RWJ/Pottersville UMC 12/23/12 Sermon - “Born in rags in an animal stable”

Sunday 12/23/12 RWJ/Pottersville UMC

Sermon: “Born in rags in an animal stable”                                                                                   

Scripture Lesson: Micah 5:2-5a

                                             

Gospel Lesson: Luke 1:46b-55

          Good morning brothers and sisters! It’s good to be here with you worshipping this morning, and I hope that you all have had a blessed week.

          This morning, on this Fourth Sunday of Advent we continue to move towards Christmas. Towards the coming of the Lord. Towards the coming of Jesus Christ, the child whom would change the world forever. The child who would restore within us a sense of hope, a sense peace, and a belief in a better tomorrow. In this advent season, amidst suffering, amidst tragedies, amidst hardship, we wait and we hope for the Messiah. For our hope is what sustains us, and our hope is found in a baby named Jesus Christ. On this morning we wait with wonderment, with joy, for some us with pain, yet we all know he is coming. Jesus Christ is coming! Coming to deliver us from sin and death, coming to deliver us from pain and suffering, and coming to deliver us from hardship and struggle. For in Jesus there is no death. For in Jesus we find life without end, joy everlasting, and peace beyond all understand, and yes brothers and sisters he is coming!

          As we look at our churches in this and in our surrounding communities at time of the year, we can easily see all sorts of Nativity scenes and decorations. Some churches have elaborate nativity scenes. Some of them have exquisite looking wise men, well-made shepherds and camels, and a well-made Joseph and Mary. Yet in the middle of all this is a little wooden manger. This manger is often not much to look at, as most are filled with hay, and at Christmas a little baby. I have wondered sometimes, what if people were to visit our communities from other countries this time of the year, and have never seen a Nativity scene? What if we were to explain to such foreign visitors that the savior of the entire world was “born in rags in an animal stable?” I would think that such persons whom have never seen a Nativity scene, would say, “So let me get this straight, you believe that the savior of all of world, was born in rags in an animal stable?” Imagine the likely confusion and shock on the faces of these people. They might think, “How can this be?” I mean imagine if you were unaware of the Nativity story, and you found out that the savior of the world was “born in rags in an animal stable?”

          If we were to write our own Nativity stories, I would imagine they would be different than the one we have come to know in the gospels. I would likely in my own vision of the nativity story put Jesus in a grand palace, and have him be born in the most extravagant of ways. Yet while the kings of earth were living and being born in these ways, and while Caesar and Herod were living and being born in these ways, Jesus comes to us in born in rags in an animal stable. The savior of the world, the one whom the prophets foretold, the one whom the weak and suffering cry out for even now, will be coming to us born in rags in animal stable. The real question though, is why would God come to us like this?

          In the scripture reading from Micah this morning, it says “But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one off the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, for ancient days.” This one, Jesus, will come to us born in rags in an animal stable. The scripture goes on to say, “Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel.” In this scripture verse, the prophet Micah is prophesying the birth of Jesus, and the “she who is in labor” he speaks of, is Mary. The prophet Micah continues on to say, “And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.” The one will stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord will come to us born in rags in an animal stable. Micah concludes in our scripture reading this morning by saying, “And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be one of peace.” In all of his glory, in all of his grace, he decides to come to us in the purest and simplest of ways. He comes to us humbly and lowly. Surely this King of King must be truly great, to come to us in this way. Jesus wanted to show us, that to truly be great, that we must be the least. To be truly be the greatest, we must humble ourselves before all people. To be the holiest, we must be a servant of all people. Instead of coming down to us like a conquering hero, Jesus not only comes to save us, but to teach us a new way of being. How to be the servant of all people, how to love all people, and to live for one another.

          In fact, the gospel of Luke reading from this morning says, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.” You see Jesus came not to save the high and mighty, but to save the lowly, the broken, the weak, the unfortunate, and the forgotten. Jesus is the savior of the common man, and yet is the savior of all people. Jesus came to us born in rags in an animal stable. The gospel reading from this morning goes on to say, “he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly, he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.” For he is coming to us brothers and sisters, born in rags in animal stable, and he comes to us in this way to us, to teach us that the savior of the world is determined to teach us how to truly love and teach each other. That he will save us and yet teach us how to be better. How to really serve one another, how to be holy, how to humble ourselves before all people, as he has done for us. For he comes to us born in rags in animal stable to show us that the one whom created the whole universe and everything in it loves us so much that would come to us in this way, and die for us, so that may live. This then, is why he came to us, born in rags in animal stable.

I would like to close this morning with a good Christmas story.  This story is called A Glass of Milk - The Milk of Human Kindness, and is a true story. Here is how the story goes: One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, How much do I owe you?" You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness." He said..... "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Many years later that same young woman became critically ill.  The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.  Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.  Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case.  After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, and then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words..... "Paid in full with one glass of milk" (Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly. Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed:  "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands." 
          There's a saying which goes something like this: Bread cast on the waters comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the least expected time.  If you never see the deed again at least you will have made the world a better place. - And, after all, isn't that what life is all about?

          Brothers and sisters, the savior of the world comes to us born in rags in animal stable. He saves us humbly, lovingly, and as a lowly servant. As we move into Christmas let us remember that love came down at Christmas, and the world will ever more be changed. For he comes to us born in rags in an animal stable. Amen.