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[Transcript of video]
The theme for this Advent Season has been EMBRACE ACTIVE WAITING, during this season of hope and healing and tonight on Christmas Eve, we EMBRACE INCARNATION.
Incarnation, is central to the Christian doctrine that God became flesh, that God assumed a human nature and became a man in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Christ was truly God and truly man.
On this Christmas Eve night, a night where we witness the birth of God in the form of a little tiny baby. The baby Jesus embodies God, the holy spirit, in the flesh right before the first eyewitnesses in Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the sheep in a lowly manger under the brightest stars ever seen before.
The Apostle John (1:1-5, 9, 12-14) writes, "1. in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2. He was in the beginning with God. 3. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. 4. In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
9. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
12. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13. who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of God's Son, full of grace and truth."
I want you to hear me Saints, since the beginning of time, we have been given the power to become the children of God, just because we exist without any qualifiers or conditions. So let us take our power and have faith to not be anxious about anything for God said so, let us continue our “good works”, on behalf of the baby Jesus, in the world and on this night.
God never ceases to amaze us, we are often surprised by God, in our lives taking unexpected turns, in our failures which become our successes, in our everyday tasks which mean nothing to us, but are an inspiration to those around us. But most of all we are continually surprised by God’s love in giving us Jesus, who comes not with a symphonic band fanfare, but softly and gently as a baby to be our Savior. May we always look for the unexpected presence of God among us, so that we may continually walk and live as servants of the living God.
Jesus Christ, who was a carpenter and a king, God and human. Jesus who was born in a stable on the outskirts of the small town of Bethlehem to a carpenter and a young girl, who could have been from the “other side of the tracks” or whatever barrier is put in place in your region of the world that separates the “haves” and the “have nots”, or the “accepted” and the “unaccepted”. What Was That? you say?... God surprises! Always!!!
May we never lose the wonderment or excitement of God in action…let us always Rejoice, for God is with us – Emmanuel. In the darkness of our world shines God’s holy light. Now there is reason to hope, to love, to laugh, to live, and to cry. God is truly with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God!
Let us pray:
Almighty God, Merciful God, Gracious God, sometimes we find darkness more comfortable than light. Sometimes we find your good news frightening and unsettling, especially when we consider its demands as well as its promises. We acknowledge that sometimes Christmas has become more to us than the birthday of Christ, because of our lack of mindfulness. Forgive us, break us, bend us, remake us.
Give us the courage to lay ourselves open to the wonder and healing of your coming. Be born again into our world, be born again into our hearts and lives. Let us bask in the light of this holy night as it shines with the brightness of the true Light.
With joy and thanksgiving we gather as your people. In the excitement of this night, quiet our hearts that we may know the peace and fullness of this holy time. Shine, oh light, in the darkness of our world. Sing, oh angels, in the stillness of our ears, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those God loves.
These things we pray in the name of the Child of Bethlehem, the Almighty and Incarnate God, and the Holy Spirit bless you now and forever. Amen!
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