can be crushed.
Yet – did Augustus Caesar fulfill any of the promises the titles claim to give? – Yes, the civil wars ended – but is the Pax Romana peace? No jew in the first century would call the roman occupation “Peace” – It is preventing conflict by fear – not peace and joy. – And what of the sources of conflict? All of the Legions could do nothing to solve them. Poverty, homelessness, sickness, suffering – Sin still held – the corruption and evil that entered the world in the garden of Eden by the action of our first parents – No matter how powerful an emperor maybe – he cannot save us from what he himself suffers from.
In the end – Caesar died – the legions failed – the Pax Romana became yet more war and destruction – new rebellions continued – Caesar showed he could not live up to the titles he claimed- the emperor Caesar Augustus? – He might have had wealth – he may have had the roman legions – he may have had political power - but he was just a man – one with no solution to sin, death, suffering, and evil.
But that child in a manger – the son of Mary, ever virgin – He is different. He is born in a lowly state – in a manger – wrapped in rough rags and swaddling clothes – laid in the feed troth for animals – what can he do to save us? It turns out everything. For he is not just a poor child – but the one through whom all was created – he has wealth beyond all telling – existing from but “He, being rich, became poor for your sakes, that through his poverty you might be rich.” – He is God, who has become man to save us
Caesar could not save – for he cannot give what he does not have - but Christ can save – for he is what he claims to be – Christ has what he claims to give - and Christ has come to us to save us by a miraculous exchange – He has taken on flesh – not born in a palace – but in a lowly manger – going to the lowest places – in order to allow us to share in his divinity – for unlike Caesar – Christ is the Son of God, the second person to the trinity - come to bring forgiveness of sins, the defeat of sin and death – proclaim “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
In the words of the Christmas Preface - “For through Him the holy exchange that restores our life has shown forth today in splendor: when our frailty is assumed by your Word not only does human mortality receive unending honor but this by this wondrous union we, too, are made eternal.” - Christ has given himself to us so that we might live in him.
Today there is no roman empire – but there are still armies, wealth, and halls of political power - It can still be tempting to look to political power, wealth, or armies to bring salvation and peace – But none of them can bring salvation – but Christ – that child in the lowest of places – He can – and will - by his life death and resurrection – pulling us back to God. – Not the story that anyone expected – but the reality is far more remarkable.
We have all heard the Christmas story many times, and often we do not listen carefully to it – but this Christmas, let us consider just who Christ is and what he has come to do - Let us be surprised by Christ again; remember what he has done for us in his birth – the length God will go so that we might be with him. It is not by human kingdoms or powers that we are saved – but that God became Man that we might become like God. – Christ, the son of God, born of the virgin, born of the lowly manger – In the words of St Ambrose - "He was on earth that you may be in the stars. He had no other place in the inn, so that you may have many mansions in the heavens.”