What Child Is This?

"The Nativity of Christ" by Vladimir Borovikowsky

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“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

At first hearing, it seems as though Mary must have gotten it all wrong. I mean, isn’t Christmas a time for celebration? And here, Luke tells us that “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” The contrast is striking. While every year the Christmas retail season starts earlier and earlier and the hype gets more and more intense, the first Christmas was not an intense affair at all. If anything, it seems to be quite calm and quiet in comparison to today’s festivities.

Now, of course, you can’t blame people for trying to make a dollar. And we have probably all fed the beast of the commercialization of Christmas to one extent or another. But we’ve not come here to fight the “war against Christmas” or the bogeyman of big business; we are here to get away from the busy-ness of our hectic lives and this frenzied season so that we might discover anew the good news of great joy that was proclaimed a long time ago to shepherds on Bethlehem’s plain: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (2:11).

You and I have much to learn from Mary, the mother of our Lord. What exactly did she “ponder” in her heart? Not those things many people have come to expect in this season: an extravagance of gifts and bright lights, the sound of carols and the glistening of new-fallen snow that casts a mystic glow over hearth and family—all these trappings lay far in the future. No, Mary’s enchantment was not found in any of that. Rather, what she pondered in her heart was that which that had been spoken by the angel of the Lord to the rugged shepherds concerning her baby boy, “Christ the Lord.”

She looked down at the tiny baby wrapped tightly in swaddling clothes in His manger bed. Could it really be that the Lord, the God of hosts, who feeds all creation, who opens up His hand to satisfy the desire of every living thing, could come to be so small that He would take flesh within her virgin womb, be born as a helpless infant boy, and be suckled at her breast?

“Good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10), the angel had announced to the shepherds. This was no pipe dream or human speculation; these words were from the very mouth of God. Her firstborn Son was none other than the Messiah, the promised Redeemer, and God in human flesh and blood and bone. So Mary treasured all these words, pondering them in her heart.

You and I can do no less on this holy night. For when all is said and done, there is nothing to say or do that could add the smallest luster to this day. The most overpowering music or overwhelming light display could never hold a candle to the simple wonder of a heart captivated by our gracious God, who loved the world so that He give His only begotten Son. When we could not go to Him, He has come to us, wrapped in swaddling clothes.

What child is this? This is the Savior, Christ the Lord; God in diapers, here among us. God in a crib—and then some 30 years later, God on a cross, made to be sin for us that He might remove forever the curse of sin and the sting of death, which is the just penalty of God's Law “that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). That’s the gist of Christmas.

Everything else will fade. The glitz and glitter will soon be packed away for another year. The excitement of children and the happy glow of all we’ve come to expect from this holy night is illusive and fast fleeting. All too soon it’s come and gone. But not this: Treasure in your heart the mystery of God made flesh for our salvation. Ponder with Mary this question: “What child is this?”

In faith, let Mary lead the way this night. Set aside the busyness. Shut down your head and open up your heart to receive the great glad news that Christ is born a child. “Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room” (LSB 387:1). For He comes among us wrapped in the swaddling clothes of the Word of His Gospel. He comes for every soul distressed and lonely and grieving. He comes for every wounded mind and heart. He comes for peace that passes all understanding, for forgiveness, for life and our salvation. He comes for you this night. And you can be sure of this: “Where meek souls will receive Him, still the dear Christ enters in” (LSB 387:3). You are forgiven for all of your sins.

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

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Based upon a sermon by Harold L. Senkbeil, Concordia Pulpit Resources, Volume 14, Part 1, Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis, 2003.