Isaiah 61:10-62:3  Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7  John 1:1-18  Psalm 147 or 147:13-21

“And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory.”

In the weeks to come, we will celebrate the birthdays of late great men in our society – Martin Luther King, Jr.; Abraham Lincoln; and George Washington.  These are men whose birth dates are honored because they grew to become leaders, contributing significantly to our country’s formation and heritage.  I can remember eating cherry tarts in elementary school to commemorate George Washington’s birthday, as we would hear the story repeated of our first president’s integrity in his confession to his father that he did indeed chop down the cherry tree.  He could not tell a lie, we are told.

We should remember and acknowledge the great contributions of our country’s leaders; we should glean wisdom from their life lessons and continue their honorable callings.

It concerns me, however, that we too often acknowledge Jesus’ birth in a similarly simplistic earthly way.  Do we remember Jesus’ birth date every December 25th simply because he grew up to be a great man?  We have some fruitcake and eggnog to celebrate his birthday.  But, do we take time to peel away the distraction of the festivities and see what it’s really all about?

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he writes that Christ Jesus revealed true faith.  Was Jesus simply a great prophet – a seer and revealer of God’s intentions for all creation? 

We know Jesus of Nazareth as a great teacher who redefined God’s law for us humans, living his life on earth so that we might take up his example in living in relationship with another.  Does that role model end with his earthly death?

We recognize Jesus Christ as our redeemer.  Did God’s intentions for our redemption become possible only due to the birth of Jesus?  Did this plan for redemption begin on December 25 in year 0000?  Did God say, “Ah, this newborn babe in the feeding trough has real potential; now perhaps I can make a plan to redeem creation.”?

Do we define Christmas simply as the birthday of Jesus of Nazareth who just happened to grow up to be a great man?  So, we celebrate with fruitcake and eggnog, and then we move on to the next birthday celebration….

No, the Apostle Paul and the writer of John’s Gospel do not allow us to carry on in this state of ignorance and superficial understanding. 

Jesus’ earthly birth occurred, says the Apostle Paul, “when the fullness of time had come.”  Paul assures us that the birth of Jesus Christ was, from the beginning, all part of God’s plan, in God’s time, on God’s terms.

Jesus’ earthly birth was not a happenstance; and, Jesus did not, simply by coincidence, become a great man.  Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh – God Incarnate.  His earthly birth was an intentional event in God’s divine plan – God’s one story of redemption of all creation. 

John’s inspired words of Good News are clear:  “In the beginning was the Word [big W], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….  And the Word became flesh and lived among us.”  The Word became the Incarnate Word – the Word made flesh.  There is nothing coincidental or superficial:  God, in his divine eternal plan, in the fullness of time, came to earth, being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, birthed in a cattle stall because there was no room in the inn.  God came to earth on that first Christmas – the all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present God fulfilled his plan in the birth of Jesus Christ – that’s not just fruitcake and eggnog.

The “Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung.”  We will sing this beautiful Christmas hymn [#81] as we share communion.  The quietness of this time in our worship will offer you an opportunity to reflect and inwardly digest the words of the hymn.  The words of Verse 3 encompass the Gospel message:

O Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
dispel in glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
true man, yet very God,
from sin and death now save us, and share our every load.

The fragrance of our Lord’s presence fills the air – continues, ever-present, to fill the air and dispel the darkness.

Fully man, yet fully God, our Lord came to earth from heaven on the day we celebrate as Christmas.  He was a great prophet, a great teacher, a great man, but above all the Word made flesh, God Incarnate. 

We can consume the last of the fruitcake and eggnog, pack away the ornaments, and haul the discarded gift wrappings to the curb.  But, that sweet fragrance made possible by the earthly birth of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, has redeemed us once and for all time.  Jesus Christ carries our every load every day.

We are none worthy, but we come worthily to share in his Body and Blood, to celebrate our redemption – all according to God’s eternal plan – the Word made flesh, living among us.  We are living members of the Word made flesh.