this was a very short sermon because it was the Sunday we did a traditional Lessons and Carols servcie. Trying to focus a sermon into 3-4 minutes is an interesting challenge. Of course, if I do it too well the congregation might start wanting 3-4 minute sermons every week!
We are spending Advent looking at how each gospel deals with the birth of Christ stories. Mark deals with the birth stories by ignoring them, or choosing not to tell them.
I had some fun with this sermon.
“Where Is Baby Jesus”; Lessons and Carols 2025; St. Andrew Presbyterian Church
Mark 1: The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news[i] of[j] God 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;[k] repent, and believe in the good news.”
Introduction:
that’s it.
we are spending Advent looking at the different ways the four gospels tell the birth story of Jesus, and in the gospel of Mark that’s it.
no angels in the night
no shepherds
no wise men
no Mary and Joseph
No christ-child.
just grown up baby Jesus hard at work.
for Mark, the significance of the birth of Jesus is found in who he becomes and what he does in the world.
Jesus is out in the world doing ministry
calling disciples,
healing people,
calling for people to repent
transforming lives
teaching about God’s grace and God’s claim on people’s lives.
Jesus is living into what it means to be God in flesh
Move 2: in the presbytery where I served in Ohio, one of the other churches in the presbytery was a small downtown church in a small town.
every year leading up to. Christmas, they had a life-sized nativity scene in the front yard of the church, right there in downtown.
Life-size Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men, and baby Jesus in the manger.
spotlight to make sure you saw it.
a witness in the community to the foundational story of our faith.
One year, in the dark of the night, someone stole baby Jesus from the manger.
Everyone else was left alone, but baby Jesus was kidnapped in the night.
the community was buzzing wiht the question.
“Where is Baby Jesus?”
Every day, in the coffee shops downtown and everywhere else people gathered, the conversation centered around the burning question: “Where is baby Jesus?”
The church was not happy about someone stealing baby Jesus.
the Session urged the local police to find baby Jesus and being his kidnapper’s to justice.
but I confess, admittedly as the minister of a church which did not have baby Jesus stolen off it’s front lawn,
but, I confess that it seemed to me like a glorious question for all of us to ask: where is baby Jesus?
Move 3: Baby Jesus is missing in the Gospel of Mark, but Mark knows where baby Jesus is.
he has grown up and is out in the world bringing God’s love to all the people
if you are wondering where baby Jesus is - follow him into the world and do the same.
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