Christmas Day 2010

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Christmas Day Service

December 2010

Introduction

Christmas, it seems to me, seems to be very much aboutchildhood and children. Im sure that the children heretoday would agree, but even if were no longer children,

the point still applies. Besides the fact that many of ushave children and so spend a great deal of time, effort

and money at time of year trying to ensure that theyhave the best possible time thus keeping the world

economy afloat many of the activities and rituals thatwe ourselves enjoy at Christmas stem from our

childhood memories.

Bearing this in mind, perhaps then, life should be livedbackwards

I think that the life cycle is all backward.

You should die first and get it out of the way.Then live twenty years in an old peoples home.You get kicked out when you're too young.

You get a gold watch, you go to work.You work forty yearsuntil you're young enough to enjoy your retirement.You go to college;you party until you're ready for high school;

you go to primary school;you become a little kid;you play.You have no responsibilities.

You become a little baby;you go back into the womb;you spend your last months floating;and you finish up as a gleam in somebody's eye.

We were all children once

Whos Who baby pictures


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Its not that there isnt evidence for the Christian faith -there is and so people like Richard Dawkins who place

the Christmas story of a par with other well known

legends are being completely unreasonable and I thinkthey know it. The point is that in life there are few if

any absolute certainties. All knowledge is only ever an

approximation and a provisional one at that.

c.f. John Henry Newman A Grammar of Assent

Perhaps, then, we need to be a little more childlike in

our thinking this Christmas. Not suspend our critical

faculties, but at least be more open minded, exercise ourimaginations, allow the story to take root in our lives.

Quote The Pope

God is always faithful to his promises, but he often surprises

us in the way he fulfils them.

II. A need for HELP

A child passes on many stages on their way to

adulthood. Thats why being a parent can be such achallenge! Just as you get to grips with one stage, your

kids move on to the next.

POEM

The children Jesus welcomes in this passage are small

little children (vv.16,17) though that does notnecessarily mean babies in spite of the NIV translation

of v.15, for the same word is used in 2 Timothy 3.15 todescribe someone who could understand what was being

read to them. What is in important is that, in the worldof Jesus day, these were nobodies, those of low status.Hence the disciples indignant reaction, literally even

infants (Greek?) (Note by the way Jesus implicitrebuke of the disciples: there is a sermon on hospitality

here somewhere)

What is being emphasised here, then, is that those who

wish to enter the Kingdom of God, that is, live theirlives in the new way God intends, have to acknowledge

their dependent status. Or to put it another way, theyneed to be able to receive.


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This is a constant feature in the Gospels, particularlyLuke

c.f. Luke 1.50-55c.f. Publican and Pharisee

c.f. Rich Man and Jesus

As adults, many of us have learnt a false sense ofindependence and so need to learn, once again, our need

of others including God. Deep down all of us need whatJesus Christ has to offer:

- forgiveness- direction

- strength

Perhaps that is why brokenness can lead to blessedness,because when we are broken we are not too proud to ask

for the help of another. It is something most of usdread, but something we maybe all of us need.

Where meek souls will receive him still the dear Christ enters in

c.f. the entrance to the Church of the Nativityc.f. the open hand of faith

e.g. Ken Longman

III. A load of TRUST

Children have an amazing capacity for trust. That is

why they have to be protected.

e.g. my nephew David who thought he was Superman

and so jumped out of a window.

If TV has taught me anything, its that miracles always happen topoor kids at Christmas. It has happened to Tiny Tim, ithappened to Charlie Brown, it happened to the Smurfs, and now

its gonna happen to us! Bart Simpson

Part of growing up is to learn not to be so gullible,

learning to be independent. However, in the process ourcapacity for love can be seriously diminished, for to

receive and to give love, we have to open up ourlives to others. The same is true of our capacity for God.


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An unwillingness to trust is another adult behaviour thathas to be unlearnt for there is one word that God expects

all of His children to know (and to say), Father (abba)

c.f. Jesus

c.f. Paul

This applies in good times and bad

The Good News of Christmas is that God is trustworthy.He never renegades on His promises

Conclusion

Stewart Townsend

Christmas Day 2010

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