CHRISTMAS IN THE FACE OF DEATH AND LOSS

When the presents have been opened and the kids are exhausted and the food has dwindled down to a handful of snacks, there’s a sense in which the party is over. People have been fed, songs have been sung, gifts have been exchanged,and the kids are tired. Our Christmas gathering has come and gone for another year... but Immanuel isn't going anywhere! Immanuel means "God with us" and that is forever true. Immanuel is always with us, not only when we open gifts, but when we gather the crumbled paper they were wrapped in. God is with us when we can hardly contain our excitement and God is with us when we can't hide our tears. God is with us when it seems like everybody loves us, and God is with us when we're sure that no one has ever loved us. Christmas is a day when we celebrate the arrival of our Savior- the day when Christ showed up in Bethlehem- but Jesus never leaves!Christmas is knowing that God is with us and it's trusting that God will comfort us, carry us, applaud for us, cry with us, forgive us, direct us, and provide for us… no matter what. It is knowing that God-with-us is enough- and this is a very powerful thing because the world can be a very bad place. According to Matthew, Joseph and Mary moved into a home in Bethlehem after Jesus was born, and they were visited by magi from Persia when their son was 1-2 years old. It was a grand occasion when the magi called because they worshiped Jesus as a King and presented their gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense. It was a fitting tribute, but King Herod was not amused. In his view there was only room for one king in Israel and, since the magi did not returned to tell him where Jesus was, he decided to murder all of the boys in and around Bethlehem who were 2 years old and younger. Which he did, and Jesus would have been one of his victims, except that an angel warned Joseph to take his family and flee to Egypt. When Herod died in 4BC, Joseph was told to go back to Israel and with Mary and Jesus in toll, and he did just that, except that he went to Nazareth instead of Judea because he had been warned by an angel. In the 2nd chapter of the book that bears his name, Matthew tells a story about a mad king, angels, faithful parents, and a God who would not be denied. It is a touching story that elicits many thoughts and feelings within me: 1) Evil men (and women) will do anything to retain power and Herod was an evil man… who murdered opponents, friends, family, and innocents whenever it served his purpose! He was also manipulative and flattering at times, but he was more than capable of killing the babies around Bethlehem,just to ease his mind; 2)Innocent and vulnerable people, including children, always pay the price for our sins, prejudices, and insecurity. Innocent people were murdered just because of who they were in Bethlehem at that time, just as they were murdered in Auschwitz and Buchenwald at another time; and just because they had attended a Bible Study in a Charleston church in 2015; and every single day from street and domestic violence. Rachel has been weeping forever and if you want to pray for someone today, pray for her as she buries her children; 3)God with us does not means that we will never stumble and fall, run into a dead-end, be attacked and abandoned, or lose loved ones. Indeed, as one of my teachers noted, Immanuel deliberately takes our fears, threats, and brokenness on. Christmas endures in spite of sin, evil, and slaughter… because Immanuel isn’t ever going to let us go;4)There’s a young woman in Iowa who lost her son just before Christmas a year or so ago, but instead of shaking her fist and cursing at the night, she spoke words of faith and honest pain. She hasn't denied her broken heart, but her faith did not rest upon everything going her way! It rests on the great truth that God is with her (Immanuel). And so it was in Bethlehem. Sheep. Shepherds. A stable, a manger, a baby, a donkey, a little house, astrologers who were wise enough to worship their King, gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, dreams, death, laughter, and tears. They were all part of Christmas then and they are part of Christmas now. That’s just the way life is. It is part of the Christmas story. Thank God for Christmas. Thank God for coming down here and facing the pain and evil that we face. Thank God for walking with us, for seeing and experiencing us when we are scared, proud, silly, or in love. Thank God for setting his face to Jerusalem and for crying over people like us. Thank God for persevering in the face of Herod, Caiaphas, Pilate, and a hill called "Golgotha." Thank God that Christmas doesn’t come when we put up our lights and go when we take the tree down. Thank God for being with us in good times and bad. Immanuel: may we trust in this! Amen.

WHY CHRIST IS AT THE CENTER OF CHRISTMAS FOR ME

      In Jesus' day, shepherding had become a job for men who couldn’t find decent work. They weren’t welcome in polite society and besides, like prostitutes and tax collectors, they were perpetually unclean. The testimony of shepherds wasn't admissible in court and many towns barred them entirely. Being a shepherd was not much to write home about, and one suspects that with each passing day, they cared less and less about fitting in.
      But there they were in the fields just outside of Bethlehem- fields that Sherry and I stood in when we visited Israel. They didn’t bathe frequently and they didn’t wash their hands ritually. They weren’t “church people,” and they weren’t thinking about much except getting by. It was just another night in the field… when suddenly, the heavens lit up and the glory of God shone around them! The shepherds were terrified. They had never seen anything like this and an angel gave them news, for which the word “good” is not really good enough. “I bring you news that will give great joy to all people,” the angel said, “for unto you” a Savior has been born in Bethlehem. Yes you- you shepherds, you idolaters, adulterers, and sinners of all sorts. Unto you a Savior is born. Unto you too, who have fallen in love with money, who don't feel like trying anymore, who have gotten lost and disappointed people whom you love, who can hardly carry the weight of your own sin, who thirst for peace and promise, who have trouble believing- unto you a Savior is born!
      Unto you and the whole lot of us, and our world will never be the same.The same sort of things may happen. But they will never really be the same because Christ has come to us- to live among us, to laugh and cry with us, to be applauded & threatened, to be worshiped and cursed, to experience our joys and our struggles, and to set us free. The shepherds were still shepherds come morning… no one was going to invite them in for dinner, but they would never be shepherds without hope again. The poor were just as poor come morning, but they would be rich in love and hope, and they would know that they've been invited to dine with their king. Death and loss will continue to break hearts, but they no longer have the last laugh. People will cry, but they won’t cry alone… and they won’t cry forever.
      The world was turned upside down one night, when Mary's boy was born. Because Jesus was born, people can see that they're worth loving and that Christ will love them to the end. Because Jesus was born in Bethlehem, people can see that being rich has nothing to do with money and that being powerful has nothing to do with might. If Jesus hadn’t been born, the widow of Nain would’ve buried her only son and mothers ever since would’ve buried their children without assurance. If Jesus hadn’t been born, lepers would've spent their entire lives on the edge of town, and those who isolated in our day would not know the joy of being included and loved. If Jesus hadn’t been born, we would still be carrying the weight of our sins and if Jesus had not been born, we would walk alone when the valleys were darkest. If Jesus hadn’t been born, I would’ve died as a drunk and the demons would still have their way with me.
      I’ve been blessed with many wonderful Christmas gifts over time, but what I needed most- more than anything else- was to be forgiven and given another chance. I needed to be healed on the inside- in ways that enabled me to feel better about myself and to see others more clearly. I needed Jesus... and this is why my Christmases revolve around Christ. I know that many people celebrate Christmas in a secular way and  I know that we all do to some extent. Most of us find great joy in the gathering of families and the feeling of love and charity that fills the air. It's great fun to buy gifts that we know will delight our children and it warms our hearts when we see people dropping their money into the Red Kettles.
      I don’t have any trouble with this because joy, giving, and caring are good things. I love fruit cakes, caroling, Christmas gatherings and giving gifts as much as anyone... but... (and this is important)... it is the Christ child who invites us to lay down our masks and experience his grace. It is the Christ child who was born in love and died with the words, “forgive them,” on his lips!! Merry Christmas!

A TALE OF GRACE AND FAITH

      Listen to Luke describe how Christmas began. "Many have undertaken," he wrote, "to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, and... I've decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus…." "In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth to a virgin pledged to a man named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary." Gabriel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!” (But) Mary was greatly troubled at his words and Gabriel said, “Do not be afraid; you’ve found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and call him Jesus. “How will this be,” Mary asked, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word be fulfilled.” 

      It's a story of great faith, but Matthew focused on Joseph when he told how it all began. "This is how the birth of Jesus came about:" he wrote, "His mother, Mary, was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant…." Because Joseph was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” When Joseph woke up, he took Mary home as his wife. But he didn’t consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. (Matthew 1)

     According to Luke, who wrote an orderly account to a “friend of God,” (which is what Theophilus means), the angel Gabriel visited a virgin- likely 15-16 years old- and said, I have really good news for you, Miriam. You have been chosen to give birth to a son called “Jesus.” Well, Mary may have been poor and uneducated, but she wasn’t stupid, and she replied, “How can this be since I am a virgin,” which was an expected thing in those days. In those days being young and unmarried meant being a virgin and being a virgin was critically important if you were engaged… because being engaged was tantamount to being married (without the consummation). Don’t worry, Gabriel explained, the Holy Spirit will conceive the child… and in a marvelous statement of faith, the young girl said, “Let it be, Lord!” I am your servant- let it me. Not knowing how I will explain this to mom and dad, to Joseph, or the neighbors, and knowing that the consequences might be severe for me… I am glad to say, "Let it be, Lord!"

      And what about Joseph? He truly expected his bride to be a virgin. He would’ve been shocked if she wasn’t… and if she wasn’t, he could have taken legal and even punitive action against her. With this in mind, Matthew lets us know that before Mary and Joseph experienced sexual intimacy, Joseph discovered that she was pregnant. Maybe Mary told him, maybe it just became obvious- but Joseph found out, and according to Matthew, he resolved to divorce her quietly… which was an act of grace. Joseph was a decent man. He had a good heart. He was also a man of faith who couldn’t marry a pregnant woman, but he didn’t want to hurt her either. So he decided to just let things go and separate quietly. But an angel appeared to him in a dream and assured him that the child in Mary’s womb was the Holy Spirit’s! In Joseph’s time, people believed in dreams- and in things they might not understand- so he took her home as his wife and avoided intimacy until Jesus was born"

      There was a time when I knew everything, but over the years I’ve learned that I can’t even explain the very things that make life so wonderful- like love, faith, hope, a child’s smile, a lover’s touch, the sound of rain, being forgiven, and salvation. I’ve been blessed with God's forgiveness and I've experienced God’s grace... but I can't explain either one. I don’t know how the virgin birth happened… but I choose to believe that God cared enough to be with us (Immanuel) in a deep, intimate, and vulnerable way. I choose to believe that God works through trusting men and women of faith to this day, and I want to believe that I can embrace the dreams that God gives to me. Christmas, even the first one, is a gift exchange in some ways. It’s not an equal exchange, of course, but there are things that we can give to God each day… like humility, openness, honesty, willingness, and obedience. We can bless God by living as if God is with us and we can treat others, even those who may have betrayed us, with loving kindness. We can say “thank you” to Christ as he lays in a manger, works at a carpenter’s bench, stands with us when we stand in our own garden of grief, or shows up at our door, begging for help.

      In the end, we are Christian only to the extent that we serve Christ in our own lives and love others in his name. Life is a journey for and with Christ, and the journey begins with words like, “Let it be, Lord! Let it be!” Amen.

LIVE AS IF YOU HAVE BEEN TO THE RIVER

      John was Jesus' second cousin. He was probably associated with the Essenes of Qumran and he had an iron-clad commitment to the law of God. He took the commandments seriously, even the lesser one, and like others who shared his view, John was sure that God was coming soon and very soon. John was a "piece of work," but he spoke in a passionate and urgent way... to people who desperately needed a change. They were living under Roman rule. They were taxed into debtors' prisons and they were treated disdainfully, day after day. They hadn't seen hope or experienced a moment of joy in a long, long time. So, when John called them to come to the river and undergo a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. they came! They came in great numbers, to be dunked in the Jordan, and cleansed of their sin by a God of new beginnings. There was an urgency in John's call and there must have been a sense of anticipation in their hearts.They were willing, even anxious, to do business with God and get rid of their sins, even the ones they enjoyed, because they needed to repent, change their direction, and prepare themselves for God’s coming!
      John was a prophet- a truth-teller that is. He was the bridge between the Old and New Testaments and he was the one who paved the way for the coming of Christ. He lived aesthetically and he offered a simple message with conviction and passion. Come to the river, he cried. Come to the Jordan and undergo a baptism... of repentance... for the forgiveness of sin. Come now... because God will soon be here! Come now because the old is dying and the new is beginning! Come to the river and get clean. God is coming and you don't want God to find your life cluttered with sin. God is coming and you don't want your heart to be at odds with God's. So, come to the river. Let God cleanse you and when you get home, live and think as a person who is clean through and through. 
      I've been blessed to go to Israel twice and on both occasions, I was blessed to baptize adults in the Jordan river. In some ways the setting is commercial. There's bleachers for the rest of the group to set on and there's dressing rooms in which the participants put on their robes. There are also steps into the river... but the Jordan is the Jordan. Baptism is a holy sacrament and God joined us both times. Are you ready to be baptized in the names of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? Are you ready to give up your sins? From now on. will you live as one who is forgiven and renewed? Yes, yes, yes. Then, one by one, they were submerged three times in the very water where John baptized Jesus. It was touching and meaningful for everyone, and it was powerful to see ordinary, mainline, 21st-century, Christians experience a life-changing moment!
      Come to the river. Let us gather at the river. God is coming- get ready! Repent and change your ways! Let old things and habits go. Live in a way where everyone will say, "There goes a man (or woman) of God." And practice justice and righteousness in your daily lives. Bear the fruit of repentance, John said, and when the people asked him what he that meant, John told them to be kind, thoughtful, fair, forgiving, and generous. Treat others as if they are children of God. Treat them like you want to be treated, and be alert... when Jesus appears to you in need of food, clothes, healing, love, or simply company. 

      History, both Biblical and secular- records that John had a huge following. They came by the thousands- those who were weary and burdened, those who wanted to live fuller and freer lives, those who  believed that God would come soon, those who wanted to be ready when their Lord appeared! They came as they were, from all of Judea, with willing hearts, and when they came up from the water, they were challenged to live as new creations and to bear the fruits of repentance when they returned to their daily lives. God is coming. In the form of a vulnerable baby soon now. You may hear the angels shout. Maybe God will come as a beggar, or a waitress, or a sales clerk. And who among us doesn't know that God will call us home someday soon. When Sherry was in the hospital with sepsis and pneumonia, she says that a visitor came to her and bid her to come along, but she resisted and the visitor left. It wasn't her time... then... or mine or yours, but it will be. Paul and others in the New Testament believed that God was coming to claim his people at any moment. Tomorrow maybe or the day after. They thought that God would be coming any day now, and from some people ar some point in time, that will be so.
      God is coming quite soon for each of us and when we see God face-to-face, we may well be asked these three questions: 1) what did you do with my Son, 2) what did you do with the gifts I gave you, and 3) what did you do when you saw me hungry, naked, sick, or imprisoned? Did you as someone who had been to the river? O Lord, let it be that we will live as people who have been to the river! Amen,