The curtain rises and the play begins. For the next two hours lines must be remembered, songs kept in tune, dances synchronized.

         The race begins with the firing of a starter's pistol. The pace must be found. It is going to hurt before it ends.

         The game begins. The ball goes up in the air. The first pitch is delivered.

         The concert begins.

         The surgery.

         The wedding.

         The war.

         There are so many beginnings in life, times when dream and plan and preparation come to reality. In these moments time itself seems to change. Lazy time, wasted time, lagging time, practice time suddenly become real time: intense, focused, meaningful time. What you do in this time truly matters.

         Pay attention.

         Concentrate.

         Be courageous.

         Don't be afraid.

         Do your best.

         The time has come.

         But no moment in time can quite match the birth of a child, the beginning of a new life. We wait so long, and then, through long labor to be sure, in a moment the child is seen, and looks at you.

         "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son."

         We see in the birth of Jesus the timing of the Kingdom of God. The prophet Isaiah, 800 years earlier, proclaims, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given." That is followed by this enormously long time of preparation, hope, waiting, wondering, and longing. Until the angel announces, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

         So a Kingdom begins, actually breaks into human history. There is now someone to reign on David's throne.

         In this kingdom there is a time that is real, a time that matters.

         It is time to pay attention to what the Savior says, for those who in fact follow him will be taught. Those who cry for mercy will be healed.

         It is a time to have faith, for in the presence of Jesus kings will bow down, demons will be cast out, crowds will be fed, and sinners will repent.

         Until the time comes for him to be lifted on a cross.

         Until he is freed from the tomb.

         Until at his return time is no more.

         But it is important to note that according to Luke, Caesar also kept time.

         "In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree."

         This was also the time of Caesar, the first emperor of Rome. His name was Octavian, and he decided to become a king. So in his kingly time he goes around issuing decrees and his decrees were effective, for they made people move and change their plans and hit the road and find places to stay in crowded towns.

         "In those days" was Caesar's time. People called him "Savior" and "Lord" and "Benefactor." They named him Augustus, which means "The Exalted One." It was his time, and he could get people to move upon his commands.

         We must assume that Caesar did not hear of the time that came for the baby to be born. He did not visit the manger. His name drops out of the Gospels. Luke tells us no more of him. Caesar did not live in the presence of the Savior. He was not healed; he did not follow Jesus as a disciple. He committed himself to following the world. He was king of the world.

         "In those days" – Caesar's time.

         "The time came" – God's time.

         When time becomes real for you, when the waiting ends and there is a new beginning . . .

         . . . when the doctor asks for a moment in private.

         . . . when the late-night call concerns your child.

         . . . when some important set of keys is handed over to you.

         . . . when the mortgage papers are ready to be signed.

        When time becomes real for you, and you must concentrate and listen closely and have courage, when there is for you a new beginning,

        Then you must decide whose time to choose for your life, whether you will follow the claims of Caesar or the claims of Jesus, whether you will believe and live by faith, or whether you will move at Caesar's command and trust your sight to carry you through life.

        You must decide whether to give your life in love, or whether to lose your life and gain the world.

        You must decide whether you will worry about clothing and what you will wear, or whether you will trust the one who clothes the flowers of the field.

        You must decide whether to fear the crucifier or the Crucified, the one who issues commands for death, or the the one who conquers death.

        You must decide whether to give your life to the one who is remembered in history as a lord,

        Or the one who is Lord over history.

         When the time comes, and the waiting ends and real time has your full attention, whom will you trust?

        "All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give;

        I will ever love and trust him, in his presence daily live.

        I surrender all, I surrender all, all to thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all."

        Amen.