A reading from Luke: “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” (2:1)

Dear church, we are taught by social media feeds and by the evening news broadcasts to know names like: Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Emperor Augustus. World leaders.  Politicians, who wield power, who keep records, who announce that the world should be registered, and the entire world moves at their command – even the poor and the pregnant!

The name Augustus meant more than just an inconvenient government decree. In many inscriptions, Augustus was hailed as “saviour of the whole world.” One declares that his birthday “has marked the beginning of the good news through him for the world.  

As emperor he was called kyrios, “Lord.” His laws were presented in official propaganda as, “good tidings of great joy.”

This is how the Christmas gospel begins – a word of power – a decree. The gospel writer doesn’t provide an exact history so much as creates a picture of the world Jesus was born into: economic hardship – a reign of power.

The gospel writer is inviting us to listen carefully and to look closely, busily re-arranging and contrasting our ideas about power, about history, about good news of great joy – in this child lying in a manger – heard against the backdrop of empire builders, power brokers and census takers.

To people suffering under unbelievable oppression, under the thumb of imperial Rome – Luke proclaims that they will hear and see truly good news not in imperial decrees, but in a manger – in this “good news of great joy for all the people” – in a birth announcement which calls forth worship and adoration, amazement and awe, wide-eyed wonder and running feet, and hope.

When God chooses to encounter the empire and the idolatry of imperial power, God comes as a helpless infant; when God chooses to bring hope, God comes not in official propaganda, but as a babe wrapped in strips of cloth; and when God chooses to embrace us and all of humanity with the gift of love God comes not as a decree but in flesh.

This gospel writer invites us to ask the very real questions during the advent candle lighting, and our worship, and in our gathering with family and friends, with neighbours and strangers; in the midst of our very real losses and mourning, and our very real concerns for creation, and for what we are seeing in many nations of the world: who saves and who gives peace? who claims our ultimate loyalty? who is it who is good news of great joy? who is it that brings peace built on justice, equality, and recognition of every human life as sacred?

Come to Bethlehem and see

Him whose birth the angels sing

Come, adore on bended knee

Christ the Lord, the newborn king.

Blessed Christmas.