Sermon for Christmas Day 2018 – St. Paul’s
[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 Savior, 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 favors!"
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
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.
Merry Christmas! Today we gather to remember the birth of a baby. A remarkable baby in so many ways. We just heard the story that the birth was announced not to kings and priests but to shepherds. And while many of our nativity scenes have sweet little shepherd boys in them, I am here to tell you that they probably looked pretty scruffy. I have been to the Shepherd fields outside of Bethlehem. They are not the rolling grass fields that I had originally imagined when hearing these texts. They are not like the pictures of the emerald green fields in Ireland. They are rough and rocky places. It is hilly and full of cave systems. The quaint manger that we imagine was more likely a grotto or cave where families and their livestock would take shelter from the harsh cold in the winter.
Today we expect the Jesus to come to us in fine churches and be announced by people wearing fine robes. And I am guilty as charged. But if we really read this story and recognize that our Savior was born to an unwed teenage mother, in a cave, in a back-water town in Israel, and announced by the angels to the smelly nomadic folks a different picture emerges.
If we where to place this birth announcement today it would not be in a quaint manger scene. If God where to choose a similar setting to come back to earth today what would it look like. It would be not to the rich and the well off. It would be to the homeless encampment by the river. God would be born into a tent city and announced to folks who have no power in our society and who we wish were invisible. That is what it would look like. Our modern Mary would have been turned away from the Motel Six and wondered past Loaves and Fishes until she found a group of unlikely people to help her being a baby into the world.
The amazing thing that this baby born in such a way over 2000 years ago went on to have a huge impact on so many lives. And his mother. His mother – the unwed teenager who said yes to the Angel nine months before is hearing from the shepherds that other angels told her that this baby is remarkable. This baby, born in a cave will grow up to bring God’s message of Love to all people. This baby will bring the news that God dreams of a different society. Not one where the people are gathered to count them so that taxes can be set to support a conquering empire. But a society where love for all of God’s creation rules.
In our Gospel Lesson we hear that “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” This amazing women, who said yes to the Angel, pondered what would become of her baby. There is a Christmas song “Mary did you Know” that also ponders.
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered
Will soon deliver you
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?
Did you know
That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God
Mary, did you know?
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
And the dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am
Oh Mary did you know?
That your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered
Will soon deliver you
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?
Did you know
That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God
Mary, did you know?
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
And the dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am
Oh Mary did you know?
Today we gather to remember the birth of this baby. A baby that comes to us over and over again. A baby that will show up in the most unlikely people. A baby that continues to try and get our attention to change our world. To change our world into one where all of God’s beloved children are treated with the same love that our Creator has for creation. We gather and ponder, just as Mary did what the fruition of God’s dream would mean in our world.
Why are we here? I believe it is because we still crave the love that dared to come to earth. A love that is different. A love that does not insist that we balance the scales before being offered the love.
In a recent New York Time opinion article Peter Wehner said: “In his book “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” Philip Yancey describes a conference on comparative religions where experts from around the world debated which belief, if any, was unique to the Christian faith. C.S. Lewis happened to enter the room during the discussion. When he was told the topic was Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions, Lewis responded: “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.”
Lewis was right. No other religion places grace at its theological center. It was a revolutionary idea; as Mr. Yancey puts it, grace “seems to go against every instinct of humanity.” We are naturally drawn to covenants and karma, to cause and effect, to earning what we receive.
Grace is different. It is the unmerited favor of God, unconditional love given to the undeserving. It’s a difficult concept to understand because it isn’t entirely rational. “Grace defies reason and logic,” as Bono, the lead singer of U2, put it. “Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions.”
There’s a radical equality at the core of grace. None of us are deserving of God’s grace, so it’s not dependent on social status, wealth or intelligence. There is equality between kings and peasants, the prominent and the unheralded, rule followers and rule breakers.”
We come there today to remember that on this day over 2000 years ago God came to us in the most unlikely way. Not with an avenging army to turn over the sins of exclusion and dominance that were once again oppressing God’s people. A God who came as a vulnerable baby who would grow up in the family of a carpenter. A God whose birth was announced to the outcast. A god who offered people a Love that in almost incomprehensible.
I also want to say that in the midst of the joy of this season there are some that are not joy filled. It can be hard on Christmas. Yesterday I was enjoying listening to the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols broadcast from Cambridge. At the beginning of the service there is a bidding prayer – a prayer to call us into the presence of God. And this year one line called me up short. “Lastly, let us remember before God all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore, and in a greater light, that multitude which no man can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom in the Lord Jesus we are for ever one.” As I get older I find myself missing more people who are waiting on another shore. It is just a little over a year since my mother passed to that shore. And this year a friend of 30 years left us on December 9th. In the midst of the joys of the season. The Joy of remembering the birth of God we can find ourselves caught up short. And that is OK. Because God’s amazing gift of Love will envelop us in that love and hold us up when we don’t think we can continue.
God is still trying to get our attention. God is still offering us an amazing grace that is not determined by our good works but is offered out of the amazing Love of God. Love like a mother has for her baby. Love that desire nothing more than for us, those who profess to follow this Jesus, a God who dreams that we will Love like God. That we will offer Grace like God. And if we can find a way to do that – if even a little bit, then we will bring about a different society. A society where all of God’s Beloved Children are cared for. A society where we are good steward of this creation. A society that is right side up.
