Martin Luther was a man who loved Christmas! We came to understand this as we researched his life for the publication of our first book, From Dark to Dawn. Luther would gather his six children around him before the glow of Christmas candles and recite the story of Joseph and Mary, their journey to Bethlehem, their search for the inn, and then the miraculous birth of the Son of God. Luther’s wife Katie would be at his side as he played his mandolin and sang songs of praise to the Savior. The Christmas season was a happy time in the Luther home.

Today, I was reminded of his joy in the season by a collection of quotes compiled by Christian History magazine. Let me share them with you.

From a 1530 sermon on the Nativity…

If Christ had arrived with trumpets and lain in a cradle of gold, His birth would have been a splendid affair. But it would not be a comfort to me. He was rather to lie in the lap of a poor maiden and be thought of little significance in the eyes of the world. Now I can come to Him. Now He reveals Himself to the miserable in order not to give any impression that He arrives with great power, splendor, wisdom, and aristocratic manners. But upon His return on that Day, when He will oppose the high and the mighty, it will be different. Now He comes to the poor, who need a Savior, but then He will come as a Judge against those who are persecuting Him now.

In 1543, Luther said the following in a lecture from the text of Isaiah 9:6…

The Son of God did not want to be seen and found in heaven. Therefore He descended from heaven into this humility and came to us in our flesh, laid Himself into the womb of His mother and into the manger and went on to the cross. This was the ladder that He placed on earth so that we might ascend to God on it. This is the way you must take. If you depart from this way and try to speculate about the glory of the Divine Majesty—without this ladder—you will invent marvelous matters that transcend your horizon, but you will do so at very great harm to yourself.

From a 1543 Christmas sermon…

When one of several brothers becomes a great magnate, how happy the other brothers become! How gladdening they find this, as you see in Genesis when Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. And this is indeed a natural joy. But why is it, then, that we also are not joyful and our hearts are not touched and we do not praise and thank God upon hearing that our God became our flesh and blood and now sits above at the right hand of God as Lord over all creatures?

And, lastly, this excerpt where Luther discusses the story of Joseph and Mary traveling to Bethlehem:

The inn was full. No one would release a room to this pregnant woman. She had to go to a cow stall and there bring forth the Maker of all creatures because nobody would give way. Shame on you, wretched Bethlehem! The inn ought to have been burned with brimstone, for even though Mary had been a beggar maid or unwed, anybody at such a time would have been glad to give her a hand. There are many of you in this congregation who think to yourselves: “If only I had been there! How quick I would have been to help the baby! I would have washed his linen! How happy I would have been to go with the shepherds to see the Lord lying in the manger!” Yes you would! You say that because you know how great Christ is, but if you had been there at that time you would have done no better than the people of Bethlehem. Childish and silly thoughts are these! Why don’t you do it now? You have Christ in your neighbor. You ought to serve Him, for what you do to your neighbor in need you do to the Lord Christ Himself.

This last quote is so powerful. One of the wonders about this season is the emphasis on what the Lord has given to us. This should encourage us to live more fully and completely for Him! Oh, how many lessons there are for those who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior in these days of Advent and Christmas! Let us not miss them!

Let Martin Luther himself cheer you on to embrace these days with gladness!

Oh, we poor people that we should be so cold and indifferent to this great joy that has been given us. For this is indeed the greatest gift, which far exceeds all else that God has created. Yet we believe so sluggishly, even though the angels proclaim and preach and sing, and their lovely song sums up the whole Christian faith, for ‘Glory to God in the highest’ is the very heart of worship.