CHRISTMAS EVE SERMON
LUKE 2:1-20
INTRODUCTION… Origin of N & N List, wiki/Santa_Claus_Is_Comin%27_to_Town
The idea of Santa Claus keeping a “naughty and nice” list developed gradually over centuries, blending Christian theology, folklore, and popular culture rather than coming from a single original source.
The earliest reference that I can tell was in 1934 from the song “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” written by J Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. That song debuted on a radio show in November of 1934. Within 24 hours, 500,000 copies of sheet music and 30,000 records were sold. It has been recorded by over 200 artists since then. The lyrics of this song introduce us to the idea of the “naughty and nice list” as it relates to Christmas and Santa Claus and kids and presents:
You better watch out, you better not cry, Better not pout, I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is comin' to town.
He's makin' a list, checkin' it twice, Gonna find out who's naughty or nice,
Santa Claus is comin' to town.
He sees you when you're sleepin', He knows when you're awake,
He knows if you've been bad or good, So be good for goodness sake!
Right there in the 1934 instant viral hit song is the formal declaration that Santa Claus has a list of folks who do good or bad all the while judging what kinds of gifts they get. I am not sure if the list was just understood or assumed in previous years given that The Department of Christmas Affairs subcontracts with Krampus to deal with disobedient and terrible individuals. Anyway, there you go, the Naughty and Nice List was declared in a song in 1934 to be a thing.
CHRISTMAS EVE 2025
“Naughty or Nice” refers to the ongoing list Santa Claus seems to have that has a record of rights and wrongs. Those on the “nice” list get presents. Those on the “naughty” list get coal. Two lists and two gifts. Our focus is not technically Santa or a list, but rather Jesus. Let’s look at Jesus’ birth where we will discover two lists and one gift. Tonight, I’d like us to focus on what happened the night of Jesus’ birth. Luke chapter 2 records for us what happened on the night of Jesus’ birth.
READ Luke 2:1-20 (ESV)
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
As we look over this passage of Scripture, I’d like to focus even further down to verses 9-12. I want to read them again so we focus well.
RE-READ LUKE 2:9-12 (ESV)
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
“Good news of great joy” came into the world. This news was given first to very simple people. Shepherds were in the fields making their living and working hard. Shepherds had the constant job of leading their flocks to fields where they could graze and leading them to running water or to wells where they could drink. Shepherds had the constant job of keeping the wandering sheep together. At night, the time of this particular passage, was no time off for the shepherd. It was at night that predators would stalk the sheep. It is also the most likely time for thieves to prowl around to steal sheep.
The message that the angel gave to the shepherds was not only words, but wrapped up in a Person. The first angel that arrived and shone brightly in the night communicated with words to the shepherds about what was going on.
This message is offered for “all people.” It says “all people” right in the passage. If I am honest, that is the whole point of what I want to talk about. The birth of Jesus and all that His birth means has been and continues to be offered to anybodies, everybodies, nobodies, and somebodies. Jesus’ offer is to all people who will accept the message. This message is for the person who thinks they are basically a good person and hits the nice list each and every Christmas. This message is for the person who thinks they are a scoundrel and hits the naughty list each and every Christmas.
“All people” means that Jesus was born, lived, and eventually died with great purpose for people who have their lives together and for those who live in a perpetual hot mess. The nice list and the naughty list are offered the same gift.
The Bible shares this Truth with us in other passages…
READ ROMANS 5:8
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”
READ ROMANS 5:18
“Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.”
READ ROMANS 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
READ TITUS 2:11
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.”
The passage we read from tonight not only shares with us that the gift that Jesus offers is for all people, but it describes the gift in simple terms.
RE-READ LUKE 2:13-14
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
The message, in verse 14, has to do with one word: “peace.” The “good news of great joy” and the celebration that was going on had/has to do with “peace.”
Peace with God. You and I who are on the “naughty list and the nice list” can have peace with a Holy God only through the death of Jesus and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. We can have peace with our Heavenly Father by following the way of peace set up for us. This means forgiveness by way of grace. This means God holds us as forgiven.
READ ROMANS 5:1
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Peace with Self. You and I who are on the “naughty list and the nice list” can have peace within ourselves. You and I can be free from the guilt of our sins because of the Grace of God. The way of peace that God has planned for us makes peace within us as we accept the forgiveness and grace given to us by God.
READ MICAH 7:19
“You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”
Peace with Others. You and I who are on the “naughty list and the nice list” can have peace with all the other people on the “naughty list and the nice list.” You and I are sinners and so are the people around us. You and I have a way of peace with the people who hurt us and with the people we hurt. Relationships are difficult. Marriage is difficult. Friendships can be difficult. Family relationships can be strained. As you and I think about the people in our lives, we can be guided by peace with them and for them.
READ ROMANS 8:6
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
SUMMARY / TAKEAWAY
Here is the simple message for tonight.
Here is the simple takeaway for tonight.
No matter if you are on the “nice list” or the “naughty list,” Jesus Christ was born for you to have peace. That’s it. No ifs, ands, or buts.
You who are on the “nice list,” Jesus Christ was born for you to have peace.
You who are on the “naughty list,” Jesus Christ was born for you to have peace.
PRAYER
