Advent: December 25, 2024

Genesis 3:15 (ESV) 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.”

Luke 2:1-7 (ESV) 1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Glory to God in the highest! He has done it!

God promised long ago under dire circumstances that a descendant of Eve would crush the serpent that brought destruction. Though the serpent would wound the Crusher, he would deal the death blow to death and end the curse on all created order.

So much time and hardship have passed since that awful day in Eden. The day you eat of it, you will die, the Lord said. But eat from the one forbidden tree our parents did, and since then death has reigned. Death has caused murder, disease, famine, and all manner of natural disasters because sin broke absolutely everything.

But God, being rich in mercy, didn’t fail. Father, Son, and Spirit set in motion the eternal plan to redeem creation and mankind from the curse of sin.

Since that day, Adam and Eve’s descendants have been looking for the hero who would do that redeeming work. Our superhero narratives give away our longing. We long for stories of a hero to come and rescue victims and willing participants from the clutches of an evil antagonist that has caused so much devastation. Christmas is the ultimate superhero story!

In the fullness of time, the Lord himself invaded his land that was temporarily cursed by the dark lord. Luke announces the invasion of our superhero like a war correspondent embedded with the soldiers so that he can tell the story of the liberation. And what a story he tells!

This invasion of righteousness, holiness, and peace would have a great cost in the death of our great superhero, but he would conquer death by rising from the grave, and the result would be eternal life for all who would follow him.

As we remember the day the Lord brought to fulfillment his great promise, let’s celebrate, let’s worship, let’s remember.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Merry Christmas!