The Holy Gospel
according to St Matthew, the 1st Chapter
according to St Matthew, the 1st Chapter
Glory to You, O Lord
Luke 2:1-20
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!" 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.
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
"It's All in the Details"
Christmas is filled with details large and small, but the important detail is God's incredible love in Jesus Christ who came to save us.
One of my childhood Christmas highlights was putting up the crèche. I don’t know why my Norwegian family called the nativity set by its French name, but we did. First we would put the wooden framework in place. In back of it was a music box which we wound to play a tired version of “Silent Night” while we unpacked the ceramic pieces which were wrapped in newspaper from the previous January. Mary was all dressed in blue, Joseph in brown and green, several sheep, a donkey, a cow with broken horns, two shepherds, and a manger with two baby Jesuses just in case one got lost (because, apparently, one had gone missing one year when I was very young, and I had become hysterical about the missing baby Jesus who was later found). The kings were there, complete with a glossy lacquer finish which, 50 years ago, was a sort of bling. When all that was in place, we got the step-stool from the kitchen, climbed up, and carefully pushed a hatpin into the ceiling tile. From that pin hung three-feet of fish-line and a silver star.
In my teens, I started managing the crèche in keeping with Luke’s story. The animals arrived first and made themselves at home (it was their stable, after all). Then Mary and Joseph arrived with an empty manger between them. Finally, Jesus took his place in that manger, the star was put into place, the shepherds came, and the wise men started their long trek from across the room.
As some of you know, I haven’t outgrown doing this, slowly and deliberately. Mary and Joseph stood painfully alone all through Advent while Jesus and the angel hid with the wise men. Jesus is here tonight with Mary and Joseph and the hovering angel, but the wise men are way over there because they didn’t start their journey until the star rose over Bethlehem, and it’s going to take them awhile to get here. (which reminds me: this is a perfect opportunity to invite you to come back on Sunday to see how far the wise men have moved!)
There are a lot of details involved in our celebration of Christmas, but I want to assure you that, if the little baby Jesus gets lost or if the wise men take their places in the stable in early December, the sky is not going to fall, no curse has been put upon you, and those of us with OCD will not un-friend you. Christmas is all in the details, but not THOSE details.
The details that really matter on this night (and every night) are these:
God saw that humanity was in trouble,
that our sin was out of control,
that we were increasingly living in brokenness,
and that, even when we gave it our best attempt,
we could not save ourselves.
So God came to earth as a human baby to save us as no one and nothing else could.
All this God did out of incredible, immeasurable love for us,
in spite of our brokenness,
in spite of our sins,
because long, long ago, God created us “very good”
and it didn’t take long for us to fall from that description
so God gave everything to redeem us from ourselves.
There are so many wonderful, special details of this season. For some, it’s the special meal. For others, it’s the music. Some love wrapping presents and others love unwrapping them. Go ahead and enjoy all of the details you love. Bask in traditions new and old. Celebrate well and often. Just don’t forget Emmanuel (God with us) Jesus the Christ who is the detail we can’t live eternally without. Amen
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted. Sermon shared by Mari Larson Dec 27, 2015.
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