silent, holy night a gift from the Prince of Peace illumines our life Sermon

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1 HEAVENLY PEACE The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve December 24, 2012 Lessons Isaiah 9:2-7 Psalm 96 Titus 2:11-14 St. Luke 2:1-14 [15-20] Pastor David J. Risendal facebook Saint Peter Lutheran Church Saint Peter Lutheran Church 9300 East Belleview Avenue Greenwood Village, Colorado voice: 303/ fax: 303/ Prayer of the Day 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. silent, holy night a gift from the Prince of Peace illumines our life Sermon Sing along if you d like: It seems especially important to be together in worship this year to be gathered here in the presence of God this Christmas Eve, and I am so glad that you are all here. There has been a heaviness in the air leading up to this day, hasn t there? We come here this evening, aware of the lingering effects of the recession, especially those of us who might still be unemployed or underemployed, or who know and care about others who are. The news has been all about the fear of what might come with this looming fiscal cliff, and doubts as to whether our legislators in Washington are capable of working together well enough to manage it wisely. Of course the tragic deaths in Newtown, Connecticut are never far from our minds. There is a heaviness in the air. It feels quite different from the light and cheery tone that sometimes presides at this time of year.

2 The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve (December 24, 2012)! 2 In the midst of this heaviness, we find ourselves yearning for what this simple Christmas Carol promises. A silent, sacred night to calm our hearts. The bright hopefulness of this image: a newborn child: tender and mild, resting, peacefully asleep in his mother s arms. Think of your own yearning for God tonight as you sing. During a month like the one we ve had, we yearn for what this song invites us to experience, don t we? As the steady stream of negative news takes its toll on us, we long for a simpler, more pleasant time. A time when a quiet young couple, and their newborn boy, could lie safely in the confines of a Betlehem stable. I m quite sure, though, that this same sense of longing was present in the original Christmas story. We ve romanticized it a bit too much over the years. Manufactured manger scenes haven t been helpful: with soft, warm light; quiet, odorless animals; gentle, respectful shepherds; reverent passersby; a Holy Family that appears peaceful and at ease (sometimes, sadly, even a reindeer or two). I suspect the original nativity scene would have been quite the opposite of that a frightening experience, really: a dark, unfamiliar place after a long, tiring journey; squeezing into spaces between steaming, smelly, restless animals; the intrusion of uninvited, course-mannered sheep herders; the surprising arrival of intruders who have no place else to be in the middle of the night; perhaps even a nervous, uncomfortable couple, wishing that life had started out a bit differently for their firstborn. It is an unexpected setting for God to choose, but very intentional. Because at the heart of the Christmas message is the bold proclamation that even in our darkest night (perhaps especially in our darkest night) the presence of God Immanuel makes all the difference in the world. I suspect that apart from the promise of God, the circumstances surrounding the birth of her first child would have been heartbreaking for Mary. But we can only imagine that as she looked down into the face of Jesus, she wasn t thinking about crowded inns and dirty stables and dangerous animals and frightening strangers. She was thinking about the promise of God; the promise that she would bear a child into this world who would be Christ, the Lord. This promise is what makes the Christmas story more than a romantic tale from two centuries ago. This promise is what gives the story meaning. This promise is what stirred Josef Mohr and Franz Gruber, some 1800 years later, in Austria, to write the Christmas Carol that has stirred so many hearts over the years. Listen to the promise as you sing. I love singing this song. I always have. Probably always will. There was a time when I wondered about it, though. There was a time when I worried that it was a bit unrealistic; a bit escapist. After all, it wasn t a silent night. I m sure that Joseph and Mary were able to hear the sounds of laughter, perhaps even singing, from those who were more fortunate than they were, and able to find lodging inside for themselves and their families. That could just as easily have made them feel bitter and resentful. All wasn t calm. I ve been in cold barns before. Cows and horses and other large animals make a lot of noise and commotion in a place like that. It s one of the last places in the world I d want to be with a newborn baby. There may have been stars in the sky that night, but it couldn t have been bright in the stable. On the face of it, the situation Mary and Joseph find themselves in is far from silent, or calm, or bright. It hardly gives any apparent reason for anyone to sleep in heavenly peace. So is Silent Night a form of musical avoidance? Does it encourage us to ignore the harsh realities that surround us, and pretend that they don t exist? Is this image of the Holy Family an example of what some of our critics say about the Christian faith? That it is grounded more in fantasy and delusion than anything else?

3 The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve (December 24, 2012)! 3 No: to make that case is to misunderstand this song, and the Christmas story, altogether. While this song may sound sweet and gentle, it is actually a defiant proclamation that there is another reality at work in this world that many cannot see. In this reality, calm doesn t come from the absence of chaos, but from hearts that are rooted in God s grace. Light doesn t come from dazzling technology, but from the promise of God s birth among us. Peace doesn t come from weapons and strength, but from the commitment to Christ-like living. God has come to us in the form of a tiny, helpless baby. And the wonder of this night is that the presence of this newborn one can transform even the most troubling of realities. I have shared with you before that one of my favorite stories is told by St. Francis of Assisi. In it, he imagines returning from a long, cold winter s journey late at night, and four consecutive times he is not recognized by the brother who watches the door. As he stands out in the dark and cold, he says, if in that moment he is at peace, he is experiencing the joy of Christian faith. St. Francis was determined that his peace and joy would not be controlled by his circumstances, but transformed by Christ. This is the Christmas miracle. The Christmas miracle that Mary and Joseph experienced. The Christmas miracle that caused Mohr and Gruber to write Silent Night almost two hundred years ago. The Christmas miracle we pray for tonight: that amidst the chaos and pain and fears and uncertainty of our own lives, we too might come to know that there is only one source of peace and joy in this world: the peace of God that passes all understanding, and that keeps our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. 1 Let s sing it one more time as a prayer for the world, as a prayer for those throughout our own country whose hearts are broken, and for each one of us here tonight. May the peace of Christ fill your hearts and minds. May this holy night stir you to a deeper faith in the one who gives our lives meaning and hope and joy. Merry Christmas to you all. 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 1 Philippians 4:7, New Revised Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America). 2 A list of Bible lessons for the coming weeks is available at

4 The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve (December 24, 2012)! 4 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 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 δὲ ἐν ται ς ἡµέραις ἐκείναις ἐξη λθεν δόγµα παρὰ Καίσαρος Αὐγούστου ἀπογράφεσθαι πα σαν τὴν οἰκουµένην. 2 αὕτη ἀπογραφὴ πρώτη ἐγένετο ἡγεµονεύοντος τη ς Συρίας Κυρηνίου. 3 καὶ ἐπορεύοντο πάντες ἀπογράφεσθαι, ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν ἑαυτου πόλιν. 4 Ἀνέβη δὲ καὶ Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τη ς Γαλιλαίας ἐκ πόλεως Ναζαρὲθ εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν εἰς πόλιν Δαυὶδ ἥτις καλει ται Βηθλέεµ, διὰ τὸ εἰ ναι αὐτὸν ἐξ οἴκου καὶ πατρια ς Δαυίδ, 5 ἀπογράψασθαι σὺν Μαριὰµ τῃ ἐµνηστευµένῃ αὐτῳ, οὔσῃ ἐγκύῳ. 6 Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῳ εἰ ναι αὐτοὺς ἐκει ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡµέραι του τεκει ν αὐτήν, 7 καὶ ἔτεκεν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτη ς τὸν πρωτότοκον, καὶ ἐσπαργάνωσεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνέκλινεν αὐτὸν ἐν φάτνῃ, διότι οὐκ ἠ ν αὐτοι ς τόπος ἐν τῳ καταλύµατι. 8 Καὶ ποιµένες ἠ σαν ἐν τῃ χώρᾳ τῃ αὐτῃ ἀγραυλου ντες καὶ φυλάσσοντες φυλακὰς τη ς νυκτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ποίµνην αὐτω ν. 9 καὶ ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐπέστη αὐτοι ς καὶ δόξα κυρίου περιέλαµψεν αὐτούς, καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν φόβον µέγαν. 10 καὶ εἰ πεν αὐτοι ς ὁ ἄγγελος µὴ φοβει σθε, ἰδοὺ γὰρ εὐαγγελίζοµαι ὑµι ν χαρὰν µεγάλην ἥτις ἔσται παντὶ τῳ λαῳ, 11 ὅτι ἐτέχθη ὑµι ν σήµερον σωτὴρ ὅς ἐστιν χριστὸς κύριος ἐν πόλει Δαυίδ. 12 καὶ του το ὑµι ν τὸ σηµει ον, εὑρήσετε βρέφος ἐσπαργανωµένον καὶ κείµενον ἐν φάτνῃ. 13 καὶ ἐξαίφνης ἐγένετο σὺν τῳ ἀγγέλῳ πλη θος στρατια ς οὐρανίου αἰνούντων τὸν θεὸν καὶ λεγόντων 14 δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις θεῳ καὶ ἐπὶ γη ς εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας. [ 15 Καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἀπη λθον ἀπ αὐτω ν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν οἱ ἄγγελοι, οἱ ποιµένες ἐλάλουν πρὸς ἀλλήλους διέλθωµεν δὴ ἕως Βηθλέεµ καὶ ἴδωµεν τὸ ῥη µα του το τὸ γεγονὸς ὃ ὁ κύριος ἐγνώρισεν ἡµι ν. 16 καὶ ἠ λθαν σπεύσαντες καὶ ἀνευ ραν τήν τε Μαριὰµ καὶ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ καὶ τὸ βρέφος κείµενον ἐν τῃ φάτνῃ 17 ἰδόντες δὲ ἐγνώρισαν περὶ του ῥήµατος του λαληθέντος αὐτοι ς περὶ του παιδίου τούτου. 18 καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐθαύµασαν περὶ τω ν λαληθέντων ὑπὸ τω ν ποιµένων πρὸς αὐτούς 19 ἡ δὲ Μαριὰµ πάντα συνετήρει τὰ ῥήµατα ταυ τα συµβάλλουσα ἐν τῃ καρδίᾳ αὐτη ς. 20 καὶ ὑπέστρεψαν οἱ ποιµένες δοξάζοντες καὶ αἰνου ντες τὸν θεὸν ἐπὶ πα σιν οἱ ς ἤκουσαν καὶ εἰ δον καθὼς ἐλαλήθη πρὸς 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 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 3 St. Luke 2:1-14 [15-20], New Revised Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America). 4 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).

5 The Nativity of Our Lord; Christmas Eve (December 24, 2012)! 5 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. 7 5 Isaiah 9:2-7, New Revised Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America). 6 Titus 2:11-14, New Revised Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America). 7 Titus 2:11-14, The Greek New Testament, Aland, Kurt, Black, Matthew, Martini, Carlo M., Metzger, Bruce M., and Wikgren, Allen, ( 1983, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft Stuttgart).