The Pastor’s Sermon
for the Festival of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus,
December 25, 2011
Delivered at the later service on Christmas Eve, the "Traditional" service
Disclaimer: At the request of a few of the congregation, I’m ‘publishing’ the text of my sermon ‘as written.’ I cannot guarantee that I will deliver the sermon ‘as written.’
‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:'
At this time of year, a good deal of time and attention is given to gifts and gift-giving. It has become part of the season and it's preparations. As an adult and a parent, I get a kick out of giving gifts. As a grown child, I still enjoy receiving gifts as well.
Even with all the commercialism that has crept in to our celebration of Christmas, I don't think that the giving of gifts is an all-together bad thing. It can overtake all else at Christmas, but it has a real value.
Gift-giving affords us a means of expressing love and esteem for others in our lives. It doesn't do it perfectly and it can be corrupted. Yet it can be a true and sincere expression.
The giving of gifts may date back to early times. The charity of St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra in Asia Minor or the gifts of the Magi to the infant Jesus told of in Matthew's Gospel might be imitated. It could even be that gifts were given to others as a way of giving a gift to the Christ Child.
Still God will not be out-done in generosity and the gift we are given in the birth of Jesus is beyond price or repayment. It is completely a gift of grace.
In the giving of gifts, it has been said that the gift reflects the giver. What we give to others can show our love and respect. In some cases, it can also show our creativity or simply how well we listen.
The gift of Jesus to our world and our lives does reflect the Father who has given us such a gift in the Son. The Gospel of John says: No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. (John 1:19) In Jesus, we see the One who sent him, who created each of us, and sustains us in life to this very moment.
The gift of the Christ show us much about the Father. The gift does reflect the giver.
Here is the eternal God come to earth in what might be seen as the poorest of circumstances. The British writer, G.K. Chesterton wrote: “Christmas is built upon a beautiful and intentional paradox; that the birth of the homeless should be celebrated in every home.” With this simple and powerful birth, we know that the Creator of the universe stands not only with what he created, but with the poorest and neediest of all.
Here is the Eternal One taking on our complete nature. That's what it means when John's Gospel says “the Word became flesh...” In this God redeems all that it means to be human – body, mind, soul, and spirit. All of our humanity has been redeemed and transformed by the one whose birth in a manger we celebrate tonight.
Here is a gift of God that keeps on giving, for our Lord Jesus remains with us in the Holy Spirit, in the Scriptures, in the Sacraments, and in the community of the Church. In these and in other often surprising ways, the grace of God is present to each of us. In a very real way, Christmas is God’s way of constantly reminding humanity, “In all of your joy and in all of your struggle … I am here with you.”
Here in the saviour who is one of us and like us in everything but sin (Hebrews 4:15), we receive a precious gift, one we truly cannot do without. In our lack of understanding, we may see this as a gift we don't necessarily WANT, but one the Giver of all good things knows we NEED. We don't always want what is good for us and we tend to clutter our lives with items, ideas, opinions, or delusions that often become objects of worship. The gift of Jesus is one we absolutely need, for we are unable to save ourselves and we are often willing to create our god in our own image, rather than turning to the One in whose image we are made.
Here in the manger we hear of in our readings, visualize in our creche, sing of in our carols, we have nothing less than the one who will break the chains that imprison us within ourselves and lead us to true freedom of grace and the true joy of being for others just as he is.
As Luther told the church of his time: If we Christians would join the Wise Men, we must close our eyes to all that glitters before the world and look rather on the despised and foolish things, help the poor, comfort the despised, and aid the neighbour in his need. We know this remains true today. It is in the love of God and neighbor that the peace proclaimed by the angels is to be found.
On this holy night -for all nights where God's grace is present are holy nights- we begin again to know the love of God come down to us. Merry Christmas, my sisters and brothers, my fellow Christians; This is the “good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Like Mary, treasure all these words and ponder them in your hearts.
A lot has been said recently about “keeping Christ in Christmas.” The best way to do just that is for us, the followers of Jesus Christ, to be Christ to each other and to the world. We can begin again tonight. Then Jesus would be born every day of the year.
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