Christmas!...Underneath the Wrappings…
I love Christmas. I love the excitement and the good cheer and the hopefulness and the joy and yes, even the love that seems to surface like at no other time in the year. I love to give gifts that surprise and bring joy to people, especially those who are closest to me. I have great memories of mounds of wrapping paper lying in our living room right after the kids unceremoniously and excitedly ripped the paper and bows right off the gifts. But then there is that moment of “let down,” when the only thing to do next is to clean up the ripped apart and useless wrapping paper. Do you know what I mean?
How do you “wrap” your celebration of Christmas? Parties?..at work and at home and at school? Writing Christmas cards and making sure THE LETTER is creative and fun and informative and…perfect? Christmas decorations? The perfect tree? Family get-togethers? (And making sure the house is perfectly clean?) Cookies? Pies? Special dinners? Gifts for all – including the mail carrier?... And, of course, making sure you have the PERFECT gifts for your children?...or someone else? (I think we all have stories of what crazy things we did to get that “perfect” gift for one of our children!) All these things and more – right? And they all seem to make our lives go faster and faster and faster! So, how’s it all working for you?... Especially when the wrappings are just lying there after it’s all done? Does it leave you a bit worn out and empty? Do you sometimes want to scream and just say, “forget it!”??
In these four Sundays leading up to the day of Christmas, our goal is to dig down deep underneath all the wrappings to the heart of Christmas. It’s still there. It is a gift. It is for each of us.
We all know we need it. It is why even as a society we come back to Christmas again and again. Deep inside (seemingly as something that is as part of the human condition as breathing!) we all long for the heart of Christmas buried underneath all the wrappings: Peace and hope and love and joy.
As we dig down deep underneath the pile of the wrappings, I can promise you this. This heart of Christmas will never disappoint or leave us empty. For it is, finally, what we all search for and long for…and what Christmas is meant to give us.
Sunday, Dec. 1st “Peace: Having It All Together”
I never seem to have it all together. As most of you know, I do have a hair or two out of place…in more ways than one. And when you add all the extra things of Christmas to it, I REALLY have a few hairs out of place. How about you? Today we look at how we can “have it all together.” It is called Christmas peace. It is at the heart of Christmas and it is a gift to each of us. For finally, none of us has every hair in place!
Sunday, Dec. 8th “Hope: Just Known’ It’s All Gonna’ Be OK!”
I once had a young mother come and see me who had inoperable cancer who had been given 6 weeks to live. She forcefully told me that she was sure she was going to be ok because her positive attitude would cure her. She died in 6 weeks. There are many times and situations in our lives when, no matter what, it seems that it will never get better and the struggle will never go away. I think in some way each of us experiences this – right? THIS is where Christmas hope enters the picture! It is at the heart of Christmas and it is a gift to each of us. For finally, each of us have those things that will seemingly never be “ok!”
Sunday, Dec.15th “Joy: It’s Not Just, ‘Have a Happy”
A friend of mine in college was in a play entitled, “Whatever Happened on the Way to the Forum.” In this play is the phrase, “Have a happy!” Do you ever feel – especially during this time of the year – that people just want you to “have a happy” and put on a smiling face? And if so, how is that working for you? (It sure doesn’t work for me!) Christmas joy is about a “happy” that touches us down in the very essence of our being, as far as you can get from “putting on a smiling face.” It is at the heart of Christmas and it is a gift to each of us. For finally, “have a happy” leaves us all empty!
Sunday, Dec.22nd “Love: You Really Do Matter To God”
I never thought it was so special and maybe it’s not: When my children were in high school (and anytime, really) the commitment I made to them was that if they were in a situation they didn’t like and they called me, I would come and get them, no questions asked. Recently, one of my (now grown) children has become friends with a Christian Counselor. He shared with me how his friend told him that many, many children do not live with this comfort that anyone cares enough -loves them enough - to come after them, no matter what. Did you know that God cares about you enough to do exactly this? It is what Christmas love is all about. It is at the very heart of Christmas and it is a gift to you! For finally, every single one of us needs someone who will come after us, no matter what!
Christmas Eve Worship The Light Still Shines
Permanence. It seems that at most it is simply an illusion. But tonight is different. Tonight, we remember the ONE who NEVER changes, the ONE who is a LIGHT that no darkness can overcome. What darkness do you carry? His Light is greater!
And HE is FOR you!...And HE NEVER changes!
Christmas Day Worship Celebrate! All Has Changed!!
I had to laugh at myself over the flood of memories I had in my head when I wrote the above theme and then thought about how a baby changes everything. As Jane and I experienced and used to laugh about, life is just different in the “AK” (after kids) – right? Now put that thought on steroids and you begin to understand the birth of Jesus. It changes everything! And it is for you!
Sunday, December 29 The Sign of the Star