Christmas
Eve – Christmas removing fear
Even though
I have heard the Christmas story many many times, as I’m sure you have – I do
wonder what it would be like to have heard it for the very first time – or in
fact have lived in the very first Christmas.
If you’ve
ever arrived at a motel and find that they’ve double booked your room and
there’s nowhere else available – or if you’ve presumed there would be a room
available and didn’t book – you could understand how Mary and Joseph would have
felt – especially with a pregnant Mary.
Our reading
of the Christmas Story makes Jesus being born in a manger sound very romantic.
But if
you’ve ever visited a wool shed, like I did when I first started dating Sharon
– it’s far from romantic.
Or imagine
being Mary and discovering you’re pregnant – and telling people – it’s okay,
the child is actually God’s.
Or Joseph
finding out that his fiancé is pregnant and it’s not his child.
And trying
to tell his friends and family – it’s okay – God is the Father.
We make the
story sound so romanticised – so loving and adoring – but that very first
Christmas would have been anything but that.
For
starters Mary, under the Old Testament law of Moses could have been put to
death – not only for being unfaithful to Joseph but for blasphemy saying that
she was bearing God’s child.
Sometimes
we can miss the powerful message of the Christmas Story as it becomes just a
feel good story.
Yes it is
an amazing story that is lovely to hear over and over again during Christmas
but God is wanting to remind you that at times life can be difficult.
Life can be
uncertain.
Life was
difficult and uncertain for Mary and Joseph but God reassured them that the
child about to be born would be called “Immanuel” – which means God is with us.
And that’s
the heart of the Christmas message.
In our
lives with all its uncertainties, difficulties and complexities, God is with
us.
And on each
occasion when angels visited Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds – they began with
the words – ‘do not be afraid’.
And that’s
the heart of the Christmas message to you today – do not be afraid – for God is
bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day
in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
And we need
to hear that message more than ever today as the message of the world is the
opposite;
Be afraid,
is what we keep getting told.
Be afraid
of climate change.
Be afraid
of bushfires.
Be afraid
of volcanoes.
Be afraid
of droughts.
Be afraid
of soaring temperatures.
Be afraid
of hackers.
Be afraid –
be afraid – be afraid.
But God,
today, is telling you - do not be afraid
– for God is bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is
born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
And he will
be called Immanuel – God with us.
And if God is
on our side, who can be against us?
Today,
God’s love becomes personal as God loved the world so much that he sent his one
and only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal
life.
And
nothing, neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present
nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in
all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
So may God
bless you this Christmas as the Christmas Story becomes your story and remove
all your fears because God is with us.
No comments:
Post a Comment