A couple of years ago, Pew Research
conducted a poll of a random selection of people in our country regarding their
thoughts about Christmas. The encouraging news is that 92% of those who were
sampled say that they celebrate Christmas. The discouraging news is that only
half of those said that they view Christmas as a religious holiday.
Here are some other results from the
survey. Attending Christmas Eve services is on the decline. It has gone from
69% to just 54%. This next statistic doesn’t really have a whole lot to do with
my main message for today but I did find this other survey response
interesting. Sending Christmas cards through the mail is also on the decline
from 81% to now just 65% of us.
So just think about this. While the
religious meaning of the Christmas holiday is gradually falling by the wayside,
listen to how people responded to this other survey question. And again, this
is from just a few years ago.
They asked people, “What do you like least about Christmas?” The top three responses
were commercialism, all the extra shopping, and trying to get through all of
the crowded stores.
I don’t know about you, but I find these
Pew Research survey responses a bit contradictory. On one hand, we are seeing
Christmas as less of a religious holiday and more of a secular holiday. But on
the other hand, we are reacting more and more negatively toward the
non-religious practices of the holiday such as commercialism.
The commercialism side of Christmas has
really gotten out of hand for both the religious and the non-religious. That’s
why I believe our scripture readings for this morning offer us a much better
way of preparing for Christmas.
Writing hundred of years before the birth
of Christ, the prophet Isaiah, speaking to a very tired and weary people wanted
them to know that something incredibly wonderful would happen to them. God was
about to turn their darkness into light. The people would be able to experience
joy and hope.
God will send a child who will be born
unto them. All authority will rest upon his shoulders and he will be known as
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. This
child will continue the throne of David and he will uphold it with justice and
righteousness.
It is no coincidence that when Jesus began
his public ministry hundreds of years after these words were first spoken, that
he said that he came to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to
the prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
Helping people who are struggling to find
hope and freedom from despair is at the heart of the Christmas story. But somehow, we as a culture have lost sight
of the true meaning of this season. Instead of it being about Jesus’ presence,
we have made it about getting presents under the tree.
That’s why this Season of Advent and
preparation is so important for us during these weeks leading up to Christmas.
This is a time for us to reclaim the true meaning of Christmas.
The way we reclaim Christmas is the really
fun part in all of this. We reclaim Christmas by allowing God to use us to make
a difference in the world. God didn’t send us Jesus so that we can sit back and
sing Christmas carols. God sent us Jesus so that we would become his followers
and live out his mission of bringing transformation to our community and world
in very real and practical ways.
The story of God becoming human in the
person of Jesus is the miracle of all miracles. But what’s even greater than
that is in how God continues to work through ordinary people like you and me to
make a difference in the lives of others.
The question is if we are willing to
sacrifice some of our own comfort for the good of others. That’s what is
involved in having great expectations this Christmas.
Everything about our culture tells us that
Christmas is about us. Maybe this is a year when we can reclaim these words of
Isaiah and offer good news to people who are walking in the darkness of
unemployment, the darkness of poverty, the darkness of loneliness or some other
kind of darkness. Christmas is about how God’s light can remove the darkness in
people’s lives.
I enjoyed reading Pope Francis’s ten-point
outline plan for happiness. It was released a couple of years ago to celebrate
his first five hundred days in office. Coming in at number two on his list of
being happy is to give yourself to others.
Pope Francis is constantly reminding
people that charity shouldn’t stop at giving money to help others. Charity
should also include giving one’s time to someone who needs it. He says that if
we think of only ourselves, we run the risk of living stagnant lives.
Who are the people who are waiting to see
a great light? Is God calling you to share Christmas light to someone in need?
These are important questions for us during these weeks of Advent if we want to
reclaim the true meaning of Christmas.
In one
of the churches I served during the time leading up to Christmas, we helped a
man who was in his 50s. If anything can
help us keep shine Christmas light a little brighter this year, it would be
this man’s letter. Here’s what he wrote and these are totally his words:
“I receive disability and both kids live
with me right now. Me and my wife
separated a year ago and in February, we learned that our son who was 5 at the
time was being sexually abused by a cousin.
My wife had a mental breakdown and had to
stay in a hospital for a while and we both agreed that it would be best for the
kids to live with me but while my wife was in and out of the hospitals, me and
the kids were homeless and we stayed in a shelter for a couple of months and
recently received help to get me and my kids into an apartment.
From April to July, me and the kids have
lived in a tent, took baths in creek water, cook food over an open fire. Community
Action helped us get into an apartment.
In September, I had a heart attack and
found out I have a big blood clot in my heart.
They say I have not got much time so I hope that this Christmas will be
a good one for me and the kids. The kids and I don’t have much but at least we
have a home thanks to people who have helped us.”
I called
this dad to let him know that I received his letter and that our church was
glad to help them for Christmas. I offered him words of support and shared in a
prayer with him, reminding him that God was with him and that God loved him.
After I
hung up the phone, I remember thinking that Christmas never felt more real to
me than it did in that moment. And I know it had something to do with our
church shining a little Christmas light for this family.
I have learned over the years that shining God’s light
doesn’t have to be all that complicated. It’s just a matter of being open to
those nudges and seeing what God will do in and through us.
If you received a Sunday bulletin this
morning, I left a space after the order of worship where you can list three or
four items for your Christmas wish list this year. Next to each Christmas wish,
you might want to write down at least one specific way that you can be part of
making that wish come true in somebody’s life.
It might include volunteering to hand out
hot chocolate to students who will be walking by our church building during
finals week. Remember, it doesn’t have to be that complicated. It
might be doing a simple thing like offering your time and just being there for
someone in the midst of their darkness.
Sometime before leaving church today or even by the end of this week, share your list with at least one other person or with the members of your small group. Invite them to share their wish list with you and offer encouragement.
Sometime before leaving church today or even by the end of this week, share your list with at least one other person or with the members of your small group. Invite them to share their wish list with you and offer encouragement.
I also want you to know about our
church-wide Christmas wish list. For Christmas this year, our church has great
expectations to financially support our Christmas missions offering which will
be used to help build a home for a needy family through Habitat for Humanity. Next
Sunday, a representative from the Athens County Habitat for Humanity will be
sharing with us about this house that we are going to help build. By giving to
our Christmas offering, we are going to be able to keep shining Christmas light
throughout the year.
Our expectations are related to our views
on the true meaning of Christmas. Is Christmas about us or is it really about
what God can accomplish in and through us? Is Christmas really just about going
shopping or is it about bringing God’s light to where there is darkness? What
sacrifices will we need to make so that the good news of Christmas will help
others experience transformation in their lives?
This past summer, Penny and I bought
lights for our deck. We strung them around the boards that surround our deck.
It looked beautiful when we had them on during the evening hours.
We hosted an evening event at our house
and we were looking forward to showing off our deck lights to everyone. When we
plugged in those lights for that special occasion, there was this big popping
sound. The string of lights were now broken. We were so disappointed! We wanted
our company to enjoy those lights around our deck.
The next day, we talked about replacing
those string of lights. We decided to not get the same kind of lights that went
out. Penny said, “We should just get a
string of Christmas lights like you wrap around the tree. Those lights are what
we probably need.”
She was right. Our new
Christmas lights that now wrap around our deck have worked a lot better than
the other kind of lights. We are literally shining the light of Christmas out
on our deck.
On this first Sunday of Advent, we are
reminded to shine Christmas light by serving others and to make their Christmas
a lot brighter. This is the true meaning of Christmas, not the shallow
understanding of Christmas that is so much part of our culture.
Christmas is about great expectations.
It’s about a prophet who announces to a disheartened people that God will send
a child who will be known as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.
This year, let’s reclaim Christmas. May
this season be a time where we allow God to use us to bring light to those who
are in darkness. Let’s shine the light of Christmas and make a difference in
people’s lives.
You know, sometimes I wonder what is the
most important part of the worship service. Is it the singing of our favorite
hymns? Is it the great music? Is it the above average sermons?
No. All of those things are important.
Don’t get me wrong.
The best part of the worship service is at
the very end when the acolyte carries the light of Christ out of the room. That
is such a powerful reminder to each one of us that whenever we leave this
place, we too are called to shine the light of Christmas wherever we go.
Church, for Christmas this year, let’s shine our light!
Shine Christmas Light!
Small Group Questions
Isaiah 9:2-7
November 27, 2016
A Pew Research poll that was conducted in 2013 indicates that only half of Americans view Christmas as a religious holiday. Attending Christmas Eve worship is on the decline. Fewer people are sending out Christmas cards. The poll also found that most Americans do not like the commercialism of Christmas.
Why do you think people are viewing Christmas more as a secular rather than a religious holiday?
During the season of Advent, our church is seeking to reclaim the true meaning of Christmas. To reclaim Christmas is to put the focus on Christ's birth rather than upon on ourselves. One of the ways we can reclaim Christmas is to develop a "Reclaim Christmas Wish List" that includes doing things during these weeks leading up to Christmas that will be a blessing to others.
Below, list items that you want to do this year in order to "Reclaim Christmas" and be a blessing to others.
1. ______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
One of the ways that we can reclaim Christmas this year and shine Christmas light for others is to offer a gift toward our missions offering which will be used to build an Athens County Habitat for Humanity home for a needy family. Take a moment as a group to pray for a generous response from our congregation as we offer our gifts toward this year's missions offering.
Share a time where you experienced someone reclaim the true meaning of Christmas by blessing others.
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