"The Invasive Love of God" - Luke 2:1-20 (December 24, 2018)

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Luke 2:1-20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

  In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!’

  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

It seems as though this has been the year of division.  Granted, it’s been a long work in progress and it’s really nothing new.  But there have been far too many moments this year when it has felt like the divides in our nation just keep growing deeper and deeper.  What once seemed a minor crack seems to have widened to a crevasse that seems increasingly unlikely to be brought back together.

Just this morning I heard from a friend of mine who is currently not getting paid because she works for the government and one group of people believe we need a big, beautiful wall (as it’s called) and another group disagrees.

And that’s just one example of the divisions we have in our nation.  There’s no need for me to list off any more of them; I’m sure you have your own list of divisions that cause you frustration and sadness.

Yes, friends, it feels as though the divisions are rampant.  They can feel, at times, overwhelming and permanent.  The deeper we get into the divisions around us the harder it is to see a way out, to see the light at the end of the tunnel, to hope that all it not lost.

But it is my privilege to inform you of at least one barrier that has been permanently shattered.  And that is the barrier between heaven and earth.  That barrier needs to be shattered because we humans have worked relentlessly to put it there.  Every time we allow a person to go hungry, a brick goes up between us and heaven.  Every time racism and nationalism is used to oppress the marginalized, another brick goes up between us and heaven.  Every time we fail to live as God taught us to live, doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly, another brick goes up between us and heaven.

But, lest we think we’ve pushed the boundaries of our sin beyond the brink, I have good news:  there is no wall that we can build that God’s love can’t demolish.

And tonight is all the proof of that truth we need.

Tonight, the barrier between us and heaven disappears.  Tonight, we worship not a God-Way-Up-There but a God-Right-Here-Among-Us.  It’s just like Nadia Bolz-Weber says:  “God did not enter the world of our nostalgic, silent-night, snow-blanketed, peace-on-earth, suspended reality of Christmas. God slipped into the vulnerability of skin and entered our violent and disturbing world.”

Friends, the safer option would have been for God to stay in heaven.  The safer option would have been for God to throw in the towel and stay comfortably removed from the suffering of our reality.  But our God does not take the “safe” option.  Our God takes the risky option.  Our God takes the option that declares that God loves us way too much to give up on us after all this time.

In fact, the Table around which you and I are soon to gather is a constant reminder that God is among us in the most intimate of ways.  For what is the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus if not one of God’s ultimate desire to redeem all of creation?  And in order to redeem something, or someone, you must be with them.

We come to this Table to be filled with what we need for the journey ahead, a journey to live as faithfully as we can in total obedience to the Christ-child.  Because, friends, there is so much work to be done in his name.  We come to this Table, as a colleague of mine puts it, not prepare ourselves for the “sweet by and by” but to be prepared for the “messy here and now!”

For tonight is the ultimate reminder that, through the birth of God’s son, Jesus Christ, God is making God’s home right here in our messiness.  Right here in the craziness of our lives and the disorientation that we may feel.  

So, as you go about your week, as we begin a new year, know that you’re not alone.  Know that God is not to be found merely in some pristine Hallmark card scene in which everyone is posing for the camera and everything is silent, and calm, and perfect (whatever that means).  God is just as likely, if not more so, to be found when everything seems to be falling apart and you feel as though you’re not enough. 

And, if God is present with us in all our messiness, if God can so easily break down the barrier between us and heaven, what other barriers might be broken down?

You see, Christmas is not about the warm, fuzzy feelings.  It’s not about the parties, or the presents, or the pound cakes.  Christmas is really about one thing:  the invasive love of God.

In the name of the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.  Amen.

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Stephen Fearing

Stephen was born in 1988 in Cookeville, TN, where his parents met whilst attending Tennessee Tech. Shortly after, they moved to Dalton, Georgia where they put down roots and joined First Presbyterian Church, the faith family that taught Stephen that he was first and foremost a beloved child of God. It was this community that taught Stephen that it was OK to have questions and doubts and that nothing he could do could every possibly separate him from the love of God. In 1995, his sister, Sarah Kate, joined the family and Stephen began his journey as a life-long musician. Since then, he has found a love of music and has found this gift particularly fitting for his call to ministry. Among the instruments that he enjoys are piano, trumpet, guitar, and handbells. Stephen has always had a love of singing and congregation song. An avid member of the marching band, Stephen was the drum major of his high school's marching band. In 2006, Stephen began his tenure at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he majored in Religion and minored in History. While attending PC, Stephen continued to explore his love of music by participating in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, Jazz Trio, as well as playing in the PC Handbell ensemble and playing mandolin and banjo PC's very own bluegrass/rock group, Hosegrass, of which Stephen was a founding member (Hosegrass even released their own CD!). In 2010, Stephen moved from Clinton to Atlanta to attend Columbia Theological Seminary to pursue God's call on his life to be a pastor in the PC(USA). During this time, Stephen worked at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. For three years, Stephen served as the Choir Director of Columbia Theological Seminary's choir and also served as the Interim Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 2014, Stephen graduated from Columbia with a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Practical Theology with an emphasis in liturgy, music, and worship. In July of 2014, Stephen was installed an ordained as Teaching Elder at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church in Shelter Island, NY. Later that year, Stephen married the love of his life, Tricia, and they share their home on Shelter Island with their Golden Doodle, Elsie, and their calico cat, Audrey. In addition to his work with the people who are Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, Stephen currently serves as a commission from Long Island Presbytery to the Synod of the Northeast and, beginning in January of 2016, will moderate the Synod's missions team.