The Humble Manger

Christmas Eve

• Advent is waiting for the coming of God, the fulfillment of God’s plan.

• What am I waiting for? The end of spam mail. For real. Oh the problems we have, right?

• I've been thinking about the troubles of the world, and how does Christmas, how does Jesus & faith in Jesus address them.

Two biggies: pride and fear. 

Pride being Mine is better, I am worthy of your attention, my priority is me, I am the most trustworthy in my life, I don’t trust you or government or God, I trust me.  Perhaps an exaggeration but you can’t remove from pride that pride has “I” in the middle.

Two biggies: pride and fear. 

Fear being someone may try to take what I have, or I may somehow lose what I have. Loss of freedom, safety, security.  Fear that we are alone.

Fear and pride are partners, and they separate us from others and from God.

What’s Christmas have to do with this?

Jesus came in an ultimate example of humility, and came that we might not fear, and that we might not be alone. He came humbly, perhaps to ward off pride, perhaps to teach us to do the same, perhaps to say to us “I know. I’m there with you.”

Others came to steal and destroy, Jesus says in John 10, but I came that they might have life to the full. Life free from fear, free from pride, full of the goodness of God.

• photo caption (Rev. Adam Hamilton shared a photo of a rural domestic cave that he thinks is similar to what Jesus was likely born in. I used that picture in worship along with Rev. Hamilton's caption: )

As you likely know, the tradition is that Jesus was born in a cave which served as a stable for the animals. This was, and continues to be a common practice in the area around Bethlehem The cave was located underneath a house (not an inn - the word in Luke's gospel often translated inn is better translated as "guest room"). The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is built atop a cave said to be the site of Jesus' birth. 

While hiking in the Judean wilderness this past February, I came across this home near Bethlehem. It is undoubtedly larger than the home where Jesus was born, but it gives you a sense of the humble conditions of his birth. Note the cave in the foreground where the animals are still kept to this day. This is the kind of place I imagine Mary gave birth to Jesus. Sorry it is a bit out of focus - I had to blow the pic up and crop it as it was shot from a mile away. 

• Therefore examine your own pride, and fear, and humility. Make room in your heart for Jesus, & every living being. Yourself included. And participate in God’s lighting of the world.

• Pray: We love you, there is room in our hearts for you. Thank you. Keep speaking.

• Adult Choir Cantata: God Speaking