Past Sermon

Sermon Title: "The Christmas Offering"
Date: December 23, 2007
Minister: Rev. Charles E. Ensley, Jr.

Lesson:  Matthew 1:18-25

(What follows are the narrations I wrote to introduce each of the musical selections compiled

by our Director of Music, Julie Ramsey, for our Chancel Choir's Christmas Cantata,

The Christmas Offering.  --CEE)

CHRIST OFFERED HIMSELF

The Gospel of John, the last written and the most theological, begins with this proclamation:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.”  Thus, the very essence of the man whom we came to know as “Jesus” was God himself.  God came to us in human form, not walking out of the wilderness as some adult prophet, but as a tiny baby, born into the world just as we were.  We might refer to Jesus as the Holy Child, but throughout history Christians have asked themselves when Jesus really knew he was the Son of God.  Surely, during his adult ministry, when, just as he did at his birth, he offered himself again to save humanity.  Yet, the timeless Christmas story, and its several moments of precious offering, begins with the birth of God’s Son, come to us in human form.

MARY OFFERED HER VERY OWN LIFE

It was the custom in Biblical times for girls, even before we might call them ‘young women’, to become betrothed at an early age.  The betrothal was a formal engagement, as binding as a marriage, and was usually consummated later.  Biblical scholars believe Mary was just a teenager, and a young teen at that, when the angel Gabriel came to this virgin to tell her she was to conceive a child by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Mary’s first response might have been, “Who am I that my Lord would choose me to bear his Son?”  But the angel was so able to convince her of God’s plan that she ultimately accepted this great responsibility by saying, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”  And so it was that from the womb of the perfect rose known as Mary, both the human and divine child Jesus would be born.

THE INNKEEPER OFFERED A HUMBLE CATTLE STALL

Over twenty-five years ago, our family began to acquire a nativity set in which new characters were added each year.  It began, of course, with the Holy Family, followed by the requisite shepherds, stray sheep, a donkey and cow, three wise men and a camel.  Then the makers of these figurines began to get creative as the set was filled out.  The next figure to appear was the innkeeper.  What a seemingly small participant in the nativity.  He has no name, no verses to quote in the Bible.  In fact, his entire story is told in just half of one verse:  Mary laid Jesus “in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”  Each year, as I take the figure of this innkeeper from his box and place it at the nativity scene, I think what a pivotal role this man with no spoken lines had in the drama that night.  He had no more lodging to offer.  The inn was full due to the Roman census.  He then might have shrugged, and said all he could offer was a humble cattle stall.  Without his gift, our Savior might have been born on the bare, cold earth.

THE ANGELS OFFERED THEIR MAJESTIC WORSHIP

In last year’s movie, The Nativity Story, there is one consistent angel who appears to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds.  It appears as a translucent man in a white robe.  No wings, no halo, yet a sort of glow about him.  When we get to the part of the birth narrative where the angel appears to the shepherds, it is just one angel telling them, “Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy.”  One angel?!  But I thought it was dozens!  How can one angel’s voice fill the heavens?  Ah, after the solo angel brings the good news, it happens:  “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!’”  As the angels offered their majestic worship of the newborn King, so might we when we sing with them.

THE SHEPHERDS OFFERED THEIR SOLEMN PRAISE

Sandwiched between the glorious angels and the majestic wise men, were the humble, sleepy and perhaps dirty shepherds.  What in the world did they have to offer this newborn Savior?  Yet, there was a certain obedience about them, these weathered men who spent their entire working lives—day and night—out on pastures and hillsides tending a bunch of bleating sheep.  There was certainty among them that they ought to go to Bethlehem and see this thing the angel of the Lord had made known to them.  And so it was that these tenders of lambs left their hillside, and the sheep entrusted to their care, to go and see the Lamb of God born in a stable.  Then the shepherds returned to the fields, offering all they had, “glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”

THE WISE MEN OFFERED THEIR COSTLY GIFTS

In storied lore, there are no more magnificent, majestic and worldly characters than the presumed three wise men.  While nothing is known of them before their arrival or after their departure, popular and religious culture have branded them with varied nationalities, races, colors, attire and names:  Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar.  No one traveled farther and longer than they, following yonder star, to offer great riches to Jesus.  Of all the details we do not know about them, Matthew alone records their particular gifts:  gold, fit for a king;  frankincense, a prized incense used in religious rituals;  and myrrh, used in burials to anoint the body, and said to foreshadow Jesus’ crucifixion.  As they offered to the Christ Child their gifts most costly and rare, so too do we offer now our gifts so that the work of Christ may continue, through this church, and into this world.

WHAT CAN WE OFFER?

In this season, when we focus on the offering others made that changed the course of their lives throughout the Christmas story, what can we offer in our lives?  In this season of peace and goodwill to all, we can be kind and charitable, doing to the least of our brothers and sisters what we wish others would do unto us.  We can be appreciative of what others do for us and show our thankfulness in return.  We can be kind and understanding of those we live with and work with, even when we don’t always understand or necessarily agree with them.

OUR GRATEFUL RESPONSE

Today, because of the amazing gift Christ gave, each of us has something special to offer – both to God and to others.  We offer God our sincere and worshipful praise whenever we gather here, or anytime we offer our prayers of gratitude.  As the presence of God and the light of Christ radiates in each of our lives, others may see Christ in our very being, and most certainly in our actions.  We celebrate Christ’s coming this Christmas with the song of the angels:  “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace to all those of good will.”