Christmas Eve Sermon — December 24, 2023

Sermon title:  Merry Christmas!

Scripture:  Various

Luke 2:1-19

The Birth of Jesus

1In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to their own towns to be registered. 4Joseph 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. 5He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7And 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.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you:  you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” 15When 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.” 16So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

          Good evening and Merry Christmas on this holiest night of the Christian year. Tonight we'll hear from another shepherd and a certain carpenter and the angel! These stories are, of course, from the pen of retired United Church of Christ pastor Roger Lynn, who wrote a little pamphlet called "Tales from the Stable:  Christmas stories from those who were there."

Another Shepherd

          From the time of the Beginning until now, the world has always been filled with Wonder.  Everything was called into being by the very Word of God, so how could it be otherwise.  But it is also true that for all of that time from then until now we humans have often forgotten to notice.  We get busy doing whatever it is that’s right in front of us, and we stop seeing the Wonder.  Sometimes, however, usually when we least expect it and are busy not noticing, the Wonder shines through so brightly that we can’t help but pay attention.  And on those occasions, when we are lucky enough to be present and awake, our lives are transformed and marked by the experience forevermore.  I want to tell you about one night many years ago when that happened to me.

          My name is Caleb, and I come from a family of shepherds.  I am old now, and no longer spend my nights out in the field with the sheep, but in my younger years, now long past, that was often where you would find me.  On one of those occasions, when I was a young man, there were several of us gathered around a fire to keep warm, for there was a chill in the air.  The sheep were quiet, and we were talking among ourselves.  It was one of those times when we weren’t particularly paying attention.  Oh, we were mindful of the sheep, but the larger picture was not in our awareness.  It was just a night like so many others before it.  And then, suddenly, everything changed.  Some of us noticed, and some of us didn’t.  I’ve never been able to comprehend how anyone could fail to catch at least a hint of what was happening, but I guess we each have our own unique ways of experiencing the world.  Even for those of us who did come awake to the wonder of it all there is no one way of telling the story.  You may have heard my cousin, Jonas, tell his version of that night.  He was there, just a kid though he was at the time.  He talks about the air exploding with life and being intoxicated with joy.  And I can understand why he would describe it that way, but from where I stood it felt different.  There really are not enough words to tell this story, at least not that I’ve been able to find.  The closest I’ve ever come is to say that one moment the air was full of snow, and the next moment it was full of God.

          Some folks talk about angels – manifestations of sacred presence.  And maybe that’s what I’m trying to describe.  There were no wings and halos, or trumpets and fiery swords.  In fact, as far as my senses were concerned there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary at all.  But whatever it is in us that perceives what lies just beneath the surface of things knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that the air was full of something, and it sure felt like holiness to me.  There is a Hebrew word, Emmanuel, that means “God with us,” and that’s what it felt like.  God was with us!  Not in some ethereal, out there somewhere sort of way.  This was a right here, right now, filling every bit of everything kind of experience.  Earlier, when I was talking about Wonder – this experience is what I was talking about.  Even now, all these years later, I can still feel it.

          Well, as I said, some of us noticed and some of us didn’t.  And those of us who noticed couldn’t sit still a moment longer.  Those who didn’t seemed perfectly content to stay with the sheep, so we let them.  I don’t know why we headed into town.  I don’t know how we ended up by the stable out behind the old inn.  I don’t know where the young couple came from.  I don’t know when the child had been born.  There is so much that I don’t know.  And none of that matters.  What matters is that we were there, and we were awake and paying attention.  The sense of God’s almost tangible presence had softened, but it was still very real.  In fact, maybe it was even more real in the quiet of that moment.  What I know is that it felt as if I had come face to face with God shining through the face of that newborn child, and my life has never been the same since.  I was touched by Wonder, and I was paying enough attention to notice.

          I have walked through all the long years that brought me from then to now with my eyes and my heart wide open, always on the lookout for another glimpse of that Wonder.  And what I want to tell you, what I want you to know, is that I found it.  Over and over again I found it.  Every day I find it.  Emmanuel – God with us – is the story of my life.  In every moment it is the great story of the world.  Wonder is everywhere.  Pay attention.

The Carpenter

          It is difficult to comprehend the changes that a year can bring.  My life is surprising, and amazing, and overwhelming, and terrifying, and wonderful, all at the same time.  You just never know where life will take you.

          But I get ahead of myself.  Let me back up and start again.  My name is Joseph, and I am the carpenter from the village of Nazareth.  Nine months ago, I was just a simple man, working everyday and looking forward to marrying my beloved Mary.  And then things got crazy.  When Mary told me she was pregnant it was unexpected and confusing.  I felt lost, and hurt, and betrayed.  She told me a story about an angel and being chosen to carry God’s child.  It seemed such an outlandish tale, and I was still reeling from the news.  At first, I didn’t believe her.  And then I made what could have been the biggest mistake of my life.  I’m ashamed to admit it, but I stormed off.  My beloved was in the most vulnerable situation of her life, and I just walked away.  It was not my finest hour.  But fortunately, for me, and for Mary, and for the baby, God did not give up on me or abandon me to my own momentary weakness.  Thank God that we do not have to be defined by such moments.

          After I stormed off, I found myself sitting alone in my room, empty and numb and completely bewildered.  And that’s when it happened.  The best way I’ve been able to describe the experience is that I was enveloped by a presence.  If you had been there, I don’t know if you would have seen or heard or felt anything, except, perhaps, what you saw reflected in my face, which must have been glowing with surprise and wonder and awe.  There were no words, at least not in the usual way we talk about words, but the experience was powerful and lifechanging.  And the message was profoundly clear.  I was loved.  Mary was loved.  Something extraordinary was happening.  And I was invited to be a part of it.  Please hear me, because this is important.  It was an invitation.  Not a command.  Not a demand.  I was invited to step out in faith and trust in something larger than myself.  It seemed to me then, and seems to be still, that my life hung in the balance.  I could accept this strange and bewildering gift, and my life would open up in one direction.  Or I could reject the gift, and my life would close down in another direction.  I know it sounds melodramatic, but that’s how it felt as I sat there surrounded by the light of sacred presence.  Somehow, I found the strength to accept the gift which was being offered, and I am convinced that even the strength was a part of the gift.  And then the experience was over.  What remained, however, was the absolute certainty that my life had changed forever.

          I ran as fast as I could to find Mary.  When I finally found her, she had such kindness and such wisdom – far beyond her years.  I begged for her forgiveness, and she assured me that there was nothing to forgive.  What was important was that I was there with her in that moment.  And so it was that together, hand in hand, we stepped into the adventure which spread out before us.

          The next few months are a blur.  So many people in our town turned their back on us.  They did not understand anything beyond what they could see – that she was a young, unmarried girl and she was pregnant.  That was all they needed to know.  There was no love.  There was no understanding.  There was no compassion.  And so, we clung to each other and drew on the strength of our faith, trusting that we were part of something larger than ourselves – something holy.

          Then, just as her time was drawing near, things got even more complicated.  A decree came from Rome that everyone needed to be counted and registered, and to do so we were required to return to our ancestral homes.  It seemed outrageous and unfair, but finally, when it became clear that there was nothing else to do, we set off for Bethlehem, because somewhere in my family history I had the blood of David flowing through my veins.

          It was a challenging journey.  Mary was far along in her pregnancy, and strong and courageous though she was, the travel was exhausting.  When we finally arrived in Bethlehem, we could barely put one foot in front of the other.  But the challenge wasn’t over yet.  All the available rooms were taken.  There was nowhere to stay.  I pleaded with one person after another.  And then, finally, our prayers and my pleading were answered.  We could stay in the stable behind the inn.  It was out of the wind, and the straw was soft.  It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

          And it was just in time.  We had no sooner settled in for the night when Mary’s time came upon here.  She was already so exhausted, and I felt so helpless.  There was nothing I could do but hold her hand and whisper my love.  My awe and respect for her increased beyond measure as I sat there beside her through those long hours.  Then, finally, it was over.  Our son lay in his mother’s arms, sucking on her breast.  He was the most amazing and beautiful thing I have ever seen.  I know I am biased, but it felt to me that in that tiny face I was seeing the face of God.

          The rest of the night was filled with more wonders.  At one point some local shepherds showed up, with stories that sounded remarkably similar to my own experience with the glowing, sacred presence.  They just wanted a glimpse of the baby.  I didn’t really understand, but somehow it seemed to make sense.  We were a part of something larger than ourselves – larger than we could fully comprehend.

          And now I find myself sitting quietly in the corner, with Mary and the baby asleep beside me.  There is a peaceful stillness surrounding us.  I don’t know what this new day or this new life will bring; but in this moment, it is enough to simply be here, knowing that the invitation I accepted all those months ago is still being extended.  And now, more than ever, I am choosing to say “YES!” with my whole being.  It is all I can do.  And it is enough.

 The Angel

          Preparations had been underway for months, and the moment had finally arrived.  Well, that’s not exactly right.  You see, time is a human construct, so what happens here in heaven falls outside of the normal understanding of time.  Did I mention that I’m an angel?  Maybe I forgot that part.  Sorry.  I get ahead of myself sometimes.  Let me start again.  My name is Khanan-el and I am an angel.  You’ve probably never heard of me.  I’m not one of the famous angels, like Michael or Gabriel.  They’re the ones who usually get the big spotlight gigs.  I’m just a part of the choir – the “heavenly host” is how some people refer to us.  It doesn’t really matter that you didn’t know my name before now.  We all have a part to play, and when each of us shows up and gives it our best, the results are really quite amazing, whether you recognize me or not.  But I’m here now and I want to tell you about something that happened a long time ago (well, at least it was a long time ago from your perspective – from where I sit it was like it was yesterday – or maybe more like it’s still happening and always will be – this time versus eternity stuff is hard to keep track of sometimes).

          Anyway, as I started to say, plans and preparations had been made and the time had arrived for them to unfold and become manifest in the world.  My boss (I think the name you know is “God”) is always working on sharing love with the world in new ways that you humans will recognize.  (Did I mention that my name, Khanan-el, means the Love of God?  I’ve always liked that.)  So, God was working on sharing love in a powerful new way because you humans always seem to get distracted and confused about such things.  Gabriel had been sent to let a couple of them in on the plan.  A lovely young woman named Mary was going to have a baby and God wanted her to know how incredibly special that baby was, so Gabriel was dispatched to deliver the good news.  Then Mary’s partner, a really good guy named Joseph, got pretty freaked out by the whole thing and needed to be reassured that everything was going to be OK.  So, Gabriel took care of that as well.

          But from there things got a bit complicated.  This plan of God’s had lots of moving parts.  Mary and Joseph ended up traveling right before the baby was born, so at the last minute they had to find somewhere to stay.  And for reasons that some of us could never quite figure out, there were some scholars in another country that were brought into the mix.  They had a long way to travel, so they wouldn’t even arrive until later, but they needed to be informed, and the heavenly tech crew were assigned the task of coming up with a star to guide them on their way.  It was all very dramatic.

          Meanwhile, back in Bethlehem (did I mention that the name of the place where Mary and Joseph ended up was called Bethlehem?  I think I forgot.  Sorry.  There are just so many details to keep track of in this story.)  Back in Bethlehem, which is normally a pretty small and sleepy village, all the various pieces of this plan were rapidly coming together.  The whole thing really was quite remarkable.  The couple arrived just in time for Mary to give birth.  Accommodations were secured in a barn out behind the inn.  The innkeeper’s wife sent for the local midwife.  Mary, exhausted though she was, proved stronger and more resilient than she looked.  And it wasn’t long before her son was born – healthy and strong.  And did I mention loud?  I’m pretty sure everyone in the neighborhood knew when he arrived in the world.

          But even with all of that, there was still more to this plan of God’s.  More folks needed to be informed.  And not just the usual folks you might expect.  God wanted everyone to know about this birth, starting with the folks who usually got left out – the common, ordinary, everyday folks.  (I think that might be my favorite part of this plan.)  And this is where I come into the story.  Up until then we (all of us ordinary heavenly host angels) had just been watching it unfold from the sidelines.  But now it was our turn to shine – literally.  (Did you know that we angels can light up like the sun when the occasion calls for it?)  Our assignment was to go to the hillside just outside of town where the local shepherds were hanging out with their sheep and deliver the news of what was happening.  You should have seen their faces when we showed up!  Let’s just say that we got their attention.  And then we sang!  I’m really not trying to brag, but if you’ve never heard us sing you can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve been missing “For unto you is born this day in the City of David…”  This sort of announcement called for that kind of fancy language.

          The whole thing didn’t last long, except, of course, it lasted forever.  It’s still unfolding.  God’s love showed up, because that’s what God’s love is always doing – showing up, surrounding everyone, shining light into the darkness – you get the picture.  That was Gods big plan – let everyone (God was really insistent on that part) know that God is always present, love is real, and miracles (like baby’s being born) are happening all the time – you just have to pay attention.  I still can hardly believe I got to be a part of it.  And (this is the important part) so can you, because even though it happened a long time ago it’s still happening now (did I mention that time is a funny thing?).  I’m not quite sure how this big plan will unfold next, but I am absolutely certain you won’t want to miss it.  Just keep paying attention and let God’s light shine.  I promise you won’t be sorry.

Amen and Merry Christmas!

Pastor Skip