Luke 2:1-20
Preached at St. John’s Lancaster 24 December, 2012
It was a time of great uncertainty. The taking of a census unauthorized by God had on more than one occasion led to judgment and disaster in ancient Israel. The country was rough and harshly policed by her rulers. The economy had created enormous inequities between the peasants who worked the land and the merchants who traversed it. Rebels and bandits and false messiahs rose up with distressing regularity. There was little love or respect between the Romans and the Jews, or for that matter, between the Jewish people and their leaders in Jerusalem.
And Mary and Joseph, following the orders of the Roman Governor, traveled from their home to Joseph’s ancient tribal capital in Bethlehem. There she delivered a baby, who was Christ the Lord. We will speak more of him later, but for now, turn your attention with me to the shepherds. Have you ever spent the night alone, or with a small group of friends, in a wilderness area? It could have been a forest or a desert, or a wind swept coastland. There was no electricity, and as the small fire flickered in the darkness, you could see the immensity of the heavens and hear the howl of the wolves and the yip of the coyote. Unknown sounds surrounded you, and perhaps you experienced real anxiety about what evils or unknown beings watched just beyond the glow of your small, your ever so small fire. As many nights as I have spent in the woods of the American Heartland, or in the deserts of the Tex-Mex border lands, I never managed to feel anything but small and vulnerable. Regardless of the armaments I carried or the company I kept, there was always that sense that lack of vigilance could lead to unspeakable situations. Such was the life of a shepherd. Falling asleep on watch could lead to the loss of a lamb or worse. Theirs was not a camping trip within view of the shelter house of the lodge. They were on their own.
And on that night, as they watched, the angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them. I dare say it was a first for everyone there. It must have been a terrible sight, for angels in the Bible are not the playful cherubs of Greek mythology and Valentine’s day cards. They are the celestial warriors of God- mail clad with great spears and an aspect both terrible and gentle to behold. Their sense of justice and their confidence reflect the character of their maker, and they are not to be trifled with. Yes, it was a terrible sight to behold, and without doubt the shepherds wondered what was happening. And the angel said unto them, “Do not be afraid.” Angels seem to say that a lot in the Bible; and so does Jesus. And both they and he are still saying it today. That is perhaps one of the greatest beauties of Christmas. In the midst of your fears and uncertainties, Jesus sends his angels to you to say “do not be afraid, for I bring you glad tidings, good news. Today, in fulfillment of the prophesies, God comes among you to deliver you and keep all of his promises. Perhaps it is not in a way that you expected it to happen, but it has happened just the same, so don’t be afraid. Your deliverance has come.”
Do you believe today that Jesus Christ has come into the world to salve our wounds and to meet our needs and to enfold us in his love? Are you willing today to face the evils and difficulties of this world with the angels by your side? Are you willing to heed the words, “be not afraid?” You see, Christmas is not about the trimmings of gifts and trees and family feasts. Those things are all good and holy and ought to be enjoyed, because they express our transport at the true message of Christmas. But the true meaning of Christmas is that Jesus has come into the world to save us from all that the devil or man can do to destroy us or to mar all that God calls us to be and to do. When the angels said “Don’t be afraid” to those shepherds so many years ago, they were in effect speaking to all of us. They were announcing to us that Jesus has come to give us a strength beyond our own to face our fears and trust in the love of God given to all who will believe.
Today, on this Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, on this day when we celebrate and venerate the fact that the creative and sustaining Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us to deliver us from evil and restore us to friendship with God; on this day, might we bring to this altar all of our fears, and our uncertainties, and our hurt and our pain and our guilt and our shame. Might we with the shepherds travel to that small cave where the King of Glory lay in humility in a manger. Might we receive the gift of salvation that God has prepared for us. And might we rejoice without fear as we hear the angel’s song.
I invite you, in just a moment, to walk through your fears and stand with me to boldly and publicly confess that Jesus Christ has come into the world just as the Bible proclaims, to meet all of our needs: spiritual, and emotional, and physical, and relational. Confess with me in the Creed that Jesus Christ is who the Bible says he is, and that he has accomplished all which the Bible says he accomplished. Then kneel with me and bring him all of your needs. Tell him of your fears and your hopes, your situations, and realities, and dreams. Then confess your sins. Admit to him those things that you have thought or done which have shown disregard for him and disrespect for the people and things he has made. Receive his forgiveness and feel the arms of his love envelop you with liberty and peace and new creation. Wish to all here God’s blessing at this holy season, and ask forgiveness of any present whom you have wronged. Then hear the words of the sacred mystery of God’s salvation and come to receive his mercy and grace and strength by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of our God. Receive the grace and mercy and love of God and you will have truly experienced the real joy of Christmas this year. May God bless us every one in this holy season, and may the peace of the Lord be with you all.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.
No comments:
Post a Comment