The Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Day) – December 25th, 2023
Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, Block, Kansas
Rev. Joshua Woelmer
Text: Various, esp. Luke 2:1–20
“The Symbols of Salvation”
Theme: Symbols are pictures worth a thousand words; they point us to what is real and what is worth communicating to others.
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
I don’t know about you, but putting up the Christmas tree is one of my favorite things at Christmas time. At first, all I had were a few ornaments that my mom had given me from my childhood, and a bunch of those bland baubles. My tree was gloriously red and silver. I called it my Nebraska Cornhuskers tree.
But after we got married, I had a bunch of new ornaments to add: my wife’s. I also got us an ornament or two to celebrate our first Christmas together. Plus, she had a much better taste for how the Christmas tree should look. Then, after having children, we get to add a lot more ornaments. I can barely keep track of which are which. But it’s a gloriously full and colorful tree full of ornaments with meaning. Some are from my childhood. Some from Brianna’s. I still have two Husker ornaments that must go on the tree. So many are for or from our children. We talk about these ornaments as we put them up, and this year was the first year that the kids helped in this project.
Every time we look at the tree and see the ornaments, they carry meaning with them. Symbols tend to do this. When you see a symbol, you shouldn’t need to think too hard about what it means. We’re surrounded by a lot of symbols at this time of year. Santa’s hat. Candy canes. Stockings. Lights. A stable. Angels. A star. A manger. A baby.
God knows that we need these things. We need symbols to stand for greater realities. There is truth to the statement, “Pictures are worth a thousand words.” God gave symbols to his people to contemplate. We heard a number of them last night, and I’ve given you a few today as well.
He promised them a shoot from the stump of Jesse. We all know how stumps that are not killed by a purple stump killer like Tordon will start putting forth shoots to grow again. Just like the tree of David’s reign seemed to be cut down by the Babylonians, God promised to bring forth a shoot, a branch, from this stump.
A symbol of a small town is important. Jesus would not be born in the great Jerusalem where kings must dwell. Even the scribes point the Wise Men and Herod to Bethlehem. This is and has always been a quiet town about 5.5 miles away from Jerusalem. Yet this little town of Bethlehem received a great gift. So do we who live in town or country. A great gift comes to us as well.
A woman is our next symbol, that of Mary. God sent forth His Son at the right time to the right person who received the message of favor with humility. That young woman has been painted and sculpted ever since alongside the baby she bore. When we see her, we do not see a perfect human being worthy of prayer or worship, but we see her whom our Lord favored.
The fourth symbol is a strange one—no one has the image of a tent or tabernacle on their Christmas tree. But this symbol is an important one. God dwelt with his people in the tabernacle and temple. He traveled with them, protected them, and made his presence known to them. Jesus is that Glory Cloud who makes his home among us in his flesh. Our God has tabernacled among us, and dwells with us wherever Christ is proclaimed.
The fifth symbol is of a stable. This surely makes up much of our Christian decorations at this time. We have one outside, and we have one right down here. I’m sure the creche can be seen in many places. It’s a reminder of the primary characters: the baby in a manger, Mary and Joseph by his side, shepherds, wise men, animals, and a star. All have their place, and all have significant meanings.
The sixth symbol is the Word. Words are themselves symbols, pointing us to greater realities. We cannot see many things, but words can describe definite realities. God used the Word to create the universe. Jesus spoke, and lepers were cleansed and the dead were raised. By his Word God forgives your sin and guilt. The Word also points you now to the meanings behind all these symbols.
The last symbol is a mountain. Just like the alphorns in Switzerland can project sound a long distance, God encourages his people to “go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength” (9). Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere that Jesus Christ is born! Mountains signify the greatness of our God. So many people can see them, and voices and sounds from them can carry. Our voice today are echoes from what Christians have been saying for two millennia: that Jesus Christ is born!
There are many more Symbols of Salvation than what we can cover in one day, in one sermon. We have not yet touched on the crown of thorns, the cross, the wounds, or the open tomb. Those might be for another day.
But in the end, symbols point us to what is real. A picture is worth a thousand words, but those words must sometimes be spoken out loud. We must teach our children and grandchildren what those symbols mean, what the reality behind those symbols is. We must also take them to heart ourselves, believing and rejoicing in God’s message that salvation comes to us.
Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.
Return to Top | Return to Sermons | Home | Email Church Office