Christmas Day
Sunday, December 25, 2022  

Today’s Scripture Reading
Luke 2:1–20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.

When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (NRSV)

Reflection

I must admit that when I first arrived at Fourth Church, I was surprised we held worship on Christmas Day. I had never been a part of a congregation that did that unless Christmas Day fell on a regular Sunday (as it does this year!). So you can imagine how shocked I was when I preached my first Christmas Day service here to a sanctuary with around 300 people, primarily visitors from the hotels surrounding us. Clearly I had underestimated the desire to hear the story of God’s incarnation while gathered in the worshiping community, even for those who had heard it the previous evening. I have a whole new appreciation for the power of worship on Christmas. 

And yet, according to Yale Divinity graduate Kazimierz Bem, I shouldn’t have been surprised. In a recent article, the Reverend Bem writes, “The church is the only place today where we can hear and talk about God, faith, and hope and they are not a caricature (as portrayed by the media) or a ruse (as performed by politicians). We are the last place in society where grace is not a name but a gift, the cross is not the sign of a scratched-out mistake on a written page but a symbol of a predestined act of love, communion is not a noun but a state of being, and where God is more than a feeling you get when you think of pink fluffy unicorns dancing on rainbows. The church is the only place where we can talk about God, and more precisely, the God revealed to us in Christ Jesus Christ, his love shown for us, the life that he gave to us.” 

Yes! The church is the community of faith where we can once again both proclaim and receive the promise that God loves us so much, that God decided to hold nothing back in demonstrating that love. Thanks be to God for the story of God’s Love Made Flesh. And thanks be to God for the gift of being the church. 

Prayer

Holy God, I am so deeply grateful for the gift of your love. I am so deeply grateful for the gift of the church. Thank you for giving us grace upon grace. Amen. 

Written by Shannon J. Kershner, Pastor

Reflection and prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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