Luke 2:1-14
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to 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. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
“Love came down at Christmas
love all lovely, love divine;
love was born at Christmas,
star and angles gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine;
Worship we our Jesus;
But wherewith for sacred sign?”
Christmas is the celebration of the sacred sign, given to us in human form, that God is love, and whoever loves is of God and God is of them, and “God does, in fact, live in them.” as John tells us in his Epistle...
“God is love, and the (person) whose life is lived in love does, in fact, live in God, and God does, in fact, live in (them).”
I John 4:16 (Phillips)
This is what makes this such a special time of the year. Such a sentimental time of the year. Such a warm and loving time of the year when people do things they don’t always do and remember those who are so easily forgotten the rest of the year. This is also what makes this such a difficult time of the year to not be together with family and friends, to be forgotten and alone. For this is the season when the world almost stops, if but for a moment, and lets love be center stage and the hearts of even the most callous are softened as together we reflect on the awesome possibility that love did come down at Christmas and that love can make all the difference in the world...even in this world where love is the one thing there is just too little off.
Our story tonight reminds us that God isn’t moved by power or prestige or fame or fortune...God isn’t impressed by what we do to show how holy and righteous and important we are. God is move and impressed by how we love when no one seems to notice; when it costs us more then we have; when we are not trying to impress anyone, including God but are simply letting God’s love have sway in our lives and letting it touch those we touch in ways unnoticed by the world.
The story takes place a long time ago in a far away country where few people have traveled.(“Why The Chimes Rang”-Raymond MacDonand Alden)
It is a story about two boys who lived in a little village and dreamed of visiting the great church in the city a number of miles away. It was a beautiful church, high on a hill, with stone columns and dark passages and a grand entrance leading into it. It was so large that standing at the entrance one could hardly see to the other end, where the choir stood by the marble altar and the powerful organ which filled the church and even the country side with it’s beautiful music. It was so powerful that sometimes when it played, the people for miles around would close their shutters and think a thunderstorm was coming. There was no other church like it...and as if this wasn’t enough to make it special, it had a wonderful chime of bells high up in a tower which were not meant to be played by the organist but were heard only on Christmas Eve when the greatest and best offering was laid on the altar as a gift to the Christ Child. They were the most beautiful, sweetest bells in the world, sounding like angles far up in the sky.
Now the bells had not been heard for a long time... some said they didn’t believe there were any bells in the tower at all...others said that they remembered someone telling them they had heard the bells a long time ago...others said the wind rang the bells and still others that only the angels could set them swinging. Yet they all went to church on Christmas Eve and brought their gifts to the Christ child and waited...hoping to hear the bells.
Pedro and his little brother, the two boys who lived in the village, had dreamed of going to the big church on Christmas eve and bringing their gift to the Christ child too. It wouldn’t be much, just one silver coin, but it was all they had. So they set out one bitterly cold Christmas Eve day to walk to the city and see the great Church on Christmas Eve. It was a long hard walk but by nightfall they saw the lights of the big city before them and were about to enter one of the great gates when they saw something dark on the snow near their path, and stopped to see what it might be.
It was a poor woman, who had fallen just outside the city, too sick and tired to get in where she might have found shelter. She lay in the soft snow, asleep and if someone didn’t wake her, she would never wake again.
Pedro knelt down beside her and tried to rouse her, tugging at her arm and rubbing some snow in her face. But it was no use...and he was too small to carry her into the city. So he sent his little brother on by himself to find some one to come and help him. “Go to the church,” Pedro said, “everyone is there now. And when you come back, bring someone to help her.” I will stay here and keep her from freezing, and perhaps get her to eat the bun that is left in my pocket.”
“But you will miss the service, Pedro.”, protested little brother.
Yes, but you need not miss it too. You must see and hear everything twice, Little Brother - once for you and once for me. I am sure the Christ child must know how I would love to come with you and worship Him; and if you get a chance, Little Brother, slip up to the altar without getting in anyone’s way and put this little silver piece there for our offering...and forgive me for not going with you.”
The great church was a wonderful place that night. Everyone said it had never looked so bright and beautiful. When the organ played and the thousands of people sang, the walls shook with the sound and even Pedro outside the city wall could feel the sound of the music.
At the close of the service came the procession of offerings...with many great gifts proudly laid upon the altar. Wonderful jewels, baskets of gold, creations of art and literature, even the King took from his head the royal crown and lay it gleaming on the altar. But no Christmas chimes were heard...and the people shook their heads and said they didn’t believe the story of the chimes and doubted if they ever rang at all.
Then procession was over, the closing hymn was being sung when suddenly the organist stopped playing as if he had been shot and all turned to see the old minister, standing by the altar holding up his hands for silence. Not a sound could be heard from anyone in the church, but as the people strained their ears to listen, there came softly, but distinctly, swinging through the air, the sound of chimes in the tower. So far away, yet so clear and pure - sweeter then anything they had ever heard before. The Christmas chimes were ringing! Then they all stood up together and stared straight at the altar to see what great gift had awakened the long-silent bells.
4
But all that the nearest of them saw was the childish figure of Little Brother, who had crept softly down the aisle when no one as looking, and had laid Pedro’s little piece of silver on the altar.
Indeed, it doesn’t take much to make God’s heart glad; just a little love at work in our lives, changing our hearts and making us available in places of human need. For as Mother Teresa has so well put it, we are not called to do great things for God; we are called to do small things with great love.
Then Christmas comes again, and again, and again, all year long!
Indeed: “Love came down at Christmas
love all lovely, love divine;
love was born at Christmas,
star and angles gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine;
Worship we our Jesus;
But wherewith for sacred sign?”
Therefore: Love shall be our token,
Love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all (people)
Love for plea and gift and sign.”
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