In this blog, we'll focus on the working being done at Sligo Presbyterian Church, Sligo, Pennsylvania. We'll also look at what's happening in Sligo, Rimersburg, Clarion, and all the other communities served by our congregation.
Showing posts with label The Miracle of Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Miracle of Christmas. Show all posts
In each message, we’ll consider how the miracle of Christ’s coming into the world changed history, brought peace and offers the hope of salvation.
During the final service in his series, we considered the miracle of the manger, focusing on the simplicity of the birth. A video of the service, a recording of the sermon and the service bulletin are below. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m. (EST)
In each message, we’ll consider how the miracle of Christ’s coming into the world changed history, brought peace and offers the hope of salvation.
During the final service in his series, we considered the miracle of the manger, focusing on the simplicity of the birth. A recording and the text of the message are below. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m. (EST)
Christmas is just about over, and PTL, we have all survived. In fact, all the stuff we had to get done two weeks ago is now becoming a distant memory, at least until next year. And all we have left to do right now is to pay for all those presents we bought and to put away all those decorations we set out and of course, my favorite, to eat all those cookies we baked. Stick a fork in it; Christmas 2023 is just about over.
And you know, that’s also true of the series we started at the beginning of December. I mean, during three worship services, we talked about the miracle of Christmas. And during that time, we considered the miracle of the message, how it was about hope and peace, joy and love. And we talked about the miracle of the moment and how it was expected and is radical and will last. And then last week, we looked at the miracle of the method, and discussed how God entered our time and space, and why it’s important. Now, that’s what we’ve done.
And this morning, we’re going to put a bow on it by focusing on the miracle of the manger, you know, how the incarnation of God was done through an extremely simple birth. And I’ll tell you, that’s one of the reasons we sang Away in a Manger right at the beginning of this service. You see, personally, I have always loved this song, because, for me, it’s incredibly simple. And you know, looking back, that’s the reason it may have been the first Christmas carol I learned, probably before I could even read. I mean, even though Jingle Bells or Rudolf or Frosty may have been first, Away in a Manger was right up there. In fact, every time I hear it played, I always think about children singing. And that just makes sense. My goodness, the melody is easy to follow. And the words are easy to remember. And the meaning is easy to understand. Why? Because it’s really, really simple. And for that reason, although it may not be my favorite carol anymore, it will always have a special place in my heart.
And like I said, that’s why I picked it for a service during which we’re considering the simple way Jesus was born. And so, with that in mind, for the next ten minutes or so, we’re going to focus on the miracle of the manger and talk about how it can remind us of the simplicity that surrounded the birth and the simplicity that was the focus of Jesus’s words and work and the simplicity that can define our faith. Now, that’s what we’re going to do. And hopefully, by the end, we’ll have a better idea about why that simple manger can be so very important as we try to keep moving forward with hope and direction in a world that often seems far too complicated.
And of course, like I said a moment ago, it all starts with the simplicity that surrounded the birth. You see, that’s the first thing I think we can say about the miracle of the manger. In other words, the way God entered our time and space was natural and genuine and modest, without a lot of fanfare and bluster and bravado. And even though I think we all know the basic story, this was how the Evangelist Luke described the birth of Jesus. He wrote,
About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David’s family.
Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn. [Luke 2:1-7, CEV]
Now this was how the birth was described. And even though artists through the centuries have tried to put their own almost supernatural spin on it, with animals talking and lights shining, there’s really nothing remarkable happening in this very brief description, is there: just a young woman giving birth in a stable because that’s the only place she and Joseph could find and then her wrapping the baby up in what she had and laying him on a bed of straw. In fact, when you think about it, Luke spent more time describing why they had to go to Bethlehem than in the delivery itself. I’ll tell you, it was a simple birth.
And as to the announcement, I don’t think you could find any people more simple to hear about what had happened than a bunch of shepherds. Again, this was what Luke wrote:
That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. But the angel said, “Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”
Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:
“Praise God in heaven!
Peace on earth to everyone
who pleases God.”
After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.” They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay. [Luke 2:8-16, CEV]
Of course, I’ve got to admit the way the announcement was given is anything but simple. I mean, I don’t think most of us have ever had the chance to hear angels talking, much less singing. Now, that’s what I call a pretty big deal. Still when you consider their audience, man, those shepherds were just about as common as dirt. I’m telling you, these guys were near the bottom of the social ladder. In other words, if I’d have been living back in the day, I sure wouldn’t want Maggie getting engaged to a shepherd. And yet, they were first to hear. And they were the first to come. And they were the first to see. And I think this is really important, because I believe simplicity really surrounded the birth. And that’s one thing we can take from the miracle of the manger.
But you know, that’s certainly not all, because, second, I believe simplicity was also the focus for the words Jesus said and the work Jesus did. I mean, with a few exceptions, not only was it reflected in both his style and attitude, I think it was most clearly seen when you look at the content of his lessons and actions. You see, based on what he said and did, Jesus came for the simple. He came to lift up the humble and the poor and the powerless, in other words, he came to help the very folks that the world often ignores and overlooks. Of course, for those of us who know the story, this isn’t a surprise. Man, we knew before he was even born that he came to show special attention to those who often fall between the cracks. I mean, just listen to what his mother said about Jesus before he was even born:
Mary said:
With all my heart
I praise the Lord,
and I am glad
because of God my Savior.
God cares for me,
his humble servant.
From now on,
all people will say
God has blessed me.
God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
and his name is holy.
He always shows mercy
to everyone
who worships him.
The Lord has used
his powerful arm
to scatter those
who are proud.
God drags strong rulers
from their thrones
and puts humble people
in places of power.
God gives the hungry
good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
with nothing. [Luke 1:46-53, CEV]
Now that’s what the mother of Jesus said before he was born. And I’ll tell you, even though we may ask in song, “Mary, did you know,” let me tell you something; she knew. She knew exactly what Jesus came to do: to scatter the proud, to drag down the powerful and to lift up the humble, to feed the hungry with good things and to send away with nothing those who usually eat the best. You see, that’s what her son came to do, and Mary knew it.
And you know something, we know it too, because that’s exactly what Jesus did. I mean, he didn’t give even more to those who actually had too much. My goodness, he didn’t give tax cuts to billionaires. Instead, he helped those who had nothing. For example, when John the Baptist started to have some doubts about whether or not Jesus was the one and so he sent some messengers to ask him, “Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news.” [Luke 7:22, CEV] You see, he helped those we might consider simple. And when he was teaching his closest followers about the way the world would someday change,
Jesus looked at his disciples and said:
God will bless you people
who are poor.
His kingdom belongs to you!
God will bless
you hungry people.
You will have plenty
to eat!
God will bless you people
who are now crying.
You will laugh!
But you rich people
are in for trouble.
You have already had
an easy life!
You well-fed people
are in for trouble.
You will go hungry!
You people
who are laughing now
are in for trouble.
You are going to cry
and weep! [Luke 6:20-21, 24-25]
You see, that was what Jesus came to do, to show through what he taught and what he did, that the time was coming when everything was going to be turned upside down. I’m telling you, since he came, a reversal is about to take place, and “everyone who is now last will be first, and everyone who is first will be last.” [Matthew 20:16b, CEV] And why did Jesus teach that this was going to happen and those who were simple folk could have hope? Because simplicity was also the focus for the words that Jesus said and the work that Jesus did. And for me, that’s something else we can take from the miracle of the manger. But again, that’s not all.
You see, since it surrounded his birth and was also the focus of his words and work, third, this same kind of simplicity can define our faith. In other words, it can define who we are as followers of Jesus Christ. For example, it can certainly shape how we approach God. I mean, since we know that God likes people who are simple and unassuming; therefore, he isn’t impressed by our fancy words and great displays; since we know this, maybe we’ll be able to understand what Jesus was getting at when he told this parable:
Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else:
Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there. I go without eating for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.”
The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not think he was good enough even to look up toward heaven. He was so sorry for what he had done that he pounded his chest and prayed, “God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner.”
Then Jesus said, “When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.” [Luke 18:9-14, CEV]
You see, knowing that God has a soft spot for those who are simple, maybe that will enable us to feel comfortable putting a side of lot of stuff that we might think will impress the one who knows us far better than we know ourselves and then approaching our heavenly Father with humility .And by doing that, our relationship with God can grow.
And as to our relationship with others, well, maybe we can be more open to actually helping those whom Jesus called blessed. As a matter of fact, in every aspect of our lives, maybe we’ll feel free to follow the advice Jesus gave concerning those who should be invited to a dinner party.
He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” [Luke 14:12-14, CEV]
Now that’s what Jesus said, and just imagine the kind of lives we’d be living if we applied it to other things that we do. And so, since both his birth and his words and work involved the simple, maybe this same kind of simplicity can also define our faith. And that's something else we can take from the miracle of the manger.
Now y’all may not know this, but according to the official church calendar, the season of Christmas started last Monday and will end 12 days later, on January 6. But you know, even if we don’t take down the tree or finish up the cookies until mid-January, for most of us, Christmas ended when we packed up the wrapping paper and put away the left-overs. But as we move into a new year, let’s not leave behind what may be some of the most miraculous aspects of Christmas. I mean, let’s make an effort to remember the significance of the message and the moment and method. And of course, let’s remember the miracle of the manger, and I’m talking about the simplicity that surrounded the birth and the simplicity that was the focus of Christ’s words and work and of course, the simplicity that can define our faith. You see, let’s try to keep these things in mind as we enter and move through 2024. Because, I’ll tell you, if we do, we’ll be taking the miracle of Christmas with us.
In each message, we'll consider how the miracle of Christ's coming into the world changed history, brought peace and offers the hope of salvation.
On Sunday, we'll focus on the miracle of the manger. The bulletin for the service is below. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. (EST)
In each message, we’ll consider how the miracle of Christ’s coming into the world changed history, brought peace and offers the hope of salvation.
During the third service in his series, we considered the miracle of the Method, in other words, the way Christ came. A video of the service, a recording of the sermon and the service bulletin are below. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m. (EST)
In each message, we’ll consider how the miracle of Christ’s coming into the world changed history, brought peace and offers the hope of salvation.
During the third service in his series, we considered the miracle of the method, in other words, the way Christ came. A recording and the text of the message are below. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m. (EST)
Well, here we are, Christmas Eve. In terms of the calendar, we couldn’t be closer to the big day. And because of that, this may be one of the most exciting days in kiddom. I mean, just think about what’s going on. The elves on our shelves have made their last trip to the North Pole for about eleven months. And even as we speak, Santa has already loaded the sled, hitched up the reindeers and is on his way. (Remember, right now, it’s already 12:30 Christmas morning in Sydney, Australia.) And for the next ten days, the children in Clarion County are free, they are free at last, thank God Almighty, they are free at last. In other words, there won’t be a whole lot of learning going on for the next week or so. Now, I think that’s how it looks about three feet from the floor.
Of course, to get to this point, our kids have gone through a whole bunch of stuff last week, and I’m talking about parties and concerts and, from what I understand, even a visit from Santa at Sligo Elementary a couple of weeks ago. And although I don’t know about y’all, as I look back, well, this hasn’t changed all that much in the last 60 years. I know for me, we did the same kind of stuff every year, with the exception of Christmas 1967. You see, when I was in fifth grade, Mrs. Hubbard, whom I think was about 180 at the time, gave us a Christmas project right before our break. You see, sometime in middle December, she assigned each of us a country (mine was Austria, lucky me), and we had to write a report on how the people of that country celebrated Christmas, which we had to read to the whole school in costume. Of course, that was really difficult for me personally, because as y’all can probably guess, I’ve always been a really shy person.
And I’ll tell you, that’s sort of what we’ll be looking at this morning. Now, as I hope most of y’all know, we’ve been talking about some of the different aspects involved in the miracle of Christmas. For example, a few weeks ago, we looked at the miracle of the message, you know, how it’s about hope and peace, joy and love. And then, last Sunday, we talked about the miracle of the moment, you know, talking about how the birth of Jesus was expected and is radical and will last. Now that’s what we’ve already done. And this morning we’re going to consider what I think you could call the miracle of the method, in other words, that God chose to enter our time and space as a baby who was laid in a manger. That’s going to be our focus. And to accomplish this, we’re going to answer two questions: first, how did God do it, you know, how did he come; and second, why did God enter our time and space, in other words, why was this kind of coming important for folks then and for folks today. Now, that’s the plan. And hopefully, after we’re done, we’ll be able to see how the method of his entry was and is truly miraculous.
And do this, we’re going to start with how, you know, how did God enter our time and space as Jesus? Now that’s our first question. And I’ll tell you, I think the Apostle Paul offered an outstanding answer when he wrote this to the Philippians:
Christ was truly God.
But he did not try to remain
equal with God.
Instead he gave up everything
and became a slave,
when he became
like one of us.
Christ was humble.
He obeyed God and even died
on a cross.
Then God gave Christ
the highest place
and honored his name
above all others.
So at the name of Jesus
everyone will bow down,
those in heaven, on earth,
and under the earth.
And to the glory
of God the Father
everyone will openly agree,
“Jesus Christ is Lord!” [Philippians 2:6-11, CEV]
Now that was what Paul wrote. You see, for him, this was how God came to us.
And I want to notice the pattern. In the beginning, Christ, the Son, was truly God, something that the Evangelist John also believed when he wrote this to start his Gospel:
In the beginning was the one
who is called the Word.
The Word was with God
and was truly God.
From the very beginning
the Word was with God. [John 1:1-2, CEV]
You see, for both Paul and John, that’s the way it was. But, of course, that’s not how the story ends. I mean, instead of staying exactly as he’d always been, God did something remarkable. He gave up everything he had and became one of us. And not only did Paul say it, it was something that John also believed when he wrote,
The Word became
a human being
and lived here with us. [John 1:14, CEV]
Now, this was what God did, and just think about what that involved. Although he was eternal and all knowing and all powerful, he took on our limitations, all our limitations, when he became like you and like me. For example, he was born and he lived like us. Therefore, he knew what it felt like to be hungry and tired, to be happy and angry, to be scared and confused. As a matter of fact, God even experienced death itself when he died on a cross. Why, because, by his choice, he entered our time and space as a baby who was laid in straw after he was born. But then, after his death, as Paul reminds us, the Son returned to the Father, the Word reentered the Godhead, the Christ resumed his place in heaven. Now, if you can’t quite get your head around all this, that’s alright. Remember, we’re limited; therefore, we’re going to have to accept what Paul realized when he wrote this to the Romans:
Who can measure the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God? Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does? [Romans 11:33, CEV]
I’ll tell you, if complete understanding was beyond the Apostle Paul, the odds are certainly against you or me. But you know, regardless of whether we understand the details or not, the main point doesn’t change. God chose to take on our limitations when he became one of us. And that’s how God entered our time and space as Jesus, and I think that’s the answer to our first question.
And so, with that done, now we’re left simply with why, why did God enter our time and space? In other words, why is it important to us, and I’m talking about right and right now? That’s our second question, and you know, I think there are two reasons why this method was important. I mean, on one hand, I believe it helps us understand God, both who he is and what he wants us to do. Just listen to what John wrote in his first letter:
The Word that gives life
was from the beginning,
and this is the one
our message is about.
Our ears have heard,
our eyes have seen,
and our hands have touched
this Word.
The one who gives life appeared! We saw it happen, and we are witnesses to what we have seen. Now we are telling you about this eternal life that was with the Father and appeared to us. We are telling you what we have seen and heard, so you may share in this life with us. [1 John 1:1-3a, CEV]
Now that’s what John wrote, and just think about what it means. Because Jesus was born like us, we were able to see stuff we would otherwise never witness. For example, we were able to see God’s absolute authority every time Jesus cast out a demon or stilled a storm or walked on water. And we were able to see God’s incredible love every time Jesus fed a crowd when they were hungry or he gave sight to a man who’d been blind from birth or that one time, died on a cross, because it was through that death that we were freed from sin. These things people saw Jesus do; therefore, we’re able to know exactly who God is. But I’ll tell you, seeing is only half of it. I mean, because Jesus was born like us, we were able to hear things we otherwise never would have heard. For instance, we were able to hear him say that
God will bless you people
who are poor.
His kingdom belongs to you!
God will bless
you hungry people.
You will have plenty
to eat!
God will bless you people
who are now crying.
You will laugh! [Luke 6:20-21, CEV]
And we were able to hear Jesus say this:
But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples [John 13:34-35, CEV]
I’m telling you, these things people heard Jesus say; therefore, we’re able to know exactly how God wants us to live. And so, why did God come to us as Jesus? On one hand, through this coming, we can understand who God is and what God wants us to do.
On the other hand, though, I believe it also enables God to identify with us. I mean, just listen to what it says in the Letter to the Hebrews:
We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. This is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help. [Hebrews 4:14-16, CEV]
Now that’s what it says, and again, just think about what it means. When God came as one of us, when he took upon himself all our weaknesses, not only were we able to understand him, in a real way, God brought us into himself, into his very being. And because of that, God can identify with us in an extremely profound way. I mean, God can understand our limitations, because he was also limited. And God can understand our challenges because he was also challenged. And God can understand our feelings because he felt them too. You see, because he became one of us, that’s who God is. And let me tell you why I think that’s crucially important for us as we deal with our limits and challenges and feelings. Since this is who he is, we can approach God with all our pain and sadness, with all our frustrations and fear, with our confusion and doubt, in other words, we can approach God just as we are, confident that he’ll understand. I’m telling you, because we believe that Jesus has walked in our shoes and because we trust that he knows firsthand what we’re going through; we can actually look to him for undeserved grace and genuine help. You see, because he came the way he did, we can understand God and God can identify with us. And I’ll tell you, that’s why he did it; that’s why he entered our time and space; that’s why he came to us as a baby. the answer to our second question.
And now, well, now we’re a little bit closer to Christmas morning than we were about fifteen minutes ago. Our elves on our shelves are quiet. Santa is on the move. And even if no one in our families had to wear long socks, shorts and suspenders to a school assembly in December, because, if you squinted, they sort of looked like lederhosen, school is out for over a week. Christmas is almost here. But before it officially comes, let’s pause for just a minute and think about this miraculous birth, you know, how God entered our time and space as the baby Jesus and why he did it this way, because it enables us to understand God and it enables God to identify with us. And at least for me, that really is the miracle of the method.
