Love Divine
by the Rt. Rev. Martin Field, Bishop of the Diocese of West Missouri
It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m filled with wonder. Not just the kind of wonder that’s akin to awe, but also the kind of wonder that . . .well . . . wonders.
I wonder what Christmas 2011 means to a mother who has lost her husband, who must take care of 3 or 4 children, working every day, never quite getting everything done, never making ends meet? What does Christmas mean to her?
I wonder what Christmas means to the little man in Zimbabwe, 80 years old, living in a hut, who knows nothing of shopping malls or Christmas trees? What does Christmas mean to him?
I wonder what it means to little North Korean children with smudges on their cheeks, emptiness too often in their bellies, but sparkles in their eyes. What does Christmas mean to them?
I wonder what it means to missionaries half a world away from families and friends, who are sacrificing so much to take the precious gospel message to those who’ve never heard it? What does it mean to them?
I’m sure that it means different things to different people.
To merchants it is the busiest time of the year. Stores stay open longer, and hire extra people to accommodate all the shoppers. It means more profit, hopefully enough profit to see them through the leaner times of the year ahead.
For some employees it means a Christmas bonus, a little more money in their pockets to do things that they want to do.
For many teenagers and adults it is a time of fun and parties. For children it is a time of impatience, with time seeming to pass so slowly, as they wait for Christmas morning.
But sometimes I get the feeling that we’re like the folks who decided to throw a party to honor a special friend. They sent out invitations, decorated the hall, had the food catered, and all the people came at the designated time, but — to their surprise — the guest of honor didn’t show. Finally, they made the embarrassing discovery that no one had ever invited the guest of honor.
I wonder if that happens at Christmas time? Do we go through all the decorating, gift buying, and elaborate meal preparations, but somehow forget to invite the guest of honor . . . somehow forget whose birthday it really is?
The fact that God made the announcement to shepherds helps us to understand the real meaning of Christmas. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,” and He chose to announce that to shepherds first of all.
Shepherds were at the opposite end of the social strata from King Herod and all the influential people of the day. They lived in the fields with their animals. They weren’t respected. They had no power or prestige. Yet, God’s angel came to them and said, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ, the Lord.” Unto shepherds a Savior was born.
In that one simple announcement God made known some very important truths.
I. First, it tells us, “No matter how insignificant you may think you are, God knows you, and you are important to Him.”
All throughout scripture we see God honoring people and things that the world often overlooks or ignores.
The Apostle Paul writes, “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things…” (1 Cor. 1:26-28a).
A Jewish youth was sold into slavery by his brothers and carted off to Egypt. Yet, when God wanted to deliver a very special message to mighty Pharaoh, it was the slave, Joseph, who was brought up from the dungeon to interpret the message.
God uses the lowly and despised to show His power.
Five thousand men, plus women and children, stayed late on a hillside one day, listening to Jesus. They grew hungry and it seemed there was no food. But one little boy had 2 fishes and 5 little loaves, and it was enough, because God took that small amount and fed the many.
God took what was small and did a great thing.
He’s always doing that; isn’t He?
When God decided to select a mother for His Son, He went past the fashion salons and beauty parlors. He went past the furs and diamonds and gold adorning the well-bread, society ladies of the day, and went to the insignificant village of Nazareth. There, He found a peasant girl. She didn’t dress in designer clothes. She didn’t have a sophisticated education. But she was pure, and God selected her to be the mother of His only begotten Son.
When the Christ came, He was not born in a state-of-the-art hospital surrounded by obstetricians, nurses, and assistants. Rather, He was born in a cave where animals were kept, swaddled in rags, and laid in a feeding trough.
The world looks down its nose and says, “That’s foolishness.” But Paul says, “The foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” (1 Cor. 1:25)
When God makes His announcement, it’s delivered to shepherds. It’s just what Jesus will say in His Sermon on the Mount, “If God cares about sparrows and lilies, then He cares about you.” If God cares about shepherds, He cares about you!
We need to hear that!
Children trying to make sense of a complex and frightening world need to hear that. Teens suffering under the ridicule of their peers or who build themselves up at the expense of others need to hear that. Mothers without a partner in child rearing need to hear that. Lost souls who drink away their fears and pain need to hear that. People who are lonely and heart-sore need to hear that. Husbands who’ve buried their wives need to hear that. Church people who feel useless and empty need to hear that. We all need to hear that.
All of us have experienced what it feels like to be rejected. All of us have know what it’s like to be left out. But Christmas comes. The light shines, and God says, “No! You’re wrong. I made the announcement to shepherds, and I make it to you. Unto YOU a Savior is born.”
Life counts. Life matters. Your life and mine. Lives of shepherds and lives of kings, all are important to God. You are important to God . . . or He would not have sent his Son to be your Savior.
II. Your faith matters, too.
Shepherds were men of faith. They probably had more faith than some of the scribes and Pharisees who went to the synagogue every day. They believed in a Messiah. All of God’s chosen people believed in a Messiah. When things got especially hard, during times of poverty and enslavement and exile, they would think about the Messiah and God’s promise that one day the Messiah would come. They prayed over and over again, “Let the Messiah come. Let Him come today!” They prayed that prayer for hundreds of years, and they must have wondered, “Is our faith worth anything? Does God hear our prayers? Does God keep His promises? Will the Messiah ever come?”
There must have been many who quit praying and gave up on faith, but when the announcement came to the shepherds, God was saying, “Your faith matters, and it’s not in vain. I am a God who hears and who keeps His promises. Now the Messiah has come, and I have kept My promise.”
How about us? Sometimes we become weary. There may be times when we wonder if it is worthwhile going to church. And when the Church asks for our support, we might wonder if we’re throwing our money down a black hole. There are times when we wonder if it is worth sacrificing for God.
There are times when I wonder if it is worth it to be a preacher, even a bishop. Maybe I ought to do something else. Sometimes, when I feel weary, I pray, “Lord, why don’t You come today and take us out of our misery and pain and hardships? Why don’t you ease our burdens?”
“Oh, come, Lord Jesus,” we pray; “Come quickly!” We wonder if our prayers are heard. We wonder why He is waiting so long. We wonder if it’s worth it all.
But one day He will come. He will come for all of us, shepherds and kings, wisemen and peasants. He will come for His people. He’ll dry our tears and take away our pain. There will be no more death, no more goodbyes. Then we’ll say, “It was worth it. It was all worth it!”
Conclusion: A beautiful song contains these words:
- “Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heav’n to earth come down;
- Fix in us Thy humble dwelling, All Thy faithful mercies crown.
- Jesus, Thou art all compassion, Pure, unbounded love thou art;
- Visit us with Thy salvation; Enter every trembling heart.”
Yes, Lord Jesus, on this eve of your birth, enter every trembling heart and give us the joy of the love of God.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
