Author Fleming Rutledge tells about a time years ago when she was serving as pastor of a church in New York City. She says that during those days, she used to hang around with some people, “urbane literary types,” as she called them, “most of whom were somewhat disdainful of religion.” She remembers one man in particular.
When he discovered that Rutledge was a pastor, he made a confession to her. He confessed very sheepishly that he had done something behind his wife’s back. Apparently, his wife had long since banished every hint of religion from their household. “She held Christian faith in contempt,” says Rutledge. She regarded the faith as a “relic of a superstitious and unenlightened era. Attending church, of course, was out of the question.” The resulting impact on her husband was quite interesting.
He told pastor Rutledge that, at Christmastime, he found himself so longing to hear the Christmas story from St. Luke’s Gospel that he smuggled a small King James Bible into the bathroom one evening, locked the door, and read it to himself. “That’s a true story,” says Rutledge. (1)
You and I are much more fortunate than this poor gentleman. We don’t have to slip off to the bathroom. We get to hear that precious story or read it any time we please. And this evening we get to hear it in the company of our family and friends in this Christmas Eve service. And for those of you who fondly remember the King James version as the version from which you first heard the Christmas story, I’ll be reading from that version. [Would you stand please for the reading of the Gospel]:
“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.
“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
“And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
‘“And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’”
What beautiful words. Wouldn’t it have been thrilling to have been present when the angels burst into song that first Christmas Eve two thousand years ago? I know, it doesn’t say they were actually singing, but that’s how I hear them in my heart.
Chelsey Harmon, of the Center for Excellence in Preaching, tells about an article that appeared in the Southwest Review magazine sometime back. The article was written by Roger Gilbert who reflected on being in a crowd one day with hundreds of other people watching a partial solar eclipse. He reveals that, at the moment the moon became “superimposed” on the sun, “the entire crowd spontaneously burst into applause.” Then Gilbert made this observation:
“Whom or what were we applauding? We tend to imagine when we applaud at a live performance that the applause is ‘for’ the performers, that its purpose is to communicate our approval to them. But this applause suggested that, in some cases at least, communication is a secondary motive, that applause is first and foremost a way of responding to the elation of a moment.” Think about that phrase for a moment: applause is first and foremost a way of responding to the elation of a moment.”
Chelsey Harmon added the further observation that when the angels burst into praise that first Christmas Eve, she tends to think that their praise for God was like the crowd applauding the magnificence of the solar eclipse. It was an act of elation in response to something quite beautiful and unique. God became a human being. (2)
That is why you and I are here this evening—to join in the applause. To celebrate an occasion so beyond our understanding that all we can do is stare in awe and wonder. God became human flesh that He might reveal to us the power of His great love . . . for us and for all people.
It’s interesting. When they laid the first transatlantic cable across the bed of the Atlantic Ocean to Europe they sought to find just the right words to be the first words to be broadcast over that line. And you know what they chose? It was this very message the angels brought to the shepherds that glorious night: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” And that brings us to the first thing about this holy night that we need to acknowledge: There is something about Christmas that brings out the best in people. Isn’t that your experience? Christmas brings out the best in people.
Now, you may protest. From some of the experiences you’ve had Christmas shopping, you might say that Christmas brings out the worst in some people. And you would be correct in some cases. But every once in a while you hear a story that revives your faith in humanity.
Author David Bruce, in his book Don't Fear the Reaper, tells a wonderful story about a crotchety old man with a less than positive attitude. One winter, some unknown person went to this elderly man’s house and cleared his driveway. Without saying anything about it and with no expectation of compensation, he cleared the driveway. As if that wasn’t enough, using the snow which he had scraped from the driveway, the anonymous do-gooder made a row of smiling, waving snowmen to line the driveway. Isn’t that beautiful? What a wonderful gift! But remember, I told you the old man was crotchety. When he saw what had been done to his driveway, the old man complained about the “trespasser” who scraped the drive and had made the snowmen. That was the word that he used: “trespasser.”
His neighbor’s son, however, did not know what the word “trespass” meant. He assumed that it must be a good thing. He was impressed by the snowmen, and exclaimed, “Wow . . . that’s the biggest, bestest present I’ve ever seen!” He then asked his dad, “Could we have someone ‘trespass’ on our lawn, too?”
That caught the old man off guard. He smiled, and the next day he left a Christmas card outside his neighbor’s front door as well as a gift for his neighbor’s son. His neighbor writes, “If I ever find out who made the snowmen on [the old man’s] lawn, I will be sure to send them something in return. They gave my son, myself, and our elderly neighbor “the biggest, bestest present ever!” (3)
There is something about Christmas that brings out the best in people—at least a great many people. Don’t you imagine that is partially because at Christmas we are particularly conscious of the people in our lives who mean the most to us? And our hearts are warmed by their presence. Christmas is a time of relationships. Our relationship with God and our relationship with those we love.
Over the past three years we have been through a time that has been difficult time for maintaining normal relationships. I’m thinking about the Covid-19 pandemic.
In December 2019 when the deadly Covid-19 pandemic first emerged in Wuhan, China we could not in our wildest dreams have imagined how it would disrupt our lives. Seven million people dead worldwide. Public events of every kind cancelled. Hospitals filled to overflowing. Families divided.
Stories emerged of unbelievable hardship imposed on ordinary people—people like Mary Daniel and her husband Steve. They were the couple you may have read about who were separated for 114 days due to restrictions imposed at the senior care facility where Steve lived. Seven years before, at only 59 years of age, Steve was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Subsequently he was placed in a memory care unit.
During this time Mary had been visiting her husband every night and would get him ready for bed at the senior care center. But when the pandemic hit, health facilities closed their doors to visitors as a way to prevent the spread of Covid-19 to vulnerable patients. Mary was suddenly unable to see her husband of 24 years for approximately four months. She was worried about him spending so much time alone. “Alzheimer’s patients need to be touched,” said Mary.
But love finds a way. Mary was determined to be with her husband. Finally, an opportunity came. Mary learned that a job was available in Steve’s memory care facility. They needed someone to wash dishes. It was not a glamorous job, but it allowed her to be with her beloved husband for a while each evening. She was once more able to hold his hand and to get him ready for bed. (4) And that was what she did until his death late last year. There were scenes of hardship like that all over the world.
Mary Daniel’s story reminds me of another Mary who experienced a difficult time in her life. This Mary found herself in the final month of her pregnancy riding on a humble donkey, headed for the tiny town of Bethlehem, where she was turned away from the only available inn. Forced to give birth in a lowly stable, then before she could return home, she found herself fleeing to Egypt with her husband Joseph to escape the murderous designs of King Herod. Life was not easy for the family of Jesus, but Love found a way. Love always does. As the author of the hymn reminds us, “Love came down at Christmas.”
There is something about Christmas that brings out the best in people. At Christmas we are particularly conscious of the people in our lives who mean the most to us. But, of course, the most important thing about Christmas is that it reminds us that we live in a God-invaded world.
A wonderful example of the presence of God in our world is found in the story of George Frederick Handel. You may be aware of his story.
Handel was at a low point in his life. “He was deep in debt. His health was not good. He had recently suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was paralyzed on the right side of his body. For four years he could neither walk nor write. The doctors could do nothing more for him. He managed to write several operas, but they were not successful enough to pull him out of debt.
“At age 60 he thought his life was finished. Then he was challenged by a friend to write a sacred oratorio. He read the Scriptures and went to work. For 24 days, he slept or ate very little. He worked fanatically to produce the piece. Before he had begun to work on it, Handel was convinced that his life was over. Was this all there is? A lifetime of composing with little to show for it but a lot of music that nobody wanted and financial ruin. He had thought his work was finished but, having been encouraged by a friend, he wrote his crowning achievement: Messiah.” (5)
And here's how the story ends. King George was invited to attend the first performance of Messiah in London in 1743. The audience was extremely moved by the music, as was the king. When the words “And he shall reign for ever and ever” were sung in the “Hallelujah Chorus,” the king rose to his feet. The audience, seeing the king on his feet, also rose to their feet. And it is still the custom for the audience to stand during this part of the performance to this very day. A fitting ending to a piece of music that was truly inspired by God. (6)
There is something about Christmas that brings out the best in people. At Christmas we are conscious of the people in our lives who mean the most to us. Christmas reminds us that we live in a God-invaded world.
1. All Content ©2023, https://generousorthodoxy.org/sermons/the-star-and-the-child-a-christmas-sermon.
2. Https://Cepreaching.Org/Commentary/2022-12-19/Luke-21-14-15-20/.
3. Anwahs, “Trespassing Snowmen,” Dailygood.org, 26 December 2007 <http://www.dailygood.org/view.php?qid=4259> 250 Anecdotes.
4. Staff, The Florida Times-Union, https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2022/12/22/husband-jacksonville-woman-who-took-dishwashing-job-during-pandemic-care-for-him-dies/69752111007/.
5. Rev. Dr. Stephen R. Hanning, http://everettucc.org/church_sermons/WhomShallISend.pdf.
6. Bernard, Andre; Fadiman, Clifton. Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes. Little, Brown and Company. Kindle Edition.