December 24, 2023 - Christmas Eve

Photo credit: Barmaleeva/GettyImages
Photo credit: Barmaleeva/GettyImages

A Moment for Mission

““Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” —Luke 2:14, NRSVUE

The vision of the first Christmas offers us a glimpse into the family that God intends us to be.

God interrupted the hate and division and political oppression of the Roman Empire—showing up as one of us in the most vulnerable, precious form of a newborn baby.

Through that love, God brought together this unlikely alliance of an unmarried pregnant teenager, a carpenter from the other side of the tracks in Nazareth, a local innkeeper, a group of shepherd boys working the night shift, angels, and later prophets at the temple and wise ones from the east.

Whatever differences there were or the degrees of separation, this source of love found in a manger united them. Just as it unites us today more than 2,000 years later.

This love brings peace and reconciliation. A love that is given for us—every single one of us—no matter what language we speak, who we voted for, who we love, our immigration status,

our gender identity or what name we call God.

God so loved the whole world and came down into the messiness of humanity to declare through the voice of angels:

“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.” (Luke 2:10, NRSVUE)

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” (Luke 2:14)

Children’s Message

Prepare a nativity set on a small table with twinkly “star” lights draping the stable.

Give each child an activated glow stick.

Our story begins with a young woman named Mary (place a Mary figure on the table). She was ordinary, like any one of us, yet chosen for an extraordinary purpose. An angel appeared to her, and she listened with awe and wonder as the angel’s message filled the air.

(place the angel figure next to Mary) “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.”

(Luke 1:30-31[A1] [A2]  NRSVUE).

I wonder what Mary was thinking and feeling when she heard this news. What might it have been like to be chosen for such a special role?

(place the Joseph figure on the table) Joseph was also an ordinary person. He had a mysterious dream, revealing the divine nature of Mary’s child. An angel said to him in the dream, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20, NRSVUE).

I wonder what Joseph was thinking and feeling when he learned about Mary’s baby. How did his faith guide him on this journey?

(place the baby Jesus figure in the creche)

A few months later, Mary gave birth to baby Jesus, the Son of God. The angels rejoiced and a bright star shone in the sky, guiding shepherds and wise ones from afar.

Let’s wave our glow sticks and say:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven!” (Luke 2:14, NIV).

The mystery of Christmas is an invitation to embrace wonder and awe. Just like the shepherds and wise ones, we too can seek the light of Jesus and follow it on our own journeys.

As we celebrate Christmas, I invite you to share your wonderings about this sacred story. What questions do you have? What parts of the story touch your heart?

(children take turns sharing their wonderings, thoughts and questions about the Christmas story)

Thank you for sharing your wonderings and your questions. I invite you to carry the wonder of this story in your hearts and share the love of Jesus with everyone you meet. Merry Christmas!

Let’s wave our glow sticks and say:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven!”

Christmas Prayer

Holy One, who came to us in the form of a vulnerable baby, thank you for sharing Jesus with us; for interrupting hatred and greed, corruption and violence with Divine Love. Interrupt our lives once again to partner with you as peacemakers and justice seekers in our homes, this neighborhood and your world. Show us how to embody your pure love, the essence of Christmas, to everyone we meet. In the name of Emanuel, God with us, we pray. Amen.

Newsletter Nugget

““Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” —Luke 2:14, NRSVUE

“History of Hymns: ‘Hark! the Herald Angels Sing’” by C. Michael Hawn offers a historical perspective on a Wesleyan Christmas carol in The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 240.

The opening lines of this favorite Christmas hymn echo Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace . . .” (KJV). Immediately, the hymn writer established a cosmic connection between the heavenly chorus and our hope for peace on earth. While many Christmas carols recount in one way or another the Christmas narrative, Wesley provides a dense theological interpretation of the Incarnation.

Wesley begins not with the prophets, the Annunciation to Mary, the journey to Bethlehem or the search for a room, but . . . in the middle of the action. Rather than citing the final phrase of Luke 2:14—“good will toward all people” (KJV)—he offers his theological interpretation—“God and sinners reconciled.” This is indeed a stronger theological statement. Note that lines 2, 3, and 4 of the opening stanza are placed in quotation marks, an indication that they are virtually citations from Scripture. Wesley includes his theological interpretation of the last poetic line within the quoted material indicating the strength and authority of his perspective.

“God and sinners reconciled” was a natural interpretation since the hymn was written within a year of Charles Wesley’s conversion. It first was published under the title “Hymn for Christmas Day” in Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739) in ten shorter stanzas, each stanza half the length of the stanzas we sing today. The hymn that we now sing is the result of many alterations by numerous individuals and hymnal editorial committees. . . .

“Hark! the herald angels sing” highlights the virgin birth, the universal application of the coming of “th’incarnate Deity” to all nations, and that Christ, who was “pleased with us in flesh to dwell,” gives humanity a “second birth.” . . .

Each Christmas season we are invited by this venerable hymn to join the angels in swelling the cosmic chorus:

With th’angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Refrain: Hark! the herald angels sing,

“Glory to the new-born King!”

Read more about the history of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” at Discipleship Ministries: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-hark-the-herald-angels-sing.

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