Such dazzling Christmas threads of promise weave through the Holy Scriptures echoing in our ears, being spun into an elegant yarn of hope, peace, comfort, and joy, sewn into a beautiful salvation garment.

A thread emerges in Eden’s Garden. Part of the dazzle is that it’s spoken as a curse to the devil. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

God had put a tree in Eden, commanding Adam and Eve not to eat of it, otherwise death’s curse would fall on them and their children.

Why did God create a tree with such awful consequences? He created the first altar. The tree was a place of worship. It’s where they practiced fear, love, and trust in God above all things by listening to His Word, restraining themselves, and not partaking of the fruit. The tree presented a means to exercise faith, obedience, and love toward God.

But the devil (in the form of a snake) deceived Eve into eating of the tree’s fruit. Then Adam ate of it. If anybody could say, “The devil made me do it,” it would be Eve. If anybody could blame someone else for their wrongdoing, it would be Adam. Yet, both of them should’ve shown self-control and resisted the devil’s temptations. But they didn’t. They are culpable with Satan for their sin. Adam and Eve ignored God. They did their own thing in rejection of God. They ate the deadly fruit that God commanded them not to eat. They became sinners. Their hearts darkened with doubt, disobedience, and contempt of God’s Word.

We follow our first parents’ footsteps. We inherited their sinful nature. Whenever we sin we ignore God, we desire to do our own thing in rejection of God, and we desire, think, say, and do what God has commanded us not to desire, think, say, or do. Like Adam and Eve, the consequence for our sinfulness and our sins is death.

Thankfully, the Lord cursed the devil with a promise that Adam and Eve heard and trusted. With that promise, their hearts that had been darkened by sin were enlightened through the Holy Spirit. Born in their hearts was a living faith that trusted the Lord’s thread of promise.

That dazzling promise? The woman’s offspring would bruise the snake’s head. In the process, the woman’s offspring would be struck on the heal, but He would crush the snake in victory. Eve held the promise so tightly, that she believed Cain was the promised One. Upon his birth, most translations record her as saying, “I have begotten a man with the help of the Lord.” Yet, Eve’s sentence is more accurately translated as “I have begotten a man—the Lord.” She misunderstood who the promised One would be, but she also shows faith and understanding that the promised One is the Lord Himself—God become flesh.

The promise made to Eve was passed down from Adam and Eve to successive husbands and wives. Every conception in the family was another renewal of the promise: an offspring of the woman will bruise the serpent’s head. One will defeat sin, death, the devil, and hell. Adam and Eve taught God’s promise to their children and grandchildren.

More dazzling Christmas threads weave into the elegant yarn. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

Amazing words of hope, peace, comfort, and joy! The promised One is a precious gift from God—a King who will reign on David’s throne eternally in perfect righteousness.

This Prince of Peace from the stump and root of David’s father (Jesse) will exercise His reign in such perfect wisdom and understanding, perfect counsel and might, perfect knowledge and fear of the Lord in which He will delight, that no one will be able to convince Him to judge sinfully. He will judge impartially with righteousness and faithfulness that renders His judgments true, right, good, and beautiful. A perfect peace will abound as the wolf and lamb, the calf and lion, the cow and bear, the child and cobra all hang out together peacefully.

The promised One (God’s Son and David’s Son) will be born in the city of David (Bethlehem). Such fitting symbolism, because the name Bethlehem means “house of Bread,” and the promised One is “the Bread of Life.” He supplies bread that nourishes our bodies in this life and our souls unto eternal life. The Good Shepherd will tend His people daily.

The Lord promised an offspring of Eve will bruise the ancient serpent’s head. A virgin woman named Mary received a startling visitor one day. An angel named Gabriel brings news of epically miraculous proportions. Though she has never known a man, she will give birth to God’s Son. The Holy Spirit will come upon her. God will overshadow her. She will conceive the Most Holy God’s Son. God’s Son will become flesh in the womb of Mary. It was a belief of Martin Luther (very fitting with how God works in Scripture) that the conception actually took place as Mary heard the promise being spoken to her.

Mary was betrothed, as was the custom. This is an engagement that would require divorce to end. When Joseph learned of Mary’s pregnancy, he was very upset, knowing he wasn’t the father. Being a good and righteous man, he didn’t want to hold the “sin” against her in public shame and punishment. He decided to divorce her quietly.

An angel appeared to Joseph, sharing the blessed news that he didn’t need to worry. Mary remained faithful to her vow. The pregnancy is by the Holy Spirit’s power. Surprise, surprise, the Child is the One (the Savior from sin). Therefore, He is to be named Jesus (which means Savior). He’s the arrival of the promised Emmanuel (God with us). God among His people. God dwelling with His own Creation. Marvelous!

Joseph (and possibly Mary) were of the house and lineage of David. Jesus (as Joseph’s adopted Son) is the Son of David through Joseph (and possibly Mary). If the kingdom of Israel were still in existence during Jesus’ birth, Joseph would be the king. Jesus would be his heir. Jesus was born into the royal family that God had preserved for all those years even after the kingdom folded.

Yet, this King is of humble birth—born in a stable and placed in a manger bed. That’s how He lived His earthly life. He (the King of kings and Lords of lords, God in flesh) lived humbly. He didn’t seek earthly glory, power, and might. He didn’t seek palaces and royal courts. He didn’t seek to be served by others. He came desiring to serve others.

Christ is born a man to give us second birth. He is born to defeat the ancient serpent (Satan). Jesus is born to die on the cross. Through His sacrificial death He defeated Satan. He paid sin’s price. He conquered death and the grave. He snatched you from hell’s grip. Jesus brought salvation to the world. So, we give Him all thanks and praise.

The first part of tonight’s service has been hearing the dazzling Christmas threads weave in and around each other, making the garment of salvation. Through Baptism into Christ, you wear the salvation garment. He has claimed you as His own through death and resurrection. In His name and by His authority your sins are forgiven.

The second half of tonight’s service, we lift up our thanks and praise with the shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night. We joyfully sing to the Lord for His salvation, for being our righteous King, for shepherding us through the green pastures and still waters of His Word and Sacraments. We pray, because He desires to care for us in righteousness and justice unto eternally. O come, let us adore Him!