2023 Carol Sermon. 17th Dec. St Lens.
I love Christmas! And l love carols and I love this festival of lessons and carols. Someone said to me earlier in the week, ‘Isn’t it great it’s just so Magical’.
And then she thought ‘Oh can you say that about a religious service?’ ‘?Can you say that about Church and Jesus that its just so very magical’.
I said ‘Yes you can’. And I hope you’re here tonight.
It is magical.
We have these carols and these Bible readings and they have a way of both stirring up nostalgia in us
and also laying another layer of magic over it all.
Bear in mind that even though This year won’t be like last year – and that could be for better or for worse – that still there is comfort to be found in these readings, in these carols. Tidings of Comfort and Joy!
And that where even if nostalgia causes painful memories to be stirred up, a Blue Christmas as they call it – that even there, there is space for you to allow that sorrow to be there, acknowledge it.
And if you know someone who is likely to be going through a Blue Christmas –then make a little effort to reach out and connect, and check on them.
But understand that it does not have the last word over you.
And that is because the true magic of Christmas is not in the nostalgia.
Its in the reality, the history and geography of a baby born in Bethlehem on whom the whole of time and history hinges.
I was speaking with a yr 8 pupil, 13, who goes to an expensive independent school, when I mentioned that I had been to Bethlehem back in the summer, she asked “Is that a real place?”
In the child Jesus we see that God has heard the cries and tears of this weary world, with its sad and lonely plains, the world has suffered long, but in Jesus we discover the God who hears, the God who cares, the God who comes to us.
You turn on the News and you’re instantly overwhelmed with just how awful everything is.
We are in need of some Good News, some Hope.
What we find in the baby in the manger is that God sees you and says ‘You are worth rescuing. You are worth saving. You are precious in my sight’.
I was talking to someone recently about earrings. She remembers the story behind each of the earrings that she has been given. When she wears this pair or that pair, she remembers the different people, and feels sort of as if they are with her, she remembers to give thanks to God through the day for them.
And that got me thinking about how after Christmas Day – How you might carry that sort of Gratitude with you
You might get some presents on Christmas Day.
Some of your presents might be edible – a chocolate orange? So you will literally physically carry that about inside of you – and with all that yumminess you’ll carry the thankfulness.
You might be given a book, or socks, or some-Thing. And that’s great because whenever you put those socks on, when you read that book – you will remember them – and that gives you a moment to say a little thank you prayer for them.
You can see where this is going.
How can you carry with you into the New Year the gift of God in Jesus Christ – because the Magic of Christmas is actually not in the nostalgia or the presents or the family whether they visit or not.
Its not even in the carols.
You know it isn’t even in the Baby Jesus.
All of these things are good and they have a wonderful ability to channel that magic – but the magic of Christmas is actually in the person of Jesus, who comes to us, in prayer and worship, who meets us in our hopes and fears.
It’s that magic that fills us with faith and hope and love and joy. It’s not especially the bubbly exuberant sort of joy but the sort that reminds you that you are precious, that you are loved and held, that you have a calling and a purpose and that God is glad that you’re here, that you’re part of His family.
How do you carry that magic into next year. Because each Christmas, people remember, they re-receive this magic, and find in Jesus the source of this transformation.
For some people the solution is found in coming to Church, in eating and drinking in the sacrament, in singing hymns – ‘O Come all ye faithful’.
But our defences make it harder for the magic to be renewed. “Oh I’m not religious” – rubbish – but we all do it, we push God away. And its harder when the tinsel and baubles have been put back in their box.
We say stuff like ‘I’m not sure I really believe in God’ – to which the answer is come along to an Alpha Course – we will be starting one in January on Thursdays. Look out for it. See if it helps.
But when we do that pushing God away thing – remember that we’re all a bit like that. It’s not difficult to push God away.
I think it comes from forgetting the Christmas magic, from forgetting that moment when in a carol in a service, in a reading, there will be a moment when you will find yourself lifted up, and for a moment you do feel the love of God that is given us in Jesus, for a moment your soul remembers its worth.
For a moment you remember that God believes that you are worth saving- and that is why Jesus came,
To God, you are loved and precious and held – and that actually even if you’re struggling with your faith, remember: God believes in you.
How will you carry into next year this awareness that God has come to you in Jesus, the promise of the ancient prophets – of Immanuel – of God with us – how can we keep this reality, God with us God with you, and let it become our new reality?
I know people who wear crosses, on a necklace, on earrings. Go for it. I know people who take with them a pocket gospel – we’ve got lots over there and they read a little of it when they find themselves waiting, – especially on those days they find themselves commuting with a replacement bus.
But with everyone I’ve ever met, they found a way of keeping their faith alive by remembering that its not about a baby, its not about nostalgia, it’s about God who comes to you in Jesus, who listens, who gives – and so they found that sharing their hopes and fears with God in prayer, they discovered that Jesus was actually with them all along.
This little and often approach to prayer, to connecting with Jesus, with the source of the deeper truth, the transforming power- this daily prayer – has held Christians throughout their lives, for centuries.
So when you get a moment over this Christmas that is fabulously filled with what we so easily call Christmas magic – then grab it and turn it into a prayer and say Thank you Jesus.
Thank you Jesus, for this gift, of this moment,
Help me to be more aware of your peace and your presence in my life. Lead me gently into this next new year.
I find the two prayers that I pray the most are simply – Thank you Jesus and Help me Jesus!
Take this gift into next year. Don’t put it back in the box. with the tinsel and the baubles.
Take this magical gift of Jesus and allow His Light and His Life to bring healing and strength to your soul.
Thank you Jesus, Help me Jesus, Thank you Jesus. Amen. //