The Pastor's Sermon - 29 January, 2012 - Epiphany IV

{This was NOT my best sermon ever, but I said it and I stand by it.}

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.’

 

• They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
• It appears that Jesus astounded the congregation at the synagogue in Capernaum with his teaching. We could read it to mean he also astounded his disciples. After all, the text says “They went to Capernaum” and the action takes place just after Jesus calls Simon, Andrew, James, and John.
• Don't you just wish we had the text of what Jesus taught about? Wouldn't it be great to hear and know and experience what astounded that congregation and the first disciples?
• To add to that then, Jesus encountered a man with an “unclean spirit” in that same synagogue. The spirit was cast out with very little fuss, but a lot of amazement once the man came back to himself.
• When have any of us been truly astonished at a sermon? When have we encountered something like the man with the unclean spirit at worship?
• For sermons, I've heard bishops, pastors, seminarians, deacons, and deaconesses preach the Word. I've heard rabbis preach as well. I've heard superb sermons and really abysmal ones, too. I've seen slide shows, heard guitars used in preaching, and watched preachers use puppets, telephones, and a can of tuna fish for their preaching... and sometimes with success!
• When it come to unusual things at worship, I have been present when dogs ran through the church and birds flitted around the sanctuary. Such encounters can be both comical and distracting.
• On two occasions, a person has died during a worship service I was present for. That really changes the dynamic of a Sunday morning.
• I once saw a person stand up during the distribution of Communion and read some sort of manifesto or prophecy. I don't know what they said because they couldn't be heard.
• Once I saw ball lightning hit the building in the middle of worship; that was a thrill! And one midnight Christmas Eve service began with a power failure that lasted to just beyond the dismissal at the end of worship. It was actually beautiful and a real gift.
• What makes the difference for Jesus' preaching is not the setting or the props or even the topic. It is the authority of the preaching itself that is astounding. Jesus might use the ancient Jewish scriptures and show them in a new light as one who knows what they are speaking of. The scribes mentioned in the Gospel reading would tell and retell the insights of the rabbis who went before, often telling both sides of a controversial passage. They would then leave the listeners to take from that what they could. It appears that the scribes neither added anything to the discussion or even said what they thought.
• Jesus was different; he taught “with authority”, saying what he knew to be right. Beyond that, his message was one of good news for the poor and the oppressed. This good news was challenging, no doubt, -it still is- and his words stirred people in their deepest hearts.
• Jesus' encounter with the man with the unclean spirit is brief and powerful. Again his authority shows. The unclean spirit accuses Jesus of trying to destroy “us”, using the plural. He goes on to say “I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” This revelation is part of the secret found throughout Mark: no one knows who Jesus is but the demons... and the reader. The disciples slowly come to believe in Jesus as the Son of God, the Holy One of God, but that knowledge only comes to them after the Resurrection. When Jesus casts out a spirit, they try to spoil the surprise and are usually silenced. Since demons and the unclean spirits subvert the truth and only tell the truth to advance lies, silencing them is the best thing to do.
• Still in this display of power, Jesus expresses an authority unknown to the people, an authority that reinforces his words of teaching. His powerful words are backed by his powerful deeds.
• Aren't his words powerful today? Don't his deeds as reported in the Gospels and shown in the church's history show who he is for us?
• This is why we read the Gospels – to have our spirits stirred by the words of our Savior – despite the eloquence of the preacher or lack of it. This is why we still hear of the powerful things Jesus did – for despite our powerlessness in the face of evil or unclean things.
• It may be for another sermon and another time, but it could be that it is in our powerlessness that Jesus' power is found.

The Sermon for the Third Sunday after Epiphany - 22 January 2012

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."

• I know that we've heard this passage time and time again. It is used in Lent a lot. It reports the content of Jesus' first preaching and we find that it was a lot like the preaching of John the Baptizer. In fact, later in Jesus' ministry, Herod begins to wonder if Jesus and John were the same person.
• The message is simple. “It is time now for God's promises to be fulfilled. God's reign is just about upon you. Change your minds and change your lives. Believe this to be true; it's worth basing your lives on.”
• The “Reign” of God or the “Kingdom” of God is a ancient idea in the Bible. It is the place and time where the will of God will be done without a problem. The prayer we call “the Lord's Prayer” reflects this. God created all that is, but things were twisted out of shape so that the world bears very little resemblance to what God originally wanted. The Kingdom of God would set things all right.
• Throughout the history of God's relationship with his people, promises were made; promises of a homeland, a earthly king, freedom from oppression, from want, and abandonment. There was a final promise that God would dwell with his people, living with them where ever they might be.
• The Kingdom of God might not be what everyone expected, but it would be what God promised. God would be true to his promises.
• Jesus proclaimed that this time was here and the Kingdom would follow like the dawn follows the dark night.
• The call to repentance comes from this promise of the Kingdom of God. Repentance does NOT mean beating ourselves up for past or present wrong-doing, nor does it mean constant self-hatred or negative feelings or thoughts about ourselves. It does mean being willing to leave behind whatever in our lives that keeps us away from God. It does mean making the center of our lives the Kingdom of God and all that it brings – in action, in speech, in attitudes, and in direction.
• This is why Paul writes what he does in his first letter to the Corinthian Church: “I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short... For the present form of this world is passing away.”
• It becomes a matter of priorities; we all have them in one form or another. We hold certain things to be important and some of those things to be of primary importance. Those things differ from person to person. For those who hold God and God's kingdom to be of singular importance in their lives, all other things – and there can be others – take, at best, second place.
• Repentance that does not lead to a reordering of personal priorities is not repentance. It is as simple as that. It is also simple to say that repentance is a long term activity, one that needs to be done and renewed time and time again. There is a lot good about each and every one of us... and there is the not-so-good as well. Because of this, repentance is not a once and done thing. Until all the promises of God are fulfilled, it is a way of life. This has long been known. Luther's 95 Theses begins with these words: “When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said "Repent", He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.”
• We might say to ourselves “This sort of talk is tiresome and not very modern. There can't be any need to talk about this any more. Sin and repentance are both so passé. Nobody talks about that any more” That may be true. It may also be true that such talk has caused some people to walk away from the church.
• That may be so; I don't know. We may be in danger of that here.
• What I do know is this: there is a cost to being a disciple of Jesus Christ, possibly a cost like the first disciples paid, the ones Mark says were called from their nets and boats and families by Jesus on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. For us, the cost is repentance and a reordering of priorities, directions, and what we hold dear. Simon, Andrew, James, and John changed their direction and priorities on that stretch of beach and their changes did not end there, as we all know. They did not get it right the first time, but we all know what they became.
• Did those first disciples actually leave their nets, boats, and families at what appears to be a few words from Jesus? Who knows? The Gospel says they did, but it also says they struggled with the call and with what they were called to.
• It has been the same for us. We have been called and we have responded... somehow, someway.
• For our time, the question might be “are we members of a church or disciples of Jesus Christ?” We can be both. It is also possible to be one or the other or neither. We can be a member of a church and completely ignore the teaching of Jesus Christ. We can be a disciple of Christ and hold the community of believers in disdain. We could refuse to be either one, rejecting both Christ and the church. There are real consequence to any of these paths.
• And we could be both member and disciple, proclaiming the grace and power of God to all, supporting other disciples and telling the good news to those who haven't heard the Word in their own language. The first step is to do just what Jesus says: repent, and believe in the good news. That's where it starts but not where it ends.

The Pastor’s Sermon for January 15, 2012 - the Second Sunday after Epiphany

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.’

Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

   The various readings we have heard today take on our very human habit of making snap judgments on what we think we know. We all know that this habit causes problems, even in our relationship with God. In some cases, it is a matter of ignorance while in others, it can be a matter of prejudice.

   Samuel, the young boy given to the service of the Lord's Temple at Shiloh, heard a voice at night. He assumed it was Eli, the priest, since “The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.” He ran to Eli and reported in... twice! Eli, not the most effective priest ever, did know something about the ways of God and told Samuel to respond to the voice and not assume it was Eli calling. When Samuel heard the Lord calling again, he responded "Speak, for your servant is listening." and received a message of condemnation that would make our hair stand on end or as the Bible puts it, “that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. ”

   In the Gospel, Philip and Nathanael have a discussion about Jesus and his message: Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

   I don't know what the reputation of Nazareth was at the time, but it sounds like the reputation that certain places in any nation might hold. You know the places – the ones where every person coming from there is considered stupid, silly, or ridiculous. I know of a place in Canada that has such a reputation, but I won't mention it. I don't know about where all of you are from, but the place I was born had a similar reputation. It isn't true and folks there usually revel in the reputation. I always tell people it's a good place to be from.

   Nathanael seems to judge Jesus based on where Jesus is from. He has a low opinion of Nazareth and those who hail from that town. It takes a special and rather obscure greeting from Jesus to change his mind and he changes it quickly.

   Now there a difference between Samuel and Nathanael. Samuel misunderstood the call of the Lord. He was young and the revelation of God was not common in his time. As time went on, Samuel became a powerful prophet of the Lord, delivering the true Word of the Lord to the people and to the rulers of the people of Israel. He led the people in overthrowing the Philistine conquerors. Reluctantly, he anointed Saul as king of Israel and later anointed David as king to replace Saul as directed by God.

   Nathanael's response seems to be based on his opinion of Nazarenes. (“How could the messiah come from Nazareth? Yuck!”) Yet he changes his mind for a reason that is not so clear, and Jesus goes on to say “You will see greater things than these."

   For us, the lessons are simple and as usual with simple things, profound. Samuel needed Eli's help to understand that the Lord was speaking to him. Once he knew who was speaking and learned how to listen, his ministry as a prophet gained both power and grace. His messages are not always happy ones, but they are true. Anyone who hears the Word of God had best expect to be challenged and sometimes convicted. “Convicted” in this context means nothing less than coming to a realization of our own limits and even our own sinfulness. Samuel's experience also show us that we often need help to hear what the Lord is saying to us. A wise person will test what is being said to them by bringing it before at least one trusted adviser in the ways of God and God's grace. Knowledge of the Scriptures and often some common sense are of great help.

   Nathanael's encounter with Jesus can lead us to avoid the trap of the old saying, “Consider the source.” Often, the Word of the Lord and the inspiration of the Spirit might come to us from the most unexpected place and at the least expected time. We may not want to hear it from that source and we might have to “filter” what's said to take out any malice or silliness or “baggage” that might be there. But if we're willing and open to it, wisdom and God's word might be there... even if it comes from Nazareth.

   If we're willing to listen, God's word will come to us. That's been promised to us. It's not always clear and it's not always comfortable but, it will stir out hearts once it finds our hearts. What it might lead us to then remains to be seen. After all the young boy who listened to the call in Shiloh led the people and anointed two kings. Nathanael the scoffer is said in Christian legend to have preached the Gospel in Armenia and India. Who knows what God is calling us to?

   One thing is certain, however. We ARE being called – at whatever age and in whatever circumstance, we are all called to bring Jesus' good news with us where ever we go. There we will see “greater things than these."

Please continue to pray for the sick of the congragation and to pray for our up-coming annual meeting.

The Pastor’s Sermon: The Festival of the Baptism of our Lord Jesus

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.’

 

‘And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.

• The “tearing apart” of the heavens sounds very violent. We talk about “the heavens opening up” when we discuss a huge rainstorm. We might even say that “the heavens were opened” to us when we contemplate a starry night on a clear evening. Still, none of this is the heaven being “torn apart.”
• This is quite a distinctive saying. It is undoubtedly poetic and it displays a very sure idea that something extraordinary has happened. Something beyond the normal experience has taken place and the reality we know cannot be the same. The status quo cannot be maintained.
• There is a sort of violence and wild power involved in this portion of Mark's Gospel. Just after the passage we've read today, Jesus is driven into the desert. Some hold that the passage says he was “thrown” into the wilderness, where he was tempted, surrounded by wild beasts, and yet he was waited on by angels. When Jesus comes up out of the water of the baptism of John, he is the one who sees the Spirit descending from the splintered heavens. He is also the one who hears the voice of the Father, proclaiming who he is. After this his mission is to let the world know who he is by what he does and what he says. (Mark, by the way, concentrates more on what Jesus does. He also does it through a breathless narrative, constantly using the word “immediately.”)
• This is the beginning of Jesus' ministry. It is also the beginning of Mark's Gospel. Here, Jesus alines himself with those who wish to make a new start, free from sin, who wish to take their relationship with God seriously, which is the meaning of John's baptism, and he does it in such a way that the power of God is shown not only to him, but to us, the readers.
• This “tearing open” appears once again in Mark's Gospel. When Jesus breathes his last on the Cross, the curtain of the Temple is torn in two. This is the dividing line between the Holy of Holies, where God's presence was most concentrated, for lack of a better word, and the rest of the Temple and the whole world. It is torn from “top to bottom”, meaning it was done from the inside by the power of God. Just following this, the centurion proclaims Jesus to be God's Son, paralleling what Jesus heard at his baptism when the heavens were town open.
• So what does it mean that as Jesus emerged onto the scene the heavens get torn open and that as Jesus exits the scene the curtain in the temple gets torn open? There's a story about an occasion a few years ago when a biblical scholar was explaining Mark 1 to a group of teenagers. This scholar told the teens that when Jesus was baptized, the skies did not just open up, as some older translations said, but in the original Greek of Mark 1:10 we are told the skies ripped open, split in an almost violent way. This was very dramatic and forceful. "Get the point?" the scholar asked the group. "When Jesus was baptized the heavens that separate us from God were ripped open so that now we can get to God. Because of Jesus we have access to God--we can get close to him."
• But there was one young man sitting in the front row, arms crossed, making a fairly obvious display of his disinterest. But suddenly he perked up and said, "That ain't what it means." What?" the Bible scholar said, startled. "I said that ain't what that means," the teenager repeated. "It means that the heavens were ripped open so that now God can get at us anytime he wants. Now nobody's safe!"
• “Safe”... Such a strange word when it come to God. There is no “safe” around God since God's grace changes everything. Things can't be as they were nor can they return to the way things were because the heavens have be torn apart and the Spirit of God is loose in the world and “the Kingdom of God has come near.” And Thank God for it.

A Note about the Sunday School presentation at the Christmas Eve Family Service



Our Christmas Tree -- BEFORE the Service



On Christmas Eve, the students of the Sunday School and confirmation class presented their Christmas program, Our Christmas Tree. They took turns describing the various traditions that are part of our Christmas tree. Here are some of the things that they told us:

The tree is an evergreen, the symbol of everlasting life, and the joy of living forever with God. Martin Luther was one of the first to bring the tree indoors and put candles on it.

The Lights on our Christmas Tree represent those candles and stars of long ago.

The star represents the special star that shone above the manger where the Christ child was laid

The word ANGEL stands for messenger, a Greek word. The Angel communicates good news from God to the people.
Bells mean joy at Christmas Time. In ancient days, bells were used to tell the people of a town that something important had happened.

The CHRISTMAS BALLS all have very special meanings also. They are round, a shape that reminds us that God's Love for us is eternal and has no end. The GREEN balls represents to us the eternal life. The WHITE balls stand for the purity and light of Jesus. The blue balls are for hope. The colour blue also is used during Advent as a symbol of hope and waiting. The red balls remind us of the Holy Spirit.

The Candy Canes were also to remind us that Shepherds were the first ones to hear about the birth of Jesus.

The gifts under the tree remind us of the original gifts of Christmas, the ones that came to Jesus from the Wise men.

Finally, the entire congregation sang "O Christmas Tree/O Tannenbaum" to end the presentation.

New Year's Day - the first Sunday of Christmas

{The congregation today was small, but mighty! 21 people including the pastor, with a capella singing of some Christmas carols. A nice, rather intimate service.}

 The Pastor’s Sermon

for the First Sunday of Christmas, January 1, 2012

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.’

  Today's theme is fulfillment and there is a lot about fulfillment in the readings today.

  The prophet Isaiah, in a section scholars call “Third Isaiah”, proclaims that the shame and sadness of the people of God, personified in Jerusalem, is at an end.

  For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
and her salvation like a burning torch.

  God's mercy will vindicate the people and see to their joy and fulfillment.

  In Paul's letter to the Galatians, he writes “when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.” Jesus had taken on all it meant to be human and all it meant to be Jewish (“born of a woman, born under the Law...”) and in that fulfilled the Father's plan in both content and time, being born “when the fullness of time had come...” The fullness of time means “at the proper moment according to the plan” as well as “at the point when the entire plan is completed.” In this, Jesus fulfills the plan of the Father for all time. A lot is said in these few words.

  In Luke's Gospel, there are actually two fulfillments. The first is the “purification of Mary.” For years, the teaching had been that she needed to be purified because childbirth made her unclean. Over time, a number of scholars have changed this idea.

  Mary's purification is not from uncleanness, being befouled, or dirty from childbirth, but she was emerging from mystery to ordinary life. Childbirth was a mysterious event, bordering on the supernatural and very much out of place in ordinary doings. Now Mary was fully reintegrated into the community by a rite of “purification” since there really is no other word for it.

  The second fulfillment is found is what is referred to as “Simeon's Canticle” which is the last of three big poetic prayers in the beginning of the Gospel of Luke.

  This canticle or song is used in the service of Night Prayer for the entire Western Church and is often used as the post-Communion canticle in the Lutheran worship tradition.

  Luke writes that God had revealed to Simeon that he would not see death until he had seen the Messiah, an amazing gift. He embodies the hope of the Jews in the time of Jesus, waiting patiently or maybe impatiently for the fulfillment of God's promises - “For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples”

  It makes me wonder a bit: what fulfillment are we waiting for? We have all experienced disappointment, disenchantment, and even failure. Many of us have seen terror beyond mentioning and all of us have experienced fear. Yet we have experienced joy and happiness, success and triumph as well. What are we looking forward to?

  With Isaiah, we are waiting for our God to remove our sin and shame and all that separates us from God... and Jesus has done this.

  With Paul, we look for the completion of God's plan for our humanity and for his Kingdom. Jesus has done this and we still wait for the fulness of the completion of God's promises, knowing that Jesus will go this in “the fullness of time...”

  With Mary, we look for the fulfillment of our community, although still keeping the mystery of what it means to be both a human and a disciple of Jesus Christ.

  With Simeon, we await the fulfillment of all that God has promised – the coming of his Kingdom and the fullness of the reign of Jesus, in our lives and in our whole world.

  All these things are fulfilled in our faith and we look forward to the time when they will be fulfilled in all creation. For faith, seeing isn't believing; believing is seeing, as the old saying goes. It is our faith that will see us through to the fulfillment of all God's promises and plans.

  This new year begins with us gathering for worship, and I can see no better way to start a new year. This year is God's, as is every year. God's promises will be fulfilled and we will see the “salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the (nations) and for glory to your people Israel.”

The Sermon for Christmas Eve

{My apologies! The week got away from me with Christmas celebrations, emergencies, and inertia.}

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.