I want to make sure you realize that it is still Christmas,
at least in church. Christmas, as celebrated in the Episcopal Church, follows
the ancient religious tradition of beginning on Christmas Eve and continuing
until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. The church differs
from the retail world. We begin our season of anticipation and waiting on the
first Sunday in Advent, and we wait four weeks until Christmas Eve. In most
places, the Episcopal Church turns its back on Christmas carols and Christmas
decorations until Christmas Eve. And, it keeps on going with Christmas long
after the rest of the world has closed down its after-Christmas sales.
This is
the real Christmas: the Christmas that is about the birth of our Savior rather than
shining trees and expensive gifts and happy gatherings. We have probably all
had an experience or two where the trees weren’t so shiny, and the expensive
gifts turned out to be nothing we’d ever use, and the happy gatherings brought
up unhappy memories instead.
The blessing of celebrating Christmas in the church is that
we are dependent on God alone. It doesn’t matter about the trees, or the gifts,
or the gatherings. What matters is the tree of life has been redeemed, the One
and Only gift is given, and we are gathered to celebrate the presence of God in
our lives.
Some people make it sound as though when Jesus was born as
human flesh; that was the first time God came close to human beings. They seem
to think the birth of Jesus meant God suddenly changed God’s mind and cared
about us and became involved in our lives. Instead, God has cared about us
since the beginning of Creation.
Throughout Scripture, God has been involved with human
beings and in human history. God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve.[1]
God spoke with Moses from the burning bush.[2]
God instructed the Prophet Deborah.[3]
God upheld Esther and Mordecai.[4]
God was present for the prostitute Rahab.[5]
God was present on the road to Emmaus.[6]
God was present at the first Pentecost.[7]
Countless times the presence of God is told in story, in song, and from the
hearts and souls of men and women in the pages of Scripture.
The beginning of John’s gospel, the first eighteen verses of
which we hear this morning, reminds us that God was present and involved in the
creation of the earth upon which we stand. And that Jesus, the Word, has been
with God and was and is God, now and from the beginning.
Like a lover who has memorized the face of the beloved, God
cares for us passionately. Every inch of us is made in the image of God and we
reflect that image of God back to God’s self. God has loved us from our
beginnings and will love us to the ending and beyond.
How do we know this? We know it because Jesus came. Jesus
came to show us God. Jesus came to reveal to us, a stubborn stiff-necked
people, who God really is.
Many people believe that God somehow shows us Jesus. But in
truth, Jesus came to show us God. Jesus, the living and loving flesh of God, is God. What this tells us is that
everything Jesus does and was and is still; is what God does and was and is
still.
This
is truly remarkable incredible, and perhaps even a little terrifying.
· Jesus reveals a God who
cares passionately for healing and wholeness.
· Jesus reveals a God who
loves the poor beyond all reason.
· Jesus reveals a God who
dines with everyone, drinks with everyone, touches everyone, and enters every
house, no matter how rich or poor.
· Jesus reveals a God who
weeps with us and laughs with us.
· Jesus reveals a God who
cares without ceasing.
· Jesus reveals a God who
is always near; ever present, loving us even when we are unlovable and
unreachable.
Do you
want to know God? John’s gospel tells us, “No one has ever seen God. It is God
the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.”[8]
· Look for the Jesus in
others if you want to know God.
· Follow Jesus only if you
want to know God.
·
Serve Jesus only if you want to know God. AMEN.
The
Rev Nicolette Papanek
©2015
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