Christmas: Decree

Christmas: Decreed

 

Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)

God with us 

 

2:1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

 

2:2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

 

2:3 All went to their own towns to be registered.

 

2:4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.

 

2:5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.

 

2:6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.

 

2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.

 

2:8 Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

 

2:9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

 

2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:

 

2:11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

 

2:12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."

 

2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

 

2:14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

 

2:15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."

 

2:16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger.

 

2:17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child,

 

2:18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them,

 

2:19 and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

 

2:20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.

 

[Note: This Christmas message will be my final one for 2025. My next retirement sermon will be for the weekend of January 4, 2026.]

 

What does it mean when something is “decreed”? Since this famous “Christmas” narrative from the second chapter of Luke begins with a “decree” from Caesar Augustus, I suppose we should know. A “decree” is some official order issued by a “legal” authority. We live in a day when all kinds of decrees are being made by people who believe they are “legal authorities,” with whether they are or not being the question of the day. Of course, we often use the word “decree” in a slightly less than formal way: “My wife decreed that we are going to spend our vacation with some of her family,” or “My son just decreed that we must knock before entering his room.” We may not use the word, “decree,” but none of us is immune from “laying down the law” about something in our own little fiefdoms or spheres of influence, are we? Most of us have those moments when we like to test the theory that “words have power.” We may too quickly find out that how MUCH power is more determined by whom is speaking them (or writing them) than by what may be inherent in the words, themselves. In this Christmas passage, the decree by Caesar Augustus gets people on the move to “be taxed” in their home areas, but a much larger “decree” is afoot.

 

It is true that we have turned Christmas into something huge, as human beings wielding our own “decreeing” power. All of it—the shopping epidemics, the brilliantly wrapped presents, the music, the candy and cookies, Santa and the elves, “Chris Kringle,” Der Belsnickel, office parties, decorated trees and houses, obnoxious sweaters—is manmade. Even the idea of Christ being born on “Christmas Day,” or December 25, is. “So what?”, I have always said. One can certainly argue that none of what we revel in during the “Christmas Season” is real, or “glorifying to God” in any way, but it IS a joyous phenomenon that people from the tiniest tots to the oldest of us geezers enjoy and look forward to. I honestly don’t think that God is in God’s heaven shouting down, “STOP THAT! This should be about my SON’S BIRTH, not your merriment and gift-giving!” I believe God gets a kick out of our Christmas celebrations, as long as they are not harmful, and as long as they aim us toward “peace on earth and goodwill towards our fellow human beings.” Ceasefires, gifts given in love, respecting one another’s religious traditions and spending a few moments being happy just because we get to witness someone ELSE being happy—like the children—are not bad things, at all. I’ve never been impressed by people who attempted to rain on our Christmas parade by “decreeing” what they believe the sole (or soul?) purpose of Christmas to be, or by others who have attempted to “Grinch” it away because they don’t believe in it. There is something very “Gospel,” after all, with the old libertarian expression, “Live and let live.” When it comes to decrees about Christmas, here are a few of my own, and may you feel free to make a list of a few of yours.

 

My negative Christmas decrees (let’s get them out of the way, first):

 

I decree that that song about “Last Christmas I gave you my heart, and the very next day you gave it away” should never again be played. It’s the most depressing song since “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” 

 

I decree that the paper and ribbon leavings from open gifts should be thrown away. If they are to be recycled at all, let it be in the blue bins, not folded to be reused. 

 

I decree that Christmas in the church should be celebrated as the birth of the Christ Child into the world; leave the crucifixion out of it. With this in mind, deep six that song about how “Mary’s child” will “soon be saving her.” Why is it that we so want to compress both our history and our theology into one, compact, neatly wrapped “gift”? Let the story unfold, people. Savor its depth and its “mythical” qualities, even if it’s not all “good Bible.”

 

I decree that it is OK to accept a gift without developing some kind of a anaphylactic reaction causing a “reciprocation” anxiety. Sometimes people just want to give a gift out of genuine love, or the joy of doing it. When they see it has evoked a false fear in us—“But I didn’t get YOU anything!”—it sucks the joy out of their experience. 

 

I decree that it is not against some kind of universal Christmas law to NOT make your children to have to “believe in Santa Claus.” We taught our children that the gifts they receive are from “people who love you very much.” The corollary to this is also true—don’t SPOIL it for children and their parents who DO perpetuate the Santa Claus legend. Remember the earlier “Gospel” of “Live and let live”?

 

Now, here are a few of my POSITIVE Christmas decrees:

 

I decree that Christmas is a wonderful time to patch up relationships that have sort of taken it on the chin during the year. Do with with apologies, words of affirmation, and with honest confession about your desire to “restart” the relationship. If you truly want to glorify God, here you go.

 

I decree that people should “plan for joy” in the Christmas Season. It’s a time to “stop shoulding all over yourself,” as someone has said, let loose, and have some fun! While having a few Christmas traditions may be meaningful for you, don’t let them become “decrees” of their own that MUST be carried out or “Christmas will be incomplete.” Traditions have a half-life, or at least should. Since the season’s central character is Jesus Christ, take a page out of his life. We have no record that Jesus sat down and prepared a daily agenda of what he “needed” to do. Instead, he encountered people, love them, accepted them, healed them when necessary, and just generally enjoyed being among them. Do thou likewise. And stop worrying about what “God’s plan” is. What Jesus did IS God’s plan. We best “incarnate” Jesus by taking people as they come and seeking to make their lives better via our encounter.

 

I decree that a Christmas Tree is a necessity, and not just because supposedly Martin Luther stuck candles on an evergreen to celebrate the “Light of the World,” which is a bad idea, anyway, according to the fire department. Put up a Christmas tree, of some sort, and celebrate the memories it invokes. If you have cherished ornaments, get them out, dust them off, and adorn your tree with them. If you have “aged out” of putting up a more formal tree, get one of those little ones, or have some friend who is into ceramics make you one of those little “Lite Brite” trees. If you like to trudge through the forest to cut your own sad-looking tree and drag it into your low-ceilinged living room, by all means, DO so! But have a tree. Since the Christmas Tree has become such a symbol of the season, don’t miss that all we do at Christmas IS symbolic, if not of God’s inbreaking, then of our beloved memories, or of the emerging wonder of our children or grandchildren. A Christmas Tree is central to any of this. 

 

I decree that attending a Christmas Eve worship service is essential, as well. Part of our Christmas transformation occurs when we gather with others in our faith community and are reminded as a “body” that we ARE the Body of Christ, thanks to what God did, has done, and is yet doing in our midst. Listen to the story of the shepherds, the young maid Mary, Joseph, the long-suffering “earthly” father of Jesus, and the “babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” Sing the hymns of Christmas. If you’re a Methodist, don’t DARE eschew singing Charles Wesley’s masterpiece, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” And do all within your power to keep Christmas Eve church attendance from being a “should.” Go because it is the catalyst of your joy. Go because you can’t NOT sing the great hymns and light a candle to that “Silent Night.” Go, because Christ CAME, and is with us, still.

 

There is one decree that has brought us to this hour—“For God so loved the world that God gave the only Son, that WHOSOEVER believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” Makes Caesar Augustus’s decree look like a piker, doesn’t it? Because of this one, great, eternal decree, the angels could do a little “Paul Revere” about what was about to happen, and found the humble shepherds. Because of THIS decree, a great, Godly promise of “Peace on Earth, goodwill toward all people” was spoken into existence, and is headed toward ultimate fulfilment, some of which is left in our hands, by the way. Because God so LOVED the world, we can do everything within our power to joyously celebrate the season, be creative about spreading Christmas cheer across the globe, and do our best to help the universe hear this universal message. Oh, and keep an eye out for those around you who may struggle with the season because of the proximity of a difficult event to it, won’t you? It’s so hard to lose a loved one near December 25, but people do, and their “merrymaking” must be of a different variety, at least until the grief morphs into memory. They most need your understanding, your presence, and maybe an invite for a quiet night with a few close friends. Joy doesn’t have to be loud to touch hearts, after all.

 

I have one more decree for you: Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS, you, your loved ones, your friends, and your church family! And may this be the year when God’s promise of “Peace on Earth, goodwill toward all people” takes a quantum leap forward! Amen.