"Christmas Gifts that Won't Break: The Gift of Love"
Luke 2:15-20
On any given day in Chattanooga and surrounding areas such as East Ridge there are over 600 people living in tents in the woods or wherever they can set up camp.
There are over 60 locations--called "tent cities" across our area--where human beings live.
In the course of a year approximately 4,000 people live in a tent or under a bridge in the Chattanooga area.
And yet, in all societies--including Chattanooga--a social barrier as high as the Great Wall of China, separates the upper and middle classes from the poor and the homeless.
The migrant worker at a chicken plant, the single mother of two behind the counter at the local McDonalds, the inmate in prison, the person who lives under the bridge--there is, quite often, a great divide that separates the haves from the have nots.
There is not a lot of "mixing" or "intermingling" that goes on.
But Jesus--God-made-flesh--went to the poor, the homeless, the marginalized, the outcaste.
And He actually became one of them.
"Blessed are you who are poor," Jesus says in Luke 6:20, "for yours is the kingdom of God."
When the heavens opened and a multitude of angels sang out; when the skies were on fire with glory and God was announcing to the universe that the Savior of the world was laying in a feeding trough in Bethlehem:
God chose to tell shepherds--the weakest of the weak, the loneliest of the lonely, the poorest of the poor!
Shepherds owned nothing, and they were shepherds not because they had chosen this career path...
...they were shepherds because this was the only job they could get.
In Jesus' day shepherds were considered to be at the bottom of the social ladder.
And they often had a bad reputation.
No one in their right mind would ever invite them to a party, or have them over for dinner.
They were the invisible people...
...The undesirables.
They slept outside.
They lived outside.
They didn't smell good; they didn't look good.
But you know, God seems to have a special heart for folks who don't smell good or look good.
Folks on the margins are often not blocked by prestige, egos or wealth.
They are usually pretty nice people; they are often open to the eternal.
Think about the great Christian revival movements of history--they have all started among the poor:
* Saint Frances going to the poor in Italy
* John Wesley preaching to the peasants and prisoners in London is what started Methodism
* William Booth offering Christ to the poor was the start of the Salvation Army
* And God appearing to Shepherds in Bethlehem was the beginning of Christianity itself!!!
If you ever feel down and out...
...If you ever think that your life doesn't amount to much...
...if you ever feel like an outsider just remember the shepherds.
Remember that God chose to appear to them first!!!
And what did they do when they were told basically: "Your Savor is born today...He is Christ the Lord.
This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly [in a barn. He has been placed in an animal feeding trough.
His parents are young immigrants on the run.
Their stinky baby is the God of the universe]?
What did they do when they heard this?
Did they fall down laughing uncontrollably?
Some folks might.
Some folks probably did.
What did they do?
They said to each other, "Let's go right now to Bethlehem and see what's happened."
They went quickly and found 13 year old Mary and rag tag looking Joseph, and the baby lying in a nasty animal stable.
And then they "returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen."
Their world would never be the same.
The Savior of the world had entered into their lives.
Has the Savior of the world entered into your life?
If so, has it made a difference?
Many years ago, there lived in a small village a shoe repairman named Conrad.
Though he was alone and poor he always had a warm and friendly word for everyone.
Because of this, many folks felt much better after having had their shoes mended by him.
On Christmas morning, some of Conrad's neighbors, thinking about how lonely he must feel, decided to pay him a visit.
They found him sweeping away the snow in front of his home, and to their surprise his face was radiant and happy.
As they entered his house, they were amazed to see a festive place with holly and evergreen.
Christmas decorations brightened the walls and hung from the rafters.
And the table was set for two.
Obviously, Conrad was expecting a guest.
"Who is coming to visit you?" the neighbors asked.
Conrad replied, "Last night the Lord appeared to me in a dream.
He told me that I would not be alone on Christmas Day, for He Himself was coming to be my guest.
That is why I have prepared so happily.
Everything is ready now.
I am waiting for Him to come."
After the neighbors left, Conrad sat by the window, quietly watching and waiting for the Lord to come.
As he watched, the minutes turned into hours, but he barely noticed because he was so excited.
While he watched, a homeless man passed by his window, ragged, tired and almost frozen.
Conrad called him in.
He offered him some food and gave him some shoes for his frozen feet.
After he left, an older woman hobbled by pushing a shopping cart.
Conrad ran out and helped her into his little home.
He gave her some hot chocolate and some food for her starved body; after she had rested up a bit he helped the woman on her way.
Then, Conrad went back by the window to watch for the Lord.
This time he heard a child sobbing.
Conrad opened his front door and found a little girl wandering lost and frightened in the snow.
He gave her some warm milk and soothed her fears.
He was able to find her mother and soon she was back in her mom's arms.
Again, Conrad returned to his window.
But now the sun was going down, and the wintry Christmas Day was coming to an end.
But where was his promised guest?
Anxious, weary and somewhat disappointed Conrad dropped to his knees and prayed: "Oh Lord, where were You?
I waited for You all day.
Why didn't You come?"
Out of the silence came a voice: "Oh, Conrad, my Conrad, don't be upset.
This very day, three times I came to your door.
Three times my shadow crossed your floor.
I was a homeless man with frozen feet.
I was the woman you fed.
I was the little girl who was lost."
Jesus came into this world as a tiny, homeless, immigrant newborn baby.
He was first seen by His young mother and step father.
They had lovingly wrapped Him and carefully placed Him in the safest place they could find--a manger.
Next he appeared to the dirty, uneducated and possibly physically and mentally disabled shepherds--humble folks at best.
After they had spent time with Him they returned to their sheep, changed and forever transformed as they glorified and praised God "for all they had heard and seen."
During His 33 years on this earth Jesus would appear to tens of thousands of human beings.
Some were rich; many were poor.
Some would welcome Him with love and praise; others with scorn and hate.
Some would follow Him; others would walk away from Him.
Some would marvel at His Words; others would try and trap Him by His Words.
Some would call Him Lord; others would call Him a criminal, a danger to society.
Some would hang on His every Word; other's would hang Him on a Cross.
(pause)
Christmas is a little over 2 1/2 weeks away.
But surely Christmas is more than a date on a calendar.
Surely Christmas is more than a vague annual nod in the direction of Bethlehem.
Surely Christmas is more than poinsettas and Christmas trees, and presents.
The essence of Christmas is love, God's incredible love for us, expressed when God came into the world in the form of a poor little baby in order to save us.
And whenever and wherever we receive God's sacrificial love, whenever and wherever we pass God's love on to others, whenever and wherever God's love is accepted and shared--the essence of Christmas is there.
In a city with so many hundreds of homeless people living silently, in the woods in tents and under bridges what are we going to do as those Whom God has promised to come and visit?
In a society rife with mass shootings and violence, what are we to do with the love of God poured out into our hearts?
In a life with social barriers as high as the Great Wall of China separating the haves from the have nots--what are we to do with the love of God that has visited us in Christ Jesus our Lord?
I would like to say "a lot"!!!
And that is exciting!!!
What a reason to live.
When we reach out to others with the love of Christ, when we welcome others into our church, our homes, our lives--when we feed the hungry, help the lost, seek out the marginalized, and befriend the lonely we are being visited and visiting with Jesus Christ Himself!!!
Love is the essence of Christmas.
And the gift of love is surely a Christmas gift that won't break.
Praise God.
Amen.
