| Isaiah 9:2-4,6-7 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-20 Psalm 96:1-4,11-12 |
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In the December 22nd issue of The Living Church, The Reverend George Martin wrote about an experience he and his wife had when they went to Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City. His wife told the clerk that they were looking for a particular figure for their Italian crèche set. The clerk got this puzzled look on his face and asked, "What exactly is it you are looking for?" George tried to explain that they were looking for a scene that had figures from the story about the birth of Jesus that included shepherds, angels, Mary and Joseph, as well as the baby Jesus. "Oh, we have one of those!" the clerk responded, and showed them a small glass ball with snow inside that had a stable with some of the figures in a traditional nativity scene. That was all that Saks had in the way of crèche scenes in the entire store. George left the store muttering, "Oh we sell everything for Christmas, but we don’t need Jesus here." His wife was afraid that he might be arrested for making a scene, but as he stated in the article, "I refrained myself, but barely."In order to fully appreciate this story you need to realize the George and his wife are the founders of the Episcopal Ad Project which market rather provocative advertising, posters, and cards for churches. Like this Christmas card, "Whose birthday is it, anyway?" with a picture of Santa Claus and Jesus on the cover and the inscription inside The important news at Christmas is not who comes down the chimney but who came down from heaven.
Sometimes people do get confused about Christmas. Take The Family Circus cartoon that appeared in the "Sunday Comics" section of the newspaper. Gayle, the little girl is telling Jeffy and Chris the Christmas story, only she gets it a little confused. She has Santa delivering Jesus and laying him in the manger, while chestnuts are roasting on a open fire, the grinch stole some swaddling clothes for the baby Jesus, Scrooge is one of the three wise men, who rides to Bethlehem on eight tiny reindeer.
There are so many stories competing for Christmas, its no wonder children and adults sometimes get confused about what tonight and tomorrow are really all about.
We have just heard the original story of Christmas and that is why we are gathered here. We are not waiting for Santa Claus, who only delivers gifts through those who can afford to buy them for family and friends (or to some children). We are not here to find out if the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future are going to visit us tonight. We are here because on this night God gave a gift to every man, woman, and child in the world. There is no distinction in whether you are naughty or nice. God didn’t even ask if we wanted his gift. He just knew that we needed it.
Throughout the world tonight millions of people are gathered in churches to celebrate the mystery of the birth of a child. Not just any child, but the Son of God.
It may be his birthday, but that is not what we celebrate. The best way that I know how to describe what we celebrate is to look at Mary and Joseph. When Jesus was born there was an outpouring of love for him by Mary and Joseph. As they held him in their arms there was an intense feeling of love for this child. It is the same type of love that we experience at the birth of our own children.
Now take that love and image that you are the recipient. That is what the Christmas story is all about – God’s love for us.
The real danger of Christmas is that we do not experience that love. In the busyness of trying to create the perfect Christmas we can push Jesus and his gift of love back onto the pages of the Bible and close the cover, seeing it as just another cute Christmas story.
George Martin said "Oh we sell everything for Christmas, but we don’t need Jesus here." George’s statement is right, we really don’t need Jesus here! We can get along without him here on earth. We can go to the store and buy everything we want and have a Merry Christmas. We can have a fun time with family and friends. But to do so will rob us of what Christmas is really all about. But then all of you know this or you wouldn’t be here. The one thing we cannot buy at Saks Fifth Avenue or in any other store is the love of God wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. That gift of love is more than the baby Jesus, it is life. It is the gift of our salvation. If we want to enter the kingdom then we will need Jesus in order to get there.
May you have a blessed Christmas as you experience the love of God poured down upon you this night in the gift of Jesus Christ.