"We Beheld His Glory"

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things!” Rejoice and sing this bright Christmas morning, because the Eternal Light has dawned upon this benighted sphere. The Light of the World has come upon the world, and we behold His glory. The everlasting Son of the eternal Father has been born this day into your flesh.

The virgin has conceived and has borne a son. Why do you marvel at this? The eternal Father, existing before all worlds, begot a Son from all eternity without a mother. When did this happen? That is beyond knowing; that is the wrong question. But the Blessed Virgin bore a son without a father. When did this happen? That is a good question. For the birth of the Son of God happened not in eternity, not in abstraction, but in the flesh, of the flesh and blood of Mary in the stable in Bethlehem. Marvel not that God has a Son, but that the Son of God is born of a woman.

For what reason was the Son of God, the eternal Word of God, born of a woman? He was born once into your flesh that you might obtain the divine rebirth into His life. He was born once who has no need of rebirth. But you have need of His birth, because you have been condemned in your first birth. Therefore, do not hesitate to be reborn in Him.

The Word of God is and was and is to come, the First and the Last. He is the creator of heaven and earth; by Him all things were made, and nothing exists without His having made it. Rejoice that He was made flesh in her whom He Himself made in the flesh. See His glory there, at the bosom of Mary.

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Word became flesh. At this glorious mystery all heads bow and all knees bend. God has become man, not by the lowering of the Divinity into man, but by taking humanity into the Godhead. We have seen the glory of God, because the eternal, invisible God now has a face and body and flesh and blood. This little babe in the arms of a virgin is the King of the Universe born for you.

“Blessed is He who cometh in the Name of the Lord!” This child is the one who comes in the Name of the Lord. He bears the Name of the Lord into the world. The Name of the Lord is Jesus. He has a name, just as He has a face and flesh and blood. Blessed is He who cometh in the Name of the Lord, because He has come into the world to display the glory of the Father. His glory is that of the only-begotten Son of the Father.

And what is the great glory of the Father, who is full of grace and truth? The great glory of the Father is that He is not only full of grace and truth, but He gives these gifts freely to His creation. He gives these gifts to you. These are the true gifts given on Christmas.

For Jesus came into the flesh not simply to be born and live among men. He came not simply to show the way to a better life. He came not simply to invade a virgin's womb and distress an unknowing husband. He came to display the glory of God and to give the grace of God to all mankind. He came to die. The glory of God is that He has sent His Son, born this day of Mary, into your flesh to bear your sin and be your savior.

You see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ because that newborn babe, so few hours old, has already begun the path down from the throne of God to the gates of hell. He has come that He might be lifted up high upon a cross. He has come to give up His body so miraculously created and shed His blood. He has come to die. He has come to die your death.

Blessed is the One who cometh in the Name of the Lord! Blessed is the One who comes into the Name of the Lord – that is who inhabits the Name of the Lord. Blessed is the One who IS the Name of the Lord. The Name of the Lord is not some abstraction, some fancy title to an invisible spectre you cannot see. The Name of the Lord is Jesus, the Christ. The Name of the Lord exists in human flesh and blood. The Name of the Lord has come into the world to take up His throne not by might but by death. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

This is the great gift of Christmas. Keep this in mind as you celebrate. Keep Christ in Christmas – the Christ who is crucified for your salvation. The Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary who now is raised from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity for you. Rejoice this happy morning, because God has come to His people. He has come to His people and become one of us. He has come to His people and taken you into Himself. He has displayed His eternal glory. The eternal light has come into the world, and darkness never again shall reign. The eternal joy has come into the world, and grief never again shall reign. He rules the world with truth and grace and lets the nations see all the glory of the one who comes in the Name of the Lord, the infant King of Israel. Hail! Hosanna to the Son of David, the coming King of Israel!

All blessing, thanks, and praise to Thee,

Lord Jesus Christ, be given:

Thou hast my Brother deigned to be,

Thou Lord of earth and heaven.

Help me throughout this day of grace

To praise Thy love and seek Thy face;

And when I stand before Thee

Forever to adore Thee (LSB 378.3).

Merry Christmas.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.