The Big Picture: our Christmas

Most of the time we are concerned only about our own little corner of things, so we say “Nobody has as much trouble as I do,” or “No one understands my situation.”

Our lessons today urge us away from such comments, and instead point us toward the big picture, to marvel at what God is doing, and then to consider how our joys and sorrows fit into that overall plan of things.

To begin, let's imagine a scene nearly 2,000 years ago, one April day.

Grandfather is sitting beside the stone wall, very sad.

“Jesus is dead”, he says over and over.

His friends try to cheer him up, but nothing makes him smile.

His granddaughter presses against his knee and asks, 'What makes Jesus so special that you are so sad?”

Grandfather replies, “A long time ago when I was you age, I was out helping uncle watch the sheep one night when all sorts of strange things happened.

There were noises, and lights, and angels praising God and singing that Jesus (Jehoshua, God saves) was born in Bethlehem.

We went and found the baby as the angels said in the house's manger area.

I've had high hopes ever since that night.

I've heard things about that baby as be grew up.

Recently, I've heard him talk with the crowds; he spoke as one with authority.

I thought that maybe “God saves” really is his name.

Maybe, just maybe, his words were true.

But now he's dead, and we are left with nothing again.”

“Grandfather, I have news for you.

I've heard from the trader who just came from Jerusalem that Jesus is living, that he Has been raised from death, he's living!”

Grandfather replied excitedly, “What! Tell me more!.

I must talk with the trader: what did he see and hear?

If this tale is true, then the things that the angels said all those years ago really are true; and the things that I heard him say are more than words...they are promises, which are true...!”

And off he runs.

Grandfather had been doing as we all do, looking at only part of the story.

He saw the tragedy, he remembered just part of the promise, but he could not see how it all fit together.

The key was missing, the news of Easter.

Without that key, the reasons we gather this day can become distorted.

They would be weak reasons such as: candlelight is nice...it's a pretty story...we like special music...it's a time to get the family together...or whatever else, without grappling with the central issue: that God is come in the flesh for each one of us.

We Christians look at Christmas through Easter-colored glasses; we interpret everything about this season in the light of Easter.

The world can hear about the birth at Bethlehem and say, “That's a touching story that happened back there a long time ago,” and then turn away to other things.

Unless we have our Easter-colored glasses on, the promise of this night may have been directed only to those folks living long ago and not to us.

But with our Easter glasses, we can hear and see the words “For to us is born this day a Savior” and sing them with conviction.

God did not reveal himself only to a few people about whom we read in the Bible, but also for us he came in the flesh, and in word and sacrament today and each time we gather at his holy table.

Because Jesus lives, his titles are true: Emmanuel = God with us; Joshua—Jesus =God saves, and thus these titles are good news to us.

The Word became flesh.

God condescends to take on flesh and blood and soul, not an angel or a magnificent creature, but man.

This is the prime example of God's mercy.

The human heart can't understand it or grasp it, let alone express it.

However, we can learn to prize these words and to know that they are true.

We can look around us and see tragedy of all sorts.

--There are our own illnesses and injuries.

--People are struggling for their very survival in Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, Sudan, Indonesia, Egypt, and so very many other places.

--The effects of the various addictions—drugs, alcohol, and more-- tear apart families and destroy persons.

The list goes on an on, but we know that the tragedy is not all that can be said.

Our anguish can be overshadowed by joy, for in this Christmas season and indeed every day, we can look at things by way of Easter, and know that the center of life lies there.

For God is come in the flesh to show us the goal of life.

So on this day as we keep our eyes on that big picture, Jehosua (God saves) is born in Bethlehem. Amen.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.