Sermons of Rev. Timothy J. Kennedy

					Celebrate Christmas - Imitate Christ
Christmas Eve
Luke 2:1-20

Monday, December 24, 2007
				

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and 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 heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

This evening I bring to you good tidings of great joy! Somebody must have declared a truce - the war seems to be over. It's hard to tell who won or lost - it was that kind of a war. Maybe you recall the advice of one prominent politician speaking about Vietnam back in the '60s, when things were going so badly: "Just declare victory and bring the troops home." In that same vein, tonight I declare to you, my fellow celebrants, the War on Christmas is over. Praise God and pass the candy canes. And I also declare, "we won." And by "we" I mean people of good will.

I was in Manhattan the other day and the windows were holidazed, and from most every store there were carols and songs about Christmas. Last Monday at the mall I stopped in at the food court for coffee and the New York Times. As I was reading the usual bad news about murder and mayhem, and the occasional better news, like how the surge seems to be working, I was aware of the background Muzak. I was hearing sounds of the season. Not only stuff like Rudolph and White Christmas, nice as they are. But also songs which celebrate that over-used phrase, the Reason for the Season. Right there in the food court, for all the world to hear: "O Come All ye Faithful," "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," and "The First Noël," with the wonderful and faith-full refrain, "Born is the King of Israel." I looked around. I didn't see any atheists running to the mall offices demanding, "No more manger, Mr. Manager." Born is the King of Israel? I didn't see any of my Jewish neighbors looking to fire off a letter to the ACLU. I'm being playful here, but in all seriousness, the war on Christmas seems to be over - and not a moment to soon! And I declare America to be the winner!

Three years ago, Newsweek columnist Anna Quindlen wrote an article (Dec 27, 2004) on this very subject, which I'll paraphrase as I try to capture the flavor: If people say to me, "Happy Holidays," and that affects my celebration of the birth in Bethlehem, I've really lost my way. Observing that first noël is not about shouting "Merry Christmas," in response to a store clerk's "Happy Holidays." That seems like smug superiority disguised as faith. For Christians who celebrate Christmas ... it's all about the child Jesus and who that child grew to be. It's all about the lessons he taught about loving one another. The celebration of Christmas really means taking the song of the angels seriously ... the one about peace on earth and good will to all. I like to think that rough-and-tumble shepherds, for instance, became better husbands, more loving fathers, friendlier neighbors ... once they returned from the manger. And is it not too bad that old King Herod never showed up in Bethlehem. An encounter with that child in the manger might have changed both Herod ... and the world.

If you and I are really worried about keeping Christ in Christmas, let's try harder to keep Christ in us. Don't mourn the absence of O Holy Night at the Mahopac High Holiday concert. Instead, take the lyrics to heart: "Truly (TRULY) he taught us to love one another; his law is love and his gospel is peace." Let me say it another way: don't merely celebrate; imitate. Celebrate Christmas. Imitate Christ! If Christmas means anything - and of course, Christmas means everything - then live out the love of God, just the way Jesus taught us to do.

We are the church - you and I, and for two thousand years we have been celebrating Christmas and following Christ and ... and are we so different from our neighbors who don't know Jesus from Adam? Does Christmas change us? Many of us try a little harder at Christmas to go from naughty to nice (at least a little less naughty to a little more nice). But are we really changed, you and I? Well, maybe so. However, if Christmas really changes us - our churches, filled so well this night, will be filled each and every Sunday. Generous gifts for the ministry of God's Church, so evident this night, will continue. The smiles and the greetings and the good cheer and the work of God - all of this will also continue. Unfortunately, it seems that the elusive "Christmas Spirit" is packed up and boxed away soon after the holy day, and it's all too quickly back to business as usual. If only Christmas could last at least as long as the pine needles in the rug.

Some years ago, Peanuts cartoonist, Charles Schultz, preached a powerful sermon in a four-frame comic strip. Your pastor should be so powerful ... and so brief. On a Currier-and-Ives December day, Charlie Brown was making a snowman and Lucy walked up to him, "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! Since it's Christmas, I think we ought to bury the hatchet and put our past differences behind us and try to be kind!" Charlie Brown thinks it's a great idea and says, "Why does it have to be limited to Christmas? Why can't it be all year long?" Lucy looks at him and says, "What are you, some kind of fanatic?" Let me say it another way: don't merely celebrate; imitate. Celebrate Christmas. Imitate Christ!

I shared this story a number of years ago, but it's a beautiful story ... and a lesson the boy never forgot. It was in the midst of the Great Depression, and the circus was coming to his small town ... and more than anything he wanted to go. His parents, who always struggled to make ends meet, wanted to help make their son's dream come true. They came up with a long list of chores he could do to earn the money. They felt the harder he worked to achieve his dream, the better the fulfillment. After a few weeks the boy had earned the money it would cost to get in, and his father bought the ticket. Times were difficult, money was tight; their son went alone. The morning of the big day arrived and the boy went to Main Street to watch the circus arrive. In those days, the jugglers and the high wire artists and the bearded lady and the ringmaster always got off the train just outside of town ... and along with the lions and the elephants and the clowns - there was a parade down Main Street to the Big Top.

The boy loved it all. He was so excited to have his dream come true! One of the clowns was shaking the hands of all the boys and girls on the side of the street and the little boy gave the clown his ticket. That afternoon, when his father came home from work, he was surprised to see his son was already home. The boy told his father how much he enjoyed the clowns and the animals and the bearded lady and it was the best circus in the world. His father said gently, "Son, you didn't see the circus. All you saw was the parade."

This is a parable for we who are as God's people. Christmas, with all its glimmer and glamour is only the parade. The excitement and the tinsel and the parties? Parade! The reunions and the eggnog and the joy? Parade. The presents? The giving? The receiving? Parade! Parade! Parade! Oh, the young boy had been excited and satisfied with the parade - for him, it was enough. But he missed the main event.

In terms of Christmas, maybe for some of you, the parade is enough. However, the parade is merely the road to Bethlehem. The main event, the Christ-event, is on the road from Bethlehem. The main event is how much we Christian fanatics allow our God to touch our lives - in the days ahead - when the tree comes down and the decorations are packed away. Let me say it another way: don't merely celebrate; imitate. Celebrate Christmas. Imitate Christ!