Good News! Good News!
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
For many people the news may have seemed arcane, but for scientists a recent update on the status of two major experiments at the giant Hadron particle collider on the French-Swiss border was a major event. And for those who were able to wade through the physics jargon, the announcement that these experiments potentially offered a glimpse of the "Higgs boson" -- the holy grail of subatomic physics -- was exciting news. Named after physicist Peter Boson, who first proposed the its existence in the 1960s as part of a theory explaining how particles gain their mass, the Higgs boson fills in an important gap in the traditional model of physics that has existed for the past 50 years -- but no one has yet been able to definitively prove its existence. Why is this so important? Because it is seen as the most fundamental building block of the universe -- causing some to dub it the "God particle" -- and so being able to learn more about it offers the hope of unraveling numerous mysteries... including possibly even the origins of the universe. But while scientists (and many lay folk as well) may be chasing the cosmological implications of this discovery, team member George Reed notes in this installment of The Immediate Word that the Gospel of John reminds us of the true origin of the universe: the Word that was made flesh in the Incarnation we celebrate this week, and that lives in us every day of our lives.
The lectionary offers a pair of options for Gospel texts for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and team member Mary Austin offers some thoughts about the other gospel text that is a traditional staple: Luke's account of the nativity. Mary points out how setting the birth in a stable and announcing it to shepherds -- the migrant workers of their time -- makes explicit that Jesus' coming will upend the traditional class structure. Mary reflects on how Americans like to think that we live in a society unencumbered by the constraints of social class... yet the difficulties visited on middle-class America in the past few decades are challenging our beliefs. But Mary suggests that while we typically view class reversal these days with fear and trepidation over declining economic security, the class reversals heralded in the Christmas story are a good thing as God brings good news of comfort and great joy to those who need it most.
Good News! Good News!
by George Reed
John 1:1-14
Sound the trumpets! Beat the drums! Wave the flags! Two teams of scientists have reported that they have discovered tantalizing hints that perhaps they may have discovered a particle which just might be the long sought-after Higgs boson. I know, my heart is atwitter as well. As all major physicists and cosmologists (not to be confused with cosmetologists) know, the Higgs boson is thought to be the last remaining elusive particle that will complete the Standard Equation on which all particle physics is based.
This really would be a great scientific discovery, and I make fun only because it is so beyond my understanding that all I can do is laugh. But for these scientists it offers the key to much knowledge and may turn out to be as basic for science as the radical thought that the earth revolves around the sun. It also comes at a wondrous time in the Church calendar when we hear the prologue of the Gospel of John tell us that "In the beginning was the Word..."
Whether they have found the Higgs boson or not, and whether or not it will be the boon to science that the researchers hope for, we are set to proclaim that the meaning of existence, the basis of life, is found in the Word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us.
THE WORLD
For 35 years physicists have been using the Standard Equation to understand the universe and how it came into existence. Many of the particles the equation called for have been found, but the Higgs boson particle has been more elusive. Now, two different teams using different super colliders have both found evidence that points to this particle. It is especially intriguing to the scientists because this particle is the one that would give mass to all others. It is such a key portion of the equation that it is often referred to as the "God particle."
While there is not enough evidence to call this a clear discovery, the odds of it being a fluke reading are extremely low. What practical use this will have, if it turns out to be the Higgs boson, is hard to imagine. Some scientific discoveries that seem so full of promise for our health and life have turned out to be almost worthless so far, while some offbeat findings have been very helpful.
THE WORD
The prologue of John's Gospel is very familiar to most churchgoing folks. They may not understand it very well, but the poetic way it proclaims the Word strikes a chord deep within us: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Then comes that wondrous proclamation "All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people." At the very base of all creation we have the wondrous Word of God. The reflection of the first Genesis story of creation where God speaks and creation comes into being is clear.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
For some, these are two competing explanations about the origin of the world. For others, they are two very different ways of talking about the same thing. The outlook of the preacher and congregation will greatly determine how one wants to proceed.
Especially if the sermon immediately follows the Gospel lesson, I would begin with the science news. How serious or light-hearted one deals with this will depend on how conversant one is with the science. After a discussion of the scientific discoveries and their implications, one could then move to the Gospel -- talking about the claim that is presented by John is that what is really at the base, the foundation, of creation is the creative Word of God.
The lesson we take from all of this is that the meaning of life, the meaning of existence, is based on God's Word. It is not based on science, politics, or anything else. These other things can be helpful for us. The knowledge that scientists attain can tell us a good deal about the "how" of creation. But John reaffirms that only the Word of God can tell us about the "who" of creation and the "why."
ANOTHER VIEW
by Mary Austin
Luke 2:1-20
America has long been described as a "classless society," characterized by the belief that anyone can do better in life than their parents if they get an education and work hard. We have pretended that social class didn't matter in our evaluation of people, and proclaimed that we all have equal opportunities. While that is certainly true in comparison to some other places in the world and times in history, it's becoming less true all the time -- and the recent recession has revealed the gaps in that belief. A New York Times column by Charles Blow cites a recent Associated Press report on census data which finds that "a record number of Americans -- nearly 1 in 2 -- have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low-income." These numbers, according to the report, "depict a middle class that's shrinking." Middle-class Americans are becoming poor Americans at a dramatic rate.
Where did the money go? To the other end of the class spectrum. As the Times column continues: "An October report from the Congressional Budget Office found that, from 1979 to 2007, the average real after-tax household income for the 1 percent of the population with the highest incomes rose 275 percent." An October article on CNN's website by Annalyn Censky speaks of "a lost decade" for the middle class. As Censky bluntly explains: "It's official. The first decade of the 21st century will go down in the history books as a step back for the American middle class. Last week, the government made gloomy headlines when it released the latest census report showing the poverty rate rose to a 17-year high."
Class is becoming more firmly entrenched in America life. Where we begin on the economic ladder is where we will most likely end -- that is, if we don't fall further behind. Or, as another New York Times writer casts it: "To change one's destiny seems -- and statistically is -- crushingly hard. The political system America once commended to the world no longer appears to work in its own backyard." Columnist Anand Giridharadas comments: "[T]he belief that you might die in a markedly better existence than the one you came into is fading. And for good reason: a study published last year by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that Americans now experience lower social mobility than prevails in almost any other rich country."
Class matters -- it matters in the kind of education we receive, in the opportunities we have, in the jobs available to us, in the houses we can rent or buy, and in the money we can or cannot save for retirement. It matters in how we see the world. This past weekend Yahoo News offered an article on "The [Financial] Sacrifices I Made to Survive," listing the experiences of a number of people... right next to an article on "English Butlers Wanted for the Super-Rich".
The story of Jesus' birth in Luke's gospel makes it clear that class matters to God too.
Luke carefully places Jesus' birth in a stable, reminding us that his parents are ordinary, footsore travelers, now temporarily homeless. Joseph may be descended from the line of King David, but there's no palace in this story. First to hear the news of the birth are the shepherds, working-class people, lowly and avoided, fragrant with the smell of their work. The angels take the time in Luke's gospel to bring the news of the baby's coming to Mary, as Gabriel tells her what is to come. After the birth, the angels make their announcement not to princes and kings, not to generals and wealthy merchants, but to shepherds.
When we hear the story, we are meant to understand the astounding reversals that happen in God's world. Unknown maidens become bearers of God's presence in the world. Shepherds become the privileged few who know something astounding and have front-row seats to worship the Prince of Peace.
Our class reversals are mostly grim news now, as more people become poor or precariously middle-class. Our reversals signal bad news -- a foreclosure that forces a family out of a neighborhood, or a job loss that changes a manager into a waiter. But God's class reversals are good news -- transformations that change the world, and all who see them. The lowly are lifted up, as Mary has proclaimed in her song of praise, and the hungry are filled with good things. Whether or not Congress decides to tax them more heavily, in God's realm the rich are sent away empty.
God is all about class, and the reversals in class status are all part of God's good news for all who are hungry or thirsty, frightened or poor. In our world, class is hard to change. In God's world, things are always changing -- and the story of Christmas is that God's good news is coming to a homeless shelter, a soup kitchen, an alleyway, and an unemployment office near you. God's good news is coming to those of us who need it most.
ILLUSTRATIONS
When we say "it is Christmas" we mean that God has spoken into the world his last, his deepest, his most beautiful word in the incarnate word, a word that can no longer be revoked because it is God's definitive deed, because it is God himself in the world. And this word means: I love you, you, the world and humankind. And God has spoken this word by being himself born as a creature.
-- Karl Rahner
*****
In On the Foundations of Morality, philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer asked an important question: "How is it that suffering that is neither my own nor of my concern should immediately affect me as though it were my own, and with such force that it moves me to action?" People will see a person suffering, someone they have never known or even met before that instant, and move to help that person, even though helping inconveniences them or even puts their life in danger. And it isn't just a sometimes thing. It happens, said Schopenhauer, all the time!
For Schopenhauer, this was evidence of what he called the "collective consciousness," the metaphysical connection that binds all human beings into a whole.
For Christians, it is evidence that God's Word continues to become flesh in us, whenever we reach out to each other in love and service.
*****
Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is the new darling of Christian football fans all over America. He's a devout, born-again Christian who loves his mother and isn't afraid to wear his religious faith on his sleeve.
When his teammates are jumping around, high-fiving, and cheering over a closely fought win, the TV cameras will inevitably search out and find Tebow kneeling in prayer, his elbow on his knee, his forehead resting on his fist. So popular has that picture become that assuming that position has become known as "Tebowing." (Fans point out that the word includes the words "bow" and "win," but are hesitant to place any meaning upon those words beyond pointing them out.)
Tim Tebow is a breath of fresh air for many of us who have become weary of the often sociopathic behavior of multimillionaire, prima-donna professional athletes.
On the other hand, we ought to be careful about the height to which we raise the pedestal upon which we place our presumptive athletic role models. For example, Chicago Bears wide receiver Sam Hurd was also touted as a born-again Christian, family man, and role model before last week, when he was arrested for trying to create his own multibillion dollar drug cartel.
We know that there is really only one role model worthy of our adoration -- and that is the incarnate Christ who was born in a stable and told us to sell all we have and give it to the poor.
*****
A new phrase has entered the American lexicon this year: "K-Mart Angels."
The phenomenon began (they think) in Michigan, when a woman walked into a K-Mart store, went to the layaway counter, and paid the balance on about 50 accounts, especially those of poor parents buying toys for their children. She said that her husband had died recently and left her more money than she would be able to spend in a lifetime, so she was using it to guarantee that some poor children would have the Christmas their parents had hoped for them.
Someone called the news and they did a story, and other people saw the story and went to their local K-Mart and paid off some layaway bills, and the news reported that and more people saw and... well, now it has become a national phenomenon.
Google the phrase "K-Mart Angels" and you will see stories from all over the United States about people going into K-Marts and anonymously paying off layaway accounts for their poor neighbors.
*****
In 1891, Captain Joseph McFee of the Salvation Army wanted to help the poor people in San Francisco, especially for the coming Christmas season, but he didn't know where to get funding for his project. He remembered, during his early days as a sailor in Liverpool, England, seeing a large kettle called "Simpson's Pot" into which passengers of boats that docked at Stage Landing tossed coins to help the poor.
The following day, Captain McFee placed a pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing, and beside the pot was a sign that read "Keep the Pot Boiling." He was able to collect enough donations to have a Christmas dinner for the poor people of the local area.
Captain McFee's idea spread, and in 1897 a nationwide effort was able to fund 150,000 Christmas dinners for the poor. In 1901, donations from New York City funded a sit-down dinner at Madison Square Garden.
Today, bell ringers and red kettles are seen in stores and malls across the world. They ring bells to attract the attention of passersby, and some volunteers even sing Christmas carols or play musical instruments to raise donations. Money collected through the red kettles is used to help the needy, the sick, the aged, and other less fortunate individuals, especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
-- http://musiced.about.com/od/lessonsandtips/a/salvarmy.html
*****
Rarely has there been a more unlikely setting for a Christmas story than Simpson's Bar in Bret Harte's classic short story "How Santa Claus Came to Simpson's Bar."
As with most of Harte's stories, this one takes place in California shortly after the Gold Rush of 1849. The setting is a small, dark, smoky bar where cowboys hang out. It's Christmas Eve, and the bar's owner, known simply as "the Old Man," invites his rundown regulars to his home for the holiday.
As they sit in the kitchen, the three cowboys hear the Old Man talking to his son, a young boy who is obviously dying from some unknown and crippling disease and for whom this Christmas will very likely be his last. Moved by that possibility, they decide to pool their resources to purchase some Christmas gifts.
Dick Bullen, the best rider of the three, takes their combined money and rides Jovita, the orneriest, meanest, dumbest, and fleetest horse in the territory, as fast as he can to the town of Tuttleville, 25 miles away, in order to find and buy some gifts suitable for a little boy, then return, all before dawn of Christmas Day.
Most of the story is given to an account Dick's perilous and heroic ride, how he nearly dies in his effort, how the meager toys are nearly ruined when he has to cross an overflowing river -- and how sacrificial love such as this is exactly what Christmas is about.
*****
I don't remember which of the scores of television Christmas specials it was on, but someone was singing the new Christmas song "Where's the Line to See Jesus?" The song was accompanied by a video montage of contemporary Christmas scenes, especially involving people standing in lines -- to see Santa Claus, to pay for purchases at a cash register, in cars at traffic lights, etc.
At one point in the montage, as the song continued to ask its plaintive question, the camera panned along a sidewalk and lingered for a brief moment on a line of poor and homeless people standing outside a soup kitchen, waiting to get in.
I fully expected the camera to stop there, answering the question as Jesus did in Matthew 25, "Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these... you did it unto me." But alas, the camera moved quickly on until it found its way to a traditional nativity scene complete with lifeless farm animals and a plastic Baby Jesus.
-- Dean Feldmeyer
*****
The story goes that two young women were having a scrumptious and expensive luncheon together in the dining room at one of Manhattan's most luxurious hotels. They were doing it up right with bottles of expensive wine, several courses to the meal, and much taking and laughing.
Curious, the manager of the restaurant asked if they were celebrating something.
"As a matter of fact," said one of the women, "we are. We're celebrating the birth of my new son!"
The manager asked if the child was with them. She replied: "Bring a baby here? Oh heavens, no. That would ruin everything."
Kind of reminds you of how some people celebrate Christmas, huh?
*****
I recently received a Christmas card which read across the top in big bold letters: "BELIEVE!" Underneath the word, I saw the message was being proclaimed by a snowman. At one time Mary and Joseph delivered that Christmas card message. Then in the world of being politically correct it was Santa Claus. Now we have even taken one more step backwards and it is a snowman who calls us to believe in the message of Christmas. Next year, I suppose it will be Rudolph. But then for many, this could really the most important deliverer of the message... since his red nose will not guide them to the manger, but to where they really want to be -- under the Christmas tree.
-- Ron Love
*****
The following illustrations from TIW team member Ron Love are random thoughts and memories on the meaning of our Christmas traditions and activities inspired by Luke's nativity account.
I remember I purchased the soundtrack album from the movie Star Wars. After the opening thunderous orchestration, I found all of the other songs to be quite boring and uninspiring. This isn't something I noticed in the theater with all that action of lightsabers. I wonder if, after Mary sings the Magnificat, we lose interest in the songs that follow -- for instance, Rachel lamenting the massacre of the Innocents.
* * *
When I was young, every Christmas we would drive from the Midwest to visit my grandparents in New York City. My dad was old-school, meaning he believed the trip should be completed in one day. (This was in the 1950s, with no interstates, one turnpike, and many blue highways.) For a child the trip was long and boring, to say the least. The time spent in the city with family was one of great joy. But then there was the return trip over those same uncompleted highways. I wonder about Mary and Joseph. They made that difficult trip to Egypt to escape Herod, and eventually were reunited with family in Nazareth. During those years there were times of great merriment. But then Mary had to repeat that same grueling trip to Calvary Hill. In the midst of the celebration, do we sometimes forget the journey?
* * *
At one time Christmas tree lights were on direct current, and if one bulb went out so did the entire string. I remember each year my dad sitting on the basement floor with one good bulb in his hand, unscrewing each bulb in succession and replacing it with the good bulb until the burned-out bulb was discovered and the entire string of lights began to glow. I admired my dad's faith, because what if two bulbs were burnt out? Then of course the tree was mounted and the lights were strung, with each cord intermingling with the others. But then the inevitable would happen and a string of lights went dark. Of course, the culprit always seemed to be in the back of the tree, up against the corner of the room, where it could only be reached with great difficulty. I wonder if as Christians we realize at this holiday season that if one of us refuses to shine with the exuberance of the Season, it causes all of us to grow dark.
* * *
When the Sears catalog arrived I would spend weeks poring over the small toy section. I made my list, which would have been easier done by ripping out and handing the passage to my parents. Then of course, on Christmas morning I noticed that several dozen items from the catalog were absent from under the tree. Could it have been the same for the prophets? They were so intent at looking for every sign and wonder that they missed the most important one under the tree -- the one lying in the manger.
* * *
I was always told by my Sunday school teachers that Jesus is one of us, so if he came to visit he would want our daily dinnerware. Proudly telling this to my mother, I got a quick lesson that if Jesus came to our home on Christmas Day he would be served on the fine china, as any guest would. I wonder, in this season of being preoccupied with family and friends, if we treat Jesus like daily dinnerware instead of fine china.
* * *
When I was a state trooper I worked many Christmas Days. Somehow the motoring public believed that the rules of the road were suspended on that day of good cheer. When stopped for a traffic violation, they really did expect just a warning followed by a "Merry Christmas." It did come as a surprise to them when the fine they received for the citation I issued exceeded the cost of the gift they purchased for their mother-in-law. Christmas is a time for joy and celebration, but it is not a time to forsake our Christian obligations.
* * *
The small Southern city I live in has very strict "blue laws." On Sundays stores cannot open before 2:00 p.m. so as not to interfere with worship services and inhibit church attendance. Stores which by necessity must be open, such as a pharmacies, must rope off any sections like toys and magazines which are not considered essential. This works well for July and August. But from Thanksgiving until Christmas Day, the blue laws are suspended to maximize shopping hours and profits. It's interesting that the holiest Sabbath days of the year are exempt.
* * *
I have always enjoyed giving and receiving gifts. But gift-giving never had that goose-bump feeling until I thoughtfully shopped for the gift most desired by my children and gave it to them on Christmas morning. I wonder if that is not a little bit of God's Spirit that lingers in us, and how God may have felt looking down upon that child in the manger.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: O sing to God a new song,
People: for God has done marvelous things.
Leader: Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;
People: break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Leader: Sing praises to God with the lyre;
People: with trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before our God.
OR
Leader: Come and worship the God of salvation!
People: But we are sinners, poor and needy.
Leader: God comes to us in a lowly stable.
People: But we have no gift to offer him.
Leader: God has supplied the gift for all creation.
People: God is gracious and we offer our worship and praise!
OR
Leader: Come and worship the Word of God in flesh!
People: We worship in awe and adoration!
Leader: Come and worship the foundation of existence!
People: We worship the one on whom our lives are built!
Leader: Come and worship the Love of God incarnate!
People: God's love is gracious and broad! Praise be to God!
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Infant Holy, Infant Lowly"
found in:
UMH: 229
PH: 37
CH: 163
LBW: 44
ELW: 276
"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night"
found in:
UMH: 236
H82: 94, 95
PH: 58, 59
NNBH: 92
CH: 154
"Angels We Have Heard on High"
found in:
UMH: 238
H82: 96
PH: 25
AAHH: 206
NNBH: 89
NCH: 125
CH: 155
LBW: 71
ELW: 289
"Love Came Down at Christmas"
found in:
UMH: 242
H82: 84
NCH: 165
"The First Noel"
found in:
UMH: 245
H82: 109
PH: 56
NNBH: 87
NCH: 139
CH: 151
LBW: 56
ELW: 300
"Joy to the World"
found in:
UMH: 246
H82: 100
PH: 40
AAHH: 197
NNBH: 94
NCH: 132
CH: 143
LBW: 39
ELW: 267
"What Child Is This"
found in:
UMH: 219
H82: 115
PH: 53
AAHH: 220
NNBH: 86
NCH: 148
CH: 162
LBW: 40
ELW: 296
"Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light"
found in:
UMH: 223
H82: 91
PH: 26
NCH: 140
"All Hail King Jesus"
found in:
CCB: 29
Renew: 35
"Emmanuel, Emmanuel"
found in:
CCB: 31
Renew: 28
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who through your Word created and is ever creating: Grant us the wisdom to place ourselves upon this Rock who is the basis for our lives and our salvation; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
O God who comes in unexpected ways to unlikely people: Grant us the imagination to see you in our midst no matter how or to whom you come; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially the ways we build our lives on unworthy things.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We know that you have created us through your gracious Word and that all creation is built on this eternal foundation. Yet we base our lives on things that are passing and without strength. We listen as you speak to us, and then we go away and forget as we follow the world. Forgive us, and bring us back once again to celebrate your wondrous Word now incarnate among us. Amen.
Leader: God's Word has come to us and has come to bring salvation. God's love and forgiveness is ours. Let us follow the Christ!
Prayer for Illumination
Send, O God, the light of your Spirit upon us, so that as we hear the Gospel read and proclaimed we may see the presence of your Word in our midst. Amen.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We bring to you, O God, our gifts of worship and adoration, for you have created us through the wonder of your Word.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We know that you have created us through your gracious Word and that all creation is built on this eternal foundation. Yet we base our lives on things that are passing and without strength. We listen as you speak to us, and then we go away and forget as we follow the world. Forgive us, and bring us back once again to celebrate your wondrous Word now incarnate among us.
We give you thanks for all the ways we find you incarnate in our world. You speak to us from the scriptures and from the teaching of your saints. We find you in the lives of those around us as they share your love with us and with the unlovely. We find you in the Babe of Bethlehem, whose birth was announced to the shepherds.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another in our needs and for your children everywhere. We pray that your desire for the salvation of all that we celebrate this day may come closer to fruition. We pray that we may be part of your incarnation and presence in the lives of others.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children's Sermon Starter
The Luke passage makes it a great time to take advantage of the creche. Talk to the children about the stable and the manger while reminding them that they were made for animals and not people. Talk about how the shepherds were not rich or famous or even well-liked -- but God sent the angels to them. God doesn't love us because we are rich or good, but because God is love.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Jesus' Birth Certificate
John 1:1-14; Luke 2:1-20
Object: a birth certificate
Can any of you tell me what this is? (Show the certificate to the children and let them answer.) Yes, this is a birth certificate. It shows who was born, where the person was born, and the date when he or she was born. Do you have one of these at home? (Let them answer.) I'm quite sure that you do. Everyone that is born nowadays has a birth certificate, but it wasn't always that way. Years ago, people didn't get birth certificates. (Tell them about someone you know who didn't have a birth certificate.)
Now whose birthday are we celebrating today? (Let them answer.) Yes, this is the birthday of Jesus. Do you think Jesus had a birth certificate? (Let them answer.) No, they didn't have birth certificates in those days. So how can we be sure that Jesus was born? (Let them answer.) Yes, of course we can read about it in the Bible, and the Bible is God's own word. It is a much better certificate than anybody else could possibly have. This certificate (show the certificate again) is made out by our state government. Could the people who made out this certificate make a mistake? (Let them answer.) Of course they could, and they often do. But what about God? Does God make mistakes? (Let them answer.) No, never! So I guess we could say that Jesus has the best birth certificate possible. Let's thank God for sending Jesus into the world. This is the day we celebrate the birthday of Jesus.
Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven: We thank and praise You for sending Jesus into the world for us. As we celebrate his birthday today, help us to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, December 24-25, 2011, issue.
Copyright 2011 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
The lectionary offers a pair of options for Gospel texts for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and team member Mary Austin offers some thoughts about the other gospel text that is a traditional staple: Luke's account of the nativity. Mary points out how setting the birth in a stable and announcing it to shepherds -- the migrant workers of their time -- makes explicit that Jesus' coming will upend the traditional class structure. Mary reflects on how Americans like to think that we live in a society unencumbered by the constraints of social class... yet the difficulties visited on middle-class America in the past few decades are challenging our beliefs. But Mary suggests that while we typically view class reversal these days with fear and trepidation over declining economic security, the class reversals heralded in the Christmas story are a good thing as God brings good news of comfort and great joy to those who need it most.
Good News! Good News!
by George Reed
John 1:1-14
Sound the trumpets! Beat the drums! Wave the flags! Two teams of scientists have reported that they have discovered tantalizing hints that perhaps they may have discovered a particle which just might be the long sought-after Higgs boson. I know, my heart is atwitter as well. As all major physicists and cosmologists (not to be confused with cosmetologists) know, the Higgs boson is thought to be the last remaining elusive particle that will complete the Standard Equation on which all particle physics is based.
This really would be a great scientific discovery, and I make fun only because it is so beyond my understanding that all I can do is laugh. But for these scientists it offers the key to much knowledge and may turn out to be as basic for science as the radical thought that the earth revolves around the sun. It also comes at a wondrous time in the Church calendar when we hear the prologue of the Gospel of John tell us that "In the beginning was the Word..."
Whether they have found the Higgs boson or not, and whether or not it will be the boon to science that the researchers hope for, we are set to proclaim that the meaning of existence, the basis of life, is found in the Word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us.
THE WORLD
For 35 years physicists have been using the Standard Equation to understand the universe and how it came into existence. Many of the particles the equation called for have been found, but the Higgs boson particle has been more elusive. Now, two different teams using different super colliders have both found evidence that points to this particle. It is especially intriguing to the scientists because this particle is the one that would give mass to all others. It is such a key portion of the equation that it is often referred to as the "God particle."
While there is not enough evidence to call this a clear discovery, the odds of it being a fluke reading are extremely low. What practical use this will have, if it turns out to be the Higgs boson, is hard to imagine. Some scientific discoveries that seem so full of promise for our health and life have turned out to be almost worthless so far, while some offbeat findings have been very helpful.
THE WORD
The prologue of John's Gospel is very familiar to most churchgoing folks. They may not understand it very well, but the poetic way it proclaims the Word strikes a chord deep within us: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Then comes that wondrous proclamation "All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people." At the very base of all creation we have the wondrous Word of God. The reflection of the first Genesis story of creation where God speaks and creation comes into being is clear.
CRAFTING THE SERMON
For some, these are two competing explanations about the origin of the world. For others, they are two very different ways of talking about the same thing. The outlook of the preacher and congregation will greatly determine how one wants to proceed.
Especially if the sermon immediately follows the Gospel lesson, I would begin with the science news. How serious or light-hearted one deals with this will depend on how conversant one is with the science. After a discussion of the scientific discoveries and their implications, one could then move to the Gospel -- talking about the claim that is presented by John is that what is really at the base, the foundation, of creation is the creative Word of God.
The lesson we take from all of this is that the meaning of life, the meaning of existence, is based on God's Word. It is not based on science, politics, or anything else. These other things can be helpful for us. The knowledge that scientists attain can tell us a good deal about the "how" of creation. But John reaffirms that only the Word of God can tell us about the "who" of creation and the "why."
ANOTHER VIEW
by Mary Austin
Luke 2:1-20
America has long been described as a "classless society," characterized by the belief that anyone can do better in life than their parents if they get an education and work hard. We have pretended that social class didn't matter in our evaluation of people, and proclaimed that we all have equal opportunities. While that is certainly true in comparison to some other places in the world and times in history, it's becoming less true all the time -- and the recent recession has revealed the gaps in that belief. A New York Times column by Charles Blow cites a recent Associated Press report on census data which finds that "a record number of Americans -- nearly 1 in 2 -- have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low-income." These numbers, according to the report, "depict a middle class that's shrinking." Middle-class Americans are becoming poor Americans at a dramatic rate.
Where did the money go? To the other end of the class spectrum. As the Times column continues: "An October report from the Congressional Budget Office found that, from 1979 to 2007, the average real after-tax household income for the 1 percent of the population with the highest incomes rose 275 percent." An October article on CNN's website by Annalyn Censky speaks of "a lost decade" for the middle class. As Censky bluntly explains: "It's official. The first decade of the 21st century will go down in the history books as a step back for the American middle class. Last week, the government made gloomy headlines when it released the latest census report showing the poverty rate rose to a 17-year high."
Class is becoming more firmly entrenched in America life. Where we begin on the economic ladder is where we will most likely end -- that is, if we don't fall further behind. Or, as another New York Times writer casts it: "To change one's destiny seems -- and statistically is -- crushingly hard. The political system America once commended to the world no longer appears to work in its own backyard." Columnist Anand Giridharadas comments: "[T]he belief that you might die in a markedly better existence than the one you came into is fading. And for good reason: a study published last year by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that Americans now experience lower social mobility than prevails in almost any other rich country."
Class matters -- it matters in the kind of education we receive, in the opportunities we have, in the jobs available to us, in the houses we can rent or buy, and in the money we can or cannot save for retirement. It matters in how we see the world. This past weekend Yahoo News offered an article on "The [Financial] Sacrifices I Made to Survive," listing the experiences of a number of people... right next to an article on "English Butlers Wanted for the Super-Rich".
The story of Jesus' birth in Luke's gospel makes it clear that class matters to God too.
Luke carefully places Jesus' birth in a stable, reminding us that his parents are ordinary, footsore travelers, now temporarily homeless. Joseph may be descended from the line of King David, but there's no palace in this story. First to hear the news of the birth are the shepherds, working-class people, lowly and avoided, fragrant with the smell of their work. The angels take the time in Luke's gospel to bring the news of the baby's coming to Mary, as Gabriel tells her what is to come. After the birth, the angels make their announcement not to princes and kings, not to generals and wealthy merchants, but to shepherds.
When we hear the story, we are meant to understand the astounding reversals that happen in God's world. Unknown maidens become bearers of God's presence in the world. Shepherds become the privileged few who know something astounding and have front-row seats to worship the Prince of Peace.
Our class reversals are mostly grim news now, as more people become poor or precariously middle-class. Our reversals signal bad news -- a foreclosure that forces a family out of a neighborhood, or a job loss that changes a manager into a waiter. But God's class reversals are good news -- transformations that change the world, and all who see them. The lowly are lifted up, as Mary has proclaimed in her song of praise, and the hungry are filled with good things. Whether or not Congress decides to tax them more heavily, in God's realm the rich are sent away empty.
God is all about class, and the reversals in class status are all part of God's good news for all who are hungry or thirsty, frightened or poor. In our world, class is hard to change. In God's world, things are always changing -- and the story of Christmas is that God's good news is coming to a homeless shelter, a soup kitchen, an alleyway, and an unemployment office near you. God's good news is coming to those of us who need it most.
ILLUSTRATIONS
When we say "it is Christmas" we mean that God has spoken into the world his last, his deepest, his most beautiful word in the incarnate word, a word that can no longer be revoked because it is God's definitive deed, because it is God himself in the world. And this word means: I love you, you, the world and humankind. And God has spoken this word by being himself born as a creature.
-- Karl Rahner
*****
In On the Foundations of Morality, philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer asked an important question: "How is it that suffering that is neither my own nor of my concern should immediately affect me as though it were my own, and with such force that it moves me to action?" People will see a person suffering, someone they have never known or even met before that instant, and move to help that person, even though helping inconveniences them or even puts their life in danger. And it isn't just a sometimes thing. It happens, said Schopenhauer, all the time!
For Schopenhauer, this was evidence of what he called the "collective consciousness," the metaphysical connection that binds all human beings into a whole.
For Christians, it is evidence that God's Word continues to become flesh in us, whenever we reach out to each other in love and service.
*****
Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is the new darling of Christian football fans all over America. He's a devout, born-again Christian who loves his mother and isn't afraid to wear his religious faith on his sleeve.
When his teammates are jumping around, high-fiving, and cheering over a closely fought win, the TV cameras will inevitably search out and find Tebow kneeling in prayer, his elbow on his knee, his forehead resting on his fist. So popular has that picture become that assuming that position has become known as "Tebowing." (Fans point out that the word includes the words "bow" and "win," but are hesitant to place any meaning upon those words beyond pointing them out.)
Tim Tebow is a breath of fresh air for many of us who have become weary of the often sociopathic behavior of multimillionaire, prima-donna professional athletes.
On the other hand, we ought to be careful about the height to which we raise the pedestal upon which we place our presumptive athletic role models. For example, Chicago Bears wide receiver Sam Hurd was also touted as a born-again Christian, family man, and role model before last week, when he was arrested for trying to create his own multibillion dollar drug cartel.
We know that there is really only one role model worthy of our adoration -- and that is the incarnate Christ who was born in a stable and told us to sell all we have and give it to the poor.
*****
A new phrase has entered the American lexicon this year: "K-Mart Angels."
The phenomenon began (they think) in Michigan, when a woman walked into a K-Mart store, went to the layaway counter, and paid the balance on about 50 accounts, especially those of poor parents buying toys for their children. She said that her husband had died recently and left her more money than she would be able to spend in a lifetime, so she was using it to guarantee that some poor children would have the Christmas their parents had hoped for them.
Someone called the news and they did a story, and other people saw the story and went to their local K-Mart and paid off some layaway bills, and the news reported that and more people saw and... well, now it has become a national phenomenon.
Google the phrase "K-Mart Angels" and you will see stories from all over the United States about people going into K-Marts and anonymously paying off layaway accounts for their poor neighbors.
*****
In 1891, Captain Joseph McFee of the Salvation Army wanted to help the poor people in San Francisco, especially for the coming Christmas season, but he didn't know where to get funding for his project. He remembered, during his early days as a sailor in Liverpool, England, seeing a large kettle called "Simpson's Pot" into which passengers of boats that docked at Stage Landing tossed coins to help the poor.
The following day, Captain McFee placed a pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing, and beside the pot was a sign that read "Keep the Pot Boiling." He was able to collect enough donations to have a Christmas dinner for the poor people of the local area.
Captain McFee's idea spread, and in 1897 a nationwide effort was able to fund 150,000 Christmas dinners for the poor. In 1901, donations from New York City funded a sit-down dinner at Madison Square Garden.
Today, bell ringers and red kettles are seen in stores and malls across the world. They ring bells to attract the attention of passersby, and some volunteers even sing Christmas carols or play musical instruments to raise donations. Money collected through the red kettles is used to help the needy, the sick, the aged, and other less fortunate individuals, especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
-- http://musiced.about.com/od/lessonsandtips/a/salvarmy.html
*****
Rarely has there been a more unlikely setting for a Christmas story than Simpson's Bar in Bret Harte's classic short story "How Santa Claus Came to Simpson's Bar."
As with most of Harte's stories, this one takes place in California shortly after the Gold Rush of 1849. The setting is a small, dark, smoky bar where cowboys hang out. It's Christmas Eve, and the bar's owner, known simply as "the Old Man," invites his rundown regulars to his home for the holiday.
As they sit in the kitchen, the three cowboys hear the Old Man talking to his son, a young boy who is obviously dying from some unknown and crippling disease and for whom this Christmas will very likely be his last. Moved by that possibility, they decide to pool their resources to purchase some Christmas gifts.
Dick Bullen, the best rider of the three, takes their combined money and rides Jovita, the orneriest, meanest, dumbest, and fleetest horse in the territory, as fast as he can to the town of Tuttleville, 25 miles away, in order to find and buy some gifts suitable for a little boy, then return, all before dawn of Christmas Day.
Most of the story is given to an account Dick's perilous and heroic ride, how he nearly dies in his effort, how the meager toys are nearly ruined when he has to cross an overflowing river -- and how sacrificial love such as this is exactly what Christmas is about.
*****
I don't remember which of the scores of television Christmas specials it was on, but someone was singing the new Christmas song "Where's the Line to See Jesus?" The song was accompanied by a video montage of contemporary Christmas scenes, especially involving people standing in lines -- to see Santa Claus, to pay for purchases at a cash register, in cars at traffic lights, etc.
At one point in the montage, as the song continued to ask its plaintive question, the camera panned along a sidewalk and lingered for a brief moment on a line of poor and homeless people standing outside a soup kitchen, waiting to get in.
I fully expected the camera to stop there, answering the question as Jesus did in Matthew 25, "Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these... you did it unto me." But alas, the camera moved quickly on until it found its way to a traditional nativity scene complete with lifeless farm animals and a plastic Baby Jesus.
-- Dean Feldmeyer
*****
The story goes that two young women were having a scrumptious and expensive luncheon together in the dining room at one of Manhattan's most luxurious hotels. They were doing it up right with bottles of expensive wine, several courses to the meal, and much taking and laughing.
Curious, the manager of the restaurant asked if they were celebrating something.
"As a matter of fact," said one of the women, "we are. We're celebrating the birth of my new son!"
The manager asked if the child was with them. She replied: "Bring a baby here? Oh heavens, no. That would ruin everything."
Kind of reminds you of how some people celebrate Christmas, huh?
*****
I recently received a Christmas card which read across the top in big bold letters: "BELIEVE!" Underneath the word, I saw the message was being proclaimed by a snowman. At one time Mary and Joseph delivered that Christmas card message. Then in the world of being politically correct it was Santa Claus. Now we have even taken one more step backwards and it is a snowman who calls us to believe in the message of Christmas. Next year, I suppose it will be Rudolph. But then for many, this could really the most important deliverer of the message... since his red nose will not guide them to the manger, but to where they really want to be -- under the Christmas tree.
-- Ron Love
*****
The following illustrations from TIW team member Ron Love are random thoughts and memories on the meaning of our Christmas traditions and activities inspired by Luke's nativity account.
I remember I purchased the soundtrack album from the movie Star Wars. After the opening thunderous orchestration, I found all of the other songs to be quite boring and uninspiring. This isn't something I noticed in the theater with all that action of lightsabers. I wonder if, after Mary sings the Magnificat, we lose interest in the songs that follow -- for instance, Rachel lamenting the massacre of the Innocents.
* * *
When I was young, every Christmas we would drive from the Midwest to visit my grandparents in New York City. My dad was old-school, meaning he believed the trip should be completed in one day. (This was in the 1950s, with no interstates, one turnpike, and many blue highways.) For a child the trip was long and boring, to say the least. The time spent in the city with family was one of great joy. But then there was the return trip over those same uncompleted highways. I wonder about Mary and Joseph. They made that difficult trip to Egypt to escape Herod, and eventually were reunited with family in Nazareth. During those years there were times of great merriment. But then Mary had to repeat that same grueling trip to Calvary Hill. In the midst of the celebration, do we sometimes forget the journey?
* * *
At one time Christmas tree lights were on direct current, and if one bulb went out so did the entire string. I remember each year my dad sitting on the basement floor with one good bulb in his hand, unscrewing each bulb in succession and replacing it with the good bulb until the burned-out bulb was discovered and the entire string of lights began to glow. I admired my dad's faith, because what if two bulbs were burnt out? Then of course the tree was mounted and the lights were strung, with each cord intermingling with the others. But then the inevitable would happen and a string of lights went dark. Of course, the culprit always seemed to be in the back of the tree, up against the corner of the room, where it could only be reached with great difficulty. I wonder if as Christians we realize at this holiday season that if one of us refuses to shine with the exuberance of the Season, it causes all of us to grow dark.
* * *
When the Sears catalog arrived I would spend weeks poring over the small toy section. I made my list, which would have been easier done by ripping out and handing the passage to my parents. Then of course, on Christmas morning I noticed that several dozen items from the catalog were absent from under the tree. Could it have been the same for the prophets? They were so intent at looking for every sign and wonder that they missed the most important one under the tree -- the one lying in the manger.
* * *
I was always told by my Sunday school teachers that Jesus is one of us, so if he came to visit he would want our daily dinnerware. Proudly telling this to my mother, I got a quick lesson that if Jesus came to our home on Christmas Day he would be served on the fine china, as any guest would. I wonder, in this season of being preoccupied with family and friends, if we treat Jesus like daily dinnerware instead of fine china.
* * *
When I was a state trooper I worked many Christmas Days. Somehow the motoring public believed that the rules of the road were suspended on that day of good cheer. When stopped for a traffic violation, they really did expect just a warning followed by a "Merry Christmas." It did come as a surprise to them when the fine they received for the citation I issued exceeded the cost of the gift they purchased for their mother-in-law. Christmas is a time for joy and celebration, but it is not a time to forsake our Christian obligations.
* * *
The small Southern city I live in has very strict "blue laws." On Sundays stores cannot open before 2:00 p.m. so as not to interfere with worship services and inhibit church attendance. Stores which by necessity must be open, such as a pharmacies, must rope off any sections like toys and magazines which are not considered essential. This works well for July and August. But from Thanksgiving until Christmas Day, the blue laws are suspended to maximize shopping hours and profits. It's interesting that the holiest Sabbath days of the year are exempt.
* * *
I have always enjoyed giving and receiving gifts. But gift-giving never had that goose-bump feeling until I thoughtfully shopped for the gift most desired by my children and gave it to them on Christmas morning. I wonder if that is not a little bit of God's Spirit that lingers in us, and how God may have felt looking down upon that child in the manger.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: O sing to God a new song,
People: for God has done marvelous things.
Leader: Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;
People: break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Leader: Sing praises to God with the lyre;
People: with trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before our God.
OR
Leader: Come and worship the God of salvation!
People: But we are sinners, poor and needy.
Leader: God comes to us in a lowly stable.
People: But we have no gift to offer him.
Leader: God has supplied the gift for all creation.
People: God is gracious and we offer our worship and praise!
OR
Leader: Come and worship the Word of God in flesh!
People: We worship in awe and adoration!
Leader: Come and worship the foundation of existence!
People: We worship the one on whom our lives are built!
Leader: Come and worship the Love of God incarnate!
People: God's love is gracious and broad! Praise be to God!
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Infant Holy, Infant Lowly"
found in:
UMH: 229
PH: 37
CH: 163
LBW: 44
ELW: 276
"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night"
found in:
UMH: 236
H82: 94, 95
PH: 58, 59
NNBH: 92
CH: 154
"Angels We Have Heard on High"
found in:
UMH: 238
H82: 96
PH: 25
AAHH: 206
NNBH: 89
NCH: 125
CH: 155
LBW: 71
ELW: 289
"Love Came Down at Christmas"
found in:
UMH: 242
H82: 84
NCH: 165
"The First Noel"
found in:
UMH: 245
H82: 109
PH: 56
NNBH: 87
NCH: 139
CH: 151
LBW: 56
ELW: 300
"Joy to the World"
found in:
UMH: 246
H82: 100
PH: 40
AAHH: 197
NNBH: 94
NCH: 132
CH: 143
LBW: 39
ELW: 267
"What Child Is This"
found in:
UMH: 219
H82: 115
PH: 53
AAHH: 220
NNBH: 86
NCH: 148
CH: 162
LBW: 40
ELW: 296
"Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light"
found in:
UMH: 223
H82: 91
PH: 26
NCH: 140
"All Hail King Jesus"
found in:
CCB: 29
Renew: 35
"Emmanuel, Emmanuel"
found in:
CCB: 31
Renew: 28
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who through your Word created and is ever creating: Grant us the wisdom to place ourselves upon this Rock who is the basis for our lives and our salvation; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
O God who comes in unexpected ways to unlikely people: Grant us the imagination to see you in our midst no matter how or to whom you come; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins, and especially the ways we build our lives on unworthy things.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We know that you have created us through your gracious Word and that all creation is built on this eternal foundation. Yet we base our lives on things that are passing and without strength. We listen as you speak to us, and then we go away and forget as we follow the world. Forgive us, and bring us back once again to celebrate your wondrous Word now incarnate among us. Amen.
Leader: God's Word has come to us and has come to bring salvation. God's love and forgiveness is ours. Let us follow the Christ!
Prayer for Illumination
Send, O God, the light of your Spirit upon us, so that as we hear the Gospel read and proclaimed we may see the presence of your Word in our midst. Amen.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We bring to you, O God, our gifts of worship and adoration, for you have created us through the wonder of your Word.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We know that you have created us through your gracious Word and that all creation is built on this eternal foundation. Yet we base our lives on things that are passing and without strength. We listen as you speak to us, and then we go away and forget as we follow the world. Forgive us, and bring us back once again to celebrate your wondrous Word now incarnate among us.
We give you thanks for all the ways we find you incarnate in our world. You speak to us from the scriptures and from the teaching of your saints. We find you in the lives of those around us as they share your love with us and with the unlovely. We find you in the Babe of Bethlehem, whose birth was announced to the shepherds.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We pray for one another in our needs and for your children everywhere. We pray that your desire for the salvation of all that we celebrate this day may come closer to fruition. We pray that we may be part of your incarnation and presence in the lives of others.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father . . . Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children's Sermon Starter
The Luke passage makes it a great time to take advantage of the creche. Talk to the children about the stable and the manger while reminding them that they were made for animals and not people. Talk about how the shepherds were not rich or famous or even well-liked -- but God sent the angels to them. God doesn't love us because we are rich or good, but because God is love.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Jesus' Birth Certificate
John 1:1-14; Luke 2:1-20
Object: a birth certificate
Can any of you tell me what this is? (Show the certificate to the children and let them answer.) Yes, this is a birth certificate. It shows who was born, where the person was born, and the date when he or she was born. Do you have one of these at home? (Let them answer.) I'm quite sure that you do. Everyone that is born nowadays has a birth certificate, but it wasn't always that way. Years ago, people didn't get birth certificates. (Tell them about someone you know who didn't have a birth certificate.)
Now whose birthday are we celebrating today? (Let them answer.) Yes, this is the birthday of Jesus. Do you think Jesus had a birth certificate? (Let them answer.) No, they didn't have birth certificates in those days. So how can we be sure that Jesus was born? (Let them answer.) Yes, of course we can read about it in the Bible, and the Bible is God's own word. It is a much better certificate than anybody else could possibly have. This certificate (show the certificate again) is made out by our state government. Could the people who made out this certificate make a mistake? (Let them answer.) Of course they could, and they often do. But what about God? Does God make mistakes? (Let them answer.) No, never! So I guess we could say that Jesus has the best birth certificate possible. Let's thank God for sending Jesus into the world. This is the day we celebrate the birthday of Jesus.
Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven: We thank and praise You for sending Jesus into the world for us. As we celebrate his birthday today, help us to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, December 24-25, 2011, issue.
Copyright 2011 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
