Jeffrey
T. Howard
Pitts
Creek and Beaver Dam Presbyterian Churches
Sermon
Luke 2:15-20 Never Alone
December
24, 2014
Tonight
is the eve of Christmas. We remember tonight another night from long
ago when a young couple stayed in a stable waiting for a son to be
born. We also remember tonight, that same night long ago when some
shepherds working in the fields saw something amazing. We remember
these things because tonight something really important is happening.
Our savior is coming into the world to be with us. Let's pray.
“God of hope, peace, joy, and love, this day is so full! For
children, this day is one of excitement and anticipation; for others,
this day is filled with responsibilities and activity. Some are
traveling this day to be with family or friends, while others spend
the day quietly and alone. Be with us in all our varied circumstances
and moods. I pray that I, and all those within my circles of care,
will be especially attentive to the angels’ good news: that you
have come to dwell among us in Jesus Christ, full of grace and truth. In
this is our great joy. Amen.”1
Luke
2:15-20
15
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds
said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was
lying in the manger. 17
When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been
told them about this child, 18
and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her
heart. 20
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been
told.
I
think we can all remember what Christmas was like when we were
growing up. Remember how your mother's pumpkin pie, with canned
pumpkin and the recipe on the side of the can, was the best pumpkin
pie you ever ate. Remember how the Christmas tree at your
grandparents with the old, scratched, plastic ornaments was the best
Christmas tree you ever saw. And some people remember the Lexus with
the big red bow. We remember Christmases of the past because we
spent them with families. And we love spending Christmas with our
children and grandchildren because it reminds of Christmases with our
own parents and grandparents. Christmas is a time of memories and
families.
As
I talked with people in my churches about tonight I heard that many
of them would be spending Christmas eve with their families. For
some, they are traveling to be with grandchildren at Christmas.
Others are anticipating that children and grandchildren will be
coming here to Pocomoke. Still others will be getting together with
friends tonight. But some people have to work. And some are a long
way from family and will experience Christmas alone. Let's look at
some people who spent Christmas alone.
First,
we have a young couple, Mary and Joseph. They have traveled a long
way from their homes in Nazareth. They are in Bethlehem, not because
they want to be there, but because of a harsh government mandate.
And evidently there is no family around to give them a place to stay.
So they find themselves in a stable, alone at Christmas.
And
we have some shepherds who have to work on Christmas. You don't get
Christmas off when you are caring for goats and sheep. Evidently it
is a warm night so they have left their cave and are with the animals
in the field. It is a lonely job, caring for sheep: always
searching for water and grazing land for the flock, always looking
for them when they have wandered off. And so these shepherds also
find themselves alone on Christmas.
You
probably remember the movie from way back in 1990 called “Home
Alone”. Macaulay Culkin played a young boy who had accidentally
been left home while his family was traveling over Christmas. He
got into a lot of trouble. It's no fun being alone at Christmas. And
I'm sure you all remember what happened to Ebeneezer Scrooge when he
spent Christmas Eve alone and was visited by some ghosts.
So
what about us. Some of us are here with family tonight. But some of
us are here alone. I have to work tonight, and won't be able to see
my step-sons until Friday and my Dad next week. Since our culture
expects people to be with family at Christmas, it is especially hard
on people who experience Christmas alone. Spending Christmas alone
is the last thing you want to do.
Last
year a retired man in London took out a newspaper advertisement
looking for people to spend Christmas with after nine Christmases of
being alone. A woman rented an entire restaurant to give herself and
50 strangers, who also were alone at Christmas, lunch together.
Hundreds of thousands of people call crisis hot lines for loneliness,
depression and stress during the holidays.2
But
the promise of scripture is that we will never be alone at Christmas
because, at Christmas, God is with us.
The
shepherds thought that they were all alone in the field at night.
They didn't realize that they were part of a great heavenly worship
service. But then, God's messengers appeared in the heavens singing
the songs of Christmas.
14
“Glory
to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his
favor rests.”
And they proclaimed
the good news:
11
Today
in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the
Messiah, the Lord.
The shepherds were
not alone at Christmas. God was with them. Heaven had come to
earth. This is why we are in worship tonight. We have come here, to
Beaver Dam Church, to experience the presence of God, and to be
lifted up to heaven. This is why we, Christians, experience such
great joy at Christmas. We are not alone. God is with us.
Mary and Joseph
thought they were all alone on the first Christmas eve. They sat
there in a stable with the animals. But then the most amazing thing
happened. The savior came into the world. A baby was born and was
placed in a manger. He was named Jesus. Mary and Joseph were not
alone that night because God himself was with them.
The joy the
shepherds experienced on that first Christmas could not be contained.
It was overwhelming. They had to share it with others. So they
came into town and found the stable with the newborn in the manger.
Mary and Joseph and some shepherds from fields shared Jesus' first
Christmas eve together as a family.
So too with us. We
gather in church on Christmas eve because we are God's holy family.
And just like Mary and Joseph and the shepherds we experience God's
presence with us through worship. We are not alone tonight. God is
with us. And this really good news. God not far away, someplace
else, ready to judge us when we die. Rather God is with us in our
joy and our concerns always listening to our prayers and gently
guiding us by his will.
The shepherds
experienced such overwhelming joy that evening they couldn't keep it
a secret. They just had to tell others about the joy they found at
Christmas. So they went all over town telling everyone they met that
the Messiah they had been waiting for had arrived. He was Bethlehem!
Tonight we experience great joy because God is with us in Pocomoke.
So tomorrow let us express our Christmas joy by telling everyone the
good news. Jesus, our savior, has been born to us. We will never be
alone. Let us pray.
Be near me, Lord
Jesus, I ask you to stay close by me for ever and love me I pray.
Amen.
1Feasting
on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year B, Volume 1 ©
2014 Westminster John Knox Press p42.
2http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30512529
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