A Christmas eve message based on Luke 2:8-20.

Something new was in the air. That much the herders of sheep were certain of.

Against the backdrop of a normal worknight a figure mysteriously appeared. From where had it come? And what was the light that surrounded it? The warm glow the being emanated was unlike any star or sun or moon or candle or lantern they had ever seen.

Was this thing –
Man or myth?
Demon or divine?

With little else to go on the herder’s lizard brains quickly took over. The stories they told themselves were ominous. They could not help but assume the worst. Their approach to interpreting this new information was, admittedly, a very human thing to do.

The air around them quickly filled with anxiety, dread, terror, an impending sense of doom. They didn’t know what it was that stood before them. But they were sure – quite positive in fact – that, whatever it was, it could not be good.

They braced for impact.
The mysterious figure then spoke.

Encouraging them to fear not.
Proclaiming to them Good News.
A good news that is for all.

With each word shared the winds that surrounded them, ever so slowly, began to shift. No longer did fear reign supreme.

Instead, the air was filled with something else entirely.

Angels they did hear, on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains

Glooooooooooria
In excelsis Deo

Their chorus echoed across the skyline.
Verse, by verse, by verse.

Even better, the angel shared, this Good News could be experienced firsthand. Don’t just take our word for it, the heavenly host suggested. Just follow these directions –

Go to the city,
Find the manger,
Find the child newly born –

Go, see for yourselves.

As the angels departed the sounds of their prophetic song grew faint. The light they embodied grew dim. The shepherds returned to their darker, more silent night.

What now? The herders couldn’t help but wonder.

Should they stay or should they go now?

The conversation between them couldn’t help but clash.

Staying would bring with it normalcy. A continuation of that which they knew. The fields, the herd, the routine. They were at least familiar with these scenes. The good, the bad, the ugly of it, and all.

But going? The siren’s songs still lingered in their ears. Could acting on this heavenly invitation be as great as the angels professed?

The air around the shepherds filled with excitement. Why yes, they concluded.

Yes.
It could.

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They made great haste.
They imagined seeing the promised one with their own two eyes.

They then found Mary, Joseph, the manger.
They then saw the child newly born.

Upon discovering that what the angels proclaimed was true –

The herders couldn’t help but share with all who would listen, their –

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare him room,
And heav’n and nature sing
And heav’n and nature sing
And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.

Mary treasured these words, holding them closely in her heart.

Something new was afoot that first Christmas. As Mary, Joseph and the shepherds gathered around the Christ-child the air was filled not with dread, but with –

Joy,
Hope,
Love.

Today something new is also in the air. A series of somethings really.

Virus variants,
Immigration crises,
Economic inflation,
Racial tensions,
Political discord.

With news constantly pouring in about these challenges – and so many more – it is easy for our lizard brains to take over. When they do we opt for fight, or flight, or freezing in fear.

Often this is what fills the air between us.
Often this is what causes our divides.

When that happens –

May we, like the shepherds,
Listen for the celestial songs,
giving glory to God, in the highest

May we, like the shepherds.
Accept the angelic invitation and go,
seeing God’s promise, for all, ourselves.

For when we do we fill the air between us not with fear,
but with joy, hope, love, and song.

Oh holy child of Bethlehem,
descend to us we pray;
cast out our sin, and enter in,
be born in us today.

Merry Christmas everyone. Amen.