John 20:10-18: As we gather today to celebrate Jesus’ birth I can’t help but think about this passage in John 20. It is because of John 20 that Luke 2 has such significance. Luke 2 tells of a Savior that was born. He had no royal birth story. The first to his bedside other than His parents were lowly shepherds. And yet the Savior had made His arrival into a cold dark world.

Parallel that with John 20 where Jesus once again makes an entrance not as a child, but as a risen Savior. Again there was no pomp or circumstance. It was a quiet place hewn out of a rock that kept again the cloth that had wrapped Him much like the swaddling cloth had as a baby. The cloth was folded. No need for a burial cloth for the living. His words to Mary were gentle and reassuring.

Mary’s response was to go back and tell.
John 20:18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Mary’s response is what I hope ours will be today as we go and worship Him. We have seen the Lord as we sing songs of worship and as we hear His word proclaimed. The shepherds went and told just Mary had. The Savior is born! The Savior is risen! We have seen His glory and we declare He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our Savior and soon returning King!