Christmas Eve 2013
Slide of the spinning earth and hands.
God looked down on his creation and saw our pain, our
grief, our rebellion, and our hard heartedness and he loved
us in spite of ourselves.
So he sent us a Savior, who would enter our world as one of
us, a Redeemer who would conquer sin and death and grant
us forgiveness and salvation.
And, just in case we might miss this marvelous gift, 750
years earlier, God promised, through the prophet Isaiah,
For us a child is born,
for us, a son is given;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
from the throne of David.
He will bring true justice and peace to all the
nations of the world
from this time onward and forevermore.
For us a child is born…a child…what was God thinking?
Show slides of our 2013 Christmas Program.
Perhaps we can discover God’s wisdom in sending a child
by considering the Christmas Story as presented by our
Sunday school children..
This year we had a rocky start. Many teachers and helpers
were willing to help, but no one wanted to “lead”.
So, they divided the jobs and plowed ahead in faith.
And their faith was rewarded.
Evidently the Saturday practice was mayhem.
Because the children didn’t practice in costume some of the
little ones couldn’t remember whether they were a star or a
shepherd.
Many forgot their lines; patience was short
However, on Sunday morning it was a different story.
Everything went well.
Ardy Kreuter said that like a Christmas miracle, “God
always shows up on the day of the pagent.”
Looking back, I think the lack of a leader may have been a
blessing.
When, I walked into the gym, moments before the children
were to march in, I found the kings and stars, animals and
shepherds, angels and the holy family all joyfully running
around playing tag in the gym.
I called out “Who is in charge here?”
Someone joked “I guess God is in charge.”
No truer words have been spoken.
So our children were dressed in garland, old sheets and
fabric remnants stitched into robes.
There were a few animal costumes, some left from
Halloween, towels, and perhaps a bathrobe or two.
Mary wore orange shoes, the baby doll was a girl and our
littlest children were nearly swallowed up by their star
costumes.
In that 1 hour service we witnessed the whole range of
human emotions and feelings which all added depth to the
story of Jesus’ birth.
 There was joy and laughter, as one or two children sang
too loud or sang the wrong verse.
 There was confusion as the children forgot when to arrive
on stage or where to stand.
 There was the fear of stage fright and even a few tears of
panic.
 There is the wonder of a young boy who turned his back
to the congregation so that he can watch the pageant for
the first time.
 Another child was oblivious to her teacher’s promptings
but is awe-struck by what she sees.
 There is also the patience and courage displayed by
middle school youth who have stepped in as prophets.
As I watched this year’s program, with all of its unexpected
drama, I know in my heart that this is exactly how Luke is
trying to tell us it happened on that very first Christmas.
Perhaps we have never understood the Christmas story until
we have seen it done or undone by a group of Sunday
School children.
Certainly that first Christmas morning in Bethlehem could
not have been very neat and tidy.
 There must have been a few disorderly sheep and cows.
 The shepherds ran to the manger in the middle of night, I
doubt their hair was combed.
 Mary’s dress must have had wrinkles and Joseph’s shoes
were no doubt unpolished.
 There was no room in the inn, so Mary gave birth to a
child, far from home, in a stable, or maybe a little cave in
a hillside, like the ones still in use in Bethlehem today.
 For Mary and Joseph …Joy, confusion, fear, wonder and
awe, and courage but also
 In their world there was Poverty, darkness, isolation and
injustice
This was not an easy birth. They might have rightfully
questioned, “Who is in charge here?”
Instead, they trusted the angels’ promises that God would
lead them.
As your pastor, I look out into the congregation , I know
there are many here tonight whose hearts are filled with
Christmas Joy.
Some of you are here with your new baby,
Or have all of your children home and are crowding into
your old family pew.
Others have returned to church after a long absence and
stand a bit in awe of rehearing the Christmas story.
There are newly-weds and grandparents and even teenagers
who are happy and content to be here. Life is good.
However, I also know that in this same sanctuary are those
with the Christmas Sorrow, You are in grief or afraid of the
future or worried about a doctor’s report or the January
credit card bills.
Show globe and manger slide
The Christmas Story is for all people, at all times in their life
and in all places in the world.
Around the world there are still wars, poverty, and hunger.
There is nothing about this world that is neat, tidy and
orderly.
Peace and justice seldom reign. And it is this world that God
sent his son, Jesus.
In John’s words…For God so loved the world…that he
gave His only son …In deed God did not send the Son into
the world to condemn the world but in order that the world
might be save through him.
God cares about real live, flesh-and-blood people, and so
God put on real flesh and blood to be one of us.
God became human so that he could get close to us.
God became a vulnerable child so that we can approach him
without fearing God’s anger or violent judgment but rather
with the expectation of love.
Tonight, no matter what our circumstances, we are all
children, peering in the manger with wonder and awe and
hope.
Tonight we celebrate that in Christ we are loved Children of
God.
God loves us in spite of ourselves.
This is the good news of the gospel.
This is the good news of Christmas.