Martin Luther on Christmas, Devotional Excerpts

Jonathan was looking for good quotations for our Christmas Eve bulletin. I got no farther than Martin Luther’s first three Christmas sermons. (Read them here, or listen here.)

Enjoy these excerpts. You might want to add them to your personal or family devotions this week.

Why the History of Christmas was written…

The history is written for us that we might learn to take to heart this picture, how our dear Lord Jesus was born on earth in such poverty, and that we might never forget it, especially since we learn from the sermon of the angel that it was for our good. For here we see the great and wonderful work of God, that for the sake of poor, wretched humanity He lets His only begotten Son take upon Him human nature and become true man, and as such endure all weakness and misery, nay take upon Him even our sins, though without sin in Himself, and become a sacrifice for them, in order that we might learn to thank and praise God for this great benefit, that we poor, wretched, nay even condemned men, today attain to such great honor of becoming one flesh and blood with the Son of God.  

The Son of God is Our Brother!

For the very eternal Son of the eternal Father, through whom heaven and earth were created out of nothing, He, as we hear, became man, was born into the world like us, except that in Him there never was any sin. Therefore we may now boast that God has become our brother, nay our flesh and blood. This great honor was conferred, not upon the angels, but upon us men. And although the angels are more glorious creatures than we are, yet God has honored us more highly, and come nearer to us than to the angels, since He became not an angel, but man. Now if we men would properly think of this, and heartily believe it, this inexpressible grace and benefit of our heavenly Father would cause us great joy, and impel us to thank God from our hearts, to love Him, and willingly to submit to His will.

Christ is Nearer to Us than Adam was to Eve

Adam and Eve were not born, but created. God made Adam out of the dust of the earth, and the woman of his rib. How much nearer is Christ to us than Eve to her husband Adam, since He is truly our flesh and blood. 

I Am in No Danger

This now is the reason why this history is preached every year, that every young heart may form this image within itself, praise God for it, and say: Now, thank God! I am in no danger; for I have a Brother, the Son of God, who became such as I am.

The Joyous News Must Be Preached!

This sermon of the angels was very necessary; for though Christ should have been born twenty times, it would have been in vain if we had known nothing about it. For what does it profit a man if he has a treasure in his house or cellar and knows nothing of it? It can give him neither pleasure nor joy. As the proverb says: Ignoli nulla cupido, a hidden treasure is a useless treasure, which we may walk over, as over the filth in the street, regardless of it. If God had not through the dear angels, and otherwise, preached to the people and revealed this treasure, no one could have desired, much less enjoyed it, no one would have rejoiced in it. The reason is that what one does not know does not affect him; it gives him neither joy nor sorrow, but is as though it had never been, or should never come to pass.

The Truth of Christmas Written in Our Hearts is the Victory

If we would gain the victory over the devil with all his venom and wrath, hell and death, and be secured against him, it must be done only by this sweet contemplation and comfort, of which the angel here preaches and says: “To you is born a Savior.” If this truth is properly written in our hearts, the cause is already won.

How Jesus Honors All Humanity

Now if we would rightly consider and take this to heart, we men ought to love and esteem each other heartily, even if we had no other gain from it. For I do not yet speak of the use and benefit, of which the angel speaks in the following words: “To you is born a Savior,” but only of the honor. Yes, if we would rightly take this to heart, we could never be the enemy of any man? For who would hate or harm that image, that has a body and soul like my God and thine? Should we not, for the sake of this honor that God has shown us, love all men and do good to them?

Did Jesus Come to Save the Ducks?

My dear friend, if you will say it is not for me, to whom then does it belong? Did He come for the sake of geese, ducks or cows? For you must notice what He is. Had He wished to help another creature, He would have become that creature. Had He not become man for the sake of us poor, sinful, lost men, He would not be called our Savior. Now see, what are you? What am I? Are we not all men? Yes. Who then is to receive this Child, but just we men? The angels do not need Him; the devils do not want Him, but we need Him, and for our sake He became man. 

The Joy of Christmas it too much to bear

Therefore it is a very precious word which we hear: ” Unto you is born the Savior.” This birth, he would say, is not for us angels; I have no share in it, except that I am glad with you and for you, who are poor, depraved and lost men. This Child, the Son of God, is your Savior; you are to be helped from sin and death. Now it is in itself a great and glorious thing that God has become man. But this is far more, that He is to be our spiritual and eternal Savior. Whoever would rightly believe this, could tell what true joy is. Yes, if his heart were full of this faith, he could, for great joy, not live long; for his heart could not bear the joy.

Merry Christmas!
PrBW