1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

When Caesar came into office, he had announced a very popular tax rebate to all the citizens of Rome.

But then the economy tanked, the Zealots had launched terrorist attacks again, and the debt went out the roof, so Caesar had to increase taxes again.

2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

There was a great danger that people would avoid paying their taxes. The Roman Internal Revenue Service spent months trying to determine exactly how they could get very last denarii out of every citizen.

Someone suggested that they just mail everybody a form labeled MXL (1040 in Roman Numerals). But other people in the office insisted that it would be too easy to cheat on such a form.

Finally, some bureaucrat suggested that everybody be required to go to their hometown. There all the town gossips would know who everybody was, what they did and how much everybody made.

They would just hire the town gossips, and that way all the taxes would be collected.

Caesar thought that was a great idea. In addition, he figured that all those people moving about would bring tourism denarii into the local economy.

So that's what they did.

4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David.) 5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

Joseph made a modest living as a carpenter. And being the upright citizen that he was, he was scrupulously honest about paying his taxes. He was eager to see all his family again, all those other descendants of the great king of Israel, David.

But there was just one problem. Mary was expecting her baby any day.

Well, Joseph didn't particularly like the hospitals in Nazareth anyway. And he had heard that they have lots of good doctors at Good Samaritan Hospital over in Bethlehem.

6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

Joseph hadn't realized that the rough donkey ride from Nazareth to Bethlehem would be just the thing to induce labor.

They never made it to Good Samaritan Hospital! Mary was ready to have that baby before they got settled in town.

7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Bethlehem never did have enough motel rooms, especially now that the city had that new civic center.

When Joseph and Mary checked at the Comfort Inn, they found that all the rooms were full. But someone suggested that they could stay in the garage out back. And that is where the baby was born.

Hymn #25 “Away in a Manger”

8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

A shepherd’s life is a quiet life. Sheep don't make much noise and neither do the shepherds.

At night after the sheep were settled down, the shepherds built themselves a little fire and stood around telling lies and bragging about the last time they defended their sheep from the attacking wolves.

Each shepherd in turn embellished his own story to make himself look even more courageous than the shepherd before him.

After about two hours of starlight and tall tales, the little fire was surrounded by nothing but superhero shepherds!

9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Suddenly the quiet Bethlehem skies were filled with a brilliant bright light.

You should have seen those superhero shepherds cowering on the ground while the curious sheep merely turned a casual eye to the sky.

One shepherd whispered to another, "It's a UFO!"

Another said "No, I think it is the INS spotlighting us to check our green cards."

10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Well, the shepherds were much relieved to know that this was a friendly extra-terrestrial (ET), and not an invasion of body snatchers from Mars.

In fact, the angel brought great news. The long prophesied Messiah was born!

All the Jewish people had waited for thousands of years, believing and hoping that a new David would be born to save his people.

Then the angel even gave directions to find this baby. “Don't look on the 3^rd floor of Good Samaritan Hospital. Look in the old garage behind the Comfort Inn, and you will find a baby wrapped in shop towels and lying in the bed of a wrecked Dodge Ram.”

13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Now there were thousands of angels lighting up the sky. And they all started singing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah, so the shepherds, of course, all stood up.

Chills ran up their spines as they worshipped God with the angels. Then the angels proclaimed peace and good will toward all.

The shepherds were a bit surprised that the angels would mettle in politics that way. They needed a war of independence from Rome before they proclaimed peace.

All the good Jewish people were hoping that the Zealots would overthrow the Roman government.

But the angels seemed to want peace on earth, and they wanted it right now.

Hymn #56 “The First Noel”

15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

First one shepherd said, "Did I just see what I thought I just saw? Or was I dreaming again?"

Another said, "I think I had way too much of that fermented grape juice for dinner!"

But finally, they realized that everyone had seen and heard the same thing. It was miraculous.

After a few moments, someone said, "Well, what are we going to do? Are we just going to stand out here with angel-burned faces, or are we going to find that baby?"

There was some debate about the need to tend the sheep, but one faithful shepherd suggested that the Lord would take care of their sheep for one night.

This was the night of nights, and the most important thing they could do was to find the new born Messiah.

16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

So they left their sheep to the Lord's care, and made their way into town past Good Sam, past the Kentucky Fried Chicken, and behind the Comfort Inn. And sure enough, they found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the bed of a wrecked Dodge Ram.

The shepherds were filled with wonder and awe.

In turn, each shepherd came close, pulled back the shop towels and laid eyes on the beautiful baby. It was the baby that would change the destiny of all humankind.

They knew they were standing at the breaking point of human history.

And the shepherds all knelt down and worshipped the little baby that would be the Messiah, the Savior of the world, just as the angels had promised.

17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

By the time they left the Holy Family, the sun was already coming up and people were starting their daily chores.

As they walked by the shepherds spoke kindly, "Hi there! How's your family? You know, we just saw the Messiah born down there behind the Comfort Inn in the bed of a wrecked Dodge Ram."

And all the people that heard them, wondered.

They wondered just how much those shepherds had been drinking down at the local watering hole last night. And they wondered why they were not up in the hills with their sheep.

And they wondered if what the shepherds said just might be true.

19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

But Mary knew that the shepherds were telling the truth. An angel had told her the same thing nine months before.

And as only a mother can, she cradled that precious baby in her arms, and pondered, "What have I given birth to? I wish someone had given me an instruction book entitled How to Raise the Messiah Child."

But then she too was filled with worship and wonder and awe. How lucky she felt!

And the shepherds returned to their sheep, singing and praising God.

Hymn #29       “Go Tell it on the Mountain”

Today is Christmas.  We celebrate today because God came down and became one of us; because this same God would one day not only be born for us, but also die for us; because this same God who was born for us and died for us also was resurrected for us …and sent us his spirit to tend to us and warm us and comfort us and inspire us and love us.

We celebrate because the love this baby brought into the world is a love that we can embrace for one another, for ourselves and surely for our God.

May this day be a day in which you often stop and pause and give thanks for a God who is intimately involved in our lives.  Who loves us beyond understanding.  Who is ever ready to go to bat for us … now and always – even Jesus Christ our Lord!

Amen.