A sermon by the Rt. Rev. Robert C. Wright, Bishop
Luke 2:1-20
Christmas is finally here. And, all that's left to do is worship. The stuff is done. As done as
it's going to get. The parties are finished. The gifts are bought. The cards have been
received. We're here now. Breathe. Be here now. All that's left to do is worship. That's
the best part of Christmas. The worship. You would expect me to say that being a
churchman and all. But I don't mean the church service necessarily. I mean worship. I
mean the thing that happens in the church and outside of the church. When people take the
time to remember that life is fleeting, but God is forever. Worship. When you look back
over your life and you are suddenly flooded with the fact of God's outrageous goodness to
you. Worship. Something real has come into the world tonight. Something complete is
visiting us. Something has gained entry to our hearts that is more real than anything else. It
hasn't come because we're good. Worship is responding. We have to become more real.
We become what we worship. We have to worship God. I pray that happens to us here
tonight.
We've heard a lot about God over the last few days. Why does God allow tragedy? Where
was God? How could God allow this? All legitimate questions. As we grow with God,
each of us will have to find our own peace with those kinds of questions. But Christmas
helps us find some of our answers. Christmas answers the why, the where and the how
questions with the what. What is God really like? That is the most important question. You
know the story. God comes during a particular political climate in Palestine. The emperor
called for a gathering. Registration for the purpose of taxation was the stated reason. Rome
wanted to avoid their fiscal cliff too. Into this real world. Messy world. Sometimes brutal
world. He comes. He comes wrapped in rags. Wrapped in love. Riding on a promise.
Always riding on a promise. God always comes as a promise first. God is like that. God
promised Israel that a descendant of David's would reign, and his kingdom would have no
end. Jesus is that descendant.
God promised Mary she would give birth to a boy; she did. God promised Elizabeth, an
infertile senior citizen, would give birth to a son; she did. God promised Joseph that all of
this was actually of God. And, it is. God always comes as promise first. And, God is not
slack concerning God's promises as many are. You can be naughty or nice and still get a
promise from God. You don't have to be sleek or strong or organized or efficient for God to
keep a promise to you. You can be old or young. A somebody or a wanna be. Grieving or
rejoicing. God has a promise for you. That's where the growth is for us. Holding onto the
promises in low valleys. Holding onto the promises when it doesn't make sense by the
world's standards. Mary did that. Joseph did that. Somebody tonight is doing that.
Christmas is all of that. But what does God promise? God only promises God's self. He
doesn't promise a rose garden. Just an ever-unfolding friendship amidst the vicissitudes of
life. He promises that if we will abide with him, we will come to the joy making knowledge
that He is more than anything we face. Far more. That's the promise God is best at keeping.
No protective hedges. Sorry about that. We worship a real world God. Christmas is for
big boys and big girls. God's best promise, the one that God is best at keeping, is that God
"will never leave you or forsake you." Right now. Invoked or not. Always with us.
Because, that is His promise.
What is God like? God is like Christmas! It's just like God to get the good news to the
shepherds first. Who were these guys? They were working the late-night shift. Day
laborers but at night. Guys trying to make a buck. No pedigrees. Outside of the city.
Outside of the system.
That's who gets the light show, the angelic choir concert and the word first. By right the
announcement should have happened in the temple, with all the people like me standing
around. But it doesn't. And we can't tell God how God should be God. Isaiah said it best,
"Our thoughts are not his thoughts; neither are our ways his ways." What can God possibly
be up to by this? It has to be that God wants to jar our sense of order so we might finally be
open to his order, "to a more excellent way." And new ways and new openness are born in
the imagination. God wants our imaginations. That's got to be it. I remember hearing
about the very energetic kindergartener who was in church one Christmas eve. After being
told to stop standing in the pews and to sit down repeatedly by his mommy, his father
reached over and physically made him sit down. To which the little boy said to his parents,
"I may be sitting down on the outside, but I am standing up on the inside." This kid's onto
something. The world flattens our imagination, even with all the technology. Seldom when
we watch the news or read the newspaper are we impressed by real imagination brought to
bear for the good of the world. I read an article in the New York Times not long ago that
was calling into question the way we teach our young people. The author went on to say
there is such a lack of imagination when it comes to teaching in some of our schools, "we
would have made a postal clerk out of Beethoven." Lack of imagination and not simply
partisan politics may be what we are suffering from in Washington, D.C. But God begs for
our imagination always and especially at Christmas. It is the poetry of Christmas that comes
to shake us loose of ossified faith expressions. Christmas comes to keep us open to the
scandal that is God. Virgin births. Outsiders moved to the head of the line. Angels visiting.
Wolves dwelling with lambs, leopards lying down with goats, calves and young lions
together.
Valleys rising. Mountains bowing. All this, with a little child leading the whole outrageous
parade. Why? To move us closer to the day when we could believe that nothing is
impossible for God! Closer to leaning on his understanding, not our own. Closer to the day
when we could ask the psalmist's question, "Who is like the Lord?" And then answer
resoundingly from our own souls: nobody! If we would allow this Christmas to move us
there, we would be more trustworthy with the glory of the Lord, just like the shepherds.
Imagination becomes possibility and possibility becomes hope. And, "hope in God does not
disappoint us." Hope in God produces joy. God is just like Christmas.
But not only that, God is more than God's promises. God is more than his imagination
stretching inspiration. God is love. That's what God is like. And that is why at the perfect
time according to God's clock, "It was the Father's good pleasure for all his fullness to dwell
in Jesus." "Yes God has spoken to us in days gone by through the prophets. But at this time
he has spoken to us by his Son, who is the brightness of his glory and the expressed image
of his person." For love's sake, God de-privileged himself to ennoble us. In one sublime
act, through this baby, God is within reach of all of us. The angel said, "It was good news
of great joy for all people." Not only for the church but for the world. Don't be afraid to talk
about Jesus. There won't be any copyright issues. Jesus is a not a wholly owned subsidiary
of the church. He belongs to the world. Even atheists know Jesus is cool. Pay attention to
this baby and he will teach us how to grow up and love. Pay attention to the baby and he
will teach us how to share and to not be afraid of the dark. Pay attention to this baby, and
he will teach us the deeper things of life and truth. Are you willing to be taught by this
child? He can teach us the privilege of our humanity. God is within reach tonight, but not
only tonight. Jesus is present every night.
Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings
be. which inspire your heavenly song?
Why did they sing? And why must we? Because prose can't contain the joy. Because God
is within reach tonight. And if that is true, then your forgiveness is within reach. Peace is
within reach. Healing for your marriage is within reach. A new way forward is within
reach. Despair is being dismantled. And if God is within reach, then nothing is beyond his
touch. Nothing. Not you, not me. Not this country. Not the church. Not Atlanta, Not
Newtown. Not Adam Lanza. Nothing. You're in the wrong place if you're looking for polite
holiday sentiments. Jesus is the reason for this gathering. And while Jesus is foolishness to
some and an obstacle to others, He was given to us, and he stands over the wrecks of time.
"And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace." God is exactly like Christmas. So then be persuaded tonight that nothing
can separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus." I was dead, then I was alive. I
was weeping then laughing. Love came into me and made me fierce like a lion and gentle as
an evening star. AMEN.
