Christmas Eve Sermon – Keeping our Christmas joy

 Christmas Eve Sermon – Keeping our Christmas joy

No doubt as you’ve been going about your shopping or other activities you’ve been hearing Christmas Carols being played. There are some of the traditional ones like Away in a manger and Silent Night. There have been some less religious based songs like Santa Claus is coming to town and Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. And perhaps you’ve even heard some pop music songs about Christmas. One that I regularly hear on the radio this time of year is John Lennon’s “So this is Christmas”.

The lyrics are interesting and somewhat hopeful with lines such as “War is over” – and wouldn’t that be great this Christmas? But it begins with a question to us: “So this is Christmas – and what have you done? And isn’t that what Christmas has become? What have you done?

Have you been to a Christmas breakup and been asked – so, what are you doing for Christmas? Christmas has become so much about doing that we have little time to really appreciate what Christmas means.

We have to get those Christmas cards out – get those presents wrapped – get that Christmas tree decorated – get that food organized – and you can probably add a multitude of other tasks to that especially if you’re going away on holidays straight after Christmas.

But Christmas is not about what we are doing but about what God has done for us. And in the midst of our busyness we can forget that and sadly even begin to resent Christmas – with comments such as  “I can’t wait for it to be over” or “I’m not looking forward to Christmas”.

Christmas is about God showing his love for us and should be the most joyous of all occasions. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

We need to put Christmas back where it belongs as a joyous occasion not an occasion where we stress out trying to find that carpark, joining mile long queues at the checkouts – worrying if we’ve got enough food and drinks - worrying about what the credit card is going to look like next month.

But sadly that’s what Christmas can become to so many people. Many people complain about Christmas and how secular it has become with decorations going up in November and catalogues filled with Christmas advertising. And many are upset about some of the slogans this Christmas like “Make Merry” and “Merry Everything”.

Again, these are at least bringing Christmas to the attention of people. I honestly don’t mind that – at least it’s bring Christmas to people’s minds. I think the greater problem we have is when we lose the Christmas spirit. Remember what the angels said to the Shepherds when Jesus was born: I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

That’s the spirit we need to recapture – good news of great joy for all people – the saviour has been born TO YOU.

Worse than Christmas being secularized is when Christians lose their Christmas joy and spirit. Jesus’ birth was for no other reason than to bring joy to the world – joy to you. In the midst of all the turmoil going on in the world with wars and economic gloom – here God is sending a message of hope to us to bring us great joy.

The other danger of Christmas is that it just becomes like a romantic fairytale that we bring out each year – get all emotional about it and then when the New Year hits and the holidays are over we’re back to normal with the same routine but a little bit poorer.

Christmas is about Jesus entering into our lives – not just a story and not just for one day. Don’t reduce the Christmas miracle to a Christmas story which it sadly is to many people. Christmas is God’s love wrapped in human flesh. Don’t treat that wrapping of love like we do to the wrapping papers on our Christmas presents. They look so lovely under the tree with their colourful paper and ribbons – but then as you tear it off it is then placed in the bin.

Treasure the gift because it is God’s sacrifice of love for you. Take it with you wherever you go as God fulfils his promise that his gift to us would be called Immanuel – God with us. Not just on Christmas Eve or Christmas day but always – as Jesus also said – I am with you always till the end of the age.

So may God bless your Christmas celebrations and may they be truly blessed and joyful for there is no greater gift to us than the gift from God himself – Jesus Christ our Lord.

Born for us.