This is the second Sunday of Christmastide, the final Sunday of the Christmas Season. This Sunday, we look at Matthew’s account of the visit of the Magi found in chapter 2. One of the things that St. Matthew is demonstrating with this story is how Jesus came to be a light to all nations and peoples. You just have to understand what it is like to be on the outside, so understand what good news that is.
This is the first Sunday of Christmastide, which means that we are still in the Christmas season. This Sunday’s lectionary readings include Saint Matthew’s account of the massacre of the infants, as well as Hebrews 2:10-18 which is the basis for the sermon. This message examines Jesus coming to be one of us, to share our flesh and blood.
This sermon is just a brief meditation that I gave on December 26 on the first part of John 1. I wanted to just take a moment to consider what it meant for the light of the world to come and be among us. We have experienced darkness, both physical darkness and also darkness in our lives in terms of tragedy and sinfulness. Since we have experienced darkness, this word that the light of the world coming and not being overpowered is really good news. Jesus is the light of the world – and if you have faith in Christ, the light of Christ is in you, and that light is the life of all people. Merry Christmas!
This is the Christmas Eve sermon that I gave this year. I based it off of Revelation 12:1-9, which may be a bit different for a Christmas Eve sermon, but the story of the woman and the dragon helps us to hear the Christmas story in a different way. I already posted it written out earlier, so here it is so you can listen to it as well.
Here is my Christmas Eve sermon. It’s based on Revelation 12:1-9. Occasionally I do a manuscript for the message, and this was one of those times, so here you go:
I learned on Handy Manny this week that the true meaning of Christmas is that we should help each other, which is a really nice thing to do. I’ve heard other things about Christmas, like the true spirit of Christmas lives in the hearts of children everywhere, but I have to confess to you, I have no idea what that even means. Others will tell you that the meaning of Christmas is to love your family and appreciate those around you. That’s a nice thing too. I am all for loving people, unless they cut me off in traffic when I’m Christmas shopping, but then I repent and ask forgiveness. I have to confess to you, I’m not really concerned with controlling or fighting what the culture thinks about Christmas, although, I does feel at times like it’s a little forced, pre-packaged and like I’m being sold a bill of goods. I mean, it’s weird to hear of the warm love-y stuff that Christmas stands for and then watch people trample each other on Black Friday, but whatever. The whole battle for Christmas thing just isn’t my thing.
But, I am concerned about how the church presents and understands our story this time of year, the story of the Nativity; the story of the birth of Christ. I fear that we have domesticated it. It seems that we’ve taken an incredible story and tamed it. Maybe it’s because we’ve heard the story so often – familiarity breeds contempt and all that. Whatever the reason, we’re left with a rather impotent version of the Nativity, I fear. Continue reading “I’m Dreaming of a Cosmic Christmas”
I love Christmas music. Every year I spend some time looking for new songs or different renditions of old songs I enjoy. This year I found a song by Frightened Rabbit, a Scottish independent rock group that I enjoy. It is called, “It’s Christmas So We’ll Stop.” They sing that it is Christmas, so we should stop conflicts and actions of hatred.
“We’re built to give at least once each year
Now that’s better than never I guess
And life might never get better than this
With the perfect excuse for our natures to change”
It’s a fairly common sentiment, I think, that somehow we ought to treat each other better during Christmas, or that we ought to be more generous during Christmas. Continue reading “for our natures to change”
This is the second Sunday of Christmastide, the final Sunday of the Christmas Season. This Sunday, we look at Matthew’s account of the visit of the Magi found in chapter 2. One of the things that St. Matthew is demonstrating with this story is how Jesus came to be a light to all nations and peoples. You just have to understand what it is like to be on the outside, so understand what good news that is.
