Lent 2 "Good News for Facing Our Fears: Accepted or Not?"

Greg Martin Zion Lutheran

One of the great ontological quests of life is in seeking after a sense of acceptance. Everyone wants to fit in some way or the other. Even if fitting is to stand out as different from all the rest, one has a sense of being a part of the whole. This effort to fit in or not can conjure up all sorts of fears. Fears of being liked or not. Fears that we might never have significant relationships, or don't really ma tter in the scheme of things. \par Here is a common plight of most people: to gain a sense of acceptance from those we respect, love, or by whom we want to be loved and appreciated. It is not always easy to fit in when you are different. My brothers and sisters and even closer family have said for years: Greg, you're weird! I won't argue that point, because I tend to say the wrong things at the wrong time, or come up with some odd ball ideas. I have accepted the fact that is just me. In other words it's not really my problem but theirs! Well that's not completely true as you know. People have issues with rejection; who doesn't? I am truly upset when others are upset with me. Underneath it all is the fear of not being liked or fitting in where you want to fit in.

As a child I remember trying to find acceptance among a group of older boys, who essentially used me for doing their dirty work and bossing me around. I soon gravitated back to those my own age. In High School I was a "want to be athlete" , with one skill, running. The track and cross country teams were not the most popular sports; in fact, I was on the first cross country team. We were a bunch of misfits, looked upon as those who couldn't play the only one real fall sport at Lane High: football. But we found a sense of comradery and care for each other and that was good. We affirmed and accepted each other as integral to the whole. Track also gave me opportunity to rub elbows and get to know some of the truly gifted athletes and that was so affirming to fit there. In my family as the oldest of 6, I tried my best to meet my parents' expectations... I was dutiful and compliant and generally kept the folks happy. The rub came when I tried to take charge of the brothers and sisters, and that's when the fit became a bit tight. Now we can laugh about it.

If matters of acceptance within the human community were not enough to deal with, as a people of faith we have the added burden of finding acceptance in the sight of God. In the dark of night, Nicodemus came to see Jesus. We can imagine the fears he faced. He was a great teacher of his people the Jews. As a Pharisee he had responsibilities to uphold, including the law of Israel. He knew the law, but much of what he believed was brought into question the longer he listened to the radical Galilean Rabbi Jesus. The things Jesus said had a bitter duality for Nicodemus. Some of his teachings were at the same time contrary to the law, yet seemed more profound and truthful than what he had lived with for a lifetime. So Jesus not only perked Nicodemus' curiosity but caused him to question the negative things others were saying about Jesus. And apparently Nicodemus spoke for others in the circle of the 70 leaders of the Sanhedrin. "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."

A light had entered the world of darkness in the person of Jesus Christ, and Nicodemus began to question his fit into the plan of God. And Jesus played right into it all by raising something for Nicodemus to contemplate: "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." It seems that this is a new concept for the great Jewish leader. He is taken back by it all because he asks a rather silly question about how can anyone re-enter their mother's womb and be born. Jesus doesn't respond tritely but profoundly; he doesn't reject but invites Nicodemus into a new relationship with his God. "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above. "

Much of what we cherish and observe as religious people is that which governs and guides our life of the flesh. The greatest troubles or issues the church faces today are over worldly matters, not that religion doesn't have profound influence on our day to day living. But Jesus lifts up a radically significant thing, experiencing a spiritual birth, a relationship whose foundation is to be born anew in ones walk with God. With such a focus or priority in ones life, the other stuff will fall into place.

That's the hard one for us: God first, me and mine next. If Nicodemus wanted to fit, be accepted into a right relationship with God, one which included the Kingdom of God, his life would have to change. Try and try as we do, change comes slow and difficult, I know it does for me. The old sinful self tugs us in the opposite direction God would have us go. Yet the good news is that God tugs back just as hard with the Lord's acceptance and love of us in spite of. As with most change, the dynamic of trust is implicit. Nicodemus would have to let go of his religious legalism and have faith that what God was doing in Jesus was the right thing for him. Darkness had become his shield, and Jesus invites him to step into the light of God's revelation of truth and love in the person of Jesus. Nicodemus was curious, and he suspected Jesus was right, but could he give up the safety net that guarded and guaranteed his future?

What is our assurance of acceptance by God that warrants the step of faith Jesus called Nicodemus and us to take? The assurance is in the cross. This is the hard data of faith; this is the proof, if you need it, of God's desire to accept even the unacceptable. God does not place the task of gaining acceptance upon our shoulders. God offers it as a gift out of love. Abram was called out from his nomadic life, from a polytheistic world of gods, to leave home land behind, and go where God would have him go, with but a promise that he would be blessed in doing so. And he went, and God provided and made a people of Abram and Sarai. Paul affirmed this in the epistle to the Romans: "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." Not in his doing anything, not by his earning or deserving did Abraham receive God's blessing, but by his Faith in what God promised.

Trust, believe, be born of the spirit, born of God and you shall see the Kingdom of God, was Jesus' message to Nicodemus. It is Jesus' message to us. And from this trust, this faith the life we are called to as disciples can then become a reality. For in the words of Mary, with God, nothing is impossible. Our lives can begin the transformation needed to be the Godly people we were created. Again the beginning point is nurturing that spiritual life with God .

What is our assurance of acceptance? "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through HIM." Amen

Sermon for Lent 1          Matthew 4:1-11                     Feb. 13, 2005

During my first week of seminary, one of my professor made a statement in class that was a real “eye-opener” and what he said gave me a new perspective on the next four years.He spoke about testing.Everyone here has taken a test at one time or another – in school, at work – we’ve taken tests to obtain our driver’s license and the list goes on.What is one thing that almost every test we’ve taken have in common?Our fear!For the most part we dread taking tests out of fear that we might fail.

And that’s what I always thought – tests were given with the intent of trying to fail the testee.But that professor assured the class of just the opposite.He said testing is meant to determine what a person knows and can do rather than what he or she does not know – at least at the seminary.Of course there are exceptions to this, but in an ideal world, success is the desired outcome.

I mention all of this because of the Gospel text for this morning.In the very first verse we hear that “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”The Greek word translated as tempted is also translated as tested.And the twist on this passage is that it is both – Jesus is both tempted and tested.

Since we have already determined that testing is designed to produce success, could we also then agree that the intent of temptation is to cause one to fail?And that’s exactly what the evil one desired – for Jesus to fail, to turn away from God’s by submitting to the temptation self-fulfillment.

The author of one commentary puts it in this way: "The Devil does not tempt Jesus to doubt his divine Sonship, just pronounced at his baptism, but to rely on that Sonship in self-serving ways that would lead him disobediently from the path to the cross."

At the same time Jesus is being tempted by Satan, God is using the situation as a test, wanting Jesus to succeed.Perhaps the reason for Jesus' "testing" in the wilderness is best described in Deut. 8:2-3: Remember the long way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

So, why does God test people? One reason is given in Deut. 13:3b: "for the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you indeed love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul."Loving the Lord also means trusting the Lord and trusting the Lord means that we have faith in God always knowing what is best for us.And God wants us to have faith – to succeed in trusting Him.

However, at the same time that God is "testing" us to discover the depths of our faithfulness, the "Tempter" may be "tempting" us to sin. God's purpose is to strengthen faith. Satan's purpose is to weaken faith; to change our wills is by lying, by stretching the truth. The irony of the work of the evil one is that we are not necessarily enticed to do horrible, evil acts; but we are often tempted to good things but for the wrong reasons.

We can get an idea of this by looking at the first temptation.Since Jesus has spent the last 40 days fasting and is famished, the devil tempts him to turn stones into bread.What's wrong with that – especially if you have the ability – when the end result would be enough to feed the hungry including yourself? He could have easily justified giving in to the temptation knowing the good he could do.

In this instance, Jesus was tempted to do a good thing for the wrong reason and at the wrong time. The right reason and time comes later when he will turn a couple fish and five loaves of bread into a feast for 5000.

Of course we don’t have the ability to turn stones into bread, but perhaps this illustration – though not as profound in the grand scheme of things as Jesus’ being tempted may be more along the lines of decisions that confront us and what it means to choose what is right even if that is the most difficult choice.

In order to play a sport for a certain university, every player signed a covenant with the coach, and the team, that they would refrain from using drugs and/or alcohol. And being a faith-based institution, the covenant was also made with God.

At the end of last season, a number of the players were caught drinking at one player’s apartment.The player who hosted the parties was given the option of remaining on the team but serving a four game suspension at the opening of the fall season and promising not to drink again during season – or – not to play for the team at all.Originally he said he couldn’t make that promise and opted quit the team.

In the mean time, the university altered their policy on eligibility and adopted a “3 strikes and you’re out” model which is to say that covenants made with God and one another are virtually meaningless – at least for the first two times it’s broken.  Now this player has changed his mind and was reinstated to the team – which is acceptable – it’s called grace.However, he was also chosen as a captain for the coming year

Another player now finds himself in a dilemma and asks: do I continue to play the sport I love but with players who do not take the promises they make seriously and for a Christian coach and Christian university who are not willing to hold people accountable for promises made to one another and God – or do I take my promises seriously and stick to my standards and my ethics by choosing to do what I believe to be right?

The temptation comes when he is faced with thoughts like “What about grace?” or “go ahead and play for the good of the team – you’re needed.”The test comes in deciding whether or not to make a choice that truly lives out one’s faith.  You see, this issue has nothing to do with the ethics of drinking or not – it does, however, have everything to do with honoring a commitment made to one’s neighbor and to God.

And that’s the difficult choice because it requires one to sacrifice possibly being labeled a quitter or failure for the commitment of being faithful to what he believes to be God’s will and desire for him.It saddens me that I may never see our son Devon play soccer again, but I have never been more proud of him than I am for his choice to remain faithful to what he believes is God’s will.

If you fear failure – and we all do – resist temptation because the tempter wants you to fail.God wants to you succeed and we do that by relying on God’s Word and being faithful by trusting in God’s promise.And you know the great thing is, when the temptation to sin is more than we can resist and we falter, God’s forgiving grace is even more powerful than our sin.

Thanks be to God!

Sermon for Epiphany 4         Micah, 1 Cor., Matthew              January 30, 2005

I am amazed that as a species – an intelligent species at that – we humans have a tendency to make things much more difficult than they really need to be.I am a prime example of that.Two weeks ago, I began to read over the lessons for today; in fact that is how I began my mornings, reading and praying over these texts.Tuesday morning Pastor Martin and I attended our clergy Bible Study and intelligently discussed these passages with other clergy.

I prepared and led Thursday evening’s Bible Study where again we read and discussed them – I re-read the texts again on Friday and even recalling our discussion from the night before, I struggled with not only how I was going to begin this message, but also how it would develop.The more I fretted over my lack of insight or inspiration, the more frustrated I became.

I prayed and stared at the computer.I took a walk and prayed and stared at the computer.I looked at the texts thinking I’d find some theologically profound gem hidden in here somewhere that would eventually jump out, that in essence I’d have an epiphany.The only thing that kept coming to me – and it didn’t seem very profound – was the title of a book I bought a long time ago, “Back to Basics.”

Well, DUH! – that’s one of the images we discussed Thursday night.As I said before, I often make things more difficult, like taking the round-about way – with its’ bumps and detours.But eventually I get back to basics- where I understand the basics simply to be God is a God of grace.Sometimes I forget to ask the basic question of scripture, “What is God’s Good News in the text?” to which I believe the answer always ends up at the same place – grace.

In the first lesson, the prophet reminds the people that they have again broken their part of the covenant by turning away from God which is why they were in this exile mess to begin with.

But because of grace, God isn’t in their face with their sin, instead Israel is given gentle reminders of God’s previous acts of grace rescuing Israel from slavery in Egypt and being present with them as they enter the Promised Land.

Well, I suppose one could say that they thought they were exhibiting how wise they were to the situation and believed they could “buy” their way back into God’s good graces by offering to God items of great value – calves, rams, oil and then even raising the ante to include sacrificing their first born child as if God wanted any of this in return for God’s grace.

What God wants, they and we already know – it’s in the stipulations of the covenant – the Law of Moses and if we look carefully at the 10 Commandments – without making them more complicated than they need to be – they tell us simply that God requires that we do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God.

What God requires is that they to go back to basics.Unfortunately, our human condition tricks us into thinking we are in control of our destiny by what we think we are able to do.That is the wisdom of the world, which is of course foolishness to God.

All three of our texts incorporate this idea of foolishness verses wisdom and like Jesus often did when comparing the worldly with the divine, he stood the worldly on it’s head in a complete reversal from what was and is considered the norm.Of course, in the beatitudes – as we heard this morning – Jesus shreds the Old Testament notions of what it means to be blessed – the more I have the more I am blessed.

This notion is of course, relative and has the potential of excluding a large segment of humanity.Jesus goes back to basics by reminding us that blessings are not based on what I might be willing or able to do, it comes from God grace – inclusive of everyone.

But I think were we truly see the reversal is in Paul’s words about the cross and proclaiming Christ crucified.How could the cross be anything but nonsensical; how could anyone believe that eternal life for all of humanity could come from the death of one man?The whole idea is foolishness.

Yes it is foolishness – God’s foolishness.Think ahead a little to Holy Week, and the passion narrative – people looking up at Jesus on the cross and saying, “he has saved others and yet cannot save himself.”Human wisdom sees this as weakness – this poor man being tortured on a cross in such a humiliating way.God’s foolishness knows this as strength – that by not saving himself – humanity is saved for all time.

Personally, I’m thankful for God’s foolishness, because then my future doesn’t rest on my being wise – especially since I am foolish enough to make things more difficult than they need to be.That’s why the final verse from Micah is so monumental in its simplicity.Simple though it is, it isn’t easy and that’s where God’s grace again comes in.God knows that even our very best attempts fall desperately short, and yet they aren’t counted against us.

One more word about wisdom and foolishness – the second part of verse 7 in Micah.We – humanity – think we have God all figured out.“Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”What we need to do is get back to the basics by remembering that Christ Jesus is the source of life.

What God basically did was reverse some of these human words of wisdom and show us our foolishness by revealing God’s true wisdom – “I give my firstborn for your transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of your soul.”To which God wants us to respond in the most basic of ways – to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

January 23, 2005 Zion Ev. Lutheran Church

An often neglected occasion in the life of the church transpired this week: observance of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The tragedy of our faith as Christians is that there even need be a week set aside for such a thing. For it implies that there is not unity in the very body of Christ, the church. Every denomination and congregation should be abhorred that time and history have brought about such division that w e need a special week in which we pray, teach; preach on the need for unifying the community of faith.

Remember poor Linus and some of his confrontations with Lucy in the Peanuts comic strip? A memorable one is the time Lucy demands that Linus change T V channels and then threatens him with her fist if he doesn't. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus. "These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold." "Which channel do you want?" asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?" It's like the little girl who came home to her grandmother and told her about her three playmates. Grandma, they all attend different churches. Then she added, 'It really doesn't matter if we go to different churches, does it Grandma -- just as long as we're all Republicans?'"

Is Linus' question too simple to ask of Christ's church? Why can't you guys and gals get organized like that? Our petty differences wax pale in comparison to the one thing that we all hold in common, the source of strength and unity for the church: that Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins, one and all. Yet if there is a more fragmented group in this vastly diverse world I am not sure what it would be other than the church. We have so many different expressions of the church today. Christ's church in its many different expr e ssion make it so difficult for us to bring the collective power and presence and influence we could have to bear upon the things that really matter, that we could make significant impact upon. And what is astounding is there is probably no other group in the whole of creation that has been given such a simple, focused point upon which to be center and be united: The cross of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul writes to the church at Corinth, in its mere infancy, "that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose." Between the time the church at Corinth was formed and the writing of this Epistle by Paul while in Ephesus, something had gone wrong. Factions formed and quarreling developed between these factions. The very fact there were factions would have been concern enough. But should that have been any surprise knowing the nature of a sinful humanity? Even the church in its infancy was tested by division. People began aligning themselves with personalities within the community: Apollos, Paul, Cephas or Peter and some even declared an exclusive right to Christ. Were not all Christ's disciples?

The same easily happens today: cultic followings of preachers, and teachers of the church, proponents of causes, various interpretations of the Word, and difference stances we might take on controversial issues. All this disrupts the unity Christ so desired for those who followed Him. History has done enough to created division in the body of Christ: first the Orthodox community broke away from the Roman Catholic community, then the protestant movement from the Church Catholic and the Protestants being so fragmented it is a wonder a non Christian could ever sort out the truth that brought us to faith in the first place. The Lord and Master of the church, Jesus Christ, who prayed that his followers might be one as He and the Father are one, must surely be grieved by the division He finds in the body, the church.

So Paul argues a simple point: has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? No. Or were you baptized in the name of Paul, or Luther, or Wesley, or Marty or Greg or Tom or Bill or Gene? No. Christ's church in so many ways has lost its fulcrum, or balanced center which is Christ crucified for you. And its fulcrum becomes the often trivial, petty issues that create contention in the body: how we baptized and when, how we worship, what stand we take on issues that matter much to us, but perhaps are insignificant in the whole scheme of what God would have us be doing.

In this second reading for today, Paul raises a significant concern: the church's primary focus in to be upon proclaiming the gospel, the power of the cross of Christ. Any division, dissensions, quarreling and pettiness in the body becomes a distraction from this work and a poor example to those we are trying to reach out to with Good News. And there is a sense of urgency to Paul's concern for the church in verse 18: "For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

We are well aware that in this world there are those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and the way of salvation that is through his death and resurrection. And we know there are those who either reject it or are not yet convinced that is God's saving way. In the Corinthian community, there were schools of philosophers who engaged regularly in rhetoric and debate and viewed Paul and other Christians as but another faction in such dialogue. They lifted up wisdom and knowledge as supreme, and polished lecturing and debate as important. Paul however, would not yet to their style and way lest it compromise the message of Christ crucified. Rather he notes that to such as these, and yes, many in our world today, the Christian proclamation of Gospel seem foolish. But this foolishness is the very power of God.

In like fashion, could not our debates over worship styles, sexuality statements, and differences in minute points of theology or scriptural interpretation, claims of having the real truth about Christ also diminish the power of God's presence in community? Let me say that I do not see such division in our congregational family, though it has been present in the past. I share a concern as would Paul, for the general expression of the church in the world, a world that is perishing. I share a concern that we the church must do all that is possible to work toward a unity of the body whole , not divided, not taking what pieces of Jesus best suit us. And I guess what I am trying to get at is our need to keep central the very foundation upon which Christ's church is built: Jesus Christ, son of God, crucified for our salvation, and the implications of that for all of humanity. So much is at stake when we allow our quarreling and difference divide us and dilute the power of our proclamation to a dying world. We do it through our judgmental ways toward those different from us, we do it with our better than thou, "our way or the highway" attitude toward other faith expressions. Remember it is not we who save but the power of God that saves and the world that is perishing will never see that through our division and weakness, only through our u nity.

We will never become a church that effectively reaches out to those who are missing out if we shoot our wounded and major on the minuses. Instead of being fishers of men, as Christ has called us, we will be keepers of an ever-shrinking aquarium. We might want to learn from the example of geese. We have all seen their flying in formation and understand something of the dynamic of such flight. Their unity enables all to get to their destination easier and quicker. But did you know that when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by a shot and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly, or until he is dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their original group. (If people knew we would stand by them like that in church, they would push down these walls to get in.) You see, all we have to do in order to attract those who are missing back to church is to demonstrate t o the world that we have as much sense as geese here at church. That seems little enough price to pay to win the lost and minister to one another. "Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agre ement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose." Amen

Christmas Eve 2004 Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, Williamsport, MD

"For unto us a child is born, a son is given." Thank you Lord, the day has come, so long anticipated and waited upon. The day, first marked by store Christmas display, by songs of Sant a, his elves and one big sleigh. The day of tinsel, stars and light, first hung all round before Halloween's night. The day when stores held their one big sale, their biggest and best they would say, oh such a tale. Thrown in are some carolers, some pa g eants mark the day, recalling what angels and shepherds did say. Best of all here's the day the real reason for that stuff, the day you sent Christ to be one among us. Thank you Lord, the day has come, no more waiting I'm so glad, yet for some reason I w onder if maybe we just have been had. Not by You but by all of the hype and the stuff, that has so little to do with your truth which should be enough. That the reason, the season is here at all, is because of our sin and the original fall. For the chi l d of this day was from you heaven sent, just to keep us and mark us for Your one big event. Yes a child, your own son born unto Mary, makes it possible to take away all our worry. And if we believe all that his life would unfold, it's also a day that ha s called us to be bold. A day to be lived in the light of his love, to live just as the one who was sent from above. So I wonder this Christmas Eve's long awaited night, if we really are ready to receive God's new tyke. For his baby grew up and reveale d a new day, so that each one for us would lived by his way.

Christmas: houses decorated, cookies baked, candles glowing, children who wait. Gifts and greetings, families assembled, wonderful dinners and glad hearts a plenty. Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, angels chorus, and wise men gathered round a simple manger for the Christ child's birthing place. Is that Christmas? For many yes, but ponder this dear friends tonight: "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No"' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to red eem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. Oh what a blessed night God has given us. I love Christmas and all of the preparation, anticipation and expectation that goes along with it. I have since a child and I remain the biggest child in my family. This is usually and restless and somewhat sleepless night for me. I miss having little ones asleep in bed on Christmas morning, because for as long as I can remember I have always been the first one up. I delight in lighting the Christmas tree, waking everyone up usually before the night time sky turns to day. I love teasing everyone that we have to fix and eat breakfast before doing anything else, and then gathering all around the tree to exchange gifts. I am the first one to the door to see Santa go by on the fire truck in Williamsport Christmas morning. And it is a great joy to worship the Savior who has appear to al l men mid morning Christmas day, and return home to eat some wonderful Christmas treats. And even though the little ones are grown, I will have to wait until Christmas night to celebrate again with the grandchildren, there is still reason to be thankful and appreciate the day. Even if we are alone, or missing some of the precious ones from our family circles, there is wonder to behold in the thing that God has done. For the grace of God brings salvation to all people. Here is the reason for the season t hat gets disguised in so many ways by us. \p

Jurgen Moltmann the German Theologian saves that it is one thing to talk about the God above us, that far, transcendent and power that is able to change the world. It is popular to speak of the God within us, that inner, conscience making force that is personal and intimate. We speak of the God between us that force that enables relationships between human beings. But what gives real, sustained hope is God with us. This is the God who can be trusted, in our t imes of despair and defeat. The God who is with us. God's grace was born into our world not to give us a delightful, traditional holiday which is celebrated in so many varied ways. God's grace was born into our world to lay a foundation from which springs a multitude of ethical, life choice imperatives that guide and direct the ways of men, women and children each day. God's grace was born to bring salvation to us, giving us a new day in which love of God is able to unfold and change human lives for the good.

We dare not disguise it any further than we have with all of our Christmas traditions and trappings. For without the baby and parents, the angels and shepherds and wise men, we would still be lost in sin and despair, a people without hope, dependent solely upon whatever good we might be able to dredge up from within to appease a disappointed God. But instead the gift of God to us is hope, hope for a new day, and hope for a lost people; hope when all others have counted you down and out. Hope birthed in the form of an infant holy, infant lowly, wrapped in bands of swaddling clothe. Hope in a child, birth to Mary, from the power of the Holy Spirit. Hope in God's Jesus, He who saves us, Immanuel, God with us.

Grace by definition is the love o f God freely given though undeserved. This love was birthed from Mary long ago, so that one day the child, now a man might give himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify us. This Jesus has done so that as Titus writes in the 14th ver se of the 2nd chapter, we might be "eager to do what is good." This is God's will for the world. This is what tonight and all Christmas eves and each day is to be about for those who believe in the child Jesus born in Bethlehem. I hope you are not disapp ointed that all of the trimmings and little joys we create for our own delight are not what this blessed Christmas is about!

Long ago Shepherds and wise men sought a new born king and they found was a great surprise. The first Christmas gift was oh so simple: a humble family, full of the awe and wonderment of a new born baby to raise. There was certainly a sense of joy mixed with the awesome responsibility of a new life to nurture. There was most likely fears and concerns of the unknown. But what these workers of the night and travelers from afar also found was a sense of foreboding. For if this was God with us, what then will the rest of our lives look like and mean for us. This we as they would discover as the child grew to become a man. A m an who would empty out his life for our salvation, so that we might be eager to do what is good. That's all the baby we come to worship tonight could ask of us: to take the new life given us by the God who is with us, and be eager to do what is good.

I close with this poem by John Wright Follette:

Come, holy babe of Bethlehem,Welcome, welcome to my heart. All my life is but a stable,Let thy love fill every part. In my heart there is a manger and I know 'twas made for Thee. Naught on earth can ever fill it, come and make Thy home in me.Poor dumb beasts are standing by it- stupid ox and ass are here, Types of what I find within me Born there in a shade of fear. You have come to change the picture, come to shape my life anew. Take the ox and ass I pray thee, O, what wonders Thou canst do! On the altar place the poor ox, P leased to sacrifice him there. And the ass of self-will also Changed by Thee may burdens bear. Thus my stable rude is honored. Changed by Thee in every part. Come, dear Babe, and let me hold thee in the manger of my heart. AMEN Pastor Greg Martin