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Showing posts with label The Season of Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Season of Christmas. Show all posts
Sunday, January 2, we concluded our series entitled "The Season of Christmas." For the seven weeks, we looked at some of the reasons the Christmas season is special. You see, during what the church calls the Season of Advent and the Season after Christmas, we defined this time in the following ways:
November 28 – A Season of Hope (Luke 21:25-36)
December 5 – A Season of Peace (John 14:23-29)
December 12 – A Season of Joy (Luke 1:39-55)
December 19 – A Season of Generosity (Matthew 1:18-25)
The Christmas Season is special regardless of your age. It's a time both to celebrate but also to meditate, a unique period when we're able to put aside some of our frustrations and disappointments and to enjoy all the sights and sounds that surround us for about a month and a half. Of course, for Christians, it's even more important, because we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And for that reason, we have good reason to experience some very special feelings during this time of year.
And so, with that in mind, for the next seven weeks, we'll look at some of the reasons the Christmas season is special. You see, during what the church calls the Season of Advent and the Season after Christmas, we'll define this time in the following ways:
November 28 – A Season of Hope (Luke 21:25-36)
December 5 – A Season of Peace (John 14:23-29)
December 12 – A Season of Joy (Luke 1:39-55)
December 19 – A Season of Generosity (Matthew 1:18-25)
December 26 – A Season of Love (John 15:9-17)
January 2 – A Season of Glory (John 1:1-10)
During this sixth sermon, we finished the series by looking at Christmas as a Season of Glory.
*******
John 1:1-10 [Contemporary English Version]
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.
And with this Word,
God created all things.
Nothing was made
without the Word.
Everything that was created
received its life from him,
and his life gave light
to everyone.
The light keeps shining
in the dark,
and darkness has never
put it out.
God sent a man named John,
who came to tell
about the light
and to lead all people
to have faith.
John wasn’t that light.
He came only to tell
about the light.
The true light that shines
on everyone
was coming into the world.
The Word was in the world,
but no one knew him,
though God had made the world
with his Word.
A Season of Glory
Well, here we are, January 2nd. Officially, we have entered a new year. And I’ll tell you, unlike last week, today is the final Sunday in this particular season of Christmas. You see, during the service next week, we’ll consider Epiphany, you know, the coming of the wise men, something that, on the calendar, comes the day after what’s called Twelfth Night. And so, unlike last Sunday, you know, December 26, not only is this Christmas done, but before the end of this week, so will this Christmas Season.
Of course, I don’t think that’s a surprise to anybody here this morning. Let’s face it, everything we started doing a couple of months ago is quickly becoming a distant memory. But that’s just the way it is; it always was and always will be. I’ll tell you, it certainly happened to me when I was a kid. In fact, I remember, when I was growing up, we had this schedule for the Christmas season. For example, two weeks before the twenty-fifth, we bought the tree and put it in the backyard so that it could stand in a pail of water for a few days before we brought it into the house. And on December 15th, the tree was put up in the living room along with all the other Christmas stuff that Dad would bring down from the attic. On Christmas Eve, we always took presents to my Dad’s aunts and on Christmas evening, we went to my mom’s grandmother’s house on Willoughby Spit, something that was really special, because we could take one toy we’d gotten that morning. During the week after Christmas, we went to nightly parties hosted by my mom’s relatives, and remember this was in the 60s, you know, back when children of all ages were exiled to some other room in the house while the adults talked about stuff and drank highballs. Sometimes, as I remember, it was like Lord of the Flies in there. And after surviving that, on New Years Eve, my parents would go out with friends and my brother, sister and I would spent the night with Granddad and Grandmom McClannan. We’d always have Big Boy sandwiches from Shoneys and sleep in my mom’s old attic bedroom, which by the way, was really cold. And so that took us to New Years Day. My parents would pick us up and take us home, and then we’d start doing one of the most depressing things possible, at least for a kid. We’d start taking down everything we put up on December 15th. The tree, still with some tinsel, would return to the backyard, but this time, no water was involved. And even though the intention was to haul it to the street on garbage day, generally, us kids would rescue all the trees in the neighborhood, set them up in the vacate lot behind Karen Tucker’s house and pretend that we could kept Christmas going for the rest of the year. Of course, it never worked. I’ll tell you, within 24 hours, we’d have to drag all those trees back to our respective houses so they could be tossed on the garbage truck which always came on Thursdays. And so, by January 2nd, we all kind of knew that the Christmas Season was spent.
And you know, it seems like that’s still sort of the case, at least it is for me. What about y’all? I mean, for a month, we’ve got all this stuff going on right up to the big day. And then for the week after, we kind of go through this decompression, right through New Years Eve and New Years Day. You see, the season that started with the Macy’s parade in New York, well, it ends with the Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, doesn’t it? And in a sense, right along with all the ornaments, we sort of pack away the Season of Christmas until next year. And all the excitement and anticipation that we felt about ten days before, these feelings become a lot like those pitiful trees we set up in that vacant lot. In other words, when we actually start using a new calendar, all those feelings we’ve been talking about during our worship services since November 28th, well, they really start to fade by January 2nd.
But of course, that doesn’t have to be case. I mean, we can actually do what Scrooge promised to the Spirit of Christmas still to come: “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.” You see, this morning, as we tie up this series, we’re going to talk about Christmas as a season of glory, but more particularly, how we might take that glory beyond one day or a single season and extend it out into the entire year. And I’ll tell you, I think when we do that, everything else we’ve been talking about will come right along with it. Let me explain.
You see, during this new year, if we want to experience the glory of Christmas, I believe we can do three things, the first being this: we can remember the story, the story of how, according to Luke, “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 2:5-7, CEV] and how, according the passage we read from John just a little while ago,
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.
And with this Word,
God created all things.
Nothing was made
without the Word.
Everything that was created
received its life from him,
and his life gave light
to everyone.
The light keeps shining
in the dark,
and darkness has never
put it out. [John 1:1-5, CEV]
Now, this we can remember. But of course, that’s not the whole story, Jesus was a lot more than just a baby born in Bethlehem and his significance was a whole more concrete than light coming into the world. I mean, just listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote:
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 this is the story that we can remember during the entire year.
And I’ll tell you, when we do, when we remember the entire story of Christ, I think we’ll be better able to have hope, in other words, to trust that Jesus will return and to recognize that our world is temporary and to become the kind of men and women who offer hope to others. In other words, I believe we’re going to experience a glorious sense of hope when we intentionally remember the story. And that’s one.
And second, during this new year, I believe we can experience the glory of Christmas by also claiming the presence, and right now, I’m talking about the presence of God that was made real in Jesus Christ, something that both John and Paul mentioned in the scripture we’ve just read. And you know, it’s interesting, that’s really what glory meant to the Jews. I mean, just listen to how the writer of Exodus described what happened on Mount Sinai:
When Moses went up on Mount Sinai, a cloud covered it, and the bright glory of the Lord came down and stayed there. The cloud covered the mountain for six days, and on the seventh day the Lord told Moses to come into the cloud. Moses did so and stayed there forty days and nights. To the people, the Lord’s glory looked like a blazing fire on top of the mountain. [Exodus 24:15-18, CEV]
You see, in the Old Testament, God’s glory referred to God’s presence. And where can we find God’s presence right here and now? Well, just listen to part of the Christmas story found in the Gospel of Matthew:
While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
So the Lord’s promise came true, just as the prophet had said, “A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.” [Matthew 1:20-23, CEV]
You see, it’s through Jesus Christ that God is present with us, and I’m talking about right here and right now.
And you know, when we claim that presence, I’m telling you, I think it will change our lives. I mean, just trusting that Jesus brings the presence of God into our lives, well, I believe that makes it a whole lot easier for us to experience peace, and to accept it is a gift from God and to claim it as a lifestyle and to pass it on to others. And right along with that, I believe we’ll also be able to experience the kind of joy that we can know when we decide to accept joy as another gift of Jesus Christ and to thank the Lord who gives it and to share the glory of the gift and giver with others. You see, I believe we’re going to experience a glorious sense of peace and joy when we intentionally claim the presence, the presence of God. And that's two.
And finally, during this new year, I believe we can experience the glory of Christmas by living the challenge, and I’m talking about living the challenge that the child of Bethlehem and the light of the world left us. And you know, that challenge isn’t all that hard to find, not if we’re willing to look. For example, according to the Evangelist Matthew, Jesus was very clear about how the nations will be judged. Remember, he said:
“When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.
“Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.” [Matthew 25:35-36, 40b, CEV]
And again from Matthew, in his last conversation with his disciples, this is what Jesus told them to do:
I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world. [Matthew 28:18b-20, CEV]
Now that’s what Jesus said, and these are just two examples. You see, over and over again, he challenged those who follow him to put themselves last rather than first and to serve rather than to be served.
And you know, when we decide to live this challenge, I think both our generosity and our love will grow and expand. I mean, as soon as we take up this life-style, I think we’re going to be whole lot more generous with not just our talents, but also with our time and money. And as it relates to love, I believe we’ll be better able to accept it from God and more willing to show it to others. You see, I believe we're going to experience a glorious sense of generosity and love when we intentionally live the challenge, the challenge presented by Jesus. And that’s three.
Now, I think we all agree that not only is Christmas in the rearview mirror but that the whole Christmas season is coming to a close. But before we just move on to other things, let’s remember that the glory of this time of year doesn’t have to end today. You see, we can remember the story so that we can better experience hope. And we can claim the presence so that we can better know both peace and joy. And let’s live the challenge so that we can better show generosity and love. I’m telling you, this we can do, something that will extend the season of Christmas glory throughout the entire new year.
Below is the bulletin for our service, on Sunday, January 2, 2022. We're finishing our 6-week series entitled "The Season of Christmas." During this sixth service, we'll focus on how Christmas is a season of glory.Remember, you can stream the service live by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube page beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, December 26, we continued our series entitled "The Season of Christmas." For the seven weeks, we'll look at some of the reasons the Christmas season is special. You see, during what the church calls the Season of Advent and the Season after Christmas, we'll define this time in the following ways:
November 28 – A Season of Hope (Luke 21:25-36)
December 5 – A Season of Peace (John 14:23-29)
December 12 – A Season of Joy (Luke 1:39-55)
December 19 – A Season of Generosity (Matthew 1:18-25)
The Christmas Season is special regardless of your age. It's a time both to celebrate but also to meditate, a unique period when we're able to put aside some of our frustrations and disappointments and to enjoy all the sights and sounds that surround us for about a month and a half. Of course, for Christians, it's even more important, because we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And for that reason, we have good reason to experience some very special feelings during this time of year.
And so, with that in mind, for the next seven weeks, we'll look at some of the reasons the Christmas season is special. You see, during what the church calls the Season of Advent and the Season after Christmas, we'll define this time in the following ways:
November 28 – A Season of Hope (Luke 21:25-36)
December 5 – A Season of Peace (John 14:23-29)
December 12 – A Season of Joy (Luke 1:39-55)
December 19 – A Season of Generosity (Matthew 1:18-25)
December 26 – A Season of Love (John 15:9-17)
January 2 – A Season of Glory (John 1:1-10)
During this fifth sermon, we looked at Christmas as a Season of Love.
*******
John 15:9-17 [Contemporary English Version]
I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. If you obey me, I will keep loving you, just as my Father keeps loving me, because I have obeyed him.
I have told you this to make you as completely happy as I am. Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them. And you are my friends, if you obey me. Servants don’t know what their master is doing, and so I don’t speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything that my Father has told me.
You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. So I command you to love each other.
******
Season of Love
Before I get started on the sermon, I’d like y’all to do something for me. Everybody just inhale. Hold it. Now exhale. Christmas Day is over for another year. Praise the Lord. And pass the Tylenol. And of course, you know what that means. We don’t need to put up anymore decorations. We don’t need to bake anymore cookies. And we don’t need to buy anymore gifts. As a matter of fact, all we’re looking at now tearing down, eating up and exchanging that sweater for a size that actually fits. In other words, Christmas 2021 is now in the books.
But of course, right now I’m talking about the day and not the season. I mean, if you’ve ever thought about what you might do if you got a bunch of dancing ladies and leaping lords, you know that there are twelve days of Christmas, which just happens to be the time between December 25 and Epiphany, the day on which Christians remember the coming of the wise men. And you know, for that reason, for two more Sundays we’re going to look at the Season of Christmas, a series we started back in November. And as most of y’all know, during that time, we considered some of the feelings and the attitudes we generally associate with Christmas. For example, we started by looking at how Christmas might be for us a season of hope, something that’s possible when we trust that Jesus will most certainly return and recognize that our world is temporary and become the kind of men and women who offer hope to others. And then we considered how this time of year can also be a season of peace, especially when we accept peace as a gift from God and claim peace as a lifestyle and pass a little bit of that peace on to others. And after that, we talked about how Christmas can be a season of joy, which is possible when we accept the gift of Jesus Christ and thank the giver and share the glory, and I’m talking about the glory of both the gift and the giver with others. And then last week, we focused on generosity, and we had the chance to see an illustration of that up close and personal when all those young people shared their gifts and talents with us. And so, to this point, we’ve covered how Christmas can be a season of hope and peace, joy and generosity.
And this week, we’re going to look at something else that generally comes along with the season, and now I’m talking about love. Of course, unlike the other stuff we’ve looked at, I don’t think there’s any shortage of a love this time of year. I mean, even if we don’t get a thrill dragging out all the decorations and we’re just not a fan of icing sugar cookies and we’d rather be boiled in Christmas pudding than to go shopping, there’s still a lot of stuff to love about this holiday. And so, I don’t think it’s not all that hard to see this as a season of love. Unfortunately, I also believe that a lot of this love we feel, well, it just doesn’t seem to last. For example, I love listening to the Christmas carols and watching the Christmas movies and of course, eating the Christmas cookies, I love those three things today and probably tomorrow, but come February or March or April, well, I’ve got to tell you, all three will be a little bit stale. You see, although I may love Clark Griswall and Ralphie a couple times a year, I don’t want to be around them 24/7. In other words, some of the love we feel as we pass through the season of Christmas kind of fades as we plow through the dog days of winter.
And I’ll tell you, that’s the reason we’re going to spend a little time talking about love this morning, and in particular, how Christmas can become for us a genuine season of love rather than just infatuation. And you know, if you’re expecting me to talk about three things we can do to make that a reality, well, I’m sorry; you’re probably going to be really disappointed, because I think there are only two things that are necessary to extend some of that Christmas love right into the new year and beyond. And I’ll tell you, both are grounded in decisions we can make right now and continue to make as we move into the future.
You see, I believe Christmas can actually be for us a season of love when we decide to accept love from God, and I’m talking about the love that he has for each and every one of us here. Now, in my opinion, that’s the first thing we can do. But before you just assume that accepting God’s love is really easy, well, I think it’s more challenging than we may think. And frankly, what makes it challenging has to do with us rather than God. You see, when it comes to his love for us, man, I think we all have a tendency to try to control it and to qualify it. Let me show y’all what I’m talking about. In my opinion, one of the most power statements of God’s love was made by the Apostle Paul, when he wrote this to the Romans:
Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death?
In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord! [Romans 8:35, 37-39, CEV]
Good stuff, right? Well, it would be if we left it alone. But just like a scab or a bowl of potato chips, man, we just can’t seem to help ourselves. And so we tack something to the end of the passage, you know, to control and to qualify it. I mean, instead of allowing the exclamation mark just to stand all by itself, often we feel the need to add a “but” or an “if” or a “when.” In other words, “nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord” [Romans 8:39b, CEV], “but...” or “if...” or “when...” Now do you see, what’s happened? We’ve taken something that’s emphatic and free and made it a little bit vague and definitely conditional. In a sense, we’ve reshaped it in a way that reflects our values and that makes us feel really comfortable. You see, we’ve taken control of God’s love and neatly excluded all those frankly we don’t think deserve it. Of course, here’s the problem; it’s not God’s love anymore. Instead, it’s just us projecting our love on God
And for the reason, if we’re serious about accepting what is actually the love God offers to us, his children, we really need to recognize that regardless of what we think it should be, God’s love is always a gift, an undeserved gift. It’s like Paul wrote to the Ephesians: But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God’s wonderful kindness is what saves you. God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. [Ephesians 2:4-6, CEV] You see, this is God’s love for us. And I’ll tell you, if we want to experience it, instead of trying to control it and instead of trying to qualify it and instead of trying to break it down and putting it under a spiritual microscope so that we can understand it, maybe we should just relax and accept it. And you know, we can accept it even when life becomes difficult. It’s like the Psalmist wrote:
Proud and violent enemies,
who don’t care about you,
have ganged up to attack
and kill me.
But you, the Lord God,
are kind and merciful.
You don’t easily get angry,
and your love
can always be trusted. [Psalm 86:14-15, CEV]
You see, if we want this to be a loving season that lasts beyond Christmas itself, we can decide to accept love from God. That’s the first thing we can do.
And second, we can also decide to show love to others. And you know, when you think about it, our willingness to show compassion and grace and mercy to those around us, man, it’s really an extension of what God has already shown to us. It’s like John wrote in his first letter:
My dear friends, we must love each other. Love comes from God, and when we love each other, it shows that we have been given new life. We are now God’s children, and we know him. God is love, and anyone who doesn’t love others has never known him. God showed his love for us when he sent his only Son into the world to give us life. Real love isn’t our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven. Dear friends, since God loved us this much, we must love each other. [1 John 1:7-11, CEV]
Or as Jesus said in the passage we read a little while ago:
I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. If you obey me, I will keep loving you, just as my Father keeps loving me, because I have obeyed him.
I have told you this to make you as completely happy as I am. Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. [John 15:9-12, CEV]
Of course, the love we’re called to show others, well, it can’t be exactly like the love God has shown to us. I mean, God’s knowledge of us is absolute and complete. It’s like what Jesus said when he was teaching his disciples about prayer: When you pray, don’t talk on and on as people do who don’t know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask. [Matthew 6:7-8, CEV] I mean, let’s get really; we’re not God. I mean, dah. And so, when push comes to shove, we really don’t know, do we? And for that reasons, we’re going to need to listen, you know, so that we can hear the needs of others. And we’re going to have to look so that we can see the opportunities to act. And then, after the listening and the looking, we’re going to need to do something, to do something about what we hear, using the opportunities that we see. It’s like Paul wrote to the Romans:
Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of God’s needy people and welcome strangers into your home. [Romans 12:9-13, CEV]
You see, if we want this to be a season that lasts beyond Christmas day, along with accepting love from God, we can decide to show love to others. That’s the second thing we can do.
As we talked about a while ago, we’re now gone past Christmas Day; therefore, the end of the holiday tunnel is in sight. Of course, we really knew that going in. But as we prepare to move on into the new year, we can make the decision to take some of the spirit of Christmas with us. You see, each and every day, we can decide to accept love from God and we can decide to show love to others. And I’ll tell you, if we do, we’ll be turning the new year into just that, a season of love.
Below is the bulletin for our service, on Sunday, December 19, 2021. We're continuing our 6-week series entitled "The Season of Christmas." During this fourth service, we'll focus on how Christmas is a season of generosity.Young people from the congregation along with dancers and singers from the Dancer's Studio Performing Arts Center, Clarion will lead us.Remember, you can stream the service live by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube page beginning at 10:00 a.m.
The Christmas Season is special regardless of your age. It's a time both to celebrate but also to meditate, a unique period when we're able to put aside some of our frustrations and disappointments and to enjoy all the sights and sounds that surround us for about a month and a half. Of course, for Christians, it's even more important, because we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And for that reason, we have good reason to experience some very special feelings during this time of year.
And so, with that in mind, for the next seven weeks, we'll look at some of the reasons the Christmas season is special. You see, during what the church calls the Season of Advent and the Season after Christmas, we'll define this time in the following ways:
November 28 – A Season of Hope (Luke 21:25-36)
December 5 – A Season of Peace (John 14:23-29)
December 12 – A Season of Joy (Luke 1:39-55)
December 19 – A Season of Generosity (Matthew 1:18-25)
December 26 – A Season of Love (John 15:9-17)
January 2 – A Season of Glory (John 1:1-10)
During this third sermon, we looked at Christmas as a Season of Joy.
Luke 1:39-55 [Contemporary English Version]
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
A Season of Joy
A couple of days ago Debbie reminded me of something that, on one level, I already knew, but I’d been trying as hard as I could to forget. She said, “Do you realize that Christmas will be here in two weeks?” I’m telling you a chill went up my spine. And then she followed it up with a couple of questions that changed that chill into a cold sweat. She asked, “And what have you decided to get for your dad?” I didn’t know. “And what about Maggie, what are you giving her?” I didn’t know that either. Now I recognize that she could have asked the $64 question that would have moved me from sweat to panic, but she didn’t. Although she may have been showing me mercy, I’ve got a gut feeling that, considering my first two responses, she already knew the answer without even asking the question. And that was two days ago. We’re forty-eight hours closer right now than I was back then. Put another way, The Polar Express is almost here, and I feel like I’m tied to the tracks. How about you?
And you know, because I think y’all can sort of identify with what I’m saying, at least a little bit, I believe it’s a good thing we’ve been spending the last couple of weeks talking about how we might have a more positive view of the Christmas season. For example, a couple of weeks ago, we looked at how Christmas might be for us a season of hope, something that’s possible when we trust that Jesus will most certainly return and when we recognize that the world we now see is temporary and when we become the kind of men and women who offer hope to others. Now that was week one. And last we week, we considered how this time of year can also be for us a season of peace, especially when we accept peace as a gift from God and when we claim peace as a lifestyle and when we pass a little bit of that peace on to others. Now that’s what we’ve already covered.
And this morning, we’re going to look at something else we associate with the season of Christmas, and right now I’m talking about joy. And I’ll tell you, just like it was with hope and peace, I don’t think joy comes naturally to most of us, not even around Christmas. As a matter of fact, there’s only one person I know who is all fired-up about joy this time of year. I mean, she can’t get enough of all the ornaments and all the cards and all the sweatshirts that proudly and emphatically announce this as a season of joy. Of course, she has a reason that most of us lack. I mean, that’s her name, Joy. And so, while she’s decked out in joy, the rest of us, well, not so much so.
Of course, I think one of reasons that’s the case is that we often confuse feeling happy with experiencing joy, and let’s face it, regardless of what we do, we just can’t seem to be, as that old camp song says, “inright, outright, upright, downright, happy all the time.” But you know, when you get right down to it, happiness and joy are actually quite different. For example, while one tends to be based on stuff that’s external, the other is more internal. And while one may be temporary, the other is more lasting. And while one leads to a momentary state of bliss, the other may actually demand a sacrifice. It’s like Jesus said to his disciples, “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” [Matthew 5:11-12, NRSV] Or, as James wrote in his letter, “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.” [James 1:2-4, NRSV] In other words, unless we’re like Bill Murray in Little Shop of Horrors, even though persecution and trials don’t make us happy, when we’re in the middle of them, we can still experience joy, and that’s true even as we fight our way through the hustle and bustle of Christmas.
And that’s what we’re going to focus on this morning, how this Christmas might become a genuine season of joy. And as we did last week, we’ll take the passage we read and some other scripture to consider three things we might do in the next thirteen days and beyond to work a little more joy into our lives.
You see, first, I think we can experience more joy during the Christmas season when we decide to accept the gift, and of, course, here I’m talking about Jesus Christ, the one who’s really the reason for the season. It’s just like the angel said to those terrified shepherds: “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” [Luke 2:10b-12, NRSV] I also think is was something that Elizabeth experienced in the passage we just read: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” [Luke 1:42b-45, NRSV] You see, Jesus is the ultimate Christmas gift, and this is a gift that we can accept.
But I’ll tell you, the power of this gift rests not just on who he was but also in what he came to do, something that Mary expressed very clearly when she said this:
...for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy, [Luke 1:49-54, NRSV]
You see, when that baby was born, the old order, you know, the way things had always been, man, it started to die. And in it’s place came something new and radically different from the past. And even though it may still be hard to see, this radical reversal, I’m telling you, as sure as a tiny mustard seed grows into the biggest of all shrubs, it’s coming. The past is history. In Christ, all things are new. This is the gift we can accept, and when we do, I think we’re going to experience joy. That’s one.
And second, we can also intentionally thank the giver. In other words, if we want to be more joyful, we can decide to thank the Father for the gift of his Son. Of course, this connection between offering thanks and experiencing joy, that’s all over the place in the Old Testament. For example, when he was describing God’s people returning to their own land, the Prophet Isaiah wrote:
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
[Isaiah 35:10, NRSV]
Or, as the Psalmist wrote:
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.
[Psalm 107:21-22, NRSV]
And so joy and thanks just seem to go together.
And I’ll tell you, that just makes sense, especially when you’re talking about Jesus Christ. You see, when we are willing to thank God for the one who blesses the poor in spirit and those who mourn, the meek and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful and the pure in heart, and of course, the peacemaker and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, you see, when this is our focus, then we won’t be fixated on stuff that’s external or that’s temporary or that leads to some kind of momentary bliss. Instead, our minds will become opened and our vision broadened so that we can take in a reality that’s more internal and lasting and even sacrificial. You see, it’s like the Christian writer, David Steindl-Rast said, “It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” And outside of Christianity, Buddha taught, “You have no cause for anything but gratitude and joy.” You see, when we choose to thank God for the gift that he gave over two thousand years ago, we’re going to feel joy. And that’s two.
And third, if we want to be more joy-filled during this Christmas season, we can not only accept the gift and thank the giver, we can also share the glory, and I’m talking about the glory of both the gift and the giver. And I’ll tell you, I think that this sharing really needs to go in two directions. I mean, on one hand, I think it’s important to share the reality of God within the community, and I’m talking about the church, you know, with one another. As a matter of fact, that’s really what the church is all about, a place where we can share with one another the support and strength we receive from God. Just listen to the last instructions Paul offered to the Thessalonians:
And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. [1 Thessalonians 4:14-22, NRSV]
You see, on one hand, we can and should share God’s glory with those who are on the inside.
On the other hand, though, we can also share it with a world that’s on the outside, and I’m talking about on other side of these walls. And that’s particularly important right now, as we celebrated the coming of the world’s savior. In other words, through our words and through our actions, we can let those around us heart see the meaning and importance of Christmas. And you know, when you think about it, isn’t that exactly what those shepherds did after they’d heard the angel? According to Luke, this is what happened:
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. [Luke 2:15-18, 20, NRSV]
You see, if we’re interested in feeling more joy, I think we can share the glory of Christmas, both the gift and the giver.
And that’s three.
Now, in less than two weeks, Christmas is going to be here whether we’re ready for it or not. And you know, when it comes, based on the year we’ve had, some of us will be happy but some of us will not. But you know, even if we’re happy now, well, I think we all know, somewhere down the line, that’s probably going to change, depending on what’s happening around us. Now that’s just the way it is. But even though that’s probably something we need to accept, we can claim something that’s more internal and lasting and even sacrificial. And I believe we can do that by accepting the gift and by thanking the giver and by sharing the glory. You see, we can make this a real season of joy, and believe me, we don’t need to be named Joy to do it.
