Beginning with the story of Adam and Eve, the scriptures remind us that the human condition is one of being away from home. You know the story - Adam and Eve had a great thing going for them, but they blew it. Their actions alienated them from God and caused them to be exiled from their home. The apostle Paul would say much later that everything that happened to the human race throughout history can be traced back to the sin of Adam and Eve. Only because of what God voluntarily did in the incarnation, the birth we gather to celebrate this night, are we reconciled to God and set free of the terrible curse of sin and death.

When we begin our preparation for Christmas with the story of Adam and Eve, it sets human history in the proper context. The promises of deliverance take on a fuller meani…