no angels, no kings, no sign—
as yet…
There was only—
a baby.
They had wrapped him in bands of cloth, as any baby would be, and then they did something unusual, something that would stand out in a crowd: they laid him in a manger, a feeding-trough.
There was no room for a woman with a newborn child up in the house where the guests gathered, so there they were in the quiet place, the hidden place.
Maybe the animals were gone, and it had been cleared out and cleaned. They were in the only space left – cave or stable – for this little family on this special night.
And so it was there that the shepherds found them.
Shepherds, men or women and children, crowded into the room,
not high society,
not fancy people,
ordinary folk,
who kept watch over a flock by night,
who came with an extraordinary story
of
what they had heard
that they would find in the City of David
a baby
wrapped in swaddling clothes
and
lying in a manger
what they had heard
they now saw
and so they believed
and told
what else they had heard
that this baby
born to this girl and her chosen husband
was to inherit the throne of David his ancestor
to become
all the things promised by the prophet Isaiah – wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of peace—
and more
to become Savior, Messiah, Lord.
he was born
and Caesar Augustus and Quirinius the governor of Syria
and Herod and all his children
…their day was passing, was spent, was gone…
a new—the real—power in the world
Son of God, Savior, Prince of Peace
anointed One, Lord and Father
was neither the emperor nor his servant,
not the king or his minion
but this
this
defenseless,
innocent,
little family
bore in its midst a power
greater than all the powers that the world knows
Among these people was born a king not like the ones the world knew but one who would bring God’s own kingdom into being
beginning here, in a manger,
in a little town,
among people unknown to the greater world
a man
his bride
their child
and
shepherds
Shepherds— who had brought them for the first time from outside their kin some confirmation of the promises, the extraordinary news, that they had been hearing – and cherishing in their hearts –
Zechariah in the Temple, struck dumb as he stammered out his momentary disbelief, –
Elizabeth greeting her cousin Mary: “Blessed are you!” –
Elizabeth’s son in the womb greeting Mary’s newly conceived child with a leap for joy, –
Mary receiving an angel’s visit: “Let it be to me according to your word”, –
Joseph in a dream, hearing God’s command and God’s assurance –
and so they believed
something else would be coming true—
the extraordinary series of promises sung in the Christmas Canticles,
the Song of Zechariah, the Benedictus,
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.
the Song of Mary, the Magnificat,
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
the song of the Heavenly Host, the Gloria in excelsis,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
(as when he was old enough to be presented in the Temple they would receive the greetings of Anna the prophetess, and Simeon, with his Song, the Nunc Dimittis, “... these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see: …”)
they began to know the light
that was coming into the world
they began to know the peace
that was coming into the world
announced in these songs
as sure
so sure
that it is reported as a done deal—
God has done these things; you can count on it.
Into this world has come its light, its salvation, its redeemer,
the one who will bring the creation to completion,
who will bring all travail to its close,
who will bear in himself, on the cross, the sins of the world,
the one whose resurrection and ascension is the vindication of the world,
the one who establishes righteousness, who brings peace,
who calls us
out of error into truth,
out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life,
who calls us into a new relationship with God,
who proclaims a new hope for the world,
borne with him on Christmas,
and renewed tonight, this Christmastide,
as together we sing his praise.
Alone among religions, in Christ God comes to us in this person, committed to this actuality, in this place at this time, incarnate, particular, involved – made real in a real place.
Here and here only, in this little one we welcome tonight, the fullness of God is pleased to dwell.
God is really present in Jesus, realized in this person at this time, and so committed to human salvation, that the word becomes flesh, and dwelling among us, redeems the time, and renews the creation.
The incarnation – the Nativity – is a fresh creative act of God himself.
So we are called into being in a new way, as new people,
refreshed, renewed, and ready
to embody
and to carry forth in ourselves,
the holy mission of Christ, the one who is alive and active,
creating, redeeming, making holy,
the son of God,
firstborn of Mary,
the source of our salvation,
the foundation of our righteousness,
the fount of all grace,
the home-source of our peace, and the future of our hope.
As Lesslie Newbigin writes,
This, then, the ‘flesh’ of Jesus, the concrete humanity of a man of a certain time and place, is the actual presence of the Word through whom all things were made, who was from the beginning with God, who was and is God.
this is the one
the one
we have seen and heard and touched and held in our arms, as John the evangelist says,
and so we have seen what could not be seen,
heard what could not be imagined, and
become acquainted with the secret beyond the skies –
the presence of God among us, Christ with us,
the hope of glory and the assurance of peace.
Come, Lord Jesus,
come to us as you came of old,
into this world bring your light,
into our future bring your hope,
into our lives bring your call –
that we may be your people and know you,
Our God.
Amen.
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The Song of Mary Magnificat
Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Song of Zechariah Benedictus Dominus Deus
Luke 1: 68-79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Song of Simeon Nunc dimittis
Luke 2:29-32
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
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Lesslie Newbigin, The Light Has Come (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1982) 10.
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