It is Christmas Eve, but what does that really mean to us in today’s secular world? What does it mean to the thousands of shoppers who have ran out of time, trying desperately to find that last minute gift? It is Christmas Eve, but let’s go back to that time 2000 years ago to see what the view of Christmas was then!
The prophet Isaiah believed that the world was in darkness, but soon, very soon they would be exposed to the light, the light coming into the world and it would be everlasting, infinite – without end. Isaiah tells us that the world would soon waken to the sight of a child, born to be “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. That is Isaiah’s view of the coming of our Lord, a child who would bring hope and peace and restore light to the world, for the people were in darkness!
Our Gospel lesson this evening from Luke gives us another view of Christmas, we know from earlier Gospel accounts that Joseph had doubts and Mary had fears, but now these have been reconciled and the young couple are going to be included in the census. Poor Mary, pregnant, desperate to have this baby is having to travel across a huge country and of course they arrive in Bethlehem to find all the rooms have been taken. No room in the Inn for this young couple, but they can have the barn, and share it with the innkeeper’s animals! Unusual surroundings for the birth of a King! What was their view of that first Christmas night?
As Luke’s story unfolds other characters come into play, the angels have appeared to shepherds in the field. These angels have brightened up the evening sky, their trumpets loud and they sing, in their message they make the proclamation, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace and goodwill to all mankind.” The voices must have filled the evening sky, one thing for sure their presence did! It must have been an awesome sight, for the angel looking down in their multitude and speaking to only a handful of shepherds. What was the angel’s view of that first Christmas night?
O those poor shepherds, watching their flocks by night, they must have been terrified beyond belief! There they are loyal, dedicated hill farmers, making sure that their animals were safe, just sitting there minding their own business, not bothering anyone when suddenly out of nowhere pops a multitude, a heavenly host of angels proclaiming the good news of the birth a child. I guess from the story that the shepherds quickly composed themselves and decided to make way to Bethlehem to see for themselves this great event. Was that the first sign of doubt, or did they go to pay homage? What was the shepherd’s view of that first Christmas night?
Poor Mary and Joseph, there they are huddled with the animals in barn; their newborn child is in the feeding trough, a manger for his bed. Poor Joseph convinced only by a dream to stay with Mary, not to divorce her, thus avoiding shame on her and her family. Poor Mary, like any new mother she must have had many ambitions for her child. Perhaps she hoped that he would grow up big and strong to be carpenter like his father, or merchant trader. Instead, here is this new family surrounded by animals, lying on straw and suddenly these hill farming shepherds appear, soon to be joined by Kings or wise men from Orient lands. What was their view of that first Christmas?
In the story we have a silent player, a character who is almost forgotten – as we are distracted from his presence, but he has been there all along, he sent the angels, whom proclaimed the good news, he sent the Magi who followed the star, but we forget that He was there amongst it all. After all, it was all part of his divine plan! In the story is God, God in heaven who was now coming to live amongst us on earth. God appears to Joseph in a dream, he comforts and reassures Mary regarding her pregnancy but somehow we seem to forget that God is there. What is his view of that first Christmas?
After all, God is giving the gift of a newborn child to a couple and this child is to be a special child, a unique child within the world, a child prophesised by Isaiah as the wonderful, mighty, counsellor and everlasting Prince of Peace – a gift to the world. A gift, which was given freely – what would be the child’s view of that first Christmas?
Of course, the infant Jesus was too young to understand all the implications of his incarnation, after all he was just a new born babe, but the Angels, Shepherds, the Magi, the Innkeeper, his parents and God all had a view on this wonderful gift. Has that view changed from 2000 years ago?
What is your view of that first Christmas? As you trawled the shops, trying to find that perfect gift, did you think of the birth of a newborn baby? As you decorated the tree with its bows and bells, did you think of that first Christmas and of the joys and sorrows shared by his parents? As you wrapped the presents and neatly placed them under or near the tree, did you think of the gifts that were presented to him of frankincense, gold and myrrh? Did you even think of Him as a gift, a gift from God not just to his parents, but also to the world?
As you sit down to enjoy the turkey and ham, with all the trimmings and copious amounts of drink to wash it all down. Have you taken time to think of the Christ child, lying in a manger – that humble birth? For many of us we will slouch around on the sofa or the carpeted floor, warm and cosy, welcomed by whoever is hosting the festive feast! Plenty of room in our homes, but is there room for one more?
That first Christmas, a mother and father were wanting the best for their child, nothing else was important to them anymore, just as we here have witnessed newborn children recently. New parents, change their priorities as two becomes three. We remember that Jesus was born and baptised of the Holy Spirit, that he is the Holy Son and that God is the gift giver.
Perhaps there is part of me that thinks it wasn’t the first Christmas that we have heard about from the Gospel this Christmas morning, but the last Christmas. God gave the world a precious gift and many of us have not taken the opportunity to open that present, a gift more expensive than any other, and a gift more precious and yet it was free. Perhaps if we take time to open that one gift, we will truly have peace and goodwill to all mankind and it will not just be for Christmas, but the whole year through and for infinity. “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace and goodwill to all mankind!”
