Last
year as I sat in 1st pew during our Christmas Eve Service, I listened to our
well liked and highly regarded senior pastor, whose long winded sermon on
Christmas was making its final dizzying lap which is always preceded by
"in closing..." and I thought to myself, I could surely write a
better Christmas Eve sermon.
I've got to tell you it's harder than I thought to write a
good sermon, even more so when it's about Christmas. But here it is, my
Christmas Message.
As I look out upon this cheerful sea of faces, taking in all
that is Christmas, the hymns, the holly and evergreens, the candles and the
many colorful Christmas sweaters and ties, I am so very moved by the wonder of
the moment.
Christmas is a wondrous time, a glorious moment that comes
once each year in our Christian lives.
If you attended the children's Christmas Pageant on Sunday
you experienced part of this moment and were no doubt moved to tears.
Especially when one of the tiny shepherds, tripped over one of the many sheep
and they both nearly toppled off the stage.
The hours of labor that go into preparing the sanctuary for
Christmas are countless, without the many volunteers none of this festive
grandeur would be possible and I thank each one of you.
The youth group, boy scouts and altar guild sold Poinsettias
and Christmas trees again this year, raising money to support our food bank and
to provide all of the wonderful flowers, greenery you see here this evening.
In our church as it is in homes, businesses and even places
of our government, we celebrate the season with trees, songs, lights, and
candles some of the many symbols of Christmas.
But with all of the grand and often spectacular physical
attributes of Christmas we often overlook the spiritual side.
So it is time to ask yourself, is Christmas on your mind
because Christ is in your heart? Or are you just caught up in the moment?
I recall the story of a little boy who in his purest of
innocence understood the meaning of Christmas in his own way.
When asked what was the most important thing about Christmas
he replied “having Jesus in your heart”.
Asked how he knew that Jesus was in his heart, the boy, not
more than three years old, announced "I know he's in my heart because when
I put my hand right here, I can feel him doing a lot of banging I guess because
he’s trying to get out".
The other night I was doing a little Christmas shopping along
King Street in Charleston, and as I walked among the fog wrapped light posts, I
could hear echoes of a Salvation Army bell ringer nearly a block away, muffled
in the nighttime dampness.
Despite the weather, and the reports of slower than usual
retail sales, the street was crowded with shoppers. A hired Santa with a real
beard, stood in front of a jewelry store, his laugh was true, and both his
"Merry Christmas" and "Ho Ho Ho" were sincere. He was
ringing a bell with one hand and nursing a fresh cup of steaming Starbucks in
the other. I suspect people who look like Santa Claus year around have Christ
banging inside their heart as well.
Around the corner on Queen Street, a young couple sang
"over the river and through the woods" as they made their way arm and
arm up the wooden steps of Poogan's Porch.
In contrast, down the alley and up under the end of the
parking garage stood Charles. He's not someone who you would notice, neither a
panhandler nor criminal, Charles keeps to himself. He's one of a dozen or so
Charleston homeless men I see from time to time, who call the streets, parks,
and parking decks their home.
Charles is a veteran of the First Gulf War and other than
being homeless he's just like most of us. He is a father and calls his children
when can; he graduated high school and even attended college. Since he left the
service he has worked in construction and several odd jobs, 2008 has been a tough
year for Charles because he is homeless again.
When I think of Charles I'm reminded that I'm more or less
just one paycheck away from being homeless myself and given the current
economic crisis perhaps a good percentage of Charleston is not so different
from Charles.
But we shun Charles; we look the other way, walk a little
faster, even cross the street to avoid contact with him. As I pass Charles he
smiles and gives me a bold and joyful Merry Christmas!
Why would a man who is so down on his luck, whose heart must
be filled with despair say Merry Christmas?
Because, Charles has Christ in his heart as well, and despite
the fact that this moment finds him homeless his heart is still filled with the
joy of Christmas.
The other day I noticed someone had given him a new coat, no
doubt a random act of kindness which was just paid forward with, a Merry
Christmas!
And as I walk home, I smile because who among us could not
notice it's Christmas.
But years ago, Christmas was not such a moment, it was not
nearly such a big event, unless you happened to be a shepherd.
In the stillness of the night, with a star filled sky above
them, several shepherds were stunned when a bright star completely engulfed
them in light.
The Gospel according to Luke:
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby,
keeping watch over their flocks at night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the
Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all
the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is
Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in
cloths and lying in a manger."
Here tonight in this building that we call a church we’re
protected from the rain and kept warm from the cold and here among family and
friends we celebrate that moment that is described in the Gospel of Luke, a
moment in time we now call Christmas.
But outside this fine shelter made of stone, gleaming marble
and polished wood the cold wind blows and rain skirts the Palmetto trees and
dampness finds its way into every open doorway and even past tightly closed
windows, just as despair and loss can find its way into mankind’s heart.
With all we do to celebrate the moment that we call
Christmas, the one thing that matters most needs you to make it happen.
This Christmas Eve, long after the stores along King Street
have closed, about the time the bells at St Michael’s ring out across the
Peninsula just shy of midnight, imagine yourself as a shepherd out in the
stillness of the night and remember all that is Christmas comes down to the one
moment in time, more than 2000 years ago that changed the course of history
forever, the birth of Christ.
It is up to each of you tonight and every night to spread the
word of hope, peace and joy that this moment is all about, tell everyone.
Merry Christmas!
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