Title: Jesus Left the Splendors of Heaven

Text: Luke 2:1-20

The Faith Christmas Pageant

At the 5:00 service, the children did a wonderful job reenacting the Christmas story through their Christmas Pageant.

There were shepherds.

There were angels.

There was the Holy Family: Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus.

Everything went as it was supposed to.

Several years ago there was a Christmas pageant that didn’t go exactly as planned.

Twelve-year-old Norton was bitterly disappointed at not being cast as Joseph in his church’s Christmas pageant.

Instead, he was given the minor role of the innkeeper.

His little brother Wayne had been awarded the star role of Joseph.

Throughout the weeks of rehearsal he contemplated how he could avenge himself on his little brother.

On the day of the performance, Wayne (as Joseph) and his sister Kelly (as Mary) made their entrance and knocked on the door of the inn.

Norton (the innkeeper) opened it just a fraction and eyed them with suspicion.

Joseph implored,

"Can you give us board and lodging for the night?"

He stood back awaiting the expected rejection.

But Norton had not plotted all those weeks for nothing.

He flung the door wide, smiled, and shouted,

"Come in, come in! You shall have the best room in the hotel!"

There was a long pregnant pause.

Then with great presence of mind, Wayne turned and said to Kelly,

"Hold on. I’ll take a look inside first."

He peered past the innkeeper, shook his head firmly and said,

"I= m not taking my wife into a filthy place like this. Come on, Mary, I= d rather sleep in a stable."

The pageant was back on course.

Christmas. What is the true meaning of Christmas?

Christmas is not about capitalism or consumption. It’s not about an abundance of gifts.

I recently read a little article about Christmas in Rwanda, the land of our archbishop, Emmanuel Kolini. I’d like to share it with you tonight:

Christmas in Rwanda

We have no snow, no caroling, no Christmas tree, no Christmas plays,

No music concerts, no Christmas cards, no gift giving, no parties,

No dinners, a few decorative lights in the downtown shops,

No festive dishes, no cookies, no cakes or candy.

So what’s left? Just Jesus, the Word made flesh who came to dwell among us.

The true meaning of Christmas is that, Jesus left the splendors of heaven

To become flesh and dwell among us.

To be Emmanuel – God with us.

 

In Max Lucado’s book, Cosmic Christmas, he describes the Incarnation of Jesus through the eyes of the angels. The angel says:

...The Awaited One was born. I was privileged to have a position close to the couple, only a step behind [Archangel] Michael. We both gazed into the wrinkled face of the infant. Joseph had placed hay in a feed trough, giving Jesus His first bed.

All of God was in the infant. Light encircled His face and radiated from His tiny hands. The very glory I had witnessed in His throne room now burst through His skin.

I felt we should sing but did not know what. We had no song. We had no verse. We had never seen the sight of God in a baby. When God had made a star, our words had roared. When He had delivered His servants, our tongues had flown with praise. Before His throne, our songs never ended.

But what do you sing to God in a feed trough?

In that moment a wonderful thing happened. As we looked at the baby Jesus, the darkness lifted. Not the darkness of the night, but the darkness of the mystery. Heaven's enlightment engulfed the legions.

Our minds were filled with Truth we had never before known. We became aware for the first time of the Father's plan to rescue those who bear His name. He revealed to us all that was to come. At once amazed and stunned, the eye of every angel went to one part of the child: the hands which would be pierced. "At the pounding of the nail," God told us, "you will not save Him. You will watch, you will hear, you will yearn, but you will not rescue."

[Two angels] turned to me, begging for an explanation. I had none. I exist to serve my King and I must watch Him be tortured? I looked to Michael; his face was stone-hard with torment. I recognized the look, for I felt the same. We could not fathom the command. "How will we sit silent as You suffer?" we asked in unison.

There was no response.

[Another angel] was whispering. I drew near to hear his words:

"A child has been given to us; God has given a Son to us. He will be responsible for leading the people. His name will be

Wonderful Counselor,

Powerful God,

Father Who Lives Forever,

Prince of Peace.

He will be wounded for the wrong they did, crushed for the evil they did. The punishment which will make them well will be given to Him. They will be healed because of His wounds."

Once again, I heard the words I had heard first in the throne room. Only this time, I understood.

Jesus

Nail

Cross

Blood

Tomb

Life

So this is He. Immanuel. So this is God’s gift. A Savior. He shall save His people from their sins. "Worthy is the Lamb," I whispered, as I knelt before my God. My heart was full. I turned to Mary as she cradled her child and I spoke. It didn't matter that she couldn't hear me. The stars could. All of nature could. And most of all, my King could.

"Do you know who you hold, Mary? You secure the Author of grace. He who is ageless is now moments old. He who is limitless is now suckling your milk. He who strides upon the stars, now has legs too weak to walk; the hands which held the oceans are now an infant's fist. To Him who has never asked a question, you will teach the name of the wind. The Source of language will learn words from you. He who has never stumbled, you will carry. He who has never hungered, you will feed. The King of creation is in your arms."

 

"What manner of love is this?" Michael whispered, and again we were covered with silence. A blanket of awe. Finally, Michael again opened his mouth, this time to sing. He began quietly, pausing between the words.

"Glory,

glory,

glory to God in the highest."

 

One by one we joined. "Glory,

glory,

glory to God in the highest."

 

Gradually the chorus grew louder and faster: "Glory, glory to God in the highest. Glory, glory to God in the highest. Glory, glory to God in the highest."

Our praise rose into the realms of the universe. In the most distant galaxy the dust on the oldest star danced with our praise. In the depths of the ocean, the water rippled with adoration. The tiniest microbe turned, the mightiest constellation spun, all of nature joined with us as we worshiped Immanuel, the God who had become flesh.

(Cosmic Christmas by Max Lucado, 90-97)

As our Rwandan friends remind us, the true meaning of Christmas is:

Not wreaths or trees.

Not candy or brandy.

Not toys or more and more toys.

 

The True meaning of Christmas is:

"Just Jesus, the Word made flesh who came to dwell among us."

Jesus – Emmanuel, God with us.

Jesus – For whom the innkeeper made no room in the inn.

Jesus – For whom you and I must make room in our hearts, in our lives, in our daily decisions.

Jesus – To whom – like the angels and shepherds – we must give our worship and adoration.

 

The true meaning of Christmas is:

Jesus – Just Jesus.

 

Merry Christmas!