Luke 2:8-20 December 21, 2008
“The Christmas Gift of Acceptance”
Rev. Meagan M. Boozer
Christmas Day is only 4 days away. So, how are you doing at putting GOD first, and keeping him there? Who’s winning the battle of who or what gets to sit on the throne of your life? How are you doing with being gracious to others and loving them like Jesus? Are you aware of the fullness of God’s presence with you in these days? Or are you too distracted to receive or notice? Christmas Day is only 4 days away. If you’re not doing all that well, let me assure you: It’s not too late. Let us pray: Heavenly Father, you know us. You know our fallibilities, you know our sin, you know our need. We come, ready to receive a word of truth from you that will make a difference in our lives today and tomorrow. Speak now your word that does not change, but that changes us. This we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
I remember as an elementary school student those painful moments on the playground when it was time to pick up teams for kickball. As you might have guessed, I was a scrawny kid. When the teacher said, “line up from shortest to tallest,” there was no question what end of the line was mine. This wasn’t a bad deal if you like to be right behind the teacher at the front of the line, but if you want to be picked early for kickball, forget it. One by one, the names of my classmates would be called out to be on this team or that team. Only Danny and I would remain at the end. Danny was scrawny too. Eventually he would go to one team and I would go to the other.
I’d like to say that Danny and I were real cool about being chosen last. But it wouldn’t be true. When you’re a kid it’s not all that easy being cool about not being accepted. In fact, it’s not all that easy at any age.
The shepherds who were out in the fields the night of the angel’s announcement regarding the birth of Jesus were social outcasts. They didn’t own anything. They probably had no one place to lay their heads at night. They couldn’t get a job doing anything else, and so they made a pauper’s pay keeping watch over the flocks of someone more acceptable to society. Who knew what they talked about as they sat on the rocks counting sheep and then counting again? Who knew what they ate? Probably nobody knew. And nobody seemed to care. And yet . . . listen! (Luke 2:8-20 – The Message)
8There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. 9Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. 10The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: 11A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. 12This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.” 13At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: 14Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
15As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to
First of all, don’t miss the fact that the “unacceptable” ones in society were the ones to whom God made this amazing announcement – the ones who were being picked last for kickball – who didn’t make the cut, who didn’t get the job, who couldn’t ace the test, whose face didn’t make the magazine cover. God came first to those who didn’t have it all together to announce his entrance into the world!
Secondly, don’t miss the fact that they got this awesome visit by God right where they were! God didn’t wait until they had gone to the local YMCA to get cleaned up before breaking into their lives. God came to them right in the midst of their messy lives to tell them their salvation had come to earth.
Thirdly, don’t miss the fact that once they believed God and had an encounter with Jesus Christ, something changed within them that was noticeable. Before this encounter, these shepherds would have kept to their own kind. After they saw Jesus, they told “everyone they met…and all who heard what they had to say were impressed.” What a transformation!
Finally, don’t miss the fact that the shepherds didn’t then become prideful and overly impressed with themselves. They knew they were shepherds, and they “returned” to their places – but they returned as changed people, humbly praising God for all they had seen and heard!
A chameleon is a little reptile that changes color depending on the color of its surroundings. A chameleon on a green leaf becomes green. A chameleon on a brown trunk becomes brown. Green or brown, it is still the same chameleon.
God came to earth in the form of a baby – but he didn’t stop being God. God changed his form, but not who he is. Last Sunday during the pageant, as little Gavin sat in the manger in his white shirt and Joe sang “Sweet Little Jesus Boy,” I was trying, once again, to comprehend it. God, in the form of a baby, at the mercy of human beings to care for his basic needs, and yet it was our need for his mercy that compelled him to come.
In being born in human form, God says to you and to me (he says to the world), “I choose the human race for divine purpose.” In the simplest statement that is beyond full comprehension, God says, “I am with you. I accept you.” Just where we are, in the midst of the mess of our relationships, in spite of all the mistakes, all the arrogance, the lies, the doubt, God says to us, in Jesus, “Come to me. (I have come to you. Now, you come to me) All who are weary and carrying heavy burdens - come to me, and I will give you rest,” I will give you joy, and peace, and a place to belong, and the courage to put me first, and the ability to be gracious and loving, and the fullness of my presence! And when we choose to come, believing the Scriptures that tell us we are acceptable to God, and accepted by him through the gift of Jesus Christ, our lives should be noticeably different:
We want to tell others.
We want to serve the human race.
We want to share what we have.
We grow weary of talking about ourselves or other people all the time - We want to talk about the Lord and what he has done.
We want to be part of a meaningful, life-giving community of believers where we can grow closer to him in worship and service.
And that, I believe, is what God is doing here in this congregation. People are coming because their lives are being changed – noticeably changed. It may make things a bit messy at times as we are continually readjusting to new folks, new places to sit, new music, new names, new programs – but I believe God is breaking into our lives like he broke into the shepherds’ lives and saying, “Hey! Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide!” Everybody! Worldwide!
A Savior has been born – for you!
It doesn’t matter if you’re scrawny!
It doesn’t matter if you’re young, or old, or stiff, or sore.
It doesn’t matter if your faith is puny and your knowledge of the Bible is practically nill. If you’ve met Jesus, that’ll change.
It doesn’t matter if you have on jeans or a suit.
It doesn’t matter if you didn’t remember to comb your hair this morning, or if you fought with your family on the way to church.
Listen to these verses from the first chapter of the Gospel of John:
10But although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. 11Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. 12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God.
God made you acceptable. Jesus made it possible for you to be accepted as God’s child. All you have to do is say yes! All you have to do is say yes! All you have to do is say yes, Jesus, I accept your gift of forgiveness and your mercy. I accept you into my heart today! And that’s a Christmas gift that will last until Jesus returns in glory! Amen.
