CHRISTMAS EVE, 2006 - Isaiah 9:2-4, 6-7; Psalm 96; Luke 2:1-20 - A sermon preached by The Rev. Peter A. Munson for St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, Boulder, Colorado

 

Receiving the Gift

 

INTRODUCTION

 

I had just been up for a few minutes on Wednesday morning when the phone rang.

“Hello, this is Peter.”

“Is Zach there?”

“Is this Ryan? Hi, Ryan. No, he’s still asleep.”

“Did you know that school has been canceled today? I don’t know why. There isn’t much snow on the ground. But if you turn on Channel 9, you’ll see the announcement.”

“Thanks for calling to let us know, Ryan. I’m sure Zach will be very happy, considering you all were supposed to be taking finals today.”

 

I tried to sneak into my children’s rooms and turn off their alarms before they went off, so they could get some extra sleep. Hannah was already stirring. “Dad?” “Hannah, they’ve canceled school. It’s a snow day. Go back to sleep.” I went into Zach’s room. He had the light on. He had just gotten off his cell phone. Another friend called to tell him the news. Had he heard? What, you mean while he was sleeping?

 

I said, “Zach, go back to sleep. You can get some more sleep. It’s only 6:30 a.m.” By that time, Hannah was in his room. Zach is lying on his back in his bed, on top of the covers. And suddenly, his legs are pumping up and down above his head. “Yes! No school! A snow day! No finals! Thank you, Jesus!”

 

Yeah, right, Pete. You must be the most out-of-touch dad on the planet. You think Zach and Hannah are going to go back to sleep right now? I actually did convince them to go back into their respective rooms and turn off their lights for a bit. But maybe two minutes later I heard their doors opening, and they were coming downstairs. They weren’t exactly looking sleepy. They were already talking about which friends they could hook up with. Their bodies were full of energy, and their faces, well... seeing your children get the news of a snow day is almost as good as seeing their faces on Christmas morning.

 

To Zach and Hannah, Wednesday and Thursday were pure gift. My thoughts kept drifting to those in this congregation who were trying to fly out of DIA to be reunited with relatives, and to those who were trying to come in to Colorado. I was thinking about those who had no choice about going into work, and children who worried about whether their parents would get back home. Later in the afternoon I found myself saying little prayers for those who were driving home, and for the homeless who would be in desperate need of shelter in such a blizzard.

 

But to Zach and Hannah, especially Zach - “Dad, after Christmas we have a new semester with new classes and some new teachers. We’re probably not going to have to take these finals at all!” - to my children, those days were pure gift.

 

I must admit, I was able to see them as a gift, too. There is something about a big storm that just brings things to a halt. When the snow is really too deep for driving and you can’t go anywhere, there is something that happens. Suddenly there is time to get to some of those relaxing things you’ve been meaning to get to, but haven’t. Trudge through the snow with your family? Brew a non-hurried cup of tea? Sit down to enjoy a good book, or a movie your family has been setting aside for a day just like this? Grab a shovel and start making the world’s shortest snowboard run in the front yard? Write your Christmas letter? Bake some cookies or a pie? Sit on the couch with a blanket over you and stare at the Christmas tree lights? Call a friend? Whatever it is that you want to do, suddenly, there is time - unhurried time. And all you can say, really, is “Thank you for this gift today.”

 

A GIFT GIVEN TO US

 

Those snow days were a glimpse of what this night is all about.

 

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)

 

“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

 

To you is born this day a Savior. A child has been born for us, a son given for us - for you. A little baby given for the world, given to you - God become human - to live for you, to teach you, to guide you, to die for you, to bring you life, and life in abundance. Not material abundance necessarily. Relationship abundance, spiritual abundance, knowing the power and the blessings of God abundance. Being able to see the love and handiwork of God in anything - even in a snow day. This child - God in the flesh - was born for you, as pure gift, as the most amazing gift ever given.

 

The challenge for you and me this Christmas is not to be givers. It is to be receivers... receivers of this babe lying in a manger... receivers of this child who has been born... did you hear? For you! For us!

 

William Willimon writes, “We prefer to think of ourselves as givers - powerful, competent, self-sufficient; capable people whose goodness motivates us to employ some of our power, competence and gifts to benefit the less fortunate. Which is a direct contradiction to the biblical account of the first Christmas. There we are portrayed not as the givers we wish we were but as the receivers we are. Luke and Matthew go to great lengths to demonstrate that we - with our power, generosity, competence and capabilities - had little to do with God’s work in Jesus. God wanted to do something for us so strange, so utterly beyond the bounds of human imagination, so foreign to human projection, that God had to resort to angels, pregnant virgins, and stars in the sky to get it done. We didn’t think it, understand it or approve it. All we could do, at Bethlehem, was receive it.” (From The Christian Century, December 21-28, 1988)

 

And that is all we can do this night - receive the gift of the baby in the manger, the One recognized as “God with us” and more than that really... “God for us”.

 

A child has been born for us. (Pointing) For you, for you, for you, and for you. You can’t pay God back or balance the account in some way by giving God a gift of equal value. There is no tit-for-tat giving possible here!

 

There is really only one question for us this night. I’ll put it to you in different ways, but it’s all the same question.

 

Will we receive this baby as if he were our own? Will we accept this one born as Messiah? Will we accept Him, love Him, embrace Him, adore Him, and praise Him? Will we receive the grace that God wants to confer upon us? Will we receive the most precious gift ever given, recognizing all the while that we will be indebted to the Giver forever, and that all we can really say is, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Lord!”

 

Can we embrace the gift of Jesus in the same way that my children embraced the snow days that came their way? And can we keep receiving the gift, allowing the gift to change us - day by day, month by month, year by year - until we know what it is to love and to be present to others, in the same way that the Christ loves us and is present to us?

 

I bring you good news of a great joy. To you is born this day a Savior. A child has been born for us, and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace!