Christmas Midnight

Isaiah 9:2-7; Luke 2:1-20

December 24, 2025

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him….

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven … “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath.” [Rev 12.7-10a, 12]

“Woe to the inhabitants of the earth.” We have known this woe. For we have known the darkness. The darkness of parents dying. The darkness of fair-weather friends lying. The darkness of griefs multiplying.

The devil came down to earth to becloud us with his darkness. He made war upon mankind by the lie.

What was the lie? “You shall not die.” He gave our first parents an empty promise: “You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” By this lie he brought man into misery, binding him in the shadow of darkness.

Because this woe came to earth, the Word, the Son of God, came likewise to earth. It is prophesied in the Psalms:

“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy,

Now I will arise,” says the LORD;

“I will set him in the safety for which he yearns” [Ps 12.5].

When all was still and it was midnight, the Word arose and leapt down from His royal throne. The light entered the darkness, to bind the deceiver and send him back to the shadows.

Make no mistake. This Child comes for battle. It’s right there in tonight’s reading from Isaiah.

For … the rod of his oppressor,

you have broken as on the day of Midian.

For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult

and every garment rolled in blood

will be burned as fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given.

Christ comes for war against the enemies of mankind. And like all great battle plans, it involves subtlety and feint. The Child appears weak.

The full weight of the Roman Empire, the government, comes down on Him. They put their weight on this Child, compelling Him to bear His own cross. “And the government shall be upon His shoulder.” Satan the deceiver, Satan the usurper claimed the world’s government for himself. The Child who frightens Herod later frightens Caesar, through his proxy Pontius Pilate. They place the government’s might on His shoulder, and Jesus bears it. By it, He becomes the government. “Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end.”

What does this mean? The government of empire—Roman or American—is far less important than we think it is. Ultimately, it’s of no importance at all. For Christ is King, and “of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end.”

This Child is born King of the Jews, and your King. Which means there must be a change of allegiance for you. Christ is your King, and He summons you this night to be His disciple. He summons you to worship Him and change. He summons you to follow His noble and true law.

We are not redeemed by the incarnate God from God’s Law, but from the curse of lawbreaking. We who celebrate the birth of Jesus are redeemed from what? The Epistle for Christmas Midnight tells us Christ has come not to redeem us from the Law, but “to redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Tonight then, by the new-born Child, you leave here new-born. You are born anew to a living hope. You are born anew to a different life. Let no more your grudges imprison you. Let no more money have its hold on you. Let no more your lusts control you. For tonight, all the things which weigh you down are put to flight by your newborn King.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

These words are for you.

“Fear not!” The sin-bearer is born, and your sins are forgiven.

“Fear not!” The life-giver is born, and death has lost its sting.

“Fear not!” The son promised to Eve is born, and His foot crushes the serpent’s head.

Fear not! For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

A most blessed Christmas to you all!