Reflections on "gifts You Can't Buy at the Store: Jesus" Christmas Eve service, 2012

I actually used notes tonight, which I don't normally do on Christmas Eve, but then I think I only looked at them once or twice.  But, it was a comfort to know that I had them there if necessary. 

The first story worked for about half the congregation; other half didn't seem to get it.  Slow start!  Worked ok.  I thought the first move and third move worked better than the second move.  

we have a new sound system, which is much more user friendly for me and allows me to expand changes in voice and volume.  I do like that.

Merry Christmas!

“Gifts You Can't Buy at the Store: Meditation from the Lessons and Carols Service; FPC, Troy, OH 12/24/2012

Introduction: During this holiday season when we busily buy gifts to give, we have been reflecting on gifts that we cannot buy at a store.

Gift of hope; time; relationships; talent

Now, no surprise, but the gift we celebrate tonight on Christmas Eve is the gift of Jesus, a gift you can't buy at the store.

newlyweds beginning to decorate for Christmas, looking to institute their own religious traditions, search out a proper site for this home of Jesus, within their home. Ready to try anything, the husband asks his bride, "Honey, what if we place it on top of the television? We'll be looking at it all the time." Although not sure if the TV is the appropriate spot, the wife says she’ll try it. A signal of the differences in the newlywed's upbringing comes when he asks, "My parents always left the manger empty until Christmas Day. Where should we put the Christ-child until then?" Her response surprises him, "In my home we always kept the whole set together, dear." “But it doesn't seem appropriate to put the baby in the manger, darling. We're in the season of Advent. That means we're waiting for the Christ to come. If Christ is here then we've missed the waiting." She responds, “Sweetheart, Christ has already come. Besides, if we separate the figures, it'll be just one more thing to do at a time when I'm, ... when we're going to be very busy." "Honey bunch, ...." "Sweetheart" "Tell you what," the bride says sweetly, "let's compromise. I don't want to argue and I'm on my way to choir practice. I'll take not just one, but two of those items on the television, just as you want, and whenever you find them, then we’ll finish out the nativity set for the rest of Advent. that way we’ll have a manger scene your way for Advent and my manger scene before Christmas. "Two? But one of them has to be the baby Christ, or it doesn’t work....? O.K. and you can’t hide them in an obvious place" says the husband, “O.K.” she says, suddenly sensing he has won, with no intention of doing any searching until Christmas Day, he relents. Later that night, he asks "Honey, have you seen the remote control?"

Hear the good news. Jesus has been found. He is hanging out in a manger in Bethlehem.

The gift of God has arrived.

Three things to know about this gift.

Move 1: God gives the gift of Jesus for you and for ya'll.

a. Everyone gets a Christmas present.

1. Christ comes for you....and you...and you...and even you.

2. God sends Christ to join us in the particularity of our lives.
3. Christ invites us into a personal relationship with him.
4. It's about you.
   b. But God also gives Christ for ya'll.
   1. For you plural.
   2. For us collectively.
   3.And even beyond us to those others out there.
   4. We cannot control, contain, or keep Jesus from others.
   5. God sends Jesus to all the world.
   God gives the gift of Jesus for you and for ya'll.

Move 2: secondly, the gift of Jesus changes us.

a. Think about the people involved in the Christmas story.

1. go back before Jesus' birth to Zechariah and Elizabeth, John the Baptist's parents.
2. Or Mary and Joseph, Jesus' parents.

3. Or the shepherds who left their sheep in the fields to go to Bethlehem and then told everyone what they had seen and heard.

4. or the wise men who came a long distance and went home another way.

5.Everyone involved in the coming of Christ was changed by the event.

b. We are changed by the the birth of Jesus.

1. Christ's birth means that we can dare to be people of hope, even when we face death and tragedy or difficult time – because we know that God is with us.

2. the coming of Jesus means that when we look in the mirror and see the person who is not quite who we want to be, we can dare to change, and work toward the person we believe God is calling us to be.

100. Maybe some of us are here tonight just for the music, or candle lighting, or to honor family tradition.

2. But many of us are here because we have this restlessness of spirit that wants to believe in something more .

3. We want to follow Jesus to that new place where he leads us.

The gift of Jesus changes us.

Move 3: Thirdly, Jesus saves.

a. One Christmas I decided instead of buying gifts for my family, I would make them. I'm not clear if that were an attempt to save money, or if I had somehow been inspired to share of myself and my talents.

I say talents loosely.

Took two pieces of wood and nailed them into a cross. Got some blue paint – I wish I could now tell you that is was a beautiful, majestic, or some shade of royal blue. But, it was an ugly shade of blue.

Where the two pieces of wood intersected at the center of the cross, I painted in black “Jesus saves.” I wrapped it and put it under the tree. Imagine the anxious parent who sees that gift from a child waiting to be opened!

'm not sure how my father reacted to that gift. But he hung it in the garage, not too far form the kitchen door. For years, as you came and went through our garage, this ugly cross hung on the all with the words Jesus saves.

God gives us the gift of Jesus, who will become the one who is hung from an ugly cross; Jesus the one who comes to save the world.

Conclusion: Hear the Good News! God has given you the gift of Jesus. Amen.