Sermon for December 24, 2006

KEEPING CHRISTMAS

by

Rev Dr. Harvey C. Martz

The shepherds who came to the manger to kneel and pay their respects were not the most elite people in first century culture—they were in fact, the opposite. They were on the low end of the status ladder—looked down on for their dirty, unglamorous work with sheep. And yet they were the first people outside of Mary and Joseph themselves, to learn of the arrival of the Messiah, according to the gospel of Luke.

They were there, and then just a few days later, there was almost the opposite—a group of astrologers from Persia who had ridden a long way and had bought very expensive gifts to honor the prince of peace—gold, incense and myrrh which is a burial spice. They must have been very wealthy and had much leisure time to study the skies.

And they, because of their religion, might have been considered to be pagans by some of the Jews in that time. The area known as Persia then is what we call Iran now. They certainly were not Jewish—but they were there, honoring Christ the new born king.

Then there were Mary and Joseph, working class people, poor people. Joseph was in the construction trades—a builder, not only a carpenter but perhaps a stone mason as well—the Greek word is more inclusive than just a woodworker.

A diverse group of people were present at the birth—just as a diverse group gathers each Christmas to kneel and worship and sing hymns to celebrate Christmas today. We have people who have been followers of Christ as far back as they can remember. We have people who would not describe themselves that way but who are drawn here because they know something important is here in this celebration, and their hearts are open and they feel spiritual longings and they know there is a dire need for light in our dark world. And to hold a candle and to sing “Silent Night” just seems right.

We have skeptics here, seekers here, newcomers to faith here, latecomers to faith just like those astrologers and wise men were seekers and latecomers. And we have parents who want their children to be here but who have seen so much of the abuses of religion and the dark side of religion that they are skeptical and wary—but they have come.

I like the diversity of our congregations on Christmas Eve; that is how it was the first Christmas and that is, I believe, how God wants it—so there is room for everyone around the manger.

There is something else I like about this season. It usually brings out the best in people. We usually try to be kinder to each other around Christmas. I saw people at the post office holding the door for those coming in with loads of packages. I saw groups from our church spending time this week at retirement centers caroling for the residents there. Judy and Todd and I joined one of those groups and spent an hour at the Life Care Center. It was a moving evening where some of the residents were singing almost every carol with us and others were unable to participate and even sadly unaware. Twenty of us were there and other groups were at other places of need.

I saw a generous outpouring from this congregation where we sent 455 stockings to the inner city of Denver ten days ago for children and youth who would not get much else; I saw church members come forward to take the names of children who had parents in prison and names of homeless families and other needy persons—you came forward so quickly that we almost ran out of giving opportunities. The generosity that is so basic to Christmas abounds here.

We had folks from our church spending extra time with our homeless families in our building this week when we were all snowbound. We had some of those same servant leaders cooking on Wednesday night, not only for the homeless folks but also for the dozen or so members of the snow removal team who were here valiantly working to remove mountains of snow, and we even invited those workers to spend the night in our building that night because they were at risk getting home in the blizzard. I think the gathering was like the gathering around the manger in the original story!

Christmas seems to bring out the best in us in expressions of kindness and compassion and generosity and acts of passing on God’s light to as many people as we can.

There is a dire need in our world and our time for us to be bearers of that light. You know how dire that need is for acts of light and love. Many people have seen the abuses of religion—and it is not hard to see—and they say, religion is a negative and constrictive and destructive influence in the world, and the world would be better without off without any religion. That is the thesis of two recent books—one of them on the national best seller lists right now.

And mainstream minister Jim Wallis says, it is not hard to see why, because often when people think about church folk or Christians, they don’t think of the examples of compassion and generosity, they think of examples of self righteousness and narrowness and divisiveness and lack of tolerance.

There is an urgent need for the light of Christ to be shared and for more people to know stories like the ones we have told here and stories like the one in USA Today last week of the church folk in Portland, Oregon who once a week send volunteers with food to the Burnside Bridge where many homeless people gather. The church folk not only bring food and guitars to sing with those under the bridge, they bring soap and basins and hot water and chairs and for the time they are present, they kneel in front of the homeless citizens one at a time and gently wash their feet. They wash off the dirt and grime and dry the feet and use the powder they have brought and give them clean, dry socks. And it is a blessing for washer and washee. One recipient said, “I cannot find the words to describe how good that felt.”

Doesn’t this sound like something Jesus would do?

It is a good thing to come to worship on Christmas Eve and sing this inspiring music and light our candles and then go into the night. But what if we did more than that through the year? What if we did more than just come to adore and admire the baby Jesus?  What if we left with a new and deeper commitment to follow the grown up Jesus, to imitate him more faithfully, to follow his ways?

 Do you know, incidentally, that the first name given to those in the original church was not the name “Christian” but, instead, followers of the way?

What if this Christmas Eve we decided to keep acting out the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of Christ, not just in December but even into April and July and next October? What if this year we decided we are being asked to Keep Christmas all of 2007?  We have neighbors who last year had their Christmas tree up in their living room clear into March!!  I don’t think you have to do it that way. I think it is more a matter of doing what the apostle Paul urges us to do in his powerful little letter to the Philippians: Have the same mind in you, the same attitude in you that is in Christ Jesus—the attitude of humility and of servant leadership and of compassion and generosity and love.

Earlier in December Jill Burbach was leading the children in the children’s sermon and she asked a very telling question: she asked them if they remembered what they got for Christmas last year! Only one child remembered. That would likely be true for us adults as well.

What if we made this a Christmas to really remember? What if we made a promise to God and ourselves that we intend to keep the Christmas spirit going past this week, that we intend to really let our light so shine so that others may see Christ in us—to let the acts of generosity and kindness that make us feel so good this month, to keep those up all year?

Would you be willing to consider that –that decision to keep Christmas going instead of just going back to business as usual after this week? Would you pray with me about that?

If you will, just repeat in your heart the sentences of this prayer:

Gracious God, I thank you for this celebration of the birthday of Christ. I thank you for the music and the light and all the good feelings that are in this season. I thank you for the chance to remember again how it feels to practice kindness and generosity and putting others first. Help me to remember this Christmas from now on. Help me decide tonight to keep this spirit going from now on. Help me this year to decide to keep Christmas. Amen.

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