Isaiah
9:2-7
The
people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a
land of deep darkness on them light has shined.
You
have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the
yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their
oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all
the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall
be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a
child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his
shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
His
authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the
throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice
and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the
LORD of hosts will do this.
Luke
2:1-14
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!"
Well, it's probably safe to assume
that all your Christmas
shopping is done, right?
Anybody still have any last minute shopping to do?
It’s ok, raise your hand, you can admit it.
I remember one year when I was in college in the 70s,
I had finals through
December 23rd,
and by the time I got home
on Christmas Eve,
the only place left open to
shop
was a small local
convenience store.
That was a crazy and creative Christmas for me
from a gift-giving
standpoint!
But for the most part,
the lists for Santa have
been made and delivered,
the presents have been
chosen, and purchased,
and wrapped
and are under the tree.
And hopefully fully paid for,
but at least the bills
won’t show up until 2017, right?
You know, giving and receiving gifts is GREAT.
It really is wonderful, both ways –
whether we are giving or
receiving, isn’t it?
Shopping for them, well,
is not as much fun as the
giving and receiving.
It takes a lot of work to do all this gift giving.
And it takes resources of all kinds –
money, time, creativity,
imagination.
But the primary reason for all this giving
is to try to help remind us
about the real gift that
was given to us this day,
if we can keep our eyes
focused on this.
And this real gift, this greatest gift of all, this baby boy,
this divine child, requires
nothing in order to receive it.
Don't need to earn it, or to save up for it.
Don't need to be good all year long.
In fact, God knows that you can’t be,
and has already forgiven
you for that.
Don't need to find it, or wrap it, or even pay it off over time.
This gift is totally unearned, and quite frankly,
it is totally undeserved.
We can’t possibly do what it takes to deserve this.
We’re not capable of that.
When God gives us Jesus the Christ,
God gives us everything we
ever need.
Grace and mercy and peace beyond understanding
are freely given to all people
this night.
It's not up to us to earn it or deserve it.
It's not a limited time offer.
It's not a fancy gift.
It's doesn't arrive with any bells or whistles.
It's as humble and basic as the birth of any other child –
and even more so;
born to a humble woman, in an out of the way place,
the simplest of
surroundings.
The world might not have recognized it at all
if it were not for the
explanation
brought to the shepherds by
the angels:
•
One has
been born
•
For you
•
In the city
of David
•
Today
•
A savior
•
Who is
Christ the Lord.
What an incredible offer.
It's merely up to us to accept the gift or to set it aside.
===================
You see, Christmas, REAL Christmas,
is not just another annual massive
gift grab.
REAL Christmas is the opening, the revealing,
of the only gift that
matters,
and the beginning of the
everlasting re-gifting
that it enables.
When this present is opened –
when Jesus Christ, the
Messiah, is revealed,
we discover that God is a
God of love,
and that love is what we
are called to receive and to give,
as unearned and undeserved gifts,
both for the receiver and
the giver.
This is what the kingdom of God is all about.
Here’s how theologian Howard Thurman described
this ongoing, everlasting
gift giving:
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
This Christmas and always,
may you freely receive and
freely give
the grace, peace, hope,
joy, and love
that is yours for the
asking,
yours for the
taking,
yours for the
sharing.
In the name of the Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty
God,
Everlasting
Father,
Nurturing
Mother,
Prince
of Peace – God with us.
Amen.
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