A BEAUTIFUL TIME OF YEAR

Transcript

1 A BEAUTIFUL TIME OF YEAR The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve (Year A) December 24, 2016 Lessons Isaiah 9:2-7 Psalm 96 Titus 2:11-14 St. Luke 2:1-14 [15-20] Prayer of the Day Pastor David J. Risendal facebook Dave Risendal Twitter: drisendal Saint Peter Lutheran Church 9300 East Belleview Avenue Greenwood Village, CO voice: 303/ fax: 303/ facebook.com/stplc Almighty God, you made this holy night shine with the brightness of the true light. Grant that here on earth we may walk in the light of Jesus presence and in the last day wake to the brightness of his glory; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. the heart of our faith Immanuel; God with us with each one of us Sermon On behalf of all of us here at Saint Peter, to you and your families, and especially to those of you who are guests with us tonight, let me wish you a very merry Christmas. Our prayer is that the Christ who was born in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago will be born anew in your hearts and your homes, and that this year s celebration of Christmas might be one that inspires, strengthens, and confirms your faith. Merry Christmas to you all. And thank you for spending at least a part of it here with us at Saint Peter. It is a beautiful time of year, isn t it? It s so easy to love Christmastime. I m grateful for the fresh blanket of snow. I grew up in the Minneapolis area, and during fourteen years in Phoenix I never quite got used to brown Christmas seasons. I m grateful for the decorations especially the outdoor lights and displays they look so much better to me when they are surrounded by snow. Our house, like many of yours, I assume, is beginning to look a lot like Christmas on the inside as

2 The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve Year A (December 24, 2016) 2 well, and I love the way this draws us into the story of the season. And can I say a word of thanks to the D.E.S.I.G.N. Team here at Saint Peter for making this room look so festive? They always do such a wonderful job. This year it looks especially breathtaking. I m grateful for the music of this season. It is fun to hear classics like White Christmas and I ll Be Home for Christmas on the radio and in the malls. These songs formed the soundtrack for my early experiences of Christmas, and they continue to stir my heart each year. But it is even better to be here this evening and have our musicians lead us in the hymns and carols of our faith tradition. Martin Luther is often quoted as having said He who sings prays twice. 1 so we will do a lot of praying this Christmas Eve, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I love the gifts we share. The gifts that are offered to family and friends as a sign of the love we have for each other, and the gifts that are offered to those in need, as a sign of our willingness to make a difference in this world. It has been an especially busy season at Saint Peter in that regard this year with so many Christmas season and year-end appeals for us to be generous with others. I am touched by the responses so many of you have made, and am confident that lives will be changed because of it. It is a beautiful time of year, isn t it? In so many ways. That said... it can also be a challenging time of year. In our country we have this image of the perfect Christmas a kind of a Norman Rockwell Christmas where the family is gathered in their Sunday best, the table is impeccably set, and the room rings with peace and joy. That isn t always the reality, is it? We have just emerged from a contentious political season; a time when patience has been tested and friendships have been strained. A number of us will gather at the table this weekend, feeling the loss of loved ones.there have been struggles and uncertainties for some of us at work or at school or in the neighborhood. Family relationships are not always as easy as we might wish they were. Amidst all the talk of joy and beauty, there are those who face significant struggles during this festive season. It is a beautiful time of year. But we live in the real world, where brokenness is never far away. The Prophet Isaiah understood this. He lived during a challenging time, some 750 years before the birth of Jesus. As a young man, Isaiah watched while Israel (the northern kingdom of God s people) was overrun by the Assyrians. And book in the Hebrew Bible bearing his name speaks to the time when Judah (the southern kingdom of God s people) was sacked by the Babylonians. Most of Israel's leading citizens were taken captive, and detained in a foreign land. They lost their homes, 1 Martin Luther, most likely paraphrasing Augustine of Hippo: For he who sings praise, does not only praise, but also praises joyously; he who sings praise, is not only singing, but also loving Him whom he is singing about. There is a praise-filled public proclamation in the praise of someone who is confessing God, in the song of the lover there is deep love. (Corpus Christianorum Latinorum, vol. 39, 986).

3 The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve Year A (December 24, 2016) 3 their country, their freedom, their heritage Brokenness was no stranger to the people of God who lived during Isaiah s lifetime. Yet Isaiah s message to them is an encouragement never to give up on the hope that is theirs. God is not one who forgets promises that have been made. So look, here: a child is born. A son is given. And his name is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The people of Judah understood what this meant. Their Babylonian captivity a sign that their relationship with God had gone bad as difficult as it was, would end, and they would know salvation again. It happened for them, of course. Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon, and allowed God s people to return to their homes. They understood this as a gift from God. And 2,000 years ago, in a stable outside an inn that was filled to capacity, it happened to us. Immanuel. God with us. We celebrate it every year with decorations and music and gifts and gatherings. But what does this really mean? What does it mean for us to profess that this newborn baby in Bethlehem is Immanuel? God with us? Here's what this means: we have a God who cares enough to become one with us. To live among us. To know, first-hand, the life we lead. To walk along with us in a way that gives us comfort and peace and strength. Now this is not always an easy reality to experience. There are times when God seems mysterious and hard to reach. There are times when Christian faith can feel more like theory than practical reality. There are times when we imagine God to be distant and uninvolved in our lives. Simply put: it can be challenging, sometimes, especially when the brokenness of the world comes in upon us, to hold fast to our faith. This is such a profound reality that it causes some of us to doubt God s very existence. That s the way we are as humans. The mystery and wonder of God s presence among us can be a lifechanging power, but we want empirical proof. Something we can touch and see and taste and measure. Only then will we allow ourselves to believe it. Well, that is why there is such a thing as Christmas. That is why God chooses to be born among us. And so we are given not lofty theological or philosophical premises to memorize, categorize, analyze and embrace but a baby born in a manger. A human, capable of experiencing the joys and sorrows that are part of life s journey. A God whom people could see, and in whom they could believe. Ours is an incarnational faith a faith in which the holy takes physical form. That is most clearly seen in the manger, in the stable, in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago. But it continues to be evident today. God continues to come to us today: in the quite moment of inspiration; in the concrete messy realities of community; in the act of love and compassion; in the word proclaimed; in the bread and wine of the Eucharist Has it been a difficult year for you? Are you distressed about the state of political affairs in our country? Are you missing someone who was at the Christmas table last year? Are there struggles at home or at work? Are you facing a challenge that seems daunting?

4 The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve Year A (December 24, 2016) 4 The image of this Newborn King, lying in the poverty of a stable's manger, is both the fulfillment of Isaiah's hope, and the promise of God to you. You are not alone. You are not left to your own devices. But the God who promised new life to the faithful of Judah, as they were held captive in a foreign land that same God promises new life to you and to me, no matter how broken our life, our experience, our relationships, even our faith might be. It is a beautiful time of year. And the beauty runs far deeper than decorations, music, gifts and gatherings. It has to do with the beautiful, mysterious, powerful, redeeming presence of God in our lives. A presence that at times can seem distant and elusive; and at times can seem intimate and transformative. A presence that at this time of year can be as tangible and tactile as the presence of a newborn baby, swaddled in a manger, presented to the world as a sign of God's presence with us and for us This is the Christmas message. And whatever has drawn you here tonight, know that this message is for you. Amen. David J. Risendal, Pastor Gospel Lesson; English Text In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 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. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 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. 8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 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: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors! [ 15 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. 16 So they went with haste 2 A list of Bible lessons for the coming weeks is available at

5 The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve Year A (December 24, 2016) 5 and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.] 3 Gospel Lesson; Greek Text: 2.1 Ἐγένετο δε ἐν ται ς ἡµέραις ἐκείναις ἐξη λθεν δόγµα παρα Καίσαρος Αὐγούστου ἀπογράφεσθαι πα σαν τη ν οἰκουµένην. 2 αὕτη ἀπογραφη πρώτη ἐγένετο ἡγεµονεύοντος τη ς Συρίας Κυρηνίου. 3 και ἐπορεύοντο πάντες ἀπογράφεσθαι, ἕκαστος εἰς τη ν ἑαυτου πόλιν. 4 Ἀνέβη δε και Ἰωση φ ἀπο τη ς Γαλιλαίας ἐκ πόλεως Ναζαρε θ εἰς τη ν Ἰουδαίαν εἰς πόλιν Δαυι δ ἥτις καλει ται Βηθλέεµ, δια το εἰ ναι αὐτο ν ἐξ οἴκου και πατρια ς Δαυίδ, 5 ἀπογράψασθαι συ ν Μαρια µ τῃ ἐµνηστευµένῃ αὐτῳ, οὔσῃ ἐγκύῳ. 6 Ἐγένετο δε ἐν τῳ εἰ ναι αὐτου ς ἐκει ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡµέραι του τεκει ν αὐτήν, 7 και ἔτεκεν το ν υἱο ν αὐτη ς το ν πρωτότοκον, και ἐσπαργάνωσεν αὐτο ν και ἀνέκλινεν αὐτο ν ἐν φάτνῃ, διότι οὐκ ἠ ν αὐτοι ς τόπος ἐν τῳ καταλύµατι. 8 Και ποιµένες ἠ σαν ἐν τῃ χώρᾳ τῃ αὐτῃ ἀγραυλου ντες και φυλάσσοντες φυλακα ς τη ς νυκτο ς ἐπι τη ν ποίµνην αὐτω ν. 9 και ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐπέστη αὐτοι ς και δόξα κυρίου περιέλαµψεν αὐτούς, και ἐφοβήθησαν φόβον µέγαν. 10 και εἰ πεν αὐτοι ς ὁ ἄγγελος µη φοβει σθε, ἰδου γα ρ εὐαγγελίζοµαι ὑµι ν χαρα ν µεγάλην ἥτις ἔσται παντι τῳ λαῳ, 11 ὅτι ἐτέχθη ὑµι ν σήµερον σωτη ρ ὅς ἐστιν χριστο ς κύριος ἐν πόλει Δαυίδ. 12 και του το ὑµι ν το σηµει ον, εὑρήσετε βρέφος ἐσπαργανωµένον και κείµενον ἐν φάτνῃ. 13 και ἐξαίφνης ἐγένετο συ ν τῳ ἀγγέλῳ πλη θος στρατια ς οὐρανίου αἰνούντων το ν θεο ν και λεγόντων 14 δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις θεῳ και ἐπι γη ς εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας. [ 15 Και ἐγένετο ὡς ἀπη λθον ἀπ αὐτω ν εἰς το ν οὐρανο ν οἱ ἄγγελοι, οἱ ποιµένες ἐλάλουν προ ς ἀλλήλους διέλθωµεν δη ἕως Βηθλέεµ και ἴδωµεν το ῥη µα του το το γεγονο ς ὃ ὁ κύριος ἐγνώρισεν ἡµι ν. 16 και ἠ λθαν σπεύσαντες και ἀνευ ραν τήν τε Μαρια µ και το ν Ἰωση φ και το βρέφος κείµενον ἐν τῃ φάτνῃ 17 ἰδόντες δε ἐγνώρισαν περι του ῥήµατος του λαληθέντος αὐτοι ς περι του παιδίου τούτου. 18 και πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐθαύµασαν περι τω ν λαληθέντων ὑπο τω ν ποιµένων προ ς αὐτούς 19 ἡ δε Μαρια µ πάντα συνετήρει τα ῥήµατα ταυ τα συµβάλλουσα ἐν τῃ καρδίᾳ αὐτη ς. 20 και ὑπέστρεψαν οἱ ποιµένες δοξάζοντες και αἰνου ντες το ν θεο ν ἐπι πα σιν οἱ ς ἤκουσαν και εἰ δον καθω ς ἐλαλήθη προ ς αὐτούς.] 4 First Lesson; English Text: 9.2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. 3 You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as 3 4 St. Luke 2:1-14 [15-20], New Revised Standard Version Bible, op. cit. St. Luke 2:1-14 [15-20], The Greek New Testament, Aland, Kurt, Black, Matthew, Martini, Carlo M., Metzger, Bruce M., and Wikgren, Allen, ( 1983, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft Stuttgart).

6 The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve Year A (December 24, 2016) 6 with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. 4 For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. 5 Second Lesson; English Text: 2.11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 12 training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. 6 Second Lesson; Greek Text: 2.11 Ἐπεφάνη γὰρ ἡ χάρις τοῦ θεοῦ σωτήριος πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις 12 παιδεύουσα ἡµᾶς, ἵνα ἀρνησάµενοι τὴν ἀσέβειαν καὶ τὰς κοσµικὰς ἐπιθυµίας σωφρόνως καὶ δικαίως καὶ εὐσεβῶς ζήσωµεν ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι, 13 προσδεχόµενοι τὴν µακαρίαν ἐλπίδα καὶ ἐπιφάνειαν τῆς δόξης τοῦ µεγάλου θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡµῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, 14 ὃς ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡµῶν, ἵνα λυτρώσηται ἡµᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀνοµίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἑαυτῷ λαὸν περιούσιον, ζηλωτὴν καλῶν ἔργων Isaiah 9:2-7, New Revised Standard Version Bible, op. cit. Titus 2:11-14, New Revised Standard Version Bible, op. cit. Titus 2:11-14, The Greek New Testament, op. cit.