Christmas Eve 2015---"On This Day"

This Christmas, the message of hope, peace, joy, and love has never been louder in my ears. Perhaps it is because the voice of the world's pain has also never been louder. Usually, I think of the Advent message as a quiet, subdued, dignified whisper, speaking to me as if it were a lullaby. Not this year. I see and hear politicians promoting a message of fear; I hear stories of people overseas fleeing their homes because their lives are at risk; I see groups of people that thrive off of this fear. Perhaps I am paying more attention to the news and current events, but I believe that this is the world we live in. Fear is everywhere.

Luke 2: 1-20 tells the Christmas story of Jesus' birth, and it is a loaded scene. It begins with the phrase " In those days..." It begins in the old time, chronological time, time shaped by "the powers that be." The Emperor Augustus reigns. Time is denoted by who was in power: "Quirinius was governor of Syria." We live in such a time today, too: the time of the census and taxes and authoritative orders and pronouncements; time shaped by business as usual, by the world's accepted power structures; history defined by those in positions of power. So the story begins in the old time---the old age: "In those days..." Even the words sound tired and hopeless.

But something happens! In verse 11, the story ends on "this day." A new time has entered the world--a new age. This is not merely a temporal notation, it is time shaped by the character and quality of the new event that has happened and has changed the world--the birth of Jesus, the Savior, the Son of God. This new time is not characterized by the struggle of business as usual or the threat of "the powers that be," but the in-breaking of the kingdom of God and the "good news of great joy for all the people." From the viewpoint of the emperor--the "powers that be"--it may even be a treasonous time. For "this day" also has a political dimension; this "new time" is a direct challenge to the imperial world of "in those days." There is a new Savior, a title formerly reserved for the emperor. There is a new Messiah, the royal, anointed one who will liberate Israel from Roman occupation. And there is a new Lord, who will inaugurate a new reign. Indeed, this reign is signaled by its announcement to lowly, graveyard shift shepherds, rather than to those in the halls of power. A story that begins with a threatening decree of Emperor Augustus ends with the joyful proclamation and praise of shepherds. This day will not be characterized by fear, but by the freedom and joy of the announcement "do not be afraid."

Jesus accomplished many things for us, one the greatest being taking our fear away. We do not need to be afraid of what is happening in the world, and in our lives. This relief from fear releases us to love God and others, follow Jesus, and courageously act as God's people in the world. Someone may actually come to know God because you are not afraid to relate to them, because you reject the message from the "powers that be" that may divide us.

We live in a new time, and may it be characterized by the hope, peace, love, and joy you receive because Jesus was born, and given to us so that we may have a restored relationship with God.

Merry Christmas!

Rev. Jack Ladd