Sermon for Christmas Day 2003, St Mary Magdalen, Sheet

Bible reading: Luke 2:1-20

• Table
• Crib set
• Father Christmas
• Bottle of wine
• Christmas food item, e.g. turkey, special biscuits
• Christmas tree with lights, extension lead
• Wrapped presents
• Bible

Arrange props on table so that crib set is hidden behind everything else

Happy Christmas everybody! Well, I’m afraid I’m going to be a bit of an Ebenezer Scrooge today, at least for a little while – and if this worries you, bear with me, there will be a happy ending! You see, I came to church – church, notice, today, thinking that in the centre of it all there would be the baby Jesus, in a manger, in a humble stable. And yes, there is a beautiful crib scene, but why isn’t it here in the middle? Why have we got all this stuff, all this paraphernalia? These are the trappings of a 21^st century Christmas. I was told that somewhere in here there is indeed a crib scene, but I don’t know, it looks very well hidden to me. So with my "bah humbug" hat on, I’m going to try and get rid of all the extra stuff! After all, none of this is necessary for us to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, is it?

So where shall I start? Well, what about all this food and drink? You should have seen Waitrose this last week. Receipts long enough to fly a kite with. Tills ringing up numbers bigger than mathematicians have ever heard of. While so many people are starving. And what for, so we can be overfed, bloated, lethargic? Good for nothing but repeats! Gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins – no, this will have to go. Volunteer please! [Remove food to one side - likewise for the other items that follow].

And as for this drink, well, no wonder half the church disapproves of alcohol, the way some people handle it! Listen to these leaflets that came from the Wine Society: [the leaflets referred to a "Christmas day survival case" including gin, whisky and lots of wine and a "Boxing Day case to refresh you after the rigours of Christmas Day]. No, get rid of this too, please.

Well, are we any nearer seeing the crib? No, I don’t think so. What about this Christmas tree? No Christmas trees in the Bible, are there? Anyway, they’re a foreign invention, not British, like Mary and Joseph and Jesus. What a waste of a living thing, anyway, it’ll just turn brown and have to be chucked out. And as for these lights, well, how tacky – do you know you can get a set of 40 lights for 99p – probably made in a sweat shop somewhere! What’s this got to do with Christmas anyway? Get rid of it!

And as for him – Where did he spring from? Father Christmas? Ho ho ho. He encourages materialism, gets children to be good just so they can have more things. And he messes up the fireplace, great bootprints on the hearth, drinking the one small tipple I did pour on Christmas Eve. And as for his workload, he breaks just about every European working hours directive – and those poor reindeer, I think we should report them to the RSPCA. Better still, give him the sack and free the reindeer and make more room for Jesus!

And what about all these presents? Well you can guess what I’m going to say, can’t you? An orgy of shopping lasting from September, things we don’t need, sometimes things we don’t even want. More stuff to worry about, stuff to break. And millions and millions of pounds of debt. Enough is enough. No presents this year.

And now at last we can see what it’s all about. This, tiny simple scene, the birth of Jesus. At last we’ve come to the core of it. God with us. God coming to earth in the form of a tiny baby to a poor family on the edge of the ancient world. We seem at last to have come to a still point at the centre of this turning merry-go-round that is Christmas. Time to sit down and meditate on this wonder.

And here are a few musings:

• First, that Scrooge character just now was right. All that stuff can get in the way of the true meaning of Christmas. There are even some dear Christians who say that the celebration of Christmas itself, the manger and the donkeys and all, is not what it’s all about. The Bible doesn’t tell us to celebrate Christmas and there is so much that is mixed up with pagan festivals perhaps it would be cleaner to forget it altogether.
• And another point: It’s all so stressful! Getting ready for Christmas can strain some families to breaking point. I know of one household which seriously considered throwing in the towel, not doing anything except come to church on Christmas Day. I am glad to say they have come.
• The real truth about God with us is to be found here, in the Bible. I think at this still moment I’ll read some of the Bible. What about a bit from our Gospel reading: But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." Good news of great joy, eh? And what about this bit from Matthew about the wise men from the east – this one’s in the older version because I like it so much – When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Good news because this whole Christmas thing is all about God being with us so that we could be free to live our lives as he meant us to.

Oh, I see. Good news. Joy! For all the people. Rejoicing. Freedom to love God and to be loved by him. I think I have been mistaken. I think this calls for a party. Like that story Jesus told, when that naughty son came home, his father called for a big feast. It’s the same for us. We should have a party. This means … sharing food together. [Bring back the food but place it so that the crib is visible - likewise for the other items in their turn]. Some of Jesus’ greatest moments were when sharing food and with his friends, meals were so important. The most important one of all being the one we are celebrating here, the communion, a meal with friends and a bittersweet reminder that Jesus suffered and died for us. But the way Jesus lived his life says to me that the Christmas dinner is OK! Yes, with a drink or two. When Jesus was celebrating a wedding and the wine ran out, he provided an extra 8 bottles, or was it 80 bottles? No, it was 800 bottles! Not all in one go, I hasten to add, I think weddings lasted longer. So, eating and drinking in celebration with friends and family, Jesus doesn’t just allow us to do it, he virtually commands us to!

One of the most beautiful truths of this good news is that Jesus is the true light that lights everyone who comes into the world. Praise him for that! Let’s write it out in lights, let’s have candles and fairy lights, let’s banish the darkness as he did, let’s bring the beautiful sights and smells of the natural world into our homes in this bleak midwinter, as a witness to God’s marvellous creation and to the true light. Mind you, next year I’m going to see if I can find fairly traded lights!

I think it’s time to bring Father Christmas back in from the cold too. He reminds us of the many good people we celebrate and who set an example for us in our Christian lives. His spiritual ancestor is St Nicholas, a bishop and a very generous man, who truly loved children. A precious thing indeed. He is a reminder that children have a special place in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus even said Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. I think we should welcome him with open arms, and so what if he finishes off my sherry, I’ll open another bottle! Bring him back!

And the presents. There are at least three reasons for us to enjoy giving and receiving presents:

• It’s good to give. To think of others’ needs, of what they would like, of how we could make them happy or of how we could help them to grow. Jesus did this.
• The wise men brought gifts as symbols of how special Jesus was. As we give each other gifts, and perhaps I hope give other gifts according to our means, to look after those in need, we are recalling that wonderful part of the Christmas story.
• And lastly of course to celebrate the greatest gift of all. As the Training Choir have been singing,

So let’s bring the presents back and place them around the crib.

You’ll see that we’ve put everything back in a way that doesn’t obscure the message, the scene of God coming to earth as a baby. There was some truth in that first bit when we had to take everything away. Some of the excesses of food and drink and spending at Christmas are frankly ridiculous: "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die" is a bit close to the bone. The needs of a broken world do not go away and none of our responsibilities to our world is reduced by one jot. But … the wildest party we can imagine will be nothing compared with the joy that will surround the day when all of heaven and earth shall at last be put right with God. We should be glad that so many people who know little of the Christmas message are having feasts, and trees and lights and presents. For us I believe it can be a way in to sharing that message. So let’s say, "Eat, drink, be merry and be open and generous-hearted, for today the King of Kings has come to us". And that good news is for all the people.

A very happy Christmas to you all.

© Mike Knee, 2003