Christmas
Day Sermon
God
with us – us with the World
As
we gather today on this Christmas Day and over the Christmas period, we have
heard the characters in the nativity story again.
Central
to the Christmas story is the message of God’s presence with us.
The
story begins with a birth that was surrounded by a scandal.
A
young unmarried mother – pregnant but not to her betrothed husband.
It
is a story that is followed by disappointment – no room at the inn.
It
is story that includes disgusting surroundings – born in an animal shed – in a feeding trough
for the animals.
We
make it seem sweet and pleasant but if you’ve ever been to the Royal Melbourne
Show and into the animal displays you can imagine the smells and uncleanliness.
In
hospitals we can’t even go from room to room these days without the need of
sterilising our hands – and yet here is a birth in a filthy barn.
It
must have been hard for Mary and Joseph at the time because they didn’t know
how it was all going to end.
Mary
and Joseph are alone on this journey and they don't have the luxury like us of
knowing exactly how it is all going to turn out.
Soon
they will have to flee for their lives when they hear that Herod wants to kill
their son.
They
just have to trust God and what he promised before Jesus was born and the words
of prophecy from strangers like Simeon and Anna.
You
wonder why God would send his one and only son into this sort of beginning
which was always going to be risky.
The
story of Christmas is a story of God taking a risk because of his love for us.
God
took on a great risk entering into the messiness of life.
But
God also took on a great risk when he created human beings with a free will who
would reject him and also his Son whose birth we celebrate today.
Central
to the story of Christmas is a story of gift giving.
It
is the gift of risky love of God.
If
I was God, I might have sent something quite different to really awaken the
world.
Something
fantastic.
Something
so amazing, so awesome, the whole world would know about it.
Something
huge and glittering and memorable.
Something
that would make people want to come and worship.
But
God sent a baby!
And
not even a royal looking baby.
But
a baby born to an unmarried peasant girl.
Born
in a dirty stable, without even the benefit of clean sheets or water.
But
this baby was extra special.
He
was a message from God, "The Word made flesh". ‘
In
the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
...In him was life, and the life was the light of human beings. ...And the Word
became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.'
As
we read in Hebrews 1 - In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the
prophets at many times and in various ways,
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (Hebrews 1:1,2)
The
message given by the baby Jesus is a message of God’s love to the world – to
every human being.
It
was a message that God loves us in the midst of the darkness and depravity of
all that happens in the world.
It
was a message to give us hope that darkness has not overcome the light of God
in his Son Jesus Christ – the Light of the World.
What
a gift!
A
gift which goes on and on.
A
gift that keeps on giving.
The
gift of God himself to every individual.
The
life Jesus lived was a human life with all its suffering and difficulties.
God
born within a baby at Christmas.
God
living within a human being throughout his life.
Jesus
showed us how God’s love could penetrate the most darkest places.
We
all have the opportunity to share that love within our own lives, in our
families, in our communities, in our work and social settings.
But
sometimes that also takes a risk:
How
will people respond?
What
if they reject me?
What
if they make fun of me?
What
if I lose family or friends because of the message?
But
imagine if God didn’t take a risk.
God's
great gift at Christmas was the gift of himself.
And
God continues to give that gift each time we come to worship.
When
we hear again the Word made flesh.
When
we received the Word through the body and blood of Holy Communion.
These
are given to us as reminder s that God is and always will be a God who is “Emmanuel”
God with us.
And
God sends you to be his presence in the world.
A
world that still rejects him but a world that God still loves and always will.
We
are called to be God’s “Emmanuel” – God with the world.
Will
you take that risk?
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