An Unexpected Christmas

A Series on Advent
The hymns of Luke’s birth narrative: Gloria in Excelsis Deo by Angelic chorus
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Luke 2:1-21 

[In Luke’s Gospel, there are four songs attributed to different individuals that were involved in the story of Christ’s birth. In this series, we will look at the meaning of those songs, how the person(s) or angels were involved in the birth story and what it means for us today.]

  

Christmas traditions are wonderful! Decorating is a popular tradition. My wife goes all out. She decorates the whole house using every available space.

 

When you enter our home, the first thing you see is a snowman scene. In the living room, a nativity scene adorns the mantel. Across from it, on top of our piano, are myriad angels with lights gracefully wrapped around them. Finally, in front of the French doors, is our Christmas tree with an angel on the top glowing brightly.

 

Normally, Bethlehem was a sleepy little town a few miles outside of Jerusalem. However, because of the census that Caesar Augustus had decreed, it was bustling. This was the town where David was born. Therefore, anyone who was in David’s lineage had to come to Bethlehem for the census, including Joseph and Mary.

 

Despite Mary being nine months pregnant, this teenage couple had traveled 70 miles from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. Most likely, they had planned to stay with relatives of Joseph. But because it was so crowded and because Mary was about to have her baby, they stayed in a stable.

 

That same night, in the outlying rugged Judean hills where David had watched his father Jesse’s sheep, were shepherds watching their flocks. Like Mary’s baby, these sheep were unblemished so that they could be used as sacrificial lambs at the temple in Jerusalem for the sins of the people.

 

Suddenly an angel appeared among the shepherds “with the blazing glory of God”. At first the shepherds were terrified, but the angel told them, “Do not be afraid”. Then he gave them this good news.

 

¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.                         NIV

 

The angel told them to look for a sign: “a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger”. But then something even more remarkable happened!

 

¹³ Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”    GNT

 

This angelic choir filled the heavens and earth with the Gloria in Excelsis Deo, or “Glory to God in the Highest”. Following this, the shepherds decided to go into Bethlehem to see if they could find the child. They did!

 

Christmas traditions are great! They can help to give it meaning. But they can also make it routine so that we don’t expect the unexpected. And everything about Jesus’ birth was unexpected.

 

From the supernatural appearance of angels to the miraculous virgin birth. From the king of the Jews being born in a stable, to the praise of the angelic choir. From angels announcing the birth of the king to lowly shepherds, to a common couple parenting the Son of God. It was an unexpected Christmas.

But this is how God works. His values, his priorities and his kingdom turn our world upside down. For this, we give “Glory to God in the Highest” and he gives us a savior who brings “peace on earth”.

 

Copyright 2025 Joseph B Williams

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