Lanier Christian Church
December 24, 2015 - Christmas Eve Communion Meditation
David Simpson
The annual Christmas pageant. It's a long standing tradition in many churches. There are two things common with almost all young children in a Christmas program Nativity scene...they usually sing at some point, "Silent Night" and they have a hard time being still!
Although most directors of Christmas programs want the children to be as still as possible, and sing sweetly that favorite of all Christmas songs, we must realize that the first Christmas was probably anything but silent and still!
Imagine the surroundings: sheep...dirty, smelly, noisy sheep and a newborn baby. You don't need me to remind you that the birth process is anything but quiet and what's the first thing we want newborns to do? Cry!
I know one of our Christmas songs says: "no crying he makes," but remember Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus where we read that "Jesus wept." I believe Jesus cried like any baby would. And sheep are seemingly cuddly quiet animals. We use a phrase: "Quiet as a lamb." But, I have been around sheep a time or two in my life and they can be awfully noisy when they get riled up!
Obviously the town of Bethlehem was crowded with people, since there was no room in the inn. And you know how loud the mall is this time of year when it's crowded with shoppers. Imagine the noise a crowd of frustrated people can make when they are forced to return to their ancestral home to register for a census.
Don't forget the angelic choir! The shepherds were confronted with an angelic messenger announcing the birth of a Savior, quickly followed by an angelic choir that must have caused the Guinness world record number of goose bumps! Luke 2:13 tells us: "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'"
The response of the shepherds was to "hurry off" and find the baby in the manger. It's hard to be a bunch of hurrying shepherds without making some racket! And...if upon arrival to the stable/cave there happened to be some goats, cows or pigs on site....well, need I say more? Quietness most probably did not surround the birth of our Lord.
I know, I don't want to spoil your understanding of the song: Silent Night. But my thoughts are that it was probably anything BUT a silent night. The good news is that it WAS a Holy Night. Because in the midst of all that clamor, God gave us His greatest gift! Holy means "unique, different" and the birth of Jesus was indeed unique.
So, in the remaining moments of this Christmas season, during the opening of gifts and amidst the laughter of kids and family, don't lose sight of the gift of Jesus. He came into the middle of our noisy world, and brought us the one thing that could calm our turmoil...Peace. Allow His peace to calm every threatening noise in your life, this Christmas and always!
