Help Me, Baby Jesus

I, like so many others, let Christmas get away from me this year. I didn't get around to making an Advent wreath, and The Rev. and I didn't read one devotion together in the soft glow of our Christmas tree. Too busy, too frazzled, too tired to show respect, love, and awe for the miracle of Christmas. The Rev. said it best this morning, and he has so kindly forwarded me his devotion so that I could share it with you, dear readers.

May the Dear Lord bless you and yours this Christmas.

Introduction: SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS
Dear brothers and sisters who have been moved by a miracle to return and give thanks to him who gave it:
So this is Christmas. It seems so, well, anti-climactic in a way. All the frenzied commercialism, all the running around, all the decorating, all the fuss for just the right gift or recipe, and for what? A few hours of quiet with a loved one or two that will not last long enough, that cannot be savored enough. SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS.
You might say that when you read St. John’s account of Christmas. In his account he strips away all the side dishes, all the fancy trimmings and ornamentation and all the little stuff that often seems to get in the way and obstruct our view of what Christmas really is. Try this on for Christmas: The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. That’s it. No snow on the ground, no angels sweetly singing in the sky, no shepherds with fluffy little sheep, no cows mooing or drummer boys banging on their drums. No Swedish looking virgin cuddling her little one. No soft golden hay in a western European manger. No starts twinkling on a cold crisp night. None of that. John writes none of that. He simply describes what Christmas really is, what really happened in Bethlehem so many years ago. The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS stripped of all its decorations and left to stand for what it is.
Body: Stripped of all its decorations and left to stand for what it is
Perhaps, just perhaps John is writing for people who live in the kind of world we live in. Think about what they have done with Christmas! There is no baby in a manger any more. There is no baby. There is no Christ. There is no miracle of a virgin mother giving birth. Not a care or a thought is given to these things, much like it actually was on that first Christmas. In our world Christmas is about showing how charitable you are or how greedy you can be without getting caught. It’s about spending more money than you have. It’s about ornaments, and trees, and light displays, and parties and bonuses, and big dinners, and vacations to mom and dad’s or grandma and grandpa’s house. There’s nothing wrong with many of these things just by themselves. But when all this glitz and glitter covers the stable and the road to Bethlehem is lined with malls, how can Christ not be lost among all the masses?
It’s so easy to pick on our world. Why I could go on, but I don’t want to turn you into a room full of Pharisees. You of all the people have at least had the decency to show up on Christmas Day, the most sacred day in our social and political and financial calendar to worship Jesus. Certainly your hearts haven’t been over decorated with the stuff of the season. Certainly you haven’t so decorated your homes and hearts that you’ve buried the baby Jesus under all the holly, ivy, wrapping paper and tinsel. No not us.
But of course we have. And that is why we are here, isn’t it? You and I can be just as greedy for bonuses and presents as anyone. Our nerves can be just as frazzled as anyone else’s as we try to make this year perfect. Our homes can be just a filled with holiday turmoil as anyone else’s. That’s because devil and sin and world never quit assaulting and harassing you. For them the battle never ceases, not even for Christmas, especially not for Christmas.
So you’ve come to God’s house AGAIN today, to find Christmas and to see the Christ who is so often lost and hidden among us. You’ve come to repent and to readjust and to refocus on the one thing needful. And St. John is here to help you. The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us.
There it is dear friends. There is Christmas stripped of all its decorations, plain and simple. The Word of God who is God and through whom all the world was created, that Word came and took on human flesh and blood, so that he could live among us as one of us in order to save us. This divine Word became human not only to live for awhile among us but then also to die as the atoning sacrifice for our sins and not only for ours but for the sins of the whole world. This heaven-sent Word-made-flesh has risen from death with healing in his wings. The peace he brings is a peace that is beyond understanding. It is a peace between the just and holy God and you, a sinner deserving of nothing but his anger. The peace this sweet sentence gives is that the war and hostility between God and mankind is over. The Almighty has set aside his thunder and lightening. This divine Word became flesh and lived among us for a while, and he still lives among us and he always will. He still lives among us and speaks to us through his Word. He still comes to us in bread and wine and assures us that by his body and blood given and poured out for us, we are forgiven and have peace with God. And this Word is coming again to call us to live with him forever.
Dear friends, if you will get rid of all the songs, all the decorations and trimmings, if you peel it all away, this is what you have--The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us--and this is all you need. Christmas can stand on its own. It gives a joy and peace and comfort and confidence that none of the trimmings can offer. SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS! Yes, and isn’t it full of wonder?
Through the Word of Christmas the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard and keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until he comes again in glory. Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly! Amen.