Luke 2:8-14

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

Some among us tonight watched (and some participated in) the youth Christmas program, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” a week ago Sunday. It is a beautiful Christmas story with a message I’ve never thought needed an explanation. That being said, someone recently clued me into a fascinating detail in the story that I had missed even after having watched the show dozens of times. This subtle detail transforms the show from a heartwarming entertaining story into something even more theologically and practically powerful.

Recall the scene where Charlie Brown returns to the rehearsal after picking a sickly-looking Christmas tree. He’s laughed at, and out of desperation he cries out for someone to teach him the true meaning of Christmas–something more than decoration contests or lists of desired presents. That’s when Linus, the sweet boy who always has his blue blanket clutched tightly to comfort him, tells the story of the angels appearing to the shepherds from the second chapter of Luke. It’s beautiful how Linus is able to pull attention back to scripture; but even more remarkable is what he does while he tells the story -- something that shows how scripture can transform us. Watch him closely and see if you catch what happens.

Did you catch it? What did Linus do? He dropped the blanket as he said “fear not.”

Legend has it that Charles Schultz, the creator and artist of the Peanuts comics and TV shows, demanded this scene be included in the final production or he would not authorize its release. Curiously, he didn’t have Linus recite parts of the Christmas story one would expect. Such as those verses about Mary being a virgin, there being “no room in the inn,” nor the part where the baby Jesus is born and placed in a manger. For Schultz, Christmas is all about the shepherds receiving the angels’ good news of the Savior’s birth and having their fear replaced with joy and peace.

So let’s take the opportunity this Christmas Eve to think about how Jesus’ birth is an invitation to “fear not” and to drop our own security blankets.

Fear is a constant companion in life. For some of us, fear lurks in the shadows so we can never quite make it out or describe it–it’s like a low-grade fever that keeps us from operating at 100%. In other cases, fear is clearly defined. We know exactly what we’re afraid of; however, just being able to name and describe it does not relinquish its power over us. Some of our fears are perfectly reasonable; others are irrational. As for me, I have an irrational fear of sharks and alligators, which is why I live in Indiana.

To be clear, fear serves an important function in our lives. Fear keeps us safe and helps us avoid making decisions that would have negative consequences; however, the perspective our fear brings should always be held in check or else it can paralyze us and keep us from chasing our dreams and experiencing joy. Author Elizabeth Gilbert writes beautifully about the proper role for fear in our lives. In her book about creativity titled Big Magic she writes a letter to fear, which I will share with you.

“Fear: I recognize and respect that you are a part of this family, and so I will never exclude you from our activities, but still–your suggestions will NEVER be followed. You’re allowed to have a voice, but you are not allowed to have a vote. You’re not allowed to touch the road maps; you’re not allowed to suggest detours; you’re not allowed to fiddle with the temperature. Dude, you’re not even allowed to touch the radio. But, above all else, my dear old familiar friend. You are absolutely FORBIDDEN to drive.”

The angelic announcement, “Do not be afraid” is an invitation to kick fear out of the driver’s seat, to reassert control of our lives, and to allow peace and joy to fill in the space that fear previously occupied. However, just telling someone to not be afraid does not do anything to make fear go away. I have been informed, and I intellectually understand, that I will not be attacked by a shark or alligator. Knowing something intellectually is not the same as knowing it in one’s heart or gut. The angels do not communicate merely an intellectual truth, rather they communicate something that is fundamentally true–a truth that changes everything.

Confronting fear means making tough decisions to be brave and vulnerable, to take risks, and to believe in something that stretches the limits of our intellect and emotions. As God’s angelic messengers remind us, our efforts to confront fear can result in good news, glory to God, great joy for all people, and peace on earth.

One of the beautiful parts of tonight’s service is after we light our candles and sing “Silent Night,” we will hear the gospel story of what happens after the shepherds are instructed not to fear.

I’ll go ahead and spoil the rest of the story for you. Those emboldened shepherds go and see the truth for themselves. And once they see Jesus they glorify and praise God, which is exactly how the angels were described in the earlier verses. The shepherds have been entrusted to go and share the good news of great joy; and as they go and share the good news of great joy to the world they become God’s angelic messengers.

Removing fear from the driver’s seat, dropping our security blankets, being filled with peace and joy, praising God, embodying the good news for the sake of the world, letting heaven and nature sing …that’s what Christmas is all about.

So may you have an encounter with God’s word that gives you to courage to put your fear in its proper place. May you be led into peace and joy as you live into God’s good news and share that news with others. And may you become one of the multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth, peace for all people.”

Merry Christmas.

Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Today’s Gospel made me think of one of the latest trends in our social media culture – the “gender reveal” party. Have you seen or heard about or maybe been a part of one of these? They seem to be the new addition to the list of things many couples do to celebrate the coming of a new baby. The short of the long is, the baby’s sex is kept a secret from all but a couple of family members or friends and a clever way is concocted to reveal the news of the baby’s biology to the parents-to-be, and often-times, to the newest baby’s siblings-to-be, as well.

You can Google it, if you’re curious. I decided to spare you this morning. Because I’ve seen videos of blue smoke bombs on the beach… Race cars that blow pink exhaust when the engine is revved… Exploding golf balls… Cakes, cupcakes, and donuts, all filled with the appropriately colored filling… Fireworks, of course… I even saw a couple who commissioned the lights on the Ferris wheel at a local carnival to turn blue for their big announcement.

And you can file this one under “Pastor Mark must be getting old,” but I’m kind of glad “Gender Reveal Parties” weren’t a thing yet when my kids were on the way. It all just seems like too much to worry about. (For what it’s worth, I’m also not on board with “prom-posals” and whatever over-the-top, Instagram-worthy thing the kids these days have to do to get someone to go to “HOCO” with them, either.) I know! I might actually be my father at this point. Or my grandfather. Or the Grinch. I don’t care. Get off my lawn!

Anyway, Christa would probably say it’s because I’m lazy when it comes to that sort of thing. But I think there’s enough to do to get ready for a new baby as it is. Aren’t there enough clothes to buy and furniture to assemble? Aren’t there enough showers to host or to attend, without adding another special event to the calendar? Let alone one where you have to coordinate a sharing of top-secret information between the OB-GYN and your mother or mother-in-law or best friend or the most disinterested third-party so as not to make any of the aforementioned Very Important People angry about who got to know what before who?

And then there’s all of those extra-special ways people concoct to reveal the big reveal… pink cupcakes and blue balloons, exploding golf balls and fireworks … the possibilities are endless, really… and one more way to make an already crazy, anxious, stressful, uber-exciting time in your life, even more of all of those things, it seems to me – crazy, anxious, stressful and all the rest.

Still, no matter how hard you try – none of these modern day “Gender Reveal Parties” even come close to what happened for Joseph and Mary in the days before Jesus was born.

There they were, this First Century, happy, couple-to-be. Joseph was betrothed to Mary, which meant they were promised to each other, but hadn’t made it official – in any of the ways yet, if you know what I mean. They were being patient. They were jumping through all the appropriate hoops. They were staying the course. They were living by the law.

Then Joseph finds out that, despite all of their best efforts, all of their righteous and holy living, Mary is pregnant. And he knows it’s not his – it can’t be. He must have wondered who would believe him. He must have wondered what people would say. He must have wondered what he should do next.

When you read this story with 21st Century eyes, you might think Joseph would have to be a jerk to simply “dismiss her quietly,” which was his plan. But when you remember when he lived and realize what he knew, Joseph turns out to look more like a hero.

Because Joseph knew he would be expected to do more than just “dismiss her quietly.” Joseph knew his culture and his faith told him he had a right to – at the very least – shame and disgrace and shun the woman who was supposed to become his bride. He may even have been expected to have Mary put to death – as was the custom for a jilted, first century bachelor, in such a predicament.

So, just when Joseph makes the bold decision to dismiss her quietly, to let her go, to essentially break from custom and break the law and to eat crow in order to save her from disgrace and abuse and all sorts of pain and humiliation, he has this revelation in a dream.

“This isn’t what it looks like,” Joseph hears from the angel. “I know what it looks like. I know what you’re thinking. I know what everyone else is going to think… and say… and assume. But this is none of that.”

“This is a holy thing. This will be a holy birth. This will be a sacred baby. Do not dismiss Mary quietly – don’t dismiss her at all. Believe her. Take her as your wife, just as you had planned. Marry her in spite of what everyone might say or think or do. Have this baby. It’s going to be a boy, by the way. You should name him Jesus – because he’s going to save his people from their sins.”

Now that’s a “gender reveal” – and then some – with a punch – am I right? And believe it or not – like it or not – all of this “revealing”, whether it’s a cupcake in 2019 or an angel in a dream, back in the First Century – all of it means to accomplish the same thing:

These “reveals” mean to fill us with hope and expectation. These revelations mean to move us action. They mean to prepare our hearts and our lives and our homes and our world for the new life that’s on the way.

I guess if the cupcake is blue, some people would paint the walls to the nursery accordingly. I imagine if the confetti is pink that means you might shop for clothes and accessories differently. No matter what, the reason for knowing and sharing and celebrating the news is so that you do something about it, in preparation for the one who is to come.

And the same is true – and tremendously more significant – where Jesus is concerned. What would… what could… what should… we do differently as we prepare to celebrate his coming, yet again? How will we live and move and be differently, knowing what we know about God’s intentions for Jesus’ birth? What does this big reveal reveal about our own lives in this world – here and now, and in the days to come?

Who can we tell about this new life that’s on the way? How can we share what we know this Jesus means for our lives and for the sake of this world? Where can we be more generous? How can we be more kind? In what ways can we be more grateful and forgiving and hopeful and patient and faithful and like this child who comes among us to be all of those things?

It’s a boy, people! His name will be Jesus… Emmanuel… it means “GOD IS WITH US”… and he comes to save us from ourselves, to save us from our sins, to save us for the sake of the world. All things – and each of us – can and should – be different and better and blessed because of it.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Linus' Good News

God's Big “Gender Reveal” - Matthew 1:18-25