Love Has Come

away from God, but it drives us further and further from God because sin blinds us to the reality that so much of what we face

is a result of our sin. So many of the problems and the pains and the struggles that we deal with are a result of living life apart

from God, but sin blinds us to that reality, and it causes us to blame other people. It’s him, or it’s her, it’s them, or it’s those

people. Maybe it’s even God Himself, right?

And so our sin drives us away from God, but it doesn’t drive God away from us. Our sin might drive us away from God, but it does

not drive God away from us. That’s the story of Christmas. It’s the story of a God who loved us so much that from the moment

that we sinned, from the moment that sin ruptured our religion, from the moment that the sound of the apple hitting the

ground was still echoing in the garden, God was setting a course for Christmas. And the entire Bible, the entire Old Testament

especially, is filled with promises with this resounding refrain from God that basically boils down to, “Hold on, love is coming.

I’m not gonna leave you here. I’m not gonna leave you where you are. Love is coming.” And in Christmas, we celebrate its arrival.

I’m gonna read the story of Christmas from Gospel of Luke Chapter 2. I’m gonna ask you to do something for me tonight, and

that is I’d like you to listen to this familiar story with a little bit of a different lens. As I’ve said, I’m not gonna try to bring

anything new out of the story, but I’m gonna ask you to find your place in it. As I read the story, as we encounter these different

characters, my question to you is this, which of these characters is most like you?

In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first

census that took place while Quirinius was the governor of Syria. And everyone went to their own town to register. And so Joseph

also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house

and the line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. And

while they were there, the time came for the baby to be born.

She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room

available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of

the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do

not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. For today in the town of David, a Savior has been

born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the

highest heaven and on earth, peace to those on whom His favor rests.” Now, when the angels had left them and gone into