The Eve of Christmas ----- 24 December 2014

(St. John's held two services on Christmas Eve 2014; the first based on the Service of Lessons and Carols and the second taken straight from the service book, Evangelical Lutheran Worship. My sermon was the same for both.) 

GOSPEL: Luke 2:1-20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them,

and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you 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. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

• Here we are again... at this great festival at the end of the year on the calendar and at the early part of the year in our church year.
• We hear again the old story of the birth of the Christ child in the manger at Bethlehem... and it fills us with warmth and good feelings. Doesn't it always? We love the lights and the singing, the candles and the gifts. We love the tree and the holly and the ivy and all the traditions, old and new.
• But what if you had never heard this story? What if you were hearing it for the first time? What if you were hearing the whole story of Jesus as you'd never heard it before?
• What if you were there... in Bethlehem... that night? What might you have done?
• There are those who would have walked right by, not noticing the family who had to stay in a garage since no one would take them in.
• There are those who might have noticed, only to be glad it wasn't them.
• Some might have been angry, either because a child had to be born in such an odd place or because this family had to become squatters in someone's barn. Who knows? Maybe one of those people might have done something... like bring a blanket or a thermos of coffee. On the other hand, maybe they'd call the police on these trespassers.
• We might say to ourselves “Well, I'd have brought them into my home, if I had seen Mary and Joseph and the baby there. I'd have cooked them a hot meal and wrapped them in a nice quilt. That's what I'd have done.”
• Y'know, I'm quite inadequate at preaching this festival; others do a much better job and have done much better. Here's a quote from a sermon by someone we've all heard of – one Dr. Martin Luther:
• “The inn was full. There are many of you who think: “If only I had been there! How quick I would have been to help the baby!” 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"
• You see, we have the benefit of hind-sight. We've heard the story! We know who these people are! Sad to say, we don't always recognize Jesus Christ when he walks by us on the street.
• This blindness is one of the reasons Christ came among us. Our redemption and salvation are in his hands and have been given to us freely, without cost and without regard to our status in society. In fact, this Saviour-born-in-a-stable came to bring good news to the poor, the broken, and the suffering. For better words, I'm turning now to the Canadian singer, Bruce Cockburn who wrote these lines in his song “Cry of a Tiny Babe”:

There are others who know about this miracle birth
The humblest of people catch a glimpse of their worth
For it isn't to the palace that the Christ child comes
But to shepherds and street people, hookers and bums
And the message is clear if you've got ears to hear
That forgiveness is given for your guilt and your fear
It's a Christmas gift you don't have to buy
There's a future shining in a baby's eyes.

• Christmas again proclaims to us our God's presence and assures us of a future, one we can't see all of but we hope for; a future where we'll all know how much God loves us always.
• We heard the angel's announcement in the Gospel reading tonight and there's an important point that is often missed. I know I sometimes miss it when I read it. The angel says Do not be afraid; but angels say that all the time! The angel goes on: I am bringing you 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.
• How many times does this angel say “you” or “to you”? Each time, the angel is saying it to each of us here.

to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.