Worship Schedule
This is the beginning of the story of Jesus Christ.
It all happens in Bethlehem, Bethlehem comes complete.
In a stable, in a manger and in the fields adjacent with shepherds watching their flocks, in the dark of night.
Bethlehem, the city of David. The place where 1000 years before the prophet Samuel came to look at the lineup of Jesse’s sons and chose the youngest, the shepherd David to be king of Israel. Other places are certainly associated with David as other places are certainly associated with Jesus – Jesus “of Nazareth”, baptized in the Jordan River, water to wine, the first miracle in Cana, sermon on the mount in Galilee, crucifixion and resurrection in Jerusalem.
But this is the beginning of the story.
It all happens in Bethlehem. Bethlehem comes complete.
In a stable, with a manger, and in the fields, shepherds watching their flocks by night—and angels come to sing.
Even as Jesus in the manger is the sign of God for God’s people – Bethlehem is the beginning, the home place.
I’ve heard modern Southwestern cowboys talk about home as the home place – whether they live there or not, the home place is the places where promises are remembered, solemnized, validated.
That all but forgotten promises remembered solemnized, validated.
Bethlehem is our original home place.
No matter where you live or have lived No matter how far you may have wandered from home or a home place, yearning for angels or even having forgotten angels altogether. No matter how many addresses you can remember or recite – 782 E 32nd St in Brooklyn, NY, 1100 E 55 St. Chicago IL, Gorman Road and Darby Road in Brooklyn CT, 33 Melody court and 71 Davis Road in Fairfield, and 501 Lovely Street in Avon. No matter where you have heard other angels sing for joy; Bethlehem trumps them all this evening. For you and I, like the shepherds, have been called home for this all but forgotten promise.
The shepherds are our role models tonight. They heard, they saw, they came, and they left. It was a glimpse of their salvation, “good news of a great joy for all the people, for to you is born this day in the city of David a savior which is Christ the Lord, and this will be a sign for you, you will find a babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
They, like us, as we listen to the singing tonight, glorified and praised God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Can you remember all thatt you have seen and heard about Christmas?
Can you find a way to glorify God for what you have seen and heard (each Christmas?) Healing, laughter, parents, family, children, birthdays, baptisms, the big gifts at Christmas, the trains, the bikes, the skis…
The shepherds left.
And it became for them an all but forgotten memory – the memory of Christmas and Bethlehem will be all but absent from the records of Jesus’ ministry. The shepherds will not appear again in print.
But did the shepherds forget? Do you think they could have? Have you forgotten, or do you, when the memory is resurrected (these months before Easter) recall the promises?
Do you remember your trips to Bethlehem’s homeplace? Bethlehem complete with its shepherds, its trees, its stockings, its presents, its carols, its candles; the warmth the trust, the believing. Remember a gift you gave that was received and opened with a smile or a tear, and yet not one word was spoken. The sure and certain confidence that God has entered your life, and welcomes you to a new wholeness, a new enfolding of the Sprit’s grace, a new strengthening of faith, a new beginning.
Here’s the deal:
Nothing is missing tonight. Bethlehem comes complete. Like a kit. Like the stable I made for my son years ago, with Mary and Joseph and the baby in a manger. Some sheep and some shepherds and even a nail to hang a hovering angel.
Bethlehem comes complete, with memories; with a reminder of the all but forgotten promises -- a reminder that God’ keeps Gods promises.
Bethlehem comes complete with food. All different, yet each authentic to your home…Viennese crescents, cut out cookies, beef, turkey, ham, goose, Chinese food, the feast of the 7 fishes…
Bethlehem comes complete with a sound track. On how many of the carols we sing tonight could you close your eyes and sing, at least the first stanza, and maybe the refrain without looking?
Bethlehem comes complete, with presents – some get toys, in piles, all wrapped, some get gift cards, some get mittens and hats, like those that filled our Church tree. Some play only with last years memories of a person or a gift. But even that will be enough.
For now the beginning can be remembered again.
Now the all but forgotten promise can be remembered, recalled and trusted again.
“For today is born to you in the city of David, a savior.”
Today, at the beginning of the story, there is “good news of a great joy which will be for all the people.” For all the people, & for you.
I wrote these words in their first drafts in two places almost in the shadow of Washington square Park and the newly lighted Christmas tree beneath the arch. Inside one, a son and his mother were speaking French in the seats next to me, the blue book of Christmas poems I was paging through was written by a Russian who loved to spend time in Venice. The waiter who brought me my coffee was from Ecuador I think, Italian food was being ordered and the kind man who has become my friend and poured my wine has worked in the same general area for 30years…
Outside people walked by speaking English and Arabic and German and Spanish and Hebrew, and texting and gesturing in the unmistakable language of New York. And here we sit tonight, our voices accented with the intonations of the Midwest, Boston, Brooklyn, New Jersey Michigan and California with roots in Italy, England, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Finland, Hungary, Iran, India, you name it…
A great joy for all the people.
Now Bethlehem is indeed complete and fulfilled.
Now the Christ is born, yet again. Now the angels sing.
Now the shepherds give thanks to God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
I plan on doing just that. I trust that you will find ways to join me. Later tonight, or early in the morning. For weeks to come. To find a way to give thanks to God, at the beginning of the story.
Merry Christmas. Amen
W.S. Carter 12/21/09 Otto, Babbo, NYC