EMPEROR, INNKEEPER AND BABY

CHRISTMAS MORNING IS PERHAPS THE MOST APPROPRIATE AND AT THE SAME TIME MOST

DIFFIGULT TIME 10 CONDUCT A WORSHIP SERVICE. AT NO OTHER!
QUITE AS JOYOUS, QITE AS EXUBERANT AS AT THE OCCASION OF

IS ONLY ONE APPROPRIATE SUHJECT FOR A SIRMON ON THIS DAY

NEW BORN KING. I HAD THE FEELING WHILE PREPARING THIS SE

WOULD DETRACT FRO M THE JOY OF THE DAY AND LIKEWISE NOTHING

——

ADEQUATELY CONVEY THE HOLINESS THATIS IN THE ATR TODAY.

TIME OF THE YEAR ARE WE

THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD. THERE

(THAT IS THE ARRIVAL OF A
RMON THAT ANYTHING I SAID

I could SAY COULD

IN THE SUNDAYS OF ADVENT I HAVE DISCUSSED THE PROPHECY, THE FORERUNNER, THE

THHDLOGICAL PHENOMENON OF THE INCARMMTLION AND THE SECULAR}

CHRISTMAS. TODAY I AM LEFT WI'H ON. Y_ONE THING, THE FACT

CHRIST. HOW CAN I ANNOUNCE IT ANY MORE BRILLIANTLY THAN |

WHAT CAN I SAY TAT WILL BE MORHM MEANINGFUL THAN THE ANG}

THEY ANNOUNCED THAT IN BHIHLEHEM IN A MANGER, MEN MAY FIN!

[ZATLON OF AMERICAN

OF THE BIRTH OF JES
LUKE AND MATTHEW HAVE, !
i

HLS DIVINE SIMPLICITY WHEN

) CHRIST THE LORD. HOw,

IN FIFTEEN MINUTES OF TALKING CAN I RELATE MOR! PASSION THAN FLOWS THROUGH THE

PHRASE "JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD HAS COME." YOU KNOW TH]

BECAUSE OF THIS I WILL STICK VERY CLOSE TO LUKE'S A

STORY YOU ALL KNOW SO WELL, HOPING THAT THROUGH A MUTUAL J

—_—

WORDS WILL TAKE WN RNEWED SIGNIFICANCE,

f ANSWER, I CANNOT.

‘COUNT, GOING OVER THE

PFFOQT THE TRADITIONAL

26

IN RECINT YEARS GHRISTIAN SGIOLARS ARE DISCOVERING MORE AND MOR THAT EVERY

PHRASE IN TH! BIBLE HAS IMPORTANCE. THERE WAS A TIME WH

ADVOCATING DISCARDI

ey

THEY WOULD TRIM AWAY THE MYTH AND LEGEND

SCIENTIFIC FACT.

RAW FACTS. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE SOME OF THE FIRST THINGS TO

THE MELODRAMATIC BIRTH SIORY OF JESUS, ANGELS AND WISEMEN

—.

—y

THINGS COULDN'T BE PROVEN SO THEY WERE OF NO USE. THEIR ¢

AND SHEPHERDS.

NEW TEST, SCHOLARS WERE

NG ANY PARTS OF TH GOSPELS ®HAT DID sé COINCIDE WITH HISTORICAL,

AND G&T DOW TO THE
GO WERE THE VIRGIN BIRTH,
THESE

——_—

RY WAS, LET'S BE SCIENTIFIC

ABOUT THIS, DO AWAY WITH ANYTHING THAT COMLICTS WITH HUMAN REASON, LET'S THROW

AWAY ALL THE CRUTCHES AND DEPEND SOLELY ON FACT.

ONE VERY FAMOUS EUROPEAN SCHOLAR, RUDOLPH BUTLMANN ;

JOMN: DISCARDING EVIRYTHING THAT APPEARED TO BE A MYTH, RH

OF EVENTS TO MAKE THEY MRS PLAUSIBLE AND SO ON. WHAT HE

REWROTE THE GOSPEL OF

ARRANGING THE SEQUENCE

PROWUCED WAS A THEOLOGICAL

MASTIR PIECE, UNFORTUNA TS. Y IT WAS NO LONGER THE GOSPEL Ac

TODAY THE TREND, THANKFULLY, IS IN THE OPPOSITS DIR
ed

OR DING TO JOHN.

LON, SCHOLARS ARE REALIZING

THAT THE MEN WHO WROTE THE NEW TESTAMENT WERE NOT INTELLECHUALLY INFERIOR, THEY

WERE NOT TRYING TO PULL_THE WOOL OVMR ANY ONE'S EYES,

AND ASTONISHED MEN, WHO EXPERIEN ING THE SY RANGEST AND MOS!

WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN, FELT OO PELLED TO WRITE DOWN WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

EVERY WORD MUST BE CONSIDERED AS SIGIIFICANT, EVERY PHRASE

—_—_

THE]

y WER SIMPLY ASTOUNDED
t IMPORTANT PHENOMENON THE

IN THIS CONTEXT

IS PACKED WITy MEANING,
rei

36
regardless of whether it is historical fact.

THIS ALL A PLIES DIRECTLY 10 THE ACCOUNT OF THE BIR

OF OUR LORD. HOW ARHO*

GANT AND PRESUMPTIOUS OF US 1 DISCARD PART SAYING" THIS

~

HAPPENED."\ EVERY WORD RECORDED WAS DONE SO WITH THE PURP
WONDERFUL NSWS THAT THE WORD HAS BEEN MADE FLESH, THAT TH

US TO OFFER THE LOVE AND REDEMPTIONOF GOD. WHETHER THE M

JUST COULDN'T HAVE
DSE OF QNV EYING THE
& CHRIST HAS COME AMONG

HANS USED TO CONVEY THIS

NEWS ARE HISTORICALLY ACMRATE ISNOT EVEN A QUESTION TO B

LOOKING CLOSELY AT LUKE'S ACCOUNT OF THE HEIRTH OF O
EXTRACT TwO_INDIVIJUALS THAT PLAY PROMINENT ROLES, EXAMIN
RELA TIONSHIP TO THIS NEW BRN BABE,

THE FIRST 15 CAESAR AUGUSTUS. AT THE TIME OF THE B

CAESAR AUGUSTUS WAS THE MOST POWERFUL MAN ON THE EARTH.
Sy

OCTAVIUS, AND HE WAS BORN THE GREAT NEPHEW OF JULIUS CAZES;

—_——___,

FAMOUS OF THE ROMAN Bi PERIOR'S TAHNKS TD WILLIAM SHAK SSPEAR.

CAESAR TO BE (1S HELR AND BFTER THE ASSASINATION HE GRADU
POWER STRUGGLES TO SUCCEED HIS UNCLE AS EMPEROR. (‘USTORL

HE FOUND ROME PRICK AND LEFT IT MARBLE.

E DISCUSSED.

IR LO2D, I WOULD LIKE 10

E THEM CLOSELY AND THE K

[RTH OF CRAWSXGAK JGUS,

HIS REAL NAMEWAS GAIUS

AR, PURHAPS THE MOST

HE WAS NAMED BY JULIUS

LLY ROSE THAD UGH THE

ANS HAVE SAID OF HIM THAT

HIS ACCOMPLISHMENT INCLUDED ROADS THAT TODAY

Le

EARN THE RESPECT OF ENGINEERS, SEAUTL AULEXKXM BUILDINGS AND THE ACQUISTLON OF

MORE POWER,WEALTH AND PRESIGE THAN ROME HAD EVER KNOWN.

THLS MAN GAIUS OCTAVIUS WHO WAS NAMED CAESAR AUGUST|

ISSUED THE DECREE THAT ALL THE PEOPLES IN HIS REALM SOUL

————_—_—_—_——————————

US WAS THE ONE THAT

D RETURN "0 THE PLACE OF

[NG FIGURE OF AUTHORITY

THELR BIRTH TO BE COUNT@D FOR TAXATION. WHILE THIS TOWR

AND POWRR SAT IN THE IMPERIAL PALACE IN ROME A BABY WAS 5

OF HIS EMPIRE. IN THi HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF MEN RETUH ING

IMPERIAL DECRES# A CHILD CAME INTO HE WORLD. THE STOH |

—Se

TWO PEOPLE, THE MIGHTEST OF THE ROMAN EMPERORS IN ALL HIS} REGAL GLORY BABY.

—_——

SO INSIGNIFICANT, SO UTTSRLY UNIMPORTANT THAT HIS BIRTH

COULD THERE POSSI ELY BE ANY QUESTION AS TO THE MOR SIGIT

LUKE IS NOT ACTING AS A HISTORIAN RECORDING FACTS

Is AN ARTIST DRAWING A PICTURE, FORCING US TO LOOK AT TH

———

DERN IN A FAR OFF CORNER
HOME BECAUSE OF AN

/
1S PATHETIC) COMPARE THES.
nd

|

fOOK PLACE IN A STAELE.

w

PICANT OF THE TWO?

§ THEY OCCUR. RATHER HE
WONDROUS PARADOX. AN

SENTIMENTAL ABOUT THAT

EMPEROR AND A BABY IN A STABLE. TOO OFTEN WE BECOME OVER
BETHLEHEM STAGLE, WE TALK OF SWEET SMELLING HAY, OF CATH

ISN'T WHAT LUKE IS SAYING.

E SOFTLY LOWING, THIS

He IS SHOUTING IN THE MOST DRAMATIC WORDS HB CAN

FIND. LOOK AT THIS, LOOK AN BMPEROR AND A BABY: APALACE AND A DARN.

5e
WHEN CAESAR AU@STINE DIED MEN COMPORTED TH IM SELVES

IMMORTAL. ROMAN EMPERTORS WEXGIAS AUTOMATIC ALLY BECAME GO

HIS NAME, HOWEVER, IS QUITE FORGOTTEN EXCEPT BY HISTORY S

BY BELIEVING THAT HE WAS

bs, HE WOULD LIVE FOREVER.

TUDENTS.

AND HOW ASCUT THE BABY, HE TOO WAS CLAIMED TO BE IMMORTAL: WHEN HE DIED HIS

SUBJECTS CLAIMED H& WOULD LIVE FOREVER. ‘NDAY, TWO

D YEARS LATER, MEN ARE

PRAYERFULLY UTTRING HIS NAME, TODAY ALL OVER THE WORLD MEN ARE SINGING PRAISHSIN

REMEMGERANCE OF THE STAELE IN BETHLEHEM.
LUKE WASN'T WRITING HISTORY WHEN HE WROTE THIS ACO
———

WORDS. THE MARVELOUS TRUTH THATHAD BEEN REVEALED ] HIM.

INT. HE WAS PUTTING IN

HOW QUIETLY GOD HAS

PERFORMED THIS ACT. HOW INSIGNIFICANT, ACOORDING 10 (a foamy, IS THIS BABY,

HOW HUMELE HIS BUGINNING. LUKE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING wi!

Mi HE BUMPLED THESE TwO

FIGURES TOGSTHER IN HIS NARRATIVE. WHOEVER READ HIS ACOOUNT WOULD HAVE TO THINK

—

SIMULTANEOUSLY OF CABSAR AUGUSTUS AND JeSUS CHRIST. COMPA
IMPORTANCE AND MARVEL AT THE WISDOM AND MYSTSRY OF GOD.
LUKE MDE CERTAIN THAT IN THE FUTURE, ANYONE WHO REJ
MS EE te

FORCED TO SEE THE STRANGE WAY IN WHICH GOD ACTS. HOW THs

kc THEM, THEIR RELA TL VE

1D HES ACOOUNT WOULDBE

POWER OF MEN 1S NOTHIN

——_

IN THE EYES OF GOD: HOW HUMAN STANDARDS OF SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPORTANCE ARE MEANINGLESS

WHEN CONFRONT ED EY THE INFINITE, THEY WOULD BE FQRCED TO

IMPORTANT WAS THIS BABY THAN THE ROMAN EMPEROR HIMSELF.
—

RAALIZE HOW INFINITSLY MORE

6.

THE SECOND INDIVIWAL I.WANT TO EXTRACT, AND WHOSE |

THE INNKEEPER IN BETHLEHEM.

VEEP MBANING LOOK AT IS

MARY AND JOSEPH HAD TRAVELED QUITS A DISTANCE ON FOOT, AND ARRIVING AT

THELR DESTINATION BY NIGHT FALL MUST HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY |

EXHAUSTED. IN H#R CONDITION.

MARY NO DOUBT, LOOKED MRWARD TO RELAXING QUIETLY IN A Ro

——

INQUIRING THEY FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO ROOM, ALL AVAILASL

BY TRAVELERS THAT HAD ARRIVED BHBORE THEM. AS A LAST RES

INNKEEPERS OF FTER TO FIND SHELTER IN HIS STABLE. AND THa

BIRTH TO THE SON OF GOD, IN THS TRADITIONAL HABITAT OF D

DM IN THE INN. BUT ON

E SPACE HAD BEEN TAKEN

DRT THEY ACCEPTED THE

(@ IT WAS THAT MARY GAVE

iSTIC ANIMALS JESUS

THE CHRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD.

HOW SIGNIH CANT AND SYMB LIC A ROLE THE INNKEEPER pI

GOD AWAY FROM HIS XOOR BHCAUSE HIS INN WAS ALREADY FULL.

—_—_—__—

WAYS. He TURNED THE SON OF

IINORANT OF WHAT WAS BEFORE

HIM HE GAVE THE WEARY TRAVELERS HIS BARN TO SPEND THE NIGHT.

HERE AGAIN LUKE WAS NOP JUST TELLING A PRETTY ST RY

HE WAS RELATING WHAT HE HAD SEEN HAPPEN IN HIS LIFE TIME |

WHEN HE WORTH HIS ACCOUNT

IND WHAT HE KNEW WOULD

HAPPEN THROUGHOUT HISTORY. MEN WOULD TURN JHSUS CHRIST — EITHER BECAUSE THEY

HAD NO ROOM BECAUSE THEY WOULD FAIL TO RECOGNIZE THEIR
CONSIDER HOW LESS MEANINGFUL THE STORY WOULD BS IF 1

WELCOMED THE WEARY GUESTS, GAVE THEM LODGING AND OOMPORT,

LORD WHEN HE APPROACHED.

Hi INNKEEPER HAD

OR IF HE HAD RSCOGNIZED

Te

THE OCCASION. AS THE BIRTH OF A SAVIOR AND HOLED OUT THE &

ARPET TO THE DIST NGUISHED

VISITORS. THE POINT IS THAT IN LUKE'S NARRATIVE HE DID N
LUKE WAS REFERRING TO ALL MMI WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT

ARE IN THE SAME SITUWTION AS HIM.

AQT BURDMNS OF BVERY DAY LIPS SO HEAVY THAT WE SIMPLY

GOOD CHRISTIN? IS THE INN TOO FULL TO WELCOME THE CHRIST

LIKE THE INNKEEPER HAVE WE, EVER FAILED TD RLCOGNIZ

KNOCK ON OUR soon! HAVE WE EVER TURNED OUR BACKS WHEN OU

LIFE IS BRIMMING WITH THE SPIRIT AND LOVE OF GOD. THE W

SHEN IN ALL OF HUMAN GOODNESS. THE LOVE OF GQ CAN BE Hx

LOVE.

———

OCCASIONS OF HUMAN JOY AND GLADNESS AR «= EVIDENCE 7

ESPE IALLY ON THIS DAY AND IN THE CHRISTMAS SEASON WE ARS

ALL PERVADIN
OFTEN ARE TOO BLIND TO SEE.

ON THIS MOST GLORIOUS OF MORNINGS, LET US OPR\ OLR

ARS OUR HEARTS AND MINDS TOO GLUITERED WITH THLVIS

po

THE INNKZEPER. YOU AND I

| TO MAKE ROOM FOR OUR LORD?
HAVEN'T TIME TO BEA
CHILD?

& THE CHELST WHEN HE DOES
R LORD WAS APPROACHING.”
WON ESS OF GOD CAN BE
PERTENCED IN ALL OF HUMAN

HAT GOD IS AMONG US.

CONFRONT ED WITH THE

E OF OURCRATR. BUT LIKE THE INNKEEPGR, YOU_AND I, ALL TOO

\ONDS FULLY TO THE TRUTHS

CONTAINED IN THE CHRIS MAS STORY. BUT MOHS IMPORTANT LE!

THE CHRIST CHILD,

US OPEN OUR HEARTS TO

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