Sermon by Mike Stutso, Deacon in Training; based on Luke 2:1-14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
“To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” So today Advent is over and we get to hear one of the most recognizable readings of the entire Bible, the birth of Jesus Christ. Even a Charlie Brown Christmas took part of this reading for the show. It is a reading that I truly love that brings hope and joy to all of humanity. I read it a few times seeing I was going to write this sermon and read a few commentaries and thought about things. So I used a technique I learned at the Academy called Hermeneutics, where I put myself into the reading that is before, during and after to help me to better understand the reading. Well guess what; all of a sudden I had a few questions. Like, why did Emperor Augustus call for the first census at this point in time? Why was it, there was no room at the inn, were there any other inns? I don’t think the Super Bowl was in town. Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem and not Jerusalem, the center of Hebrew faith? Why tell the shepherds, I see they were scared but what about the sheep? How far were they away from Jesus and did they know the way in the middle of the night? I read a commentary that questioned what the angel said “great joy for all people” then “peace among those whom he favors.” Well it only took me a moment to figure that one out in my mind. We were created in God’s image, so God loves us all and favors us all. Not just a select few, God loves the Jews, Gentiles, black, white, brown, male, female, rich, poor, sick, powerful or weak. Now let’s see if I can answer these questions as well as ask a couple more. Luke begins this Gospel acknowledging the existence of Augustus and Quirinius but quickly they are out of the story, could it be that their power is insignificant in God’s plan because this story transcends politics but was needed to enrich the coming of Christ? We now have Joseph and a very pregnant Mary traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem approximately 90 miles. Can you imagine the terrain in those days? No pavement, no Nikes or even an all-wheel drive SUV. Why, because Joseph was a descendent of the house of David which was in Bethlehem and required them there for a census. That reminds me of my time in The Air Force. We were asked on many occasions where our home of records was and I’d answer, Flint, Michigan. It was an important part of our records especially for tax purposes and statistics. Back to Mary, we accept that Mary was unwed and a virgin. In today’s society we don’t like to see an unwed mother but it is somewhat common place but it might be a hard sell on the virgin part. What do you think people would have thought back then especially if they would have said that an angel came to them and told them their child was the son of God? We accept all of this to be true and as Fr. Steve has taught me “I believe so that I can understand”. So the savior of the world was born and placed in a manger, a trough for feeding animals. This part of the story had until now has made me sad, you mean that no one in town could have given them a proper place to sleep? But after this sermon I have found a new love and understanding of why this had to occur and I will talk about it in a minute. We have an angel coming to the shepherds in the middle of the night in a dark field full of sheep. It says they were terrified and the angel says, don’t be afraid, yeah right, they would have been picking me up off the ground about then. During this encounter the angel tells them what is happening and exactly who and what Jesus is but just maybe this did not quite sink in or maybe it did and that is why after the encounter they did as most of us would do. They went to find the baby, what a glorious thing this must have been to experience this baby named Jesus. Again why shepherds and not the high priest? So by asking these questions I began to really start to understand the meaning within all my questions and the importance of each thing that happened. I found a new understanding and a new love for this Gospel.
God created us out of love and not because God needed something to do or a new hobby but out of a love I try to understand but cannot comprehend. God created us out of love and wanted to be in a loving relationship with us not to control us. So God became incarnate as to fully experience this unique love God has given to all of us. The angel could have proclaimed Jesus to the rulers or spiritual leaders of the world but God did not do this. Jesus was born on this day over 2,000 years ago because this is what we needed, what the world needed to bring us hope, joy and the good news. Plus this fulfilled scripture of the early prophets as found in the book of Micah. It was when we needed it the most and it doesn’t matter who we are on either end of the social structure. God came to us in a nonthreatening way for all of us, not just a few. Jesus was born and placed in a manger and wrapped in bands of cloth. He was helpless and vulnerable as is any child born, but in this case Jesus was born lowly and poor to show us that all of God’s creation is equal. This is why the angel told the shepherds because from Jesus’ first breath to his last breath he was our shepherd and we are his flock. Even on the cross he was with us and loved us as he said to the criminal “truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” As I told Fr. Chris the other day God is the only person who has never or will ever break a promise to us and why because God is love and that is something we should take away from any sermon. God’s love is unconditional.
I am going to say a word as I always do on Christmas that is to please think and say a prayer for our sisters and brothers serving around the world today. Yes they are without their blood families but share a military family with appreciation and love. Outside of God and family we love our Country more than our next breath and that is why we do what we do.
I will end with a prayer I found and now have on my bulletin board at home.
Creator God, by your greatness you became small, by your power you became powerless, by your limitlessness you became limited. Through the birth of your son, we can live in your light that shines on a world transformed by the limitless power of your love.
Amen
Merry Christmas Y’all